Sinhala Hound
A Sinhala Hound nursing her pups
OriginSri Lanka
Breed statusNot recognised as a breed by any major kennel club.
Dog (domestic dog)

The Sinhala Hound is a landrace of dog from Sri Lanka.

The Sinhala Hound is a native dog found throughout Sri Lanka, often living in a semi-wild state scavenging for food.[1] According to a native legend, when Prince Vijaya first set foot on Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC, he was greeted by the barking of dogs; the Mahāvaṃsa mentions domestic dogs belonging to the island's Stone Age inhabitants, the Yaksha.[2][note 1] The average lifetime of Sinhala Hounds is 10-13 years.

Long overlooked by authorities in favour of imported dog breeds, only recently has the Sri Lankan Kennel Club been encouraged to recognize the landrace as a breed.[2]

Physical characteristics

The Sinhala Hound can be found in a variety of colors, but brown or dark brown brindle are most common.[1][2] They are very similar in form to the African Basenji, the New Guinea singing dog, the Carolina Dog and the Australian Dingo.[1][2]

Hunting

The Sinhala Hound was often used for hunting by the Vedda people,[3] likely due to its alert, watchful, amiable and obedient nature, along with its keen scenting ability.[1][2]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Fossil evidence indicates domestic dogs have been found on Sri Lanka for over 11,000 years.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Barker, A. J.; Barker, H. A. (1984). The complete book of dogs. Greenwich, CT. p. 207. ISBN 0-8119-0621-3.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. p. 687. ISBN 1-57076-219-8.
  3. ^ "Sinhala Hound". Europetnet. Retrieved 13 August 2021.


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