"You think those dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us”: Sharp-sighted, agile, with touch of Royalty, ‘Made in India’ Mudhol Hounds joins PM Modi’s security, earlier was part of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s army

Every dog has its day. Now it’s the turn of the famous Mudhol hound, also known as the Caravan hound. The breed of hunting dogs, native to north Karnataka, is likely to be inducted into the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force that protects Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

History when delved into throws up some rare gems of information regarding our Indian breeds of dogs which have been totally neglected and are now limping back into the limelight due to the concerted efforts of some like-minded lovers of Indian breeds of dogs. 

The Mudhol hound, named after the erstwhile princely state of Mudhol, is the first Indian dog to be drafted into the Army. It could also become the first indigenous breed to be part of the SPG.

According to media reports, SPG officials visited the Canine Research and Information Centre (Mudhol hound) at Thimmapur in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district in April and took two male puppies.

A native breed of dogs, Mudhol Hound, is included in the Special Protection Group (SPG) squad tasked with the Prime Minister’s security arrangements for the first time. Mudhol Hound will be included in the security squad after four months of training. The dogs from this breed are known for their loyalty.

The PM is under the security cover of SPG personnel around the clock. The security squad includes army and police personnel as well as trained dogs. Now, the Mudhol Hound dogs will be added to this security squad. Mudhol Hounds have already been inducted into the Indian Armed Forces and some paramilitary forces.

SPG officials visited the Canine Research and Information Centre at Thimmapur in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka in April this year. The authorities had expressed their desire to include two male dogs from the center in their squad.

Salient features of Mudhol Hound

Mudhol Hound is becoming a favorite for Indian security forces because of its characteristics. Dogs of this breed grow up to 72 centimeters tall and weigh between 20 and 22 kilograms. Due to this, there is amazing agility in these dogs. A dog of this breed adapts itself to the weather. Besides, it is known for its bravery.

These dogs are swift runners and come with great stamina. Recognized by the Indian National Kennel Club, a registry of purebred dogs in the country, they are said to be extremely brave and loyal.

1. The long-legged Mudhol Hound is the most preferred indigenous dog by security agencies due to its excellent physical appearance.
2. The Mudhol Hound can see up to 270 degrees. It was included in the SPG because of its ability to see better than any other breed of dog.
3. The Mudhol Hound is the best dog in terms of surveillance and surveillance due to the ability to smell more than other dogs of the indigenous breed.
4. The Mudhol Hound is less tired than other dogs. Not only this, but he also falls ill less. This is the reason why it has been included in the army squad.
5. This indigenous breed of dog has the ability to work in all weathers. Its body adjusts itself according to every season.
6. Mudhol Hound is more brave and honest than any other indigenous breed dog.

Senior Instructor Col Jaiwinder Singh said in a conversation with the media, 'This indigenous dog is so capable that after reading the eyes of the trainer, it embarks on the mission.' Once the commanding officer's signal is received, it immediately attacks the target.

Experts say that commands are given to Mudhol by giving a sound at a light distance, while at a distance of 300 meters, through a receiver attached to the neck. The meaning of the different types of vibrations through the gadget is told to it.

Mudhol Hound is considered to be a hybrid species of dog derived from three breeds. It is a hybrid of the Greyhound breed found in Europe and America, the Slofi breed found in North Africa, and the Saluki breed found in East Asia and the Mediterranean region.

Mudhol Hound is also known as Maratha Hound, Pashmi Hound, Kathewar Dog, Bedar, Berad, Kathewar, and Site Hound. It is in demand all over the world due to its bravery and ability to adapt to different weather conditions. The highest demand for this species of dog is from Australia and Denmark. Along with this, it is also sent to many other countries.

Serving the army and other forces

In February 2016, the Indian Army took a batch of Mudhol hound puppies into its Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) training center. Here is where army dogs – the foreign breeds such as Labrador and German Shepherd — are trained before being inducted into service.

Of the eight dogs, six were selected for field evaluation and suitability trials with the Srinagar-based HQ 15 Corps and Nagrota-based HQ 16 Corps. They were trained to detect explosive devices and not guard duties and search and rescue operations, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The hounds could play a key role in the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in counter-insurgency operations, an army officer told the newspaper in 2018.

The dogs also serve the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Police Force, and police departments of a few states.

They were also inducted by the Indian Air Force in 2021 to scare birds on the runway. “To address the problem of ground-dwelling birds such as lapwings and larks, IAF planned a dog-walking module. The IAF chose a domestic breed as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Taking a cue from PM’s Mann ki Baat wherein he had praised this breed, we decided to try the Mudhol hound,” a senior IAF official told The Deccan Herald.

The hounds were also included in the dog squad of the Special Tiger Protection Force of the forest department at Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.

The history of Mudhol Hound

Mudhol Hound dogs are named after the princely state of Mudhol, located in Karnataka. It is said that the rulers of the Mudhol princely state reared these dogs in a place called Bagalkot in Karnataka.

It is said that Malojirao Ghorpade, who ruled this princely state till 1937, once presented a pair of this native breed to King George (V) of Britain who named this dog Mudhol Hound. Since then, its name has become popular.

These dogs saved Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Many stories of bravery and loyalty of Mudhol Hound dogs are prevalent. It is said that about 300 years ago, Hindu ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj also liked this dog very much. He also included dogs of this breed in his army.

Aurangzeb the Mogul campaigned for more than eight years (1636-1644) in the Deccan to subdue the Marathas, who were fighting for their sovereignty. Aurangzeb saw that these Marathas used their canine companions for guarding and sighting interlopers in their guerrilla warfare. The patriotic Marathas were well known for their love of companion animals, especially dogs. Who in turn as a friend recognized neither fraternity nor brotherhood while on duty and faced any risk for their masters. These dogs have fought Muslim invaders and the British, alongside their Maratha masters. The faithful dog of Chatrapati Shivaji is entombed near his own at Raighad. The faithful dog of Sri Chatrapathi Sahu Maharaj saved him from the jaws of a tiger and attacked the tiger and killed it. This dog jumped into his master's pyre showing faithfulness and sacrifice to his master. Shri Tulaji Angre and his dogs fought the British on the high seas to protect the Konkan and the west coast of India. Thus these dogs belonging to Karnataka and Maharashtra regions are patriots in the true sense of the word. Aurangzeb sensed the importance of canines in guerrilla warfare and imported canines of the same type

Many stories of the valor of the Mudhol Hound dogs are told in the areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka. One of them is that these dogs saved the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, the elder son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Because of this, Shivaji Maharaj liked this breed very much. He used these dogs extensively in his guerrilla army.

During the last few centuries, Mudhol – a feudal state located in the district of Bijapur in Karnataka has developed the Mudhol hound by selective breeding efforts of the ruling family of the Ghorpades and their subjects and elsewhere. Legend has it that the Mudhol hounds proved themselves in a hunt, wherein the ruler Srimanth Raja Malojirao Ghorphade and his Lieutenant. 

Sri Nanasaheb Chandanashiva and their pack of Mudhol hounds fared the best over the rulers of Kolhapur, Sangli, Pattadakal, Baroda, and Jamkhandi. It was then the Ghorpade of Mudhol gave inams to the Chandanashiva family with the clause that they breed the Mudhols for all time and to perpetuate their lineage. These Mudhol hounds were also given to the nomadic tribes who used to move from kingdom to kingdom as an incentive to glean information from the neighboring kingdoms as to their martial activities. In this regard, the Mudhol hounds have gained themselves a niche in the hearts of the local people and of the adjoining districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The Mudhols are recognized for their hardy nature and being a keen sight hound, and are very much in demand as companion animals, a hunter, and guard dogs. The Chandanashiva family entrusted through generations, with the Mudhol hounds, continue to do justice in maintaining them even to this day, having been handed down from father to son namely from Nanasaheb to Vittalrao and on to the present generation consisting of Suresh Sadashiva Chandanashiva and his brothers. The Mudhols are currently being bred and put to use as sheep herding, hunting, and companion dogs. Sri Srimanth Raja Malojirao Ghorpade submitted a fine pair of Mudhol hound pups to King George V on one of his trips to England. The monarch was so impressed by the pups that he referred to them as the pups from Mudhol and when they grew up, they appeared true to the hound conformation and were called the Mudhol hound. These hounds gained popularity in their own state and the surrounding areas and began to be referred to as the hounds from Mudhol which has withstood the test of time and continues to date.

PM Modi has praised Mudhol Hound

While addressing a rally in Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district in May 2018, Narendra Modi said that the Congress, “who fall sick at even the mention of nationalism”, should learn patriotism “at least from Bagalkot’s Mudhol dogs”, which he said were “going out to protect the nation with a new battalion”.

He was reportedly referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus to be with a section of students during a controversy over anti-national slogans being allegedly chanted at the campus.

Two years later, in a Mann Ki Baat address in August 2020, the prime minister mentioned the names of several dogs who had served in the Indian Army and helped in disaster missions, endorsing indigenous breeds which he said were “very good and capable”.

“Among the Indian breeds, Mudhol hound and Himachali hound are of excellent pedigree,” he said. He also mentioned the Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai, and Kombai, which cost less to raise and can easily adapt to the Indian environment.

Talking about security agencies who have inducted Indian breeds, “In the recent past, Mudhol hound dogs have been trained and inducted in the dog squad of the Army, CISF, and NSG; Kombai dogs have been included by the CRPF.”

“Research on the Indian breed dogs is also being done by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research with the aim to make them better and more beneficial,” he said.

Urging people to bring home the Indian breed, Modi asked, “At a time when Atmanirbhar Bharat is becoming a mantra of the people, how can any domain be left untouched by its influence?”

After Modi’s speech, the demand for the Mudhol hounds reportedly shot up with the paramilitary, forest, and other departments showing interest in the canines. In 2020, a pair of Mudhol hound puppies were sold for Rs 25,000.