Also known as the Rampuri, the Rampuree, the Rampur Dog, the Rampur Greyhound, the North Indian Greyhound or the Northwest Indian Greyhound, this breed is mainly employed for hunting jackal, wild boar and deer. Its name is taken from its geographical location in northwest India. One was exhibited at the London Zoo in 1877, under the name of Rampoor Hound.
This Indian sighthound, once a great favourite of the Indian Maharajahs, looks like a slightly heavier, more powerful version of the greyhound. It has been aptly described as an ‘overgrown greyhound of coarse build’. Its jaws are certainly more impressive than those of the ordinary greyhound and this is clearly a hunter who is both fast and ferocious. It is claimed that its feet can stand hunting on hard ground better than those of the traditional greyhound. Its smooth coat is mouse-grey, or sometimes black, in colour. The rare black variety is said to be the best hunter. Some authorities believe that it is closely related to the Taigan breed found on the RussoChinese border.
Although it is friendly enough with its owners, it has a reputation of being ‘queer tempered’, to quote an early author, and ready to ‘bite without barking’ if any stranger comes too close. Many years ago some examples of this breed were brought to England, but they did not appear to arouse much interest and soon vanished. It has not been seen in the show-rings gs of Europe in recent times.
As with several of the Indian sighthound breeds, this one appears to have been subjected to a certain amount of cross-breeding in recent times, and some older hunters insist that the modern Rampur does not look much like the earlier, pure-bred Indian form they once knew.
February 9th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
great breed if one can have