[fusion_text]Can you name a few guard dogs? Doberman? German Shepherd? Rottweiler? And what about the Rajapalayam? Ever heard of them? These stud dogs are not a new breed. Research shows that these dogs have stuck alongside humans for a very long time! They fought alongside humans from the Carnatic Wars to the Polygar War. This means they were with us from the mid-1700s! Since we know so little about this majestic breed, let us look a little into this breed.
Origin
The Rajapalayam is from the Nayakar Dynasty in Tamil Nadu. They are currently facing extinction because more people are interested in foreign dogs. Now, they are only found in a few pockets in Tamil Nadu. There are many efforts to protect this majestic breed. This is why they have recently become protected by Tamil Nadu and have been taken up by the Kennel Club Of India as ‘Save The Rajapalayam Project’, to prevent them from getting extinct.
Life Expectancy
Rajapalayam’s are a very sturdy breed. They live on an average of 10 years and some lucky ‘Raja’ owners say that their pooch has even lived up to fifteen years and more! They are usually very fit and hardly have any ailments. However because of their pure white complexion, they are almost always born deaf. Sometimes they are born half deaf and might develop complete deafness later on in life. They are liable to this condition because of inbreeding and also because of the lack of pigmentation in their skin. Only few Rajas, who have melanocytes, in their genes have some kind of hearing. Most of the time, these dogs rely completely on their sight and smell to maneuver themselves. They are also very intelligent, and are quick to adapt to their deafness.
Less Known Rajapalayam Facts
- They, like all other Indian dogs, do not produce body odor.
- Only bathe them if they have hunted for something and have carried home a nasty smell.
- They have short hair but shed all year. But they do love to be brushed.
Diet
These dogs are very agile and muscular dogs. This is why they need a high protein diet with extra calories. Since they are always running around, they are very unlikely to gain any weight. Do not try to turn them vegetarian, this will make them very weak.
Temperament
Rajapalayams are versatile dogs but it is important to socialize them at a very young age. If you don’t socialize them they might grow up to be very aggressive and bite anyone they don’t find trustworthy. They can be kept as family dogs as long as they are trained from a very young age.
Rajas tend to form an especially strong bond with one member of the family. However after talking to many Raja owners, we found out that they can be affectionate to others if trained at a young age. We do not encourage anyone looking for sweet-tempered dogs to bring home a Raja. Though these dogs are versatile, they still like working as a guard dog. Also, keep them only if they have enough space to run around. As we said earlier, these guys have a lot of energy and hence require some extra space to work those muscles.
Since these dogs are intelligent, they are not for novice owners. These guys don’t like repetition and this is why they want someone who can always stay on their toes.
The problem is, we Indians are so keen on foreign breeds that we forget that India has some amazing breeds of their own. This is one of the reason why these Rajas (king) are getting extinct- none of us know enough about them to want them. If you have that extra space, and are looking for a highly energetic guard dog, then why not keep a rajapalayam? They are far less likely to fall sick, they live long, are very intelligent and affectionate to their owners. Next time someone asks you about guard dog breeds, add the Rajapalayam to the list!
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