Reports on Thursday said the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force protecting India’s Prime Minister, could induct Mudhol hounds, a hunting dog breed from north Karnataka. These dogs have already been inducted into the Indian Armed Forces and some paramilitary forces and could now become the first indigenous breed in the SPG. The reports said officials from the SPG had taken two male puppies from the Canine Research and Information Centre (Mudhol Hound) at Thimmapur in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district.
PRIME MINISTER MENTIONING THE HOUNDS
Mudhol hounds hit the headlines in May 2018 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally at Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district, told the Congress, “who fall sick at even the mention of nationalism”, to learn “at least from Bagalkot’s Mudhol dogs”. He said the hounds were “going out to protect the nation with a new battalion”.
In August 2020, during his Mann ki Baat address, Modi name-checked several Army and disaster mission dogs and praised the “very good and capable” Indian breeds.
“Among the Indian breeds, Mudhol hound and Himachali hound are of excellent pedigree,” he said. “Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai, and Kombai are fabulous Indian breeds. They cost less to raise and are better adapted to the Indian environment and surroundings.”
Also Read | Jurassic Park re-run? Scientists using gene editing technology to resurrect Tasmanian tiger
Modi said security agencies were inducting these 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 asked people to bring home an Indian breed: “At a time when Atmanirbhar Bharat is becoming a mantra of the people, how can any domain be left untouched by its influence?”
MUDHOL HOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristically lanky and known for their hunting and guarding skills, the hounds get their name from the former Mudhol kingdom (present-day Bagalkot), whose rulers first bred them. Fast runners, with excellent agility and stamina, these dogs have a sharp vision and sense of smell.
Also Read | Project Cheetah to bring back the big cat in India; Help in reestablishing species in historical range
Raja Malojirao Ghorpade of the erstwhile Deccan kingdom is believed to have first bred the Mudhol hounds after seeing the qualities of the dogs that the tribals in his territory kept. The Raja is believed to have presented two of these dogs to King George V during a visit to England, after which the breed got the Mudhol hound name.
INDIAN ARMY COMMISSIONING
In February 2016, the Indian Army took a batch of puppies into its Remount and Veterinary Corps training centre in Meerut for their specific qualities. This was the first time that the centre — with a long history of training foreign breeds such as German Shepherds and Labradors — trained an indigenous breed for possible induction into Army service.
Officers in the Indian Army said of the eight dogs that were inducted, six had been selected for field evaluation and suitability trials with the HQ 15 Corps, based in Srinagar, and the HQ 16 Corps, based in Nagrota,
Speaking to The Indian Express in May 2018, a senior Army officer said: “The field trials have just concluded and the trial report is being formulated based on the experience of handling these dogs in the field.”
The officer added that the dogs would be inducted into the Army Dog Units after examination of the trial report.
Also Read | Major boost for India’s Gaganyaan mission, as ISRO receives crew module from HAL
“These dogs have been trained for explosives detection only. They have not been trained for guard duties, search and rescue or for tracking duties,” an officer aware of the aspects of training said at the time. The hounds could play a role in detecting Improvised Explosive Devices in counter-insurgency operations, the officer had said.
CONCERNS OVER MUDHOL HOUNDS
Using Mudhol hounds for security duties doesn’t have too many drawbacks. One issue observed, however, was that their performance appeared to dip in cold environments, the Army officers had told The Indian Express — attributing it to the warmer climate in their native area. The officers said there was a possibility that this might hinder future deployment in certain areas.
