Karnataka’s Mudhol hounds

In news– Mudhol hounds, a breed of hunting dogs native to north Karnataka, could be inducted into the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force protecting the Prime Minister of India.

About Mudhol hounds/Dogs-

The Mudhol Hound, also known variously as the Maratha Hound, the Pashmi Hound, the Kathewar Dog and the Caravan Hound, is a breed of sighthound from India.
The Kennel Club of India and Indian National Kennel Club recognize the breed under different breed names. The KCI registers it as a Caravan Hound while the INKC uses the name Mudhol Hound.
Known for their hunting and guarding skills, the characteristically lanky Mudhol hounds get their name from the erstwhile kingdom of Mudhol (in present-day Bagalkot), whose rulers first began to breed them.
The dogs are fast runners, with excellent stamina and agility, and have a sharp vision and a keen sense of smell.
They are believed to have been bred first by Raja Malojirao Ghorpade of the erstwhile Deccan kingdom of Mudhol who, after seeing the qualities of the dogs that the tribals of his territory kept, decided to breed them selectively.
The Raja is said to have presented a couple of these dogs to King George V on a visit to England, whereafter the breed got the name of Mudhol hound.
For the specific qualities that they possessed, the Indian Army took a batch of Mudhol hound puppies into its Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) training centre in Meerut in February 2016.
This was the first time that an indigenous breed was trained at the RVC Centre which has a long history of training foreign breeds such as Labrador and German Shepherd for possible induction into service with the Army.
Once inducted, the hounds could play a key role in the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in counter-insurgency operations.
The dogs already serve with the Indian armed forces and some paramilitary forces and could become the first indigenous breed to be part of the SPG.
The Kennel Club of India (KCI) and Indian National Kennel Club (INKC) recognize the breed under different breed names. The KCI registers it as a Caravan Hound while the INKC uses the name Mudhol Hound.