Palampur Agriculture University has decided to initiate research work on ‘Gaddi dogs’ or ‘Indian Panther Hound’ an exotic breed of dogs reared by Gaddi shepherds of Himachal. The VC of Palampur Agriculture University HK Chaudhary said this while talking to The Tribune. The VC said that ‘Gaddi dog’ is a breed of Himalayan dogs named after the nomadic shepherds who rear them. Due to its fighting capability with snow leopards, it is also known as ‘Indian Panther Hound’. With the decreasing trend of nomadic lifestyle, the population of ‘Gaddi dogs’ is decreasing at an alarming rate with the result that it has become difficult to find the purebred ‘Gaddi dogs’ in the pockets of Western Himalayas, he said. Prof Chaudhary, who joined as Vice-Chancellor on August 22, said that he had directed veterinary scientists in the university to immediately initiate a research and conservation programme to scientifically breed and conserve the pure germplasm of this prestigious breed of the Himachal Pradesh. The University has already started housing infrastructure construction work and once it is complete, the scientific breeding work will commence. The Vice-Chancellor said that a team led by Dr PK Dogra, Head, Livestock Farm Complex, Dr GC Negi, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, will also conduct study on the phenotypic and molecular characterization of the Gaddi dogs available with shepherds. This research work is expected to help in documentation of phenotypic and molecular characteristics of Gaddi dogs which has not been accomplished so far. It will also help in maintaining minimum breedable population of this prestigious genetic resource of the state. The VC said the importance of this breed was also highlighted by the Prime Minister of India in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on August 30 where the Prime Minister had exhorted the citizens to adopt indigenous dog breeds. Besides Himachal, the Gaddi dog breed was also a favourite of the farmers of Punjab in Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Ropar districts. In these districts the farmers rear Gaddi dogs to protect their crops from wild animals. The farmers of Punjab purchase these dogs at premium rates when the Gaddi shepherds migrate to plains in border areas of Himachal along Punjab. It was the first project of its kind being launched in Himachal to protect the famous indigenous breed of dog. The VC said it had also been decided to initiate research work on Chiggu goat and Churri, poultry with biotechnological interventions in the near future. 

KNOWN AS ‘INDIAN PANTHER HOUND’

• ‘Gaddi dog’ is a Himalayan breed named after the nomadic shepherds who rear them
• Due to its fighting capability with snow leopards, it is also known as ‘Indian Panther Hound’
• With the decreasing trend of nomadic lifestyle, the population of ‘Gaddi dogs’ is decreasing, so much so that it has become difficult to find the pure breed in the pockets of Western Himalayas