Aryaman or Aru for short

Aryaman or Aru for short

Pariah – It is an Indian term used to designate people of the lower caste in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Pariah Dog – An often misused word referring to dogs of a typical physiological and genetic classification. They are found in different regions around the world. Experts believe them to be at a transitional stage of evolution between the ancient wolf and the modern pure breed dogs. In short, they are probably the purest form of dog, and its most ancient breed still roaming the face of this earth.

A typical Pariah dog anywhere in the world is of medium size, with erect ears, a wedge shaped head with a pointed nose, and a long curved tail that is usually kept curled over its back in a shape similar to a sickle. They come in various shades of tan, black, white, and piebald.

INDogs – Short for Indian Native Dogs. The term refers to most of the dogs you see roaming around the streets in your locality. The INDogs, or the common INDog morphotype have all the features of typical pariah dogs.

Mutts or Mongrels – Dogs of mix breeds that show some pariah characteristics. Almost all mix breed dogs in India have some pariah/INDog genes in them.

Pure Breed Dog: A term referring to most dogs from the western world. Ironically, all pure breed dogs are in reality mixed breeds created by humans for a specific purpose.

For example, the Leonberger is a pure breed dog created by mixing the Pyrennes Mountain Dog and the Saint Bernard. The ever popular Labrador Retriever is said to be a mix of St. John’s Water Dog (also a parent breed of the Newfoundland dog) and St. Hubert’s Hound of France.

Some Recognized / Popular Pariah Dog Breeds of the World:

  • The Israeli Canaan Dog
  • The Carolina Dog
  • The Dingo
  • The Basenji
  • The New Guinea Singing Dog
  • The Rhodesian Ridgeback
  • The Thai Ridgeback
  • The Akita

We hope that this little collection of definitions and examples will help dispel some of the commonly held misconceptions some of you may have about INDogs or Pariah dogs. The next time you decide to bring a dog to your home, do give the neighborhood dog a thought.

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