Chippiparai Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance
If i have to describe the Chippiparai appearance in three words, than it would probably be skinny, tall and elegant. This is a lean dog with a narrow body. Some people might say, that they are too skinny, because they have visible ribs, but they are meant to be this way and it definitely does not mean that the dog is starving. The Chippiparai has deep chest.

This dog is pretty tall, but not very heavy. The typical height should be between 55-68 cm, which is 22-27 inch and weight is typically between 25-30 kg, which is 55-66 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller then males.

Most often you find the Chippiparai in fawn, black, reddish brown, black tinged coat or silver-grey color. The coat is short and smooth, which is perfect for the hot south indian weather.

The Chippiparai has long face and muzzle, eyes that face forwards, ears are rose-shaped or forward-facing and drop down.


Personality
Chippiparai can be both – skilled hunter and gentle family companion. This is very intelligent, devoted and loyal breed towards the family. This is a social dog that will love to be around the family. On the other hand, they are alert and reserved with strangers, which makes them great protectors. Sometimes, they can be little bit overprotective, but this can be vastly influenced by early socialization.

Because of their hunting history and high prey drive, the Chippiparai is not the best choice for families with other small household pets. Those would most likely be not safe around this breed.

Even though, the Chippiparai is pretty independent breed and they definitely know how to be stubborn, thanks to their high intelligence and eagerness to please, they are easier to train then majority of other sighthounds.

This dog has a high energy level and they want to properly stretch their long legs on daily basis. Long walks or better off leash runs are recommended. But you should only let the Chippiparai off leash in fenced or well known areas. Again this is because of their high prey drive and chasing instinct


Interesting Fact
The Chippiparai is very often described as a one man dog, which suggest that they could only bond closely to one person. This reputation is probably undeserved. In fact, they are great with groups of people and families given they’ve gone through early socialization training. But with no doubts, their loyalty to its pack is very strong


History
It is believed that this is a very old, ancient dog breed. Most believe they’re a relative of the Saluki, but there is no direct evidence about it. Their history is surrounded by mystery.

In the past, the Chippiparai was bred by royalty in Tamil Nadu and it was considered as a symbol of royalty. But after import of Brittish and other foreign breeds, the demand for native Indian breeds declined and many of them became extinct. That is luckily not the case with Chippiparai, but this is a pretty rare breed today. There are some enthusiasts who are trying to increase the awareness about this breed and it seems that Chippiparai is becoming little bit more popular these days again.

They were not only bred as a symbol of royalty, but most importantly as great hunters. They were predominantly used to find and kill their prey, mainly deer, wild boar, and hare.

Health and Grooming

This is generally pretty healthy and hardy dog breed with average lifespan between 12-15 years. Just like all dogs they can suffer from some health issues, commonly from hip dysplasia, patellar luxation or progressive retinal atrophy.

The Chippiparai is easy to groom and maintain with their short sleek coat that rarely seems to shed. Thanks to that, they are very easy to maintain dogs. Just like with all the dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.