Rajapalayam

The Rajapalayam breed, also known as the Poligar hound, is a very old breed of sighthound that is believed to have been developed in the area of Tamil Nadu to hunt the wild boar that is found there, possibly by the Nayak Dynasty which ruled the area from 1529 to 1736 AD. Most records indicate that they started out as hunting dogs for royalty, but they eventually became popular with other groups a well. They developed an aggressive and protective temperament when it came to hunting which also served to make them excellent guard dogs. They are fiercely loyal and courageous when defending their home and family, and are generally unafraid to engage any sort of threat, be it human or otherwise, so they were also used as guard dogs, protecting crops, property, and people. 

These traits, coupled with their overall physical prowess, led to their use as war dogs throughout the three Carnatic Wars in the eighteenth century and during the Polygar Wars that occurred shortly afterward. Many people speculate that these all-white dogs contributed to the development of Dalmatian breed dogs, but there is, unfortunately, no proof of the connection at this time. As hunting became less popular, so did this particular hunting breed, with their population dropping to around two hundred dogs by the 1980s. The Kennel Club of India stepped in and launched a campaign to save the Rajapalayam in 1980-81, as well as establishing a breeding center to help increase the population of these unusual dogs.