Native, foreign pet dog breeds enliven show

Different breeds of dogs and cats participated in the Dog and Cat Show-2026, organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare, in Puducherry on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
S.S. Kumar

The annual show, hosted by the Animal Husbandry & Animal Welfare Department, featuring a parade of pet dog breeds and at least five species of house cats entertained enthusiasts recently.

More than 100 dogs of about 20 native and foreign breeds participated in the event. Among the popular breeds on view were the Chippiparai, Labrador, the Kangal Shepherd, Pomeranian, Pitbull, German Shepherd and Poodles.

The show stealer was 15-month-old “Chitti”, a Kanni hunter dog with a glistening white and black skin coat, which took home the champion title.

“This was his debut appearance at a contest of this kind. And, he did us proud”, says its owner Stephen Raj.

Incidentally, Chitti’s father “Rocket” had won a prize for obedience at a show held a couple of years ago.

The Kanni is among the four prominent pure-bred hunting dogs native to Tamil Nadu – Chippiparai, Rajapalayam and Kombai.

Stephen says care is taken to safeguard the pure bred lineage of the Kanni, which is sourced from the Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhanagar regions.

Given his hunting instincts, the owner makes sure to release the dog at night to run around the compound at their house in Adhingapet village in Bahour Commune. “I guess he races about between 5 and 6 kms every day”.

C. Djeacoumar, Agriculture Minister presented the prizes to the winners in the presence of Annibal Kennedy, MLA, Choudhary Mohammed Yasin, Agriculture Secretary and G. Latha Mageshkkar, Animal Husbandry Director.