By now I'm hoping readers will have visited the INDog website and in particular seen the map "Aboriginal and Primitive Breeds Around the World."
In southern Africa you'll find the handsome AfriCanis, native dog of the same aboriginal type that once existed around the world and still exists in many countries including of course India.
That image and these were kindly contributed for the INDog site by Johan and Edith Gallant, who have worked tirelessly for years to win for these indigenous dogs the respect they deserve. Johan Gallant is an inspired photographer and I want to thank the Gallants again for allowing me to use these beautiful pictures. Read all about this remarkable dog in the AfriCanis website.
There are also two books by Johan Gallant that I am eager to read: "The Story of the African Dog" and "SOS Dog: The Purebred Dog Hobby Re-examined," which is co-authored by Edith.
An incident I want to share: last week at a safari camp in Botswana my husband brought up the topic of native dogs while we were having dinner. Two of the camp managers were South Africans, and I was really pleased when they started telling me about the AfriCanis, how they'd heard it had the best temperament of all breeds, and how dogs with the same appearance could be found in different parts of the world. A clear sign that the hard work of the Gallants and other AfriCanis supporters has paid off! It made me hope that one day knowledge about the INDog will also be widespread among Indians, instead of being restricted to a few enthusiasts.
Some earlier posts from this blog about African native dogs:
Isipho, Africanis pup,
Avuvi of Ghana,
Avuvi,
Africa Snapshots (the last has pictures taken by me in Tanzania last year).
Photos: Johan Gallant
The AfriCanis Society of Southern Africa