The only humans that remind me of a Jonangi are opera singers. In terms of their voice and entertainment, they have a similar persona.
Bubbly and loyal, Jonangi is one pooch that everyone would love to keep. Although they are not considered an intelligent breed, their sharp instincts and impressive sense of smell make up for it.
It’s just like a saying “everyone is genius. You cannot judge a fish by its ability to fly”
They may appear to be small but they make a wonderful guard dog. This soulful breed is an extrovert who loves to make new friends. A Jonangi will shower love and affection to all its family members, especially children.
They live with only one motto “spread love wherever you go and make everyone happy”. Due to their study appearance and muscular built, the first thought that would come to anyone’s mind is to “RUN!!!” Although, they are very soft and gentle.
They are just like pineapples, they stand tall, wears crown like a king, and tough on the outside but sweet on the inside.
Interestingly, the face of a Jonangi resembles that of a pineapple. They have a very similar facial structure and are built like that of an English White Terrier.
Pat a Jonangi dog once and they are never going to stop trailing you. They just love cuddling and even when they grow up, they would always want to be on your lap.
Now let us roll over and find out more about this breed and educate ourselves before adopting one.
Note: The motive of DogIsWorld is to promote the revival and adoption of the endangered Indian dog breeds by writing this article. The in-fur-mation on Jonangi is very limited and we have tried our best to provide the most accurate details.
Did you know?
Jonangi is listed down as one of the most exotic dog breeds in the world.
Quick>Quick Facts
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Average Height: 17inches to 21inches
Average Weight: 12kgs to 21kgs
Dog Group: N/A
KCI Ranking: N/A
At A >At A Glance
cript src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/webfont/1/webfont.js">Jonangi is a medium-sized dog breed with a weight that withers between 12kgs to 21kgs. Male Jonangi has a weight between 18 to 21kgs while the female Jonangi dogs have a weight between 16 to 21kgs. Jonangi height is between 17 inches to 21 inches for both male and female dogs.
Being an Indian dog breed, they have a great immunity with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. If brought up well and trained well, the 15 years will be filled with fun and happiness.
Jonangi is suitable for apartments as long as you fulfill their exercise needs. They were bred as livestock guardians and hunters. So, their chase drives are pretty high and they often need to run around to vent out their pent-up energy.
They are more suitable for apartments with an attached backyard or terrace available. Living in the countryside would be paw-fect for this breed.
Just like a Bull Terrier, they are friendly with their family and they love to please their master. They love cuddles and will do anything to get your attention. Jonangi is very paw-tective about their family members, especially children.
They are one of those dogs which can be trusted with kids. The maximum danger that they might cause is, licking around your baby’s face whenever they cry.
Early socialization will make Jonangi very friendly with almost all animals. If you have a pet bird, a pet cat, or another dog, Jonangi will mix very well with them, as long as they do not cause any harm.
Dog breeds with similar size to theirs like a Labrador Retriever, Bakharwal Dog, Corgi, Indian Pariah Dog, etc. will make a great companion. However, if they are left home alone for a long period, they might tend to get destructive.
Bark? Nah, our “dawg” Jonangi does not bark, rather yodels! They do not bark much but they do have a tendency to yodel whenever they want to go to play or when they are trying to alert their family.
Jonangi is known to have very low fur which makes them suitable for the summer and rainy seasons. They can have problems during winters and it would be better if you could provide them with some warm clothes.
Jonangi was bred to protect ducks from predators without any human interference. They are a very easy breed to train. They are known to obey the commands of their masters quickly and easily. Although, due to their below-average intelligence, it can be a little tough for them to comprehend a lot of commands. So, make sure you take it easy and slow.
Jonangi dogs have high energy levels and they love to play. They need 1 hour of play every day to vent out their energy. If you are unable to do so, be ready for your couch and pillows to be destroyed!
They love to dig up holes. So, if you have a backyard or a play-yard where they can dig up some holes, they would just love that.
Jonangi does not require much grooming as they have a very short coat. They were bred to withstand the gruesome heat of India with immense tolerance. They require an occasional bath with weekly brushing. Nail clipping, ear cleaning, and anal cleaning must be done when required. Teeth brushing just like we do ours must be done on Jonangi to avoid foul smell.
Jonangi dogs are Hypoallergenic. They have a very short coat and they do not shed. Although it is a myth that dogs are 100% hypoallergenic, there is a teeny-tiny paw-sibility that they might carry allergens.
Weekly brushing and taking extra care of them during their periods, also known as heat, will make your life easy and simple.
Jonangi dog price in India ranges from 12,000 INR to 20,000 INR. Since they are an Indian breed, they may be available at various rescue centers and animal shelters.
They are still available in a good range in the southern part of India, like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and few parts of Tamil Nadu.
Did you know?
Eight known breeds in the world are fur-less and Jonangi comes on the top amongst those breeds.
About Jonangi
We all must learn one thing from a Jonangi and that is, “if you cannot eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away with your head high”.
Jonangi dogs are friendly dogs and they love to just cuddle. Infamous for their notoriety and mischiefs, if they are in a playful mood, they will “pull your leg”, literally. They have long legs with a lean torso and a glossy coat.
Quite like a sleeker version of an English Bull Terrier.
Jonangi has a facial structure that resembles the body of a pineapple. The most district feature of this breed is their pricky ears that resemble a tulip. Their forehead is a bit wrinkly with eyes like two sparkling sapphire gems.
Usually, a Jonangi has a tail of medium length which is curved like a whip at the end. Their short muzzle and squat face make many people mistake them for a fox.
Just as the saying goes, “good things come in small packages”, Jonangi is a medium-sized breed with a height that withers between 17 inches to 21 inches for male Jonangi dogs and 16 inches to 21 inches for female Jonangi dogs. Feather-weighted breed, they have a weight that withers between 12kgs to 21kgs for both male and female Jonangi dogs.
A Jonangi is suitable for a one-person relationship and family settings as well. They are very awe-fectionate towards their family members but being guard dogs, they can be wary of strangers. Although, they are not known to show aggression unless they are provoked.
Make sure you give this breed plenty of exercises as they like to be busy throughout the day. They do not like to be left alone for a long stretch of days and they can get panicky. Being around energetic and active people, they love to play and jump around. Restricting their activities can lead to destructive habits and we do not want a “bad boi” do we?
Encouraging Jonangi while they are playing and exercising can take you a long way. Paw-sitive reinforcement techniques are known to be the best way to train them. They are not a very smart breed and they can take time to comprehend many commands but patience is the key here.
Suggested: Best indoor games for dogs
It is very easy to train a Jonangi as they are here to please their master. If you have another dog at home, make sure you make them friends from the very beginning itself. Big dogs such as Great Danes or Chippiparai are bad options along with this Andhra dog breed.
Cats and other small pets are also equally compatible with this breed. Early socializing is the key here after which they are known to be good friends with almost all pets.
Sadly, now they are on the verge of extinction. They are not recognized by any major kennels and also, they do not have much exposure like other breeds. Thanks to Theodore Baskaran and his book, “The Book of Indian Dogs”, the revival of the Jonangi dog breed has started again.
History
The exact origin of Jonangi is bizarre. They were ideally bred for hunting and herding by the duck herders. They were found in the Nellore district near Kolleru Lake in the West of Godavari and Krishna lakes in Andhra Pradesh. That is how it got the other names “Jonangi Jagilam” and “Kolleti Jagilam”.
The duck herders used to move around the Pulicat lake and Kolleru lake along with Jonangi to save them from the predators. They were abundantly found in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, and West Bengal.
Since the duck herding went out of fashion and was seen as a livelihood anymore, aquaculture was seen profitable, Jonagis were left in vain. Left with no job to do and the humans not taking care of them, they resorted to “survival of the fittest” where they developed a unique technique to hunt fishes by digging a hole.
So smart, aren’t they? Here some people consider them as below-average in intelligence.
Now, as they started to adopt this lifestyle for survival, the same farmers who bred them from protection, considered them as a nuisance and as pests. Their smart fishing strategy was then seen as trouble for the farmers as they were going in a loss which leads them to a killing spree. Many of the Andhra Pradesh dog breed was killed and the entire breed of Jonangi was limited and lead to extinction.
Now, the Asil breeders (Asil or Aseel is a breed of chicken) and many other farm owners in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are realizing the importance of the breed. Nowadays, Jonangis are kept as guard dogs and watchdogs to help the breeders and farm owners protect their livestock from predators.
The revival of this breed has increased substantially and now they are in a decent number in Nellore district and few regions of Tamil Nadu.
Did you know?
Local dog shows at beach festivals are promoting Jonangi to generate interest in this Andhra Pradesh dog breed amongst us Indians to preserve this breed.
