As sweet as a rasgula when it comes to their family and yet as spicy as a Hyderabadi biryani when it comes to guarding the house, Pandikona will protect you from anything that comes as danger!
They will surely be your Katappa to your Bahubali and you will be fur-tunate to have a Pandikona dog with you! Pandikona has primitive instincts and they do not like to be chained.
So think twice before you chain them unless you want some Chainsaw Massacre!
Originated in the Pandikona village of Kurnool district, they were bred to fight against small and large games. So if there is a small rat or a large burglar, Pandikota dogs will understand their cue and they will pounce to your rescue!
Being on the verge of extinction, Pandikona is one of the oldest breeds alive with its history still mysterious. When the British came to India, they noticed that Pandikona looked similar to European Doberman. Thus they have been called the “Indian Doberman” since then.
A sight-hound, Pandikona has always been brilliant in guarding and protecting their families. They are independent and like to roam around whenever they feel like. They are known to have one of the strongest bites in the world!!!
Did You Know?
Pandikonas are on the verge of extinction with less than a thousand dogs available in the whole country!
Note: Remember that before you plan on getting Pandikona, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Since they are an Indie Dog, adopting them would make more sense. You must be an experienced owner so that you can train them accordingly. This breed is very rare and might not be available with breeders.
Pan>Pandikona Breed Pictures
Quick Facts
Average Weight: 48lbs to 66lbs
Average Height: 19 inches to 26 inches
Dog Group: Hound Dogs
KCI Ranking: N/A
At A Glance
Towering between 19 inches to 26 inches on average, the Pandikona dog breed is considered a medium-sized dog. Male Pandikona size towers from 20 inches to 26 inches and female Pandikona size towers from 19 inches to 24 inches. The weight of the female pooch withers between 48lbs to 56lbs and the male pooch weighs from 56lbs to 66lbs.
The lifespan of a Pandikona is from 10 years to 15 years. They are known to live under harsh weather conditions and have minimal health issues. So, if you train them well with a healthy lifestyle, they can even live from 13 to 15 years.
The apartment friendliness of a Pandikona dog is pretty low. Just like most of the Indie breeds, Pandikona thrives on outdoor play. They hate to be chained and like to go out of their own will. When you put them in an enclosed space, they might turn out to be aggressive.
They have been growing in a village lifestyle where they tend to have a lot of space, greenery, and ruff patches. So a city lifestyle with a lot of open space for your pooch to have a run will thrill them.
Pandikona dogs are independent and they like to have their own space. They are loyal and highly protective of their family members. They can shy away from strangers and might attack any being if they feel it is a threat.
They are very caring and protective of the children at home and might even play games with them when they are in a mood. Although, if there is a stranger at home and if it feels like they are not doing well with your child, they may come under attack.
The pure nature of kids and their Dog-ma and Paw giving them a lot of exercise and food will make Pandikona be more mutts about you!
Pandikona dogs are occasional borkers. They do not bark much if everything is going on well and safe. They tend to bark in situations like Hunger, Boredom, Greetings, Attention-Seeking, etc.
You do not have to worry much about your pooch barking when you give enough love and care. Sometimes compulsive barking could be a reason for their continuous and prolonged barking. If this happens, you must take them to your vet.
Since Pandikona is an Indie dog, they are adjustable to almost all weather. Although, being born in Andhra Pradesh, due to the hot and humid climate they might not do well in a cold climate. So if you belong to a cold region, make sure your pet is provided with the necessary clothing.
An Indie Dog knows how to take care of themselves and providing them with necessary clothes during each weather will make them less prone to getting health issues.
Training your Pandikona is going to be interesting and yet frustrating! You must start training them at a very early age and you might want to set yourself as an alpha. If not, be prepared for your Pandikona pup to do all the things you asked him NOT to do.
A Pandikona is a sighthound and they are bred in order to have sharp instincts and high intellects. Due to this reason, training them is a bit hard as they were bred to be independent.
Commands such as roll, sit, and fetch might not work with this breed. It is always better to take professional help in training your pooch to make them a “good boi”
Although they are considered as breeds now, Pandikona were out on the streets before. So do you think you are going to go on a run with them? Paw-lease! They need ample space to go on a run without any disturbance. Fighting with other strays to mark their territory and get shelter and hunt for food has given them a lot of in-built strength and stamina.
Around one hour a day of some ruff training and plenty of running will make their day and they will love you fur-ever.
Note: Pandikona dog has high exercise needs. So get one only if you think you can satisfy those needs!
Do not worry about burning your wallet to groom your pooch. Similarly, Pandikona's grooming needs are very low.
No need to worry when an Indie dog is here!
Indie Dogs do not have grooming needs due to their low shedding, thin coat.
Occasional bathing with scrubbing once a week is sufficient as they are not even known to smell dirty.
Due to the low shedding and clean nature, they do not carry around many allergies in general. There are some cases where they might cause problems for people who are sensitive to dog-fur.
Pandikona Price in India might vary from a range of 5000 INR to 15,000 INR. Since they are an Indie dog, they could be available at an animal shelter or rescue center.
AboutAbout
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Katniss of Hunger games from the dog world, Pandikona was bred to be a hunter in the Kurnool district. Having a muscular shaped upper torso with their tummy tucked a little bit, gives them the prance needed for hunting. They have an aerodynamic shaped body with a poofy curved tail towards the end resembling an European Doberman. The main aspect that makes them different from a Europe Doberman is their short triangular ear and massive jaw strength to bite away their problems.
Paninkona dogs are a primitive breed with sharp instincts and high intellect known to mark their territory. They are medium sized dogs with their height ranging from 19 inches to 26 inches. The height may differ according to their sex. The Male Pandikona has a height between 20 inches to 26 inches and the female Pandikona has a height between 19 inches to 24 inches.
Fighting and winning over other animals to mark their territory, Pandikona has a lot of strength in their legs. The weight of the female pooch withers between 48lbs to 56lbs and the male pooch weighs between 56lbs to 66lbs. This massive demeanor helps this breed turr-ify other pooches to their very soul!
Pandikona dogs are very independent and like to be left alone. Does this mean he won’t come to you? Nawww!!!!! He needs attention once a while. If you are busy, you better paws your work and give him some cuddles once in a while.
This is not the kind of dog one would “aww” to, but the kind of dog that might make you “haww”. Being extremely loyal to their families, they would jump to protect them in a jiffy. As strong and powerful this breed goes by, that much amount of food they need.
Now, one might ask, “So am I going to spend a lot on feeding them?” NO! Indie Dogs are content with most of the home food. Give them enough proteins, carbs and other nutritions alongside immense love, your Pandikona is going to go all mushy!
If you are a first-time owner, even though you might not have many problems, you might want to reconsider taking in a Pandikona for the first time. Handled roughly by the villagers of the south and growing up in hot and arid climates, they might want something similar.
Therefore, an experienced owner might be able to face them better. If at all you are an experienced owner, you are going to be the happiest owner and might even never want to take in a different breed ever again!
Bred in a very harsh climate, Pandikona is immuneto most of the diseases and might only need an occasional checkup. Although, it is important to keep an eye on their behaviour so that you can take them to the vet immediately. “Prevention was and it still is better than cure! With a healthy lifestyle, Pandikona lifespan ranges from 13 years to 15 years.
Facts TheatreFacts Theatre
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Did You Know?
During the early 20th century, the size of the Pandikona dog was much bigger and they were considered large dogs. Due to a poison leak in their village, more than 50 hunting dogs were killed/injured thus reducing their size in further breeding!
Pandikona HistoryPandikona History
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The history of Pandikona dogs is very dubious and erratic. We might need to call Mr. Sherlock Bones to find out more. Locally, they are called “veta kukka” or hunting dogs in Telugu. They originate from the Pandikona village in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Villagers bred them in order to protect their village from large or small games and prevent from any loss or damage to their properties or livestocks.
Most of the homes in Pandikona used to have at least 2-3 dogs and due to the small size of Pandikona Village, it is only natural for the territories to intercept each other. This results in a lot of quarrel amongst the pooches thus developing stubbornness within.
Most of the hunting dogs hunt in packs. During the late Medieval times (around 14th Century), Pandikona used to lead the pack amongst other breeds. When the game was large, they used to go for the bite first and if the game was small, they let the other dogs go for it.
Oh Captain, My Captain!
In the Kurnool Village, Pandikona dogs are never kept on a leash and are allowed to walk and roam around freely. They have their free will and do not take orders and commands from their owners.
Pandikona has a wide variety of colors. They have five colors Black, Solid Fawn, White and Brindle, White and Fawn and Cream. Recently, there is a Sixth color which has been identified amongst them which is Pure Brindle.
Parenting Guide And CareParenting Guide And Care
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Keeping any breed is not always “sweet and spice, everything nice”. To all you dog-ma and paw out there, as much as you are paw-ssionate about your pooch, there are a lot of things one must keep in mind before keeping Pandikona.
1. Start training at an early age. The main reason why we recommend you to start training them at an early age is because Pandikona are very stubborn and might take time to follow certain commands. Being an intelligent breed, Pandikona dogs might not take certain commands into consideration such as “roll”, “Sit”, and so on.
2. Socializing them at an early age is a must. Pandikona are hunter dogs and they tend to mark their territories anywhere they go. An unsocialized pooch can attack any stranger, may it be a hooman or another pooch. Therefore, socializing them at an early age gives them the understanding about different environments, people, animals and other living/non-living things.
When they grow up, they will not get agitated seeing any other animal and rather they might even start playing with them occasionally. While introducing your Pandikona puppy to strangers, it is also important to help them differentiate between “good people” and “bad people”.
3. Exercising and playing are extremely vital with this breed. Pandikona have been bred in a village setting and on top of it, they are sighthounds. This itself would tell you how important it is to let them play.
The catch to this is, not only they need some time to just play, they need an open ground where they can unleash the beast. They need at least one hour in an entire day of just intense play and exercise.
4. Do not put them in an enclosed environment. Enclosed environment is not good for most of the hounds. Hounds are claustrophobic in general and they do not like to be put in an enclosed environment. They consider this as a taunt and might never want to obey to your commands again.
Paw-sitive reinforcements work like a charm. Give them a treat if they do something correctly or take them out for a longer walk to motivate them in doing their daily chores. There are various alternatives to these hunting breeds that you might want to imply.
5. Potty Training is relatively easy, yet important for Pandikona. Pandikona are high intellect breeds. They do not tend to forget commands easily. Potty training from puppyhood will be easy for you regarding their behavior related to pooping habits in the later part of their lives.
6. Pandikona dogs are adjustive in nature. Living in the hot and arid lands of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, Pandikona dogs have a high tolerance level to heat and humidity. Their energy level would not budge down, rather this is the climate they are rather suited for.
Whereas, in cold conditions, you might find them rather lazy and you might want to keep them indoors during that time.
Although Pandikona dogs have a great immune system, it is still advisable to take care of your pooch during the winters. Due to their thin coat, they do not have protection against the cold and they might be prone to a few diseases.
Did You Know?
Pandikona Dogs were adopted as a pack to serve as a Guard Dog by farmers to help them kill insects and other small games that attack their farms.
Pandikona Personality and TemperamentPandikona Personality and Temperament
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Their strong willpower adds a wee bit of a problem when it comes to their training. Thus we recommended the training of Pandikona dogs at an early age. Also, a newbie dog owner might face a lot of issues when it comes to training a stubborn dog, whereas an experienced trainer might be able mold them into a better pet.
“Who let the dog out?” As independent as they might be, leaving your Pandikona dog for a long time might not be the best decision. If at all you do plan on leaving your pooch alone, make sure you let them loose in a garden-type open environment so they can pass their time on their own. Locking them up in an apartment can trigger their aggression resulting in destruction of your properties.
Pandikona dog breeds are not known for barking. The reason for their barking could be because of boredom, attention, or compulsive barking. They are known to be calm and independent breeds, till their playtime requirements are met.
Colors And Grooming
When you get an indie dog, you are always going to have your hands and your pockets full. Pandikona does not require any grooming at all (unless you want to groom them, ofcourse). They are low shedders with a very thin coat of fur on them.
Bathing them whenever they go out on the field and get dirty is a must. They tend might unknowingly carry a few germs around their body and your house can get infected.
Brushing a Pandikona’s teeth often will reduce the chances of tooth decay. There are few special kinds of toothpaste that you get for dogs and you can use the same. Nail clipping, ear cleaning, and anal cleaning must be done on a regular basis.
Feeding A Pandikona dog
The entire ancestry of Pandikona has been living on the streets. So their digestive system is used to all the local homemade food that is made. Although, there are some recent statistics that have shown that feeding “rotis/chapatis” to dogs is extremely harmful. Feeding them cooked rice with enough proteins, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids will give them the perfect balance.
For vegetarians, feeding them rice dal and curd is a perfect option. Do not feed them curd in winters as Pandikona cannot take the cold weather and giving them curd will just make it worse. All types of pulses and majority of the vegetables are consumable by your pooch. There are many food items which are toxic for your pooch too so do consider a vet about the entire diet as each dog has a varied diet.
A) Puppy (3 months to 12 months)
A Pandikona puppy usually consumes between 3 times to 5 times a day depending upon their weight and height. A high quality calcium diet along with other essential nutrients is necessary.
Try not to provide them with dog-tablets. Although it is not wrong and many vets do suggest them, a little more investment into a home-cooked food with similar nutrients would be better for your pooch.
B) Adult (18 months to 5 years)
An adult Pandikona dog needs around 3 to 4 times of serving a day. Do not feed them more than 4 times as they might tend to get obese. Their food has to be high quality, well-balanced, nutritious food.
Serving them boiled meat with rice during their diet will be a big pro. Although, when they grow up, serving them eggs in their diet will be a must. If not, there are various supplement tablets that the dog would suggest for vegetarians (homemade egg diet would be a better option)
Giving them freshly cut fruits will really help them in balancing their diet. Providing fruits along with their meal during breakfast will be better.
C) Senior (9 years to 13 years)
Continue providing them with the same diet that you have been giving them throughout. If they are unable to eat or if they pant a lot, slowly shift them to an older dog food diet.
Giving them a healthier food diet will make it better. Pandikona dogs will still be active at this age, although their energy will have reduced. Include fruits in almost all their meals as that will be beneficial for their health.
Did You Know?
Cherries and chocolates are one of the most harmful foods for dogs. They can even cause cyanide poisoning and death in extreme cases.
Health and Vaccination
Pandikona dogs are a very robust and a healthy breed. Living outside has made them sturdy and thus they are not prone to any parasites or infections. Sometimes on rare scenarios, there are few paw-sible health issues that might be severe. Let us look at the pet-tential health issues that your pooch can face:
1. Ear Infection
Ear infections can be a common in Pandikonas as they are very playful and like to swim around in dirt. Dirt, allergies, wax and mites that enter the ear can cause ear infections.
Common symptoms could be reddish in colour with a pungent smell and/or discharge around the ear. Other symptoms can also be scratching of ears or violent shaking of heads which might even lead their ears to bleed.
Look out for the signs immediately and take them to a vet as soon as possible. This can be severe only if it is overlooked. Medication can easily remove the infection. Ignorance can cause the infection to increase and in the worst case, surgery could take place.
2. Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia usually happens to Medium or Large sized canines. When the two joints of Pandikona’s leg rub with each other, they tend to deteriorate over time and eventually stop working. There are many causes for hip dyslexia such as, Obesity, too much or too little exercise, improper nutrition, etc.
Symptoms of this health issue could be, limping from one end, decreased activities, excessive pain in the joints that results in wimping, Loss of thigh muscles and stiffness in the joints resulting in leg dragging.
One of the most common ways is to reduce the weight of the pooch in order to remove the weight stress. The vet may suggest some exercise restrictions for controlled movements to heal the joint. If the entire issue was figured out in the beginning itself, then basic anti-inflammatory medicines are enough to subside the pain.
3. Worms
Works are awful parasites that affect the entire body of your pooch. Depending upon the parasites few of the symptoms vary. Worms such as ringworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworms and tapeworms can cause very unpleasant symptoms for your pooch.
Few of the symptoms can be cough, dullness, loss of appetite, nauseousness, diarrhea (If serious, sometimes the diarrhea can even be bloody which is dark red or purple in colour) and weight loss. Their entire coat of Pandikona gets dried, rough and sticky.
A blood test is taken from the dog in order to see what kind of worm is present. Medications help in controlling the worm. They are made to mix in the dog food and give them. Depending on the worm, size, and age, medications are given which lasts up to a week.
Dogs usually fall and get injured often. Their skins are sometimes damaged which results in certain unwanted skin problems. We have a detailed vaccine plan especially for your pooch so that they can be safe and sound.
From the age of 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 weeks, Pandikona dogs must be vaccinated with Canine Parvovirus and Canine Distemper. Along with these vaccines, make sure you get a Deworming Vaccination Plan from your vet for your mutt.
There is a lot you must know about vaccination before you get a pooch. You can read our vaccination guide for further information.
Pandikona dogs are a very rare breed. They are available only in the Pandikon region of the Kurnool district. The villagers in Kurnool district have few conditions before giving away the pup. You have to be experienced in order to “adopt” a Pandikona dog.
The villagers do not have any buying policy in terms of their breed. There might be few breeders who sell Pandikona dogs across the country, although there is a chance that they might be selling a mixed breed. Always ask for a health and family history certificate before you buy the dog.
Pandikona dogs are very similar to a Doberman in terms of their structure. They have a muscular shaped upper torso with their tummy tucked. They have a well-built leg with a poofy and a curvy tail. Their ears are a bit triangular in shape and their eyes are short and squinted.
Pandikona dogs do very well with children and are a family pet. Although they have their hunter instincts, they have their guardian instincts too. So they will really look well after your children. Just make sure that their daily needs are met.
Similar Breeds
Hola Friends!
The research on Pandikona was very intricate and limited. There is still much information that is yet to be discovered about this rare breed!
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Happy Woofing!
I adopted a rescue Pandikona (named her Stuek!) from a shelter here in Canada about almost 4 years ago, and I really wish I had found this website sooner to find out more about her breed, because they really are a handful! She was just turning 2 and they had her on a euthanize list from living there most of her life, we believe whoever got her decided she was too difficult to train and dumped her in the shelter..
While she was Very difficult to train I never gave up, and Stuek is the most loyal and loving dog I’ve ever had! Pandikonas are so sweet and cuddly with whoever they bond with, I’m just lucky it was me she liked! Even as I type this out she’s sprawled out on top of me like a giant cat 🙂 <3
Though she does gets jealous when our other dogs try to get attention from me, and is extremely territorial of our room and her food which can lead to some nasty dog fights. I live in a small house so I can definitely vouch for Pandikonas being more aggressive and skittish in smaller urban areas, they get pretty bad separation anxiety and destructive tendencies if the person they attach to leaves for longer than they like (for me, I can’t leave Stuek alone even with family that she trusts at all without her freaking out,). So definitely keep that in mind if you’re thinking of adopting one of these tough breeds.
But! I can honestly say that this dog is my everything now, she helps me regulate my own anxiety, and I like to think that I help her too. Owning a Pandikona is an amazing (and bumpy) experience that I am truly honoured to be lucky enough to have. Anyone who is willing to take the time to adapt to this dog’s needs will be rewarded with the most loyal and goofy friend a guy could ask for, one that will keep you and your family smiling and safe no matter what.
Thanks for the read, love learning more about this interesting breeds history!