The Sinhala Hound is a native dog found throughout Sri Lanka, often living in a semi-wild state scavenging for food.[1] According to a native legend, when Prince Vijaya first set foot on Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC, he was greeted by the barking of dogs; the Mahāvaṃsa mentions domestic dogs belonging to the island's Stone Age inhabitants, the Yaksha.[2][note 1] The average lifetime of Sinhala Hounds is 10-13 years.
Long overlooked by authorities in favour of imported dog breeds, only recently has the Sri Lankan Kennel Club been encouraged to recognize the landrace as a breed.[2]
The Sinhala Hound can be found in a variety of colors, but brown or dark brown brindle are most common.[1][2] They are very similar in form to the African Basenji, the New Guinea singing dog, the Carolina Dog and the Australian Dingo.[1][2]
^ abcBarker, A. J.; Barker, H. A. (1984). The complete book of dogs. Greenwich, CT. p. 207. ISBN0-8119-0621-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ abcdeMorris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. p. 687. ISBN1-57076-219-8.
