Banjara Greyhound Dog Names

There are numerous types of Greyhound breeds in the world and the Banjara Greyhound is probably the least common variety. Unlike their cousins, the Banjara Greyhound is not widely accepted by kennel clubs or dog organizations even in their native India. Therefore, you will never see a Banjara Greyhound as illustrious as Gia the Greyhound who won Best in Show at the 15^th annual National Dog Show in 2016. Gia was just four years old when she won this prestigious award. This win was her 44^th Best in Show win in only two years. Gia helped raise awareness for the plight of the Greyhound in the United States and in a small way also shed some light on the other Greyhound breeds throughout the world. People became interested in Greyhounds in general and began researching the various types. Even though the Banjara Greyhound is not well known, they do hold a bit of notoriety in being the favored breed of JH Kipling. Kipling is the father of renowned English writer Joseph Rudyard Kipling. Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born in India and later moved to England with his family where he became a journalist, poet, novelist, and short story writer. The younger Kipling is the author of The Jungle Book, Kim, and The Man Who Would Be King. Hailing from India, JH Kipling is most famous for his advocacy of the Banjara Greyhound. He sang high praises of the Banjara Greyhound, going so far as to call them indigenous canine aristocracy.

The Banjara Greyhound was named for the nomadic Banjara community in which the breed supposedly originated. The Banjara people were often referred to as the Vanjari of Maharashtra. This gypsy community would bring their hounds with them on their journeys and have them stand guard. The Banjara people are considered to be the largest gypsy community in India. They once transported goods and cattle throughout Northern India, but now they are found farming crops and raising cattle. The Banjara Greyhound was used as a small game hunting dog as well as a flock guardian and camp guard dog. They have the speed of a Greyhound with the stamina of a Collie, making them ideal for a people who wander from place to place. Some people believe the Banjara Greyhound is the same breed as the extremely rare Banjara Mastiff, the Rampur Greyhound, or Bangara; however, they are not the same even though they are related and share some similar characteristics.