with alacrity, exchange a horse for a Kombai dog,” Mr. Baskaran has said. The dog’s coat is usually reddish brown, with a paler underside. The long tapering tail is normally held up over its back.

The Kombai, a native dog breed in Tamil Nadu, is of normal height and does not possess a ferocious bark. But that has little to do with the fact that the species is on the verge of extinction.

Over here, the Chippiparai and Kombai, native to Tamil Nadu ... in Chattisgarh in search of a local Indian dog with erect ears and a curved tail, known for its guarding instincts.