Rampur Greyhound

The Rampur Greyhound: India's Royal Sighthound

The Rampur Greyhound is a large, lean and powerful sighthound from northern India, built for blistering speed and long pursuits across rugged terrain. Combining a muscular yet graceful frame with deep loyalty, it is a regal and increasingly rare piece of India's canine heritage. The breed stands up to around 60 to 75 cm tall, weighs 27 to 30 kg and typically lives 10 to 14 years.

A Hound Bred by Royalty

The Rampur Greyhound takes its name from the town of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, where it was developed in the 18th or 19th century by Ahmad Ali Khan, the Nawab of Rampur. By crossing the English Greyhound with the Afghan Hound (Tazi) and local hounds, breeders created a dog tough enough for harsh northern climates, fast enough for swift hunting and powerful enough to take down large game such as deer, antelope and even leopards. So valuable was the breed that it was once reserved for royalty and nobility; after Indian independence in 1947, demand collapsed and the breed declined sharply, leaving it rare today, though numbers have recently begun to recover.

Temperament

The Rampur Greyhound is fast, alert, independent and loyal. Unusually for a sighthound, it is less aloof than many of its cousins, known instead for devotion and affection toward its family, often attaching most strongly to a single person as a true one-owner dog. Like all hunting hounds it carries a powerful prey drive, so interactions with smaller animals such as cats or rabbits must be supervised, and early socialisation is important.

Exercise and Containment

This is a high-endurance athlete that needs more than most sighthounds: daily walks or jogs of an hour or longer, plus regular chances to run flat-out in a safe, enclosed space. Its speed and prey drive mean it should never be off-lead on unfenced ground. A bored, under-exercised Rampur will not thrive.

Grooming and Comfort

Grooming is simple. The short coat has little odour, so occasional bathing and a brush once or twice a week with a soft slicker or rubber curry are enough. Because the breed has thin skin and little body fat, it benefits from soft, cushioned bedding to prevent pressure sores and appreciates warmth in cold weather.

Health Considerations

As a hardy landrace sighthound, the Rampur Greyhound is generally healthy with few inherited disorders. Sensible care focuses on secure exercise, soft bedding, sighthound-aware veterinary handling and a lean, well-muscled condition.

Who It Suits

The Rampur Greyhound suits active owners with secure space who want a fast, loyal and dignified companion and can provide ample running exercise and gentle handling. For the right home it is a devoted, elegant and historically remarkable hound.