Sinhala Hound

The Sinhala Hound is a landrace of dog from Sri Lanka.
The Sinhala Hound is the native dog found throughout Sri Lanka, often living in a semi-wild state scavenging for food. Legend has it that 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.
The Sinhala Hound can be found in a variety of colours, but brown or dark brown brindle are most common; they are described as alert, watchful, amiable and obedient with a keen scenting ability. They are very similar in form to the African Basenji, the New Guinea singing dog, and the Australian Dingo.
Long overlooked by authorities in favour of imported dog breeds, only recently have the Sri Lankan Kennel Club been encouraged to recognise the landrace as a breed.