India · prices in rupees, weights in kilograms
International siteKanni Dog
The Kanni is a sighthound of southern Tamil Nadu, measured in a 2013 study at a mean adult weight of 23.50 kg for males and 18.51 kg for females. Whether it is a breed in its own right or another name for the Chippiparai is genuinely unsettled: the national breed bureau treats Kanni as another name for the Chippiparai, while the study that measured it treated it as separate.
- where it is from
- Tamil Naduwhere it is from
- adult weight on our sources
- 18–24 kgadult weight on our sources
- with the ICAR breed bureau
- Not registeredwith the ICAR breed bureau
Read this first
What we could not establish about this breed
The weights here reach us second hand, quoted inside another paper, and there is no height figure. Both are weaker than the figures on the registered breed pages.
In short
Key takeaways
- The Kanni comes from Tamil Nadu. Medium sighthound.
- No registry descriptor or characterization study we could find gives a measured adult size for this breed, so this page gives none and shows no growth chart.
- Not registered with the ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources. We did not find a Kennel Club of India listing we would cite.
- Suits the Indian climate. A short-coated hound from the hot dry districts of southern Tamil Nadu, kept there by the people who bred it.
- Short coat, which our data rates as low grooming effort.
- We found no three dated Indian price sources for this breed, so this page gives no price.
- No source we found publishes a population figure or a conservation status for this breed.
Key facts
Kanni: size, coat and recognition
Every figure in this card is quoted from a named source, and the sources are listed at the foot of the page. Where a figure is missing, the card says it is missing rather than filling the gap.
- adult weight
- 18 to 24 kgadult weight
- height at the shoulder
- Not publishedheight at the shoulder
- lifespan
- Not publishedlifespan
- Origin
- Tamil Nadu
- Also called
- Maya, Vettainaai
- Weight, as our source states it
- Mean adult body weight 23.50±1.59 kg (male) and 18.51±1.18 kg (female), as reported by Selvakkumar et al. 2013 and quoted in the Rajapalayam characterization study.
- Height, as our source states it
- The Rajapalayam study records that its own mean male height of 63.10 cm was lower than that of the Kanni, without stating the Kanni figure, so we do not give a height range here.
- Coat
- Short coat
- ICAR-NBAGR
- Not registered with ICAR-NBAGR
- Kennel Club of India
- We did not find a Kennel Club of India listing we would cite.
- Space it needs
- A house with a yard
| Weight | Height at the shoulder | |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 22 to 25 kg | Not stated |
| Female | 17 to 20 kg | Not stated |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
These weights reach us second hand: they are Selvakkumar et al. 2013 figures quoted inside the 2017 Rajapalayam paper, which we could read in full. We could not reach the 2013 study itself. The ranges here are the means plus and minus their standard errors, rounded, and are a weaker figure than the ones on the Rajapalayam or Mudhol Hound pages.
Growth
How a Kanni grows
The band below is our own calculation: we take the adult weight range from the source above and scale a published veterinary growth curve for the large size class to it. Nobody has weighed a cohort of Kanni puppies month by month, so this is an estimate of the shape of the curve rather than a measurement of this breed.
| Age | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|
| 2 months | 3.5 kg | 4.6 kg |
| 3 months | 5.7 kg | 7.5 kg |
| 4 months | 8.2 kg | 10.9 kg |
| 5 months | 10.5 kg | 14 kg |
| 6 months | 12.6 kg | 16.8 kg |
| 7 months | 14.1 kg | 18.7 kg |
| 8 months | 15.1 kg | 20.2 kg |
| 9 months | 15.8 kg | 21.1 kg |
| 10 months | 16.3 kg | 21.8 kg |
| 11 months | 16.6 kg | 22.2 kg |
| 12 months | 16.8 kg | 22.5 kg |
| 15 months | 17.3 kg | 23.1 kg |
| 18 months | 17.9 kg | 23.9 kg |
Estimated from the adult weight range and the growth curve for the large size class. Weekly weight gain drops to almost nothing by about 11 months.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
The same growth engine drives our puppy weight calculator, which works in pounds, and the method is set out on the how we calculate page.
Origin
Where the Kanni comes from
The Kanni is recorded in the same part of southern Tamil Nadu as the Chippiparai and the Rajapalayam, and the three are frequently discussed together in the Indian literature on native breeds.
The naming question is the interesting part. NBAGR’s Chippiparai descriptor states that those dogs are also called Kanni, which would make this one breed with two names. But a 2013 morphometric study treated the Kanni as a breed of its own and measured it separately, and the 2017 Rajapalayam paper compares its own figures against the Kanni as a distinct breed. We keep a page for each name because that is how the sources are split, and each page says so.
What it was kept for
The Kanni's working role
The literature groups the Kanni with the hunting and guarding hounds of southern Tamil Nadu. We are not going further than that, because the sources we could read do not.
A note on temperament
This section says what our sources say this breed was kept for, and stops there. We do not rank breeds by temperament and we do not describe any breed as aggressive. A breed bureau descriptor records what a dog looks like and what it is used for; it does not record what it is like to live with, and we are not going to supply the difference out of our own heads.
Indian climate
Suits the Indian climate
A short-coated hound from the hot dry districts of southern Tamil Nadu, kept there by the people who bred it.
Short coat, very little grooming, and the space a running hound needs.
If you are looking for one, the practical advice is the same as for the Chippiparai: go to the home districts, and ask the breeder what distinguishes their dogs from a Chippiparai.
A short sighthound coat. Where the Kanni is treated as the same dog as the Chippiparai, NBAGR’s description applies: fawn through dark brown to black, with white markings above the eyes on black dogs.
Price
What a Kanni costs in India
We found no three dated Indian price sources for the Kanni, so this page gives no price.
That is not a coy way of saying the breed is expensive. Most native Indian breeds are not sold through the channels that publish prices at all: they change hands within a region, through shepherding and farming households and through state-run breeding centres, and no Indian pet publisher prices them. A shelter or rescue fee of ₹0 to ₹2,000 is the only dependably sourced figure we can offer you for a dog of this kind.
If you have seen this breed advertised at a particular price, treat the advertisement as the source it is. The price calculator covers the imported breeds that are priced by three or more Indian publishers.
Running cost
What a dog this size costs to keep
Our food and grooming figures are sourced breed by breed for the imported breeds, not for the native ones. The calculator below is the imported-breed calculator; set it to a breed of roughly the same size as a Kanni and the food, vaccination and accessory lines are a fair guide, because those costs follow the dog's weight rather than its pedigree. The purchase price is not transferable and we would not pretend otherwise.
Dog price calculator for India
Labrador Retriever puppy, kci-registered breeder
₹25,000 to ₹60,000 and up
The range our sources give for a KCI-registered Labrador Retriever.
Supertails gives ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 for a KCI-registered Labrador and Inside Scroller ₹30,000 to ₹60,000 and up. Mr n Mrs Pet states ₹30,000 to ₹1,20,000 and up.
In Delhi NCR
₹10,000 to ₹70,000
Delhi NCR is a metro. Across the metro cities our sources name, a Labrador Retriever runs ₹10,000 to ₹70,000. That is the general market across seller types, not the figure for one seller.
Inside Scroller’s metro rows run ₹10,000 in Kolkata to ₹58,000 in Mumbai. Supertails is higher, giving Delhi NCR ₹25,000 to ₹70,000 and Chennai ₹20,000 to ₹61,000, and adds that flight-nanny transport costs ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 on top.
The other ways to buy one
- Unregistered home breeder
- ₹8,000 to ₹45,000
First year of running costs
₹45,020 to ₹1,02,100
That is ₹3,752 to ₹8,508 a month. The puppy price above is not in this figure.
- Food₹2,500 to ₹5,000 a month₹30,000 to ₹60,000
- Puppy vaccinationsthe full first-year course₹3,000 to ₹8,000
- Dewormingfour to six doses in the first year (working estimate)₹320 to ₹1,500
- Vet visitsthree to five consultations, vaccinations counted separately (working estimate)₹900 to ₹4,000
- Grooming13 to 13 grooms a year₹7,800 to ₹15,600
- Starter accessoriesbed, crate, bowls, collar, leash, toys₹3,000 to ₹13,000
Working estimates included. The number of deworming doses and vet visits in a first year is ours, not a figure from a source. The prices per dose and per visit are sourced.
Indian climate
Suits the Indian climate
Inside Scroller writes that in India’s climate the Labrador’s short coat handles heat better than double-coated breeds, while noting that a black coat absorbs more solar radiation than a lighter one, so midday outdoor exercise is best avoided in peak summer.
The Labrador Retriever was not on the list in the 2024 central advisory.
The 11 sources behind this result
Labrador Retriever price in India
Supertails — dated 2026-07-13 — read 2026-10-14
supertails.comBlack Labrador dog price in India 2026
Inside Scroller — dated 2026-04-11 — read 2026-10-14
insidescroller.comLabrador Retriever puppies for sale in India
Mr n Mrs Pet — no publication date shown — read 2026-10-14
mrnmrspet.comTamil Nadu bans 23 'ferocious' dog breeds including Pitbull terrier, Tosa Inu
India TV — dated 2024-05-09 — read 2026-10-14
indiatvnews.comLabrador Retriever breed standard
American Kennel Club — no publication date shown — read 2026-10-14
akc.orgDog Price List in India 2026: Top 40 Breeds, City-wise Costs & Monthly Budget
Supertails — dated 2026-03-09 — read 2026-10-14
supertails.comPuppy and dog vaccination schedule in India: chart and cost (2026)
Dog with Blog — dated 2026-10-12 — read 2026-10-14
dogwithblog.inDog vaccination schedule in India (2026): age-by-age chart, costs and rabies rules
Supertails — dated 2026-08-21 — read 2026-10-14
supertails.comComplete new puppy checklist for India (2026)
Supertails — dated 2026-05-30 — read 2026-10-14
supertails.comHow to adopt a street dog in India (2026 adoption guide)
Dog with Blog — dated 2026-10-09 — read 2026-10-14
dogwithblog.inDog breeds in India with price (2026 guide)
Aruani Pet Stop — dated 2026-07-25 — read 2026-10-14
aruanipetstop.in
Every figure here comes from a published Indian source named above, read on 14 October 2026. Puppy prices move with demand and are negotiated one dog at a time, so treat these as the range to expect rather than a quote.
FAQ
Kanni: the questions people ask
- Is the Kanni a separate breed from the Chippiparai?
- It is unsettled. NBAGR’s Chippiparai descriptor says Chippiparai dogs "are also called as Kanni (virgin) or vettainaai (hunting dog)", which treats them as one breed. A 2013 morphometric study measured the Kanni as its own breed, and the 2017 Rajapalayam characterization paper compares against the Kanni as a distinct breed. We keep both pages and say this on each.
- How big is a Kanni?
- A 2013 study, quoted in the 2017 Rajapalayam paper, gives a mean adult weight of 23.50 kg for males and 18.51 kg for females. We have no height figure we can state: the Rajapalayam paper records only that its own mean male height of 63.10 cm was lower than the Kanni’s.
- What does the name Kanni mean?
- NBAGR glosses it as "virgin", and gives vettainaai, meaning hunting dog, as another name used for the same dogs.
- Is the Kanni registered with NBAGR?
- Not under its own name. On the bureau’s own reading it is covered by the Chippiparai registration, accession number INDIA_DOG_1800_CHIPPIPARAI_19002.
- What does a Kanni cost?
- We found no dated Indian price sources for the Kanni at all, so this page gives no figure. It is not a commercially traded breed in the way the imported breeds on this site are.
- How big does a Kanni get?
- Mean adult body weight 23.50±1.59 kg (male) and 18.51±1.18 kg (female), as reported by Selvakkumar et al. 2013 and quoted in the Rajapalayam characterization study. and The Rajapalayam study records that its own mean male height of 63.10 cm was lower than that of the Kanni, without stating the Kanni figure, so we do not give a height range here., as our sources state it, which is 18 to 24 kg. Most of the weight gain is done by about 11 months for a dog in the large size class, on our own growth calculation rather than any measurement of this breed.
- Is the Kanni a recognised breed?
- Not registered with ICAR-NBAGR. Not registered under its own name. NBAGR’s Chippiparai descriptor records that Chippiparai dogs are also called Kanni, so on the bureau’s reading the Kanni is covered by the Chippiparai registration rather than being unregistered. We did not find a Kennel Club of India listing we would cite.
Method
Every source behind this page
Breed facts here come from the ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, from peer-reviewed characterization studies, and from veterinary and state publications. Wikipedia is not a source on these pages: where it pointed us at a study or a registry entry we went and read that instead and cited it. No figure on this page comes from a page that sells dogs.
Sources
4 sources behind the figures on this page.
Phenotypic characterization of Rajapalayam dog of Southern India
Raja K N, Singh P K, Mishra A K, Ghosh I, Uma Devi R, Kathirvel S. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 87(4) - dated 2017 - read 2026-10-15
Measured 88 adults and 21 puppies, with 20 owners interviewed. Open access through the ICAR journals site.
doi.orgChippiparai dog
ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources - read 2026-10-15
NBAGR breed descriptor. Read through the Internet Archive snapshot of 30 November 2023. Notable for recording that Chippiparai dogs are also called Kanni.
nbagr.icar.gov.inRegistered dog breeds
ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources - read 2026-10-15
The register of Indian dog breeds and their accession numbers. Read through the Internet Archive snapshot of 14 October 2024, which lists Rajapalayam, Chippiparai and Mudhol Hound. Later registrations are sourced separately.
nbagr.icar.gov.inHow to adopt a street dog in India (2026 adoption guide)
Dog with Blog - dated 2026-10-09 - read 2026-10-14
dogwithblog.in
Nearby
Similar breeds
- ChippiparaiTamil NaduMedium to large sighthound
- RajapalayamTamil NaduMedium to large sighthound, white coat
- KombaiTamil NaduMedium, powerful guarding hound
Or put two of them side by side in the comparison tool, or answer ten questions about your home in the breed finder.
Breed facts and recognition status last checked . Prices move, so treat anything older than a few months as a guide rather than a quote. Estimate only. For health questions, ask your vet.