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Kombai
A brave, red-coated Tamil Nadu guard dog — fierce to strangers, gentle with its own family.
How to spot it
A sturdy, athletic dog about 41–64 cm tall, usually reddish-brown or tan with a black mask and muzzle, a short coat and a curved tail. It is powerfully built for its size, historically used to guard and to hunt boar.
Temperament
Bold, alert and fiercely protective — a superb watchdog that is devoted and affectionate with its own family but naturally suspicious of outsiders. It needs early socialisation and a confident owner.
Exercise & training
Energetic and hardy, it needs regular exercise and a task to do. Intelligent and eager, it trains well with firm, kind, consistent handling from puppyhood.
Grooming & care
The short coat needs only an occasional brush, and the breed is thoroughly adapted to the hot South Indian climate on simple food. A low-maintenance, weatherproof dog.
Health & lifespan
Around 11–14 years and very hardy, with few inherited problems — a robust native breed once close to extinction and now being revived.
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