Overview
The Canaan Dog is a square, medium-sized dog with a wedge-shaped head and erect ears, and it looks much like the wild-type dogs that have lived in the Near East for thousands of years.
It is alert, quick and naturally protective, with a strong bond to its own people. It needs good socialisation and an owner who understands primitive dog character.
History
The breed comes from semi-wild pariah dogs of the Negev and surrounding lands, where Bedouins used them to guard camps and herd livestock. Dogs very like them appear in ancient remains, including a large dog cemetery found at Ashkelon.
In the 1930s the behaviourist Rudolphina Menzel began taming and breeding them, using them as military, guide and search dogs. The Israel Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1953 and the FCI in 1966, and it is now bred in many countries.
Appearance
A square, well-balanced dog of medium size, with a dense, harsh, straight coat of short to medium length and a close undercoat that thickens with the season. The head is wedge-shaped, with low-set, broad-based ears with rounded tips.
Colours run from black through cream and all shades of brown and red, often with small white marks or white with colour patches. The tail curls over the back when the dog is excited.
Temperament
Canaan Dogs are watchful, quick to react and suspicious of strangers. They are strongly defensive but not aggressive, and they form deep attachments with their family.
They are intelligent and learn fast, but their independence means they need firm, fair, early training and plenty of socialisation.
Care and exercise
These active dogs need daily exercise and mental work, such as agility, tracking, obedience or herding activities. They do best with a secure fenced yard, since they are alert and may roam.
The coat is easy to care for with weekly brushing, with heavier shedding when the undercoat is lost seasonally.
Health
The Canaan Dog is generally a hardy and healthy breed, shaped by natural selection. Responsible breeders still check hips and elbows.
