Canaan Dog

The Canaan Dog has strong roots in the Middle East and is used to adapting to survive. They are excellent herding dogs, and require tedious tasks to keep them interested. The Canaan Dog is a member of the Herding Group.





Breed History
The Canaan Dog, or Kelev Kna'ani, originated from the Pariah Dog, which dates back to 2200-2000 B.C. The Pariah Dog was found in the "Land of Canaan" in Israel, which is where the modern-day Canaan Dog got its name.



During the War of Independence, Dr. Rudolphina Menzel was asked by the Haganah to develop a dog for guarding isolated Israeli settlements. She knew that the Pariah Dog could handle harsh climate, so she captured a handful of the breed to develop modern-day Canaan Dogs.

The Canaan Dog was not brought to the United States until 1965, when Ursula Berkowitz imported the first dogs. In 1996, the American Kennel Club accepted the Canaan Dog into the AKC registry, and in 1997 became eligible to compete in the Herding Group.

Temperament


Canaan Dogs have a strong survival instinct, which can make them wary of strangers and quick to react to disturbances. This makes them excellent watchdogs. They are defensive, but not aggressive, and are great family dogs.

They are intelligent and learn quickly, but may get bored with repetitive excersises and try to find something of more interest. They exhibit basic herding instincts and can be trained to compete in herding trials.

Appearance
The Canaan Dog is a medium-sized, square-built dog with a wedge-shaped head. Its ears are medium-sized, erect and low set with a broad base and rounded tips.

Its coat is dense and straight, being short to medium length. Color ranges from black to cream and all shafes of brown and red between. Small white markings or patches are also common.

Males range from 19-24 inches tall, while females are 18-20 inches tall. Typical weight of the Canaan Dog ranges from 35 to 55 lb.