The Canaan Dog
Back to 2200 B.C., drawings of a dog similar to the Canaan Dog were found on graves, but this dog was first bred in the 1930's in Israel from wild dogs. The Canaan dog is well-adapted to the rough conditions of the deserts.
This breed is still used by Bedouins to guard and herd sheeps, but it has first been used as a war messenger, a tracker a rescue dog, a mine detector and also to guide blind people. The breed was first brought to the United-States in 1965.
Breed Group
Herding
Size
Male: 20-24 inches
Female: 19-23 inches
Weight
Male: 45-55 lbs
Female: 35-45 lbs
Color(s)
The Canaan dog comes in two color patterns. The first one is white with a mask and patches of color. The second one is a solid color that can vary from black to all shades of brown, from sandy to red or liver and can have a white trim.
Coat
The Canaan Dog has a double coat. The outer coat is straight and harsh with a little ruff. The outer coat is ½ to 1½ inch long, but longer on neck and on the back of the thighs.
The hairs are shorter on the head, on the body and on the legs. The undercoat is short and straight, and the density depends of the climate. The tail's hair is very thick and bushy.
Life Expectancy
About 12 - 15 years.
Personality
The Canaan Dog is vigilant, docile and devoted to its family. Alert, very territorial and suspicious of strangers, it is a natural vocal and persistent guardian. This breed is very intelligent and responsive; it's easily trained. The Canaan Dog is very gentle and lively, somewhat an independent dog that tends to be a one man dog. This dog may be aggressive with other dog of the same sex.
Care
The Canaan Dog is an extremely healthy breed and has one of the lowest rates of hip dysplasia.
The Canaan Dog is very easy to take care of. With no doggie odor, bathing is unnecessary and grooming should be done once a week. An extra care should be taken seasonally, during the shedding sessions because this dog is a heavy shedder.
Training
The Canaan dog is very intelligent breed that can do very well in obedience training. The key to train this dog is positive training, though, it gets bored easily from repetitive training.
This breed is excellent at agility and tracking, where they have to think by themselves. With dogs and people, especially kids, this dog has to be well socialized at a young age.
Activity
The Canaan Dog is an energetic dog and needs a lot of exercise and physical and mental challenges which can be herding exercise, agility, or vigorous training.