The Canaan Dog




The Canaan Dog belongs to one of the most ancient families of dog, the Spitz family, whose
members are found all over the world. Although the basic Spitz type has been modified over the
centuries according to the varied surroundings in which the dogs were kept and today
includes a wide range of types, most members of this family retain certain common basic
characteristics of build and temperament.


The Canaan Dog is the representative of the Spitz family in the geographical area that is present
day Israel. He has adapted to be ideally suited to the location. He is unique among
modern breeds, being found on the borderline between all the truly domesticated and
selectively bred breeds and the pariahs and wild dogs. The Canaan Dog has served and been
closely associated with man throughout his long history, but until recently has never been
selectively bred. He owes his continued existence to his adaptability. The exigencies of nature
alone determined his development along lines dictated by the principle of "survival
of the fittest", resulting in a dog admirably suited to the harsh conditions of his natural habitat.


The breed has been known since pre-Biblical times. It is believed that Biblical references to
dogs are to dogs of the Canaan type. There is much evidence available - ancient drawings
and carvings of dogs very similar to the Canaan have been found in various
locations, as well as a canine graveyard, discovered by archaeologists in Ashkelon, dating back
to Phoenician times, which contained hundreds of skeletons of dogs of all ages, but all
of the same "breed" - apparently the Canaan.



The Canaan was always used as a guard dog, to protect the homes and herds of the area's
population. Through the upheavals of history he survived in this small corner of the Middle
East. Only the strongest, most fit, and most intelligent specimens survived the difficult
conditions. They lived primarily by hunting and scavenging, and occasionally prime puppies were
caught and raised by anyone, Bedouin or settler, requiring a guard or herd dog.


In 1934 Professor Rudolphina Menzel immigrated to Israel (then the British mandate of Palestine).
She was already known as one of the world's foremost authorities on dogs. On
her arrival she was asked by the Haganah (Jewish Defense Forces) to build up a service dog
organization. Prof. Menzel found that the breeds of dog most commonly used for guard,
tracking and war dog tasks, such as German Shepherd, Boxers and Dobermans, suffered
greatly from the difficult climate conditions, resulting in impaired efficiency.
Her attention was attracted to the pariah dogs she observed in the vicinity of the Bedouin camps,
Druse settlements, and in the desert and wilderness. Her observations indicated that
this was a true native breed ideally adapted to the conditions in this difficult land.
She named it the "Canaan Dog" after the Biblical Land of Canaan.



Observation showed that these dogs had extremely keen senses and a highly developed sense of
territory and desire to guard. Determined to try them as working dogs, Prof.Menzel began a
program of "redomestication". She captured wild adults and found that they were highly adaptable
and amenable to domestication, and quickly became very devoted and loyal.
They proved to be quick and alert dogs that tenaciously protected their territory, learned quickly and
were able to function in a variety of tasks and thrived in difficult conditions and
terrain where other breeds suffered. She used many of these dogs for a variety of military
tasks, and began a breeding program.


After the War of Independence in 1948, Prof. Menzel continued with her breeding and development
of these dogs. Although she was never able to keep large numbers of Canaans, for
reasons of space and budget, she was always interested in preserving the true wild type,
and, at every opportunity, introduced new bloodlines from wild-born dogs into ther
breeding program.


In 1953, the Israel Kennel Club accepted the standard of the Canaan Dog as prepared by Prof.
Menzel. The breed has since been adopted as the national breed of Israel.
The breed was recognized by the FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) in 1966, and the FCI standard was
revised in 1974 and in 1985. The Canaan Dog today is recognized and registered by all
the kennel clubs of the world.



Prof. Menzel's aim in breeding was to retain the original traits of the breed - their natural
adaptation to climate, resistance to disease, modest requirements or nutrition and care, and
unique personality. She bred numerous generations of Canaans and was instrumental in the first
exports of Canaans to the US and Europe. Throughout her breeding program, she
continued whenever possible to incorporate new wild stock, to retain and reinforce the basic
breed characteristics.
Shaar Hagai Kennels near Jerusalem, currently the major breeder of Canaans, started out in 1970
using foundation stock consisting of dogs from Prof. Menzel's breeding and wild born
dogs. Today Shaar Hagai Kennels has litters that are eight or nine generations of home breeding,
but the policy remains to follow in Prof. Menzel's footsteps in introducing wild
blood whenever possible. However, it is becoming more and more difficult to find wild
born Canaans - there are few today existing in the wild or with the Bedouins.


The first Canaans were exported to the US in 1965 by Prof. Menzel, and over the following years a
number of additional dogs were exported both by Menzel and by Shaar Hagai Kennels.
These dogs became the foundation of the breeding of the Canaan in the US and Canada.
In addition, dogs have been exported to many other countries, and there are active breeders and
breed clubs in a number of countries. The Canaan today is recognized officially by all of the
world's kennel associations.


Most modern domestic breeds have been selectively bred for generations to conform to certain
characteristics of temperament and appearance required to fulfill the tasks for which that breed
was developed. Over the last generations, in many breeds the emphasis has been much
more on appearance as related to the show ring. There are hardly any domestic,
recognized breeds that have remained completely natural, unchanged by human intervention and an
example of nature's survival of the fittest other than the Canaan. It is our hope that,
although he is now being selectively bred, breeders will keep in mind what the Canaan
dog is, and will take care that he remain a natural dog with his distinctive
characteristics.

(From "The Israel Canaan Dog", by Myrna Shiboleth, Alpine Publications)



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