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CANAAN DOG |
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The Canaan Dog has witnessed the birth of the world's greatest religions—Judaism, Islam and Christianity—and has followed the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth and other Biblical prophets. Queen Jezebel is reputed to have had one of these dogs tied to her throne with a golden chain. They survived long years in the desert, longer even than the travail of Moses and his people. Some hunted with the Bedouins and herded their flocks; others were guards for the Druze on Mount Cannel. Cave drawings as far back as 2200 BC depict dogs resembling the modern Canaan. When the Jewish people returned
to the Promised Land in the 1930s, they discovered pariahs, living fossils,
existing like the Dingoes of Australia in a feral state. These dogs
were scavengers, surviving despite the hardships of intense heat and
a scarcity of water and food. A definite "wild dog" pack order
existed. Females left the pack to have their young either in a cave
or a "dugout," returning to communal living when the pups
were about seven months of age. Still lighter
in build and with a short smooth coat is the TYPE 3 (the so-called
collie-type) pariah, which, when redomesticated, became the Canaan Dog.
The TYPE 4 dog has the appearance of the sighthound, with more
raciness and narrowing of the head and body. The wild Type 4 is nearly
identical to the Portuguese Podengo and very similar to the Ibizan Hound.
Dr. Menzel
cultivated the collie type, starting with "£)ugma,"
meaning model or sample, and established
the Canaan breed. Although capturing Dugma was a six-month challenge,
once enticed to civilization, he was redomesticated with amazing ease.
The Canaan
Dogs rose to high favor, due partly to their intelligence and high
trainability. They served as sentry dogs and messengers and aided
the Red Cross. During World War II, Dr. Menzel trained over 400 for
mine detection. Her post-War efforts achieved recognition for the
breed as a guide for the blind. They are popular dogs in their native
country as companions and guards.
Typical of the group, they tend to be aloof. Although they are devoted to their families, they maintain a strong flight reflex, "the highly developed caution toward humans that had allowed her [the breed] to survive in its native land for thousands of years." When confronted with a new or bewildering situation, such as a change in homes, dogs may bolt. Pursuit by well-meaning people seems to puzzle rather than frighten them. They are innately capable of caring for themselves in such a situation. In today's world of multi-lane, fast-moving traffic and dog-control laws, strong measures should be taken to prevent such an occurrence. Canaans
at play are a joy to watch, "boxing" and stalking one
another and "talking" back to each other and their families.
These dogs first entered the States in 1965. In just a few years,
the Canaan has established type and a strong national club. The
breed's Israeli standard includes a section on character, indicating
that mistrust (of outsiders), endurance, readability and tractability
are all very high. The Canaan Dog is a member of both the AKC and
CKC Miscellaneous Classes
Today their
versatility lends them to many tasks: herding, alerting and tracking,
making them in demand for sheep dog trials, search-and-rescue, and
obedience competition. Their sturdiness enables them to work into
their teens.
Owners agree—they
do bark, one of their guard attributes. In close proximity, barking
can be a problem, and this natural tendency must be curtailed.
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