The Dog Of Canaan, Wild For Many Generations
He may look like a white shepherd, but the dog of Canaan has its tail wrapped around its back. This characteristic alone tells us that he is not a sheepdog. In fact, this breed has its own history.
Canaan Dog Story
The story of the emergence of the dog of Canaan is quite curious. It is a primitive breed that lived in the Middle East and occupied the usual jobs of sheepdogs. That is, he would accompany the cattle to the mountains, defending them from predators and protecting the house and village from intruders.
However, in the 2nd century the Roman invasion dispersed the population of this region. The race, which had been bred and developed to work with humans, went wild. They started to live free in the Negev desert, a situation that lasted for a long time.
For nearly 2,000 years, the dog of Canaan has been wild on the one hand, but dependent on humans on the other. Some specimens of the breed established themselves close to the cattle of the remaining villages. Others were re-domesticated and many others survived thanks to the garbage discarded by humans.
At the beginning of the 20th century, some of the inhabitants of these regions needed resistant, intelligent and guardian dogs. The Canaan dog proved to be the best option and, in addition, it adapted surprisingly well to its new life as a work or companion animal.
Canaan Dog Characteristics
The Canaan Dog is a medium-sized animal that weighs between 18 and 25 kg. Males are usually much larger than females, although their height varies between 50 and 60 centimeters. Its body is square and balanced in appearance: agile but muscular, like many other sheepdogs.
It has a wedge-shaped head with a square nose and tight lips. The face appears to be wider than it actually is, because the ears are lower. They are triangular and always point upwards: they are expressive and can move easily in all directions.
One of the most striking features of this breed is the tail, which is curled over the back. Although it looks like a sheepdog, this type of dog has a low, straight tail. The Canaan dog, on the other hand, is a more primitive animal, like the Siberian huskies.
It also has a double layer of fur. The interior is dense and velvety, protecting it from extreme desert temperatures, cold at night and hot during the day. The outer layer has a harder hair and is of medium length.
It can have hairs of different colors: beige, reddish or black. The Canaan dog can also have a “mask”, usually symmetrical. Official norms do not accept gray, brindle or flame black copies. The mask and white marks can appear together with any other color.
Canaan Dog Behavior
Wildlife has forever marked this breed of dog. They are independent animals and have a great ability to solve problems. More than stubborn, they are smart and before they make an effort to get what they want, they assess whether it is important and worth spending time and energy.
The Canaan Dog has little tolerance for boredom and inactivity. You are used to being active, looking for food or playing with your companions. So it needs a lot of mental stimulation. It is the ideal dog for taking long walks in the mountains and needs at least three walks a day.
Thanks to its independent but protective spirit, it distrusts strangers, whether they are animals or humans. Will not hesitate to warn with barks if something strange happens around you. Rarely, however, he can show aggression: his job is to scare off intruders and not hurt them.
Canaan Dog Care
Since it has only recently been reincorporated into life among humans and therefore artificial genetic selection is recent, there are no common hereditary diseases within this race. Despite this, there is no reason to neglect your health or visits to the veterinarian.
It is important to comply with the vaccination schedule suggested by a trusted professional. Since this breed will have a lot of contact with nature, it is also necessary to take care of internal and external deworming , as well as examining it for parasites, tips or chips stuck in the paws and ears.
The Canaan Dog is an ancient breed that, for a long time, survived in the wild. However, his readaptation to life with human beings has worked for everyone. Which is not surprising, as it is an intelligent, active and very protective animal.
