Purina

Other names/Nicknames:

• Kelef K’naani

Country/Date of origin:

• Israel
• 2000 BC

Height:

• Females:  19 to 23 inches
• Males:  20 to 24 inches

Weight:

• Females:  35 to 45 pounds
• Males:  45 to 55 pounds

Personality:

• Intelligent and very trainable.
• Good guard instincts.
• Suspicious of strangers.

History:

The Canaan dog has lived in the region of the Middle East that is now Israel for thousands of years.  Its ancestors were pariah dogs that were domesticated to guard sheep and goats.  No attempt was made to refine and purify the bloodlines until 1935, when Dr. Menzel and her husband began the Shaar Hagai Kennels in Jerusalem.  Most of the animals registered as Canaan Dogs can trace pedigrees back to her kennel.  Still scarce in the United States, the Canaan Dogs are exhibited in the miscellaneous classes at American Kennel Club (AKC) shows.

Body Type:

• Robust, medium-sized, spitz-type dog.
• The thick, brushlike tail curves over the back and is not altered.
• The ears are broad, with rounded tips, carried erect and not altered.

Coat:

• Medium-length, double coat
• Colors are sandy to red brown, white or black.
• Large white markings are permissible, even desirable, with all colors.
• Minimal grooming required.

Health and Wellness:

• Noted for its resistance to disease and healthy constitution.

What you should know:

• Long-lived.
• This is not a popular breed.  Finding a puppy to purchase will be difficult, especially on the east coast of the United States.
• Great sniffers.  Israelis have used this breed to help detect mines.