Nieuwe pagina 3

Kanaan Hund

History

The Canaan Dog is an ancient breed resembling thewild dog type which has survived in Israel through at least 4000 years of history. Canaan Dogs are pariah dogs which live on the fringes of civilization and are frequently used by the Bedouin as flock and camp guardians. In 1934, Dr. Rudolf and Prof. Rudolphina Menzel immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine. They undertook the study of pariah dogs and the Canaan Dog in particular, becoming the driving force behind its preservation. Prof. Menzel bred and trained Canaan Dogs, primarily for military work. In 1965, Prof. Menzel exported four Canaan Dogs to the United States where they became the foundation stock for American and Canadian Canaan Dogs.

Characteristics The essential characteristics of the Canaan Dog are those which have enabled them to survive for centuries in the desert. The Canaan Dog gives the impression of elegance but is sufficiently substantial to stand up to jackals, hyenas, and wolves. They are intelligent and adaptable to wide extremes of lifestyle and climate. The character of the Canaan Dog is based on their instinct for survival and sense of territoriality. They are extremely vigilant and alert; quick to react; distrustful of strangers, both human and animal; and strongly defensive but not naturally aggressive. Their first reaction, when confronted with an intruder is not to attack but to stay out of reach and bark continuously. Canaans of both sexes may be aggressive with other dogs, particularly in their own territory. Canaan Dogs are extraordinarily devoted and amenable to training but consider themselves the equal of those with whom they live. Canaans raised with children are very gentle with and extremely protective of them. This breed matures slowly both physically and mentally and individual dogs may not reach their prime until as late as four years of age.

Temperament Alert, quick to react, distrustful of strangers, strongly defensive but not naturally aggressive. Vigilant, not only against man but other animals as well. Extraordinarily devoted and amenable to training.

General The Canaan Dog is a medium-sized, well-balanced, strong and square dog, with a wedge-shaped head; erect, low-set ears; and straight, harsh, dense coat of short-to-medium length. The correct relationship of height to length of body is 1:1. The tail is bushy, set on high, and is carried curled over the back when the dog is alert or excited. This breed is presented in a completely natural condition with no trimming. Moderation and balance must always be considered when evaluating this breed.

Weight 18-25 kg

HAIR : Outer coat dense, harsh and straight, of short to medium length. Undercoat close and profuse.

COLOUR : Sand to red-brown, white, black, or spotted, with or without mask. If masked, mask must be symmetrical. Black mask permitted on all colours. White markings are permitted on all colours: « Boston Terrier » patterns are common. Grey, brindle, black-and-tan, or tricolour are unacceptable. Desert colours-sand, gold, red, cream- are most typical of the breed.

Size : Height at withers : 50-60 cm.

Males can be considerably larger than females.

Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note * Male animals should have two apperently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.