Canaan Dog
A natural, watchful Middle Eastern dog: devoted to its family, suspicious of strangers and quick to sound the alarm.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- Males 50–60 cm · Females 45–50 cm
- Weight
- Males 20–25 kg · Females 18–23 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Exercise
- 60–90 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Double coat, short, medium
- Colours
- Cream, Fawn, Red, Brown, Black, White, Piebald
- Bred for
- Guarding, Herding, Companionship
- Country of origin
- Israel
- FCI
- Group 5, no. 273 · Spitz & primitive types
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with other dogs | 2/5 – Low |
| Good with cats | 2/5 – Low |
| Open to strangers | 1/5 – Very low |
| Energy | 4/5 – High |
| Playfulness | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Needs mental stimulation | 4/5 – High |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 4/5 – High |
| Watchful and protective | 4/5 – High |
| Barking | 4/5 – High |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 2/5 – Low |
| Suits apartment living | 2/5 – Low |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 5/5 – Very high |
| Copes with cold | 3/5 – Moderate |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a natural, low-maintenance dog
- value a watchful companion
- enjoy training a clever, independent dog
Think twice if you …
- need a quiet dog
- have frequent visitors and want an outgoing dog
- prefer a dog that obeys without question
Care
Temperament
Alert, intelligent and territorial, it is loving with family and aloof or suspicious with strangers. It is cautious rather than reckless.
Exercise
It needs an hour or more daily of walks and activity; it enjoys herding, agility, tracking and scent work.
Grooming
The harsh double coat needs a weekly brush and more during the yearly moult. It is otherwise low-maintenance.
Training
It learns quickly but gets bored with drills and resists force. Use short, varied, reward-based sessions and socialise widely from puppyhood.
Health
A generally hardy breed; hip dysplasia, eye conditions and hypothyroidism are reported occasionally. Ask the breeder for hip, elbow and eye results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Elbows (ED)
- Eye examination
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Canaan Dog descends from the semi-wild pariah dogs of the Levant. In the 1930s Dr Rudolphina Menzel selected dogs from the Negev and other areas for guarding and military work in what later became Israel, and these founded the modern breed.
It keeps the survival instincts of a free-living dog: it is alert, careful with new things and wary of strangers. With its own family it is affectionate and devoted. It barks to warn, guards its territory and can be choosy about other dogs. Plenty of early socialisation and a calm, consistent owner help it feel secure in a busy world.
Did you know?
The Canaan Dog is Israel's national dog breed.