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Canaan Dog

Canaan Dog

FCI standard Nº 273
Origin
 Israël
Group
 Group 5 Spitz and primitive type
Section
 Section 6 Primitive type
Working
 Without working trial
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI
 Wednesday 23 November 1966
Publication of the official valid standard
 Thursday 28 November 1985
Last update
 Wednesday 16 June 1999
En français, cette race se dit
 Chien de Canaan
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar
 Kanaan hund
En español, esta raza se dice
 Canaan Dog
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd
 Canaan Dog

Usage
Watch- and security Dog.

Brief historical summary
We meet this dog in the Middle East since the earliest times. Pariah dog originally, it was however used as a guard dog for the nomads. It was in the 30s that this breed became known in Europe, where it is appreciated more for the versatility of its features. It has, for example, trained to detect mines during the 2nd World War and, more recently, the work of guide dogs or rescue.

General appearance
A medium sized, well balanced, strong and square dog resembling the wild dog type. Strong distinction between the sexes.

Behaviour / 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.

Head

Cranial region
Head
 Well proportioned, blunt wedge shape of medium length, appearing broader due to low set ears.
Skull
 Somewhat flattened. Some width allowed in powerful male heads. 
Stop
 Shallow but defined.

Facial region
Nose
 Black.
Muzzle
 Sturdy, of moderate length and breadth.
Lips
 Tight.
Jaws and teeth
 Jaws should be strong. Full dentition with scissor or level bite.
Eyes
 Dark brown, slightly slanted, almond-shaped. Dark rims essential.
Ears
 Erect, relatively short and broad, slightly rounded at the tip and set low.

Neck
Muscular, of medium length.

Body
Body
 Square.
Withers
 Well developed.
Back
 Level.
Loin
 Muscular.
Chest
 Deep and of moderate breadth.
Ribs
 Ribs well sprung.
Underline and belly
 Well tucked up.

Tail
Set high, thick brush carried curled over the back.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality
 Moderate angulations. Balance is essential. Forelegs perfectly straight.
Shoulders
 Oblique and muscular.
Elbows
 Close to the body.

Hindquarters
Generality
 Moderate angulations. Balance is essential. Powerful.
Upper thigh
 Strong, lightly feathered at the rearside.
Stifle
 Well bent.
Hock
 Well let down.

Feet
Strong, round and cat-like with hard pads.

Gait and movement
Quick, light and energetic trot. Should demonstrate marked agility and stamina. Correct movement is essential.

Coat
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 and weight
Height at withers
 50-60 cm. Males can be considerably larger than females.
Weight
 18-25 kg.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Disqualifying faults
 Aggressive or overly shy dogs.

NB :
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography
https://www.fci.be/
Details
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