CANAAN BREED STANDARDS

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IV. CANAAN DOG BREED STANDARD, Adopted 10 August, 1988

This Standard becomes more descriptive and less accurate. A key word, “noble,” is dropped from the original descriptions of head and neck, and two disqualifications and a major fault are added. Liver color is defended in detail; coat length is described in
inches; and tail with number of curls.

General Appearance: The Canaan Dog is a herding and flock guardian dog, native to the Middle East. He is aloof with strangers, inquisitive, loyal, and loving with his family. His medium-sized, square body is without extremes, showing a clear, sharp
outline. The Canaan Dog moves with athletic agility and grace in a quick, brisk, ground-covering trot. He has a wedge shaped head with low set prick ears, a bushy tail that curls over the back when excited, and a straight, harsh, close-lying double coat.

Size, Proportion and Substance: Size: Dogs 20” to 24” and bitches 19” to 23.” Ideal Canaan Dog lies in the middle of the stated ranges. DISQUALIFICATION: Dog more than 25 inches. PROPORTION: Square. Substance: Moderate. Dogs generally weigh 45 to 55 lbs. and bitches approximately 35 to 45 lbs. Dogs distinctly masculine without coarseness and bitches feminine without over-refinement.

Head:  Elongated, the length exceeding the breadth and depth considerably. Wedge-shaped, when viewed from above, blunt, of medium width in the region of the forehead but appearing broader through ears set low to complete an alert expression.

Expression: Alert, watchful and inquisitive. Dignified.

Eyes:  Dark, almond shaped, slightly slanted. Varying shades of hazel with liver pointed dogs. Eye rims darkly pigmented or of varying shades of liver, harmonizing to coat color.

Fault: Unpigmented eye rims.

Ears: Prick ears. Relatively broad, slightly rounded at the tip. Ears angled very slightly forward when excited. A straight line from the inner corner of the ear to the tip of the nose should just touch the inner corner of the eye and a line drawn from the tip of the ear to the tip of the nose should just touch the outer corner of the eye. Ear motion contributes to expression, and clearly defines the mood of the dog.

Major Fault: In the adult dog, other than prick ears.

Skull:  Slightly arched when viewed from the side, tapering to stop. Slight furrow between eyes.

Stop: Slightly accentuated.

Muzzle:  Tapering to slightly longer than the length of the skull from the occiput to stop. Whisker trimming optional.

Nose: Darkly pigmented or varying shades of liver, harmonizing to coat color. LIPS: Tight with good pigmentation.

Bite: Scissors.

Neck, Topline and Body: Well arched. Balanced to body and head and free from throatiness. Topline: Straight, slightly sloping from withers to croup. Body: Strong, displaying athletic agility and trimness.

Chest: Moderately broad and deep, extending to the elbow, with well sprung ribs.

Loin: Well tucked up. Short, muscled flanks.

Tail: Set on high. Carried curled over the back when excited. Curl ranges from just arched over back to one-and-a half curl.

Forequarters: Shoulders: Moderately angulated, angled in to the extent that shoulder blades come within two or three finger widths of each other.

Legs: Straight.

Pasterns: Well up. Straight when viewed from the front; flexible with very slight slope when viewed from the side.

Dewclaws: May be removed.

Feet: Strong, hard, pigmentation harmonizing with either nose and eye rims or coat.

Hindquarters: In balance with forequarters. When viewed from the rear, must be straight.

Thighs: Musculature well developed, moderately broad.

Hocks: Well let down. Dewclaws: Must be removed. Feet and Nails: As in forequarters.

Coat: Straight, close lying, harsh, with slight ruff. Ruff more pronounced on males.

Guard Coat: ½ to 1 ½ inches in length; longer on ruff and back of thighs; shorter on body, legs and head.

Undercoat: Short, density varying with climate.

Tail: Bushy, increasing in plumage from set to end of bones, then tapering to pointed tip.

Fault: Excessively long guard coat that masks the clean outline of the dog. Any trimming that alters the natural appearance of the dog.

Color: Predominantly white with marking(s) of color, or solid colored with or without white trim. Trim may include chest, undercarriage, feet, feet and lower part of leg, and tip of tail. Black, all shades of brown, sandy to reddish, or liver, are allowed. Shadings of brown, tan or rust on a black dog, or black on a brown or tan dog are frequently seen. The solid colored white dog, without a mask as described below, is not allowed. In all color patterns, self-colored ticking may be present.

Disqualification: Grey and/or brindle as tiger striped.

Mask:  The mask is a desired and distinguishing feature of the predominantly white Canaan Dog. The mask is the same color as the body markings on the dog and may contain some black on an otherwise brown dog, or brown on a black dog. The basically symmetrical mask must cover from the rear base of the ears to at least the start of the muzzle and extend down at least onto the cheeks so that the eyes and ears are completely covered. The only allowed white in the mask is a white blaze and/or white on the muzzle below the mask. The blaze may terminate, or vary in width, anywhere along the muzzle or skull, but may not extend over the eye corners. The hooded dog without a blaze is as correct as the dog whose mask and blaze just meet the minimum requirements. A solid colored dog does not have a mask per se, but may have black hairs on the face or white as described above.

Major Fault: Absence of mask, half-mask, or grossly asymmetrical mask on predominantly white dogs. FAULT: White
in mask other than as described. Blaze extending over eye corners.

Gait:  Movement is very important. Good reach and drive. Quick, brisk natural trot, apparently tireless, indicating an animal capable of trotting for hours. Covers ground more quickly than expected. Agile, able to change directions almost instantaneously. Tends to single track at high speed.

Fault: Anything that detracts from efficient movement.

Temperment: Alert, vigilant, devoted and docile with his family. Reserved and aloof with strangers. Highly territorial, serving as a responsive companion and natural guardian. Very vocal, persistent. Easily trained.

Faults: Shyness or dominance towards people.