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1) Origin
It is believed that the Canaan Dog is extremely old and ancient breed and there are even thousands years old drawing in tombs depicting dogs similar to Canaan dog. There are also excavations in Israel, which found Ashkelon dog cementery, containing more than 700 dog skeletons all of which were anatomically similar to the Canaan dog of modern times. So as you can see, this breed is truly very old and it is impossible to track down their exact date of origin, nor their ancestry. 2) Wild dogs It is believed, that for thousands of years Canaan dogs were companion dogs and that they were used for guarding the herds and property. That changed around year 70, when Romans destroyed Jerusalem and they dispersed Israelites to other areas. Often times, Israelites were not able to také their dogs with them and they left them behind. Most of the Canaan dogs find a safe refuge in the Negev Desert, where they survived for centuries as wild dogs. 3) Domestication These dogs were domesticated again in the 20th century, when cynologist Dr. Rudolphina Menzel who captured, tamed, trained and than bred few of the semi wild Canaan Dogs. She found out that these dogs are very intelligent, adaptable, versatile and capable of many different tasks and jobs. The breeding program started in 1934. 4) Utilization First Canaan dogs domesticated in 20th century were used as army dogs for Israeli Army and as sentry and guard dogs for isolated Jewish settlements. Later, these dogs were also used as service dogs, guard dogs, messengers, they were detecting landmines and some of them were even guide dogs for blind people. And of course, especially today, they make amazing companion dogs. 5) Companions And they make good companions. The Canaan dog is totally devoted to its owner and family and very intelligent. They can be little bit reserved and alert with strangers, but they should never be agressive without a reason. They also tend to be okay with other dogs in the family, especially if they are raised together from the puppyhood. This is very adaptable dog and with enough exercise, they can live indoors or outdoors, but they need daily companionship. 6) Appearance There can be some differences in the appearance of indivudual Canaan dog and even Rudolphina Menzel classified these canines into four types, which you can see on screen right now. Some Canaan dogs are wider, while other dogs are skinnier and even the length of the fur can be different. But all the Canaan dogs should have a strong build, long legs, erect ears, bushy tail and dark colored eyes. I would say that they look like wild dogs, but their appearance is stunning. 7) Size The size of Canaan dog also vary quite a bit, but on average, the height should be between 45-60 cm, which is 18-24 inch and weight is typically between 18-25 kg, which is 40-55 pounds. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. 8) Coat The Canaan dogs coat is very thick and quite harsh to touch, but they also have soft inner coat. As i already mentioned, the length of the coat can be different and some dogs have very short coat, while others can have fur 2 inches long. Most often, you can find this breed in cream color, but the color ranges from black to cream and all shades of brown and red between, usually with small white markings 9) Maintenance Great fact is, that the Canaan dog is very clean dog and they can keep themselves very clean. Even without any grooming, they will keep their coat in good condition. This is a doublecoated dog, so yes, they do shed and if you want to minimize the shedding, regular brushing is needed. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed. 10) Health This is very hardy and usually healthy dog breed that does not suffer much from any health issues. Of course, they still can suffer from some issues ocassionally and those include hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy and epilepsy. The average lifespan is between 12-15 years.
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1) Origin
This is a very old and ancient dog breed, which evolved on Iberian Peninsula. The first ancestors of Portuguese Podengo were brought to the Iberian Peninsula by Phoenicians and Romans over 2000 years ago. Since than, these dogs did not change much, but they were later crossbred with some North African dogs, that came to Iberian Peninsula during the Moorish invasion in the 8th century. 2) Sizes Interesting fact about this breed is, that it comes in three sizes – Grande, Medio and Pequeňo. While the Grande and Medio are very similar together and they both have almost square body, the Pequeňo type has body slightly longer than tall. 3) Utilization Today, many of the Portuguese Podengo dogs are companion dogs, but throughout the history and even today, many of these dogs are used for hunting. Large podengos are used for hunting big game, such as deer or boars. Medium Podengos is mostly used for hunting rabbits, but when they are in a pack, they can also hunt larger game. And the small Podengo is mostly used for searching rabbits in holes and rocks. All varieties are also succesfully used as watch dogs. 4) Coat Not only, that there are three size varieties of Portuguese Podengos, there are also 2 coat types! The coat can be either short and smooth, or longer and wiry. Traditionally, these dogs are smooth coated and the wire coated type is is an outcome of the assimilation of various other breeds during the 20th century. The wire coat variety does have a distinctive beard and moustache. 5) Companions The Portuguese Podengo is an excellent companion for active people and families. These dogs are known for their high intelligence, but also independence, which means they are not total pushovers to train, even though they will understand new tricks fairly quickly. These dogs tend to be very loyal to its family and create a strong bond with it. On the other hand, they are pretty suspicious towards strangers and it can také some time before a complete stranger will gain their trust. The Portuguese Podengo is playful and lively dog that is always ready for some activity. The only problem might be some smaller household pets, which might be view as a prey in the eyes of Portuguese Podengo. 6) Exercise These dogs need quite a lot of daily phyiscal exercise to stay in good shape, healthy and happy. Daily longer outdoor walks are must and these dogs are great adepts for various dog sports, such as agility, lure coursing, flyball or some other sports where they can combine their ahtleticism with intelligence. Without enough exercise, they can develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction. 7) Colors The original color of Portuguese Podengo are yellow and fawn in all shades from light to dark, with or without white markings. Today, the Small Podengos can be also found in some other accepted colors, which include black and brown with or without white patches. 8) National dog The Portuguese Podengo has the honor to be one of the National Dogs of Portugal. And not only that, because the Portuguese Podengo is also the symbol of Portuguese Kennel Club. As you can see, this breed is pretty popular in its home country! 9) Maintenance Just like majority of the ancient dog breeds, even the Portuguese Podengo can keep itself pretty clean and the maintenance is not very hard. If you want to minimize the shedding ,you should brush their coat regularly to remove the dead hair. The wirehaired versioun should be left in their natural state. These dogs also does not need much bathing, only when it is really necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health Usually this is a very healthy dog breed with great lifespan. Of course, the lifespan is different with each size variety and the Podengo Pequeno has the average lifespan up to 17 years. There are no big health issues associated with this breed, but sometimes they can suffer from foot and toenail Injuries, muscle strains and some eye problems. 1) Origin
It is believed, that the Swedish Lapphund is one of the oldest of all dogs we know today. These dogs originated in Northern Scandinavia in region called Lappland where Sami people lived. Because the breeds history is so old it is impossible to say what is the exact date of origin or what are the breeds ancestors, but it is believed that this is a result of a female wolf-male dog hybridization that occurred post-domestication and it is believed tha they share this ancestry with other Sami-related breeds, such as Finnish Lapphund, Norwegian Elkhound, Lapponian Herder or Swedish Elkhound. 2) Utilization This is very versatile breed and Sami people used this dog for variety of purposes. Initially for hunting and guarding, but later these dogs were used for herding reindeer. And even the Swedish Lapphunds today still have strong herding instinct and some of them are still used for this purpose. Today, this breed is also used in army and as a rescue dog. 3) Companion Of course, the Swedish Lapphund is not only a working dog, because today they are more and more popular as companion dogs. They are not for everyone, but if you are an active person who like outdoors, than this might be a perfect dog for you. This is quite active breed who needs proper daily outdoor exercise. The Swedish Lapphund is always ready for a long walk, hike or good playtime. This is definitely very faithful, affectionate and friendly dog that loves it family. These dogs also gets well with other pets and children. 4) Coat This dog just must have a thick double coat that protects it from cold and harsh climate of Northern Scandinavia. Amazing fact about its coat is, that it does not have much of the typical doggy odor. You can find this breed in black or bear brown colors. This dark color makes it much easier to spot them in snow. Some Swedish Lapphunds can have white spots on the chest, feet and tail. 5) Spitz On the first sight, you can say that the Swedish Lapphund is a Spitz. They have all the typical Spitz characteristics, such as erect pointy ears and very dense furry coat, long foxy like muzzle and often times curly tail. 6) Size The Swedish Lapphund is a medium sized dog breed with average height between 16-20 inches, which is 40-50 cm and weight should be between 30-45 pounds which is 13-20 kg. There are no extreme size differences between males and females. 7) Rarity The Swedish Lapphund is a very rare dog breed and it is very hard to find them outside Scandinavia. It is believed that there are only something above 1 000 purebred Swedish Lapphunds these days, most of them in Sweden. But their popularity, as well as their numbers are slightly raising and this breed is not on the verge of extinction. 8) Barking The Swedish Lapphund has a specific, very high pitched bark. They achieve this kind of a barking by rapidly pushing air through their diaphragms while restricting their vocal cords. The result is high pitched squeeky bark. This kind of a barking was popular among sami people, because it deter predators, but it didnt scare the reindeer. 9) Maintenance Even though the Swedish Lapphund has a very thick and dense coat, the grooming and maintenance is not very hard. They can keep themselves clean and even without any grooming they will keep the coat in good shape. As you can probably imagine, this dog does shed, so if you want to minimize the shedding, you should brush their coat regularly to remove the dead hair. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health This is usually pretty healthy dog breed with average lifespan between 12-13 years. Of course, just like all dogs, they can suffer from some health issues, which includes progressive retinal atrophy, diabetes and some allergies. 1) Origin
The Bohemian Spotted dog is still relatively young dog breed, that was developed in 1950s in Czechoslovakia by František Horák. Mr. Horák is also known for developing another czech dog breed, the Cesky Terrier. The Bohemian Spotted dog was developed in Physiology institute as the ideal laboratory dog. The breeding started by crossing two mutts, one similar to fox terrier and second to german shepherd. Later, the breed was also crossed with German Shorthaired Pointer. 2) Laboratory dog The Bohemian Spotted dog was never meant to be companion dog as it is today. It was bred for purposes of the Physiological institute and it was a laboratory dog. As the laboratory dog, the Bohemian Spotted dog was bred to have suitable size, high fertility, low consuption of food, non agressive and good personality and smooth coat. Today, many of these characteristics are reason, why the Bohemian Spotted dog is more and more popular companion dog. 3) Research The Bohemian Spotted dog was mostly an object of medical and genetical research. It is believed, that it was the first animal in Czechoslovakia with successful transplantation of kidney. The Bohemian Spotted dog was also studdied for epilepsy, heredity of missing teeth and heredity of the spotted coloration. 4) Companion dog Up until the 1980s, this breed was almost among the ordinary people. That changed in 1981, when this dog some of the dogs in the institute were given to breeders and they started to bred them as companion dogs. And it is an excellent companion, because the Bohemian Spotted dog is known for its kind and outgoin temperament, friendly nature towards both, people and other animals, great loyalty, patience and empathy. These dogs can be great partners for kids, but you should always supervise any dog breed with very young child. Overall, this is a good choice for unexperienced dog owners, because these dogs have amazing temperament. 5) Size This is a medium sized dog breed with athletic body. The average height is between 43-53 cm, which is 17-21 inch and weight is typically between 15-22 kg, which is 33-48 pounds. 6) Coat The Bohemian Spotted dog comes in two different coat types and two colorations. The color is always tricolor and it is a spotted combination of either black, tan and white or brown tan and white. And you can also choose either short haired or long haired Bohemian Spotted dogs. 7) Utilization The Bohemian Spotted dog is normally not used for the typical dog jobs, such as hunting, herding or guarding, but they can make great adepts for therapy dogs. The Bohemian Spotted dog also excells at various dog sports, such as agility, dogtrekking, frisbee or obedience trials. 8) Name Since the 1981, the breed is known as Česky strakatý pes, or translated to english, as Bohemian Spotted dog or Czech Spotted dog. But before that, this breed was named after its founder, mr. Horak and it was named as Horaks laboratory dog. 9) Exercise The Bohemian Spotted dog is excellent companion for active people, because they will always be ready for any outdoor adventure. They love long walks and hikes and they also make great jogging partners. With enough exercise, this dog is pretty calm and laid back indoors. Especially younger Bohemian Spotted dogs need regular daily exercise that will satisfy them physically but also mentally. 10) Recognition Today, in January of 2021, the Bohemian Spotted dog is still not recognized by any major kennel club, but there is a drafted breed standard and the breeding organized under the authorities of the Association of Czech Spotted Dog and the Kennel Club for Rare Breeds. 1) Origin
The Australian Koolie is a descendant of herding dogs brought to Australia by European immigrants in 1700s and 1800s. The breeds ancestors are most likely smooth coated blue merle Collies, Black and Tan Collies from the Highlands of Scotland and possibly even a German herding breed called German Tiger. 2) German Coolie Today, the breed is known as Australian Koolie, but before that, they were also known under some other name, the German Coolie. We are not completely sure, why they were called German and why Coolie instead of Collie, but the most probably theory is, that this was favourite dog of German immigrants in South Australia. Those Germans were unable to correctly pronounce "collie" and referred to the dogs as "coolies“. 3) Herding Australian grazers needed a dog that would help them with the cattle and sheeps and for a long time, the Koolie was bred for versatility and as all around station dogs. And the breeding was succesfull, because the Australian Koolie has natural herding instinct, high working ethic, high intelligence and they are known for a natural instinct to circle widely round sheep and bring them back to their owner. 4) Companion Today, the Australian Koolie still work as a herding breed, but they are becoming more and more popular companion dogs as well. Of course, they are not for everyone, because they need a lot of exercise, but this is amazing companion for active people. They are known for their loyalty to its owners and high patience, which is why they can be good partners for older kids. Of course, you should always supervise any breed with a very young child. 5) Color The Koolie can come in variety of colors, ranging from solid colors such as all black, brown and red to bi color, which includes black and white and red and white to tri color and merle colors. The Koolie can also have different nose and eye colors. Darker coats have darker nose and eyes and lighter coats have lighter nose and eyes. The Koolie can have blue eyes, but they should not be bred for blue eyes, because blue eyes in the Koolie are associated with deafness. 6) Dog sports You already know, that the Koolie is extraordinary herding breed, but they also excell at various dog sports, such as agility, obedience trials, herding trials or flyball. And they can also find purpose in other jobs, for example, they can be trained to be good therapy dogs, rescue dogs or detection dogs. And of course, they also make amazing companion dogs. 7) Size The Koolie is an athletic dog breed with average height between 18-24 inches which is 46-60 cm and weight should be between 30-55 pounds, which is 14-25 kg. 8) Backing The Australian Koolie is known for one interesting herding technique, which is backing. That means, that they literally jump onto the backs of their charges to herd them if necessary. But of course, they are also good at heading, driving, heeling and casting the stock. 9) Maintenance If we will not talk about the exercise, than the maintance of Koolie is fairly simple. They will keep their coat in great condition even without any grooming and they only need bathing when it is really necessary. This breed does shed and if you want to minimize the shedding than you should brush their coat regularly to remove the dead hair. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed. 10) Health The Koolie has an amazing lifespan around 15 years. Of course, just like all dogs, they can suffer from some health issues. Those are including deafness, congenital eye defects, hip dysplasia or skin allergies. |