Russo-European Laika vs Canaan Dog - Breed Comparison

The Canaan Dog is an attractive dog and is Israel’s national breed. Research reveals that the dog’s history can be traced way back to 2200BC.

The dog’s origins go back to the pariah dog of the Middle East. It is believed that the dog has been perceived as a sacred animal and that he was both guard- and herd dog of the ancient Israelites.

A certain Dr Rudolphina Menzel moved from Vienna to Israel and was asked to establish a service dog organization. She trained and bred them, finding them to be highly trainable. She began a breeding program in 1934, providing working dogs for the military and starting a selective breeding program for the Canaan dog. The Israel Kennel Club dog recognized the Canaan for the first time in 1953.

The Russo-European Laika is a hunting dog that comes from Russia.

It is a dog that has been developed from Spitz type dogs. A breeding program was started for the dog in 1944.

The Russo-European Laika dog is recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in the Spitz and Primitive type group.

Appearance:

The Canaan Dog is lean, standing at between 51–61cm and weighing roughly 18-25kg. The medium sized Canaan Dog’s coat is medium length and can be sandy to brown, white or black or a mix of these. The eyes are dark and inquisitive, the ears are erect and the high set bushy tail is curled over the back.

Temperament:

The Canaan Dog is alert, intelligent, confident and territorial. They are wary of strangers and because they’re alert they’re constantly aware of movement, making them a superb watchdog. However, the dog isn’t aggressive and he makes an excellent family pet, even around children and other pets.

He will need training and socialization though to make him obedient and amicable. He is a strong-willed dog. He is co-operative when being trained and responds well. They are energetic and will make a good companion for runners and cyclists.

The Russo-European Laika is a medium sized dog Spitz dog that stands at between 54 to 60cm in height and weighs in the region of 20 – 23kg.

The dog has quite a strong resemblance to the Karelia Bear Dog. They are sometimes mistaken for each other.

The Russo-European Laika has the typical triangular shaped head with small dark eyes, a black nose and erect, pointed ears. These are deep chested dogs.

As with other Spitz breeds, this dog has a thick fur with a densely furred tail which is curved over the back. The double coat is fairly long and usually a dark grey color or black with some white markings. Sometimes the dog has a white coat.

Temperament:

This is a lively, energetic dog breed that loves to spend time outdoors. It has always been used to alert hunters to prey, using its bark to alert the hunter.Training and socialization will be necessary for the dog if you don’t want it to be barking in the house too.

He makes an excellent guard dog, protecting his human family. It is very tolerant of children too, getting on well with them as well as other pets.

The dog is known for being totally devoted to its family, being an affectionate and loyal breed that doubles as a family pet and guard dog.

The Canaan Dog is an intelligent dog and this makes him easy to train. He is a strong-willed, independent dog and will require training and socialization to make him obedient. He is an affectionate and loving dog and will make a wonderful family pet.

The Canaan Dog is also a fairly healthy, robust breed and appeals to many dog owners who don’t have to spend money on professional grooming for him. He doesn’t require much – isn’t high maintenance at all and he is just waiting to become a member of a human family where he can be loved and cared for just like any other family member.

This is an intelligent dog breed, loving the time he spends with his human family but reluctant to be patted by strangers.

They also get along with pets that they have grown up with. They get on well with kids and make great watchdogs too. Small wonder they make such sought after pets and companions.

The Canaan Dog has a strong immune system and with good care from his owner he can reach 15 years of age. He has been used to living in harsh conditions in the deserts of Israel.

If you want to buy a Canaan dog, as with any dog, a good breeder will be able to produce health certificates for the puppy's parents. These certificates confirm that the dog has been tested and cleared of certain common conditions that affect dogs.

Because hip dysplasia is such a common problem with dogs, you may want to see health certificates from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OCA).

A form of cancer that you might expect to see in this breed is Lymphosarcoma, a cancer which affects the lymphoid system. The lymphoid system is a critical part of the dog’s immune system to fight off viruses and bacteria.

These Spitz type dogs are always known to enjoy good health, and owners don’t have to worry too much about their health as only a small number of health issues are reported with this healthy dog breed.

Umbilical Hernia:

This is a congenital defect in the abdominal muscles and can result in fat or tissues being evident under the skin. A bulge is often seen in the area of the abdomen. Larger hernias will require surgery.

Diet:

The Canaan Dog needs a steady diet of high-quality food, whether you provide your own home-made food or you buy commercially manufactured food. A healthy diet full of minerals and vitamins is essential for good health. If you’re not sure how to feed your Canaan dog, your veterinarian can advise you according to your dog’s age.

Remember that dogs are carnivorous so even though raw meat can be pretty expensive, you want to include it in his diet from time to time to stave off itchy, dry skin rashes and other illnesses. Always see to it that there is a bowl of fresh, cool water 24/7.

Grooming:

The Canaan Dog is a low maintenance breed who has moderate, seasonal shedding. The coat is easy to groom. He will need a good brush twice a week to keep him free of loose hairs and to keep his coat shiny.

Other kinds of grooming are also important such as brushing his teeth 2 or 3x a week to remove tartar build-up. Bad teeth can affect the immune system and make him ill.

Exercise:

Canaans are going to require a moderate amount of exercise. Just like with any dog, you can’t just buy a cute puppy and when he becomes an adult and no longer cute to you, forget about him in the backyard. A dog is a 15 year responsibility and he will need regular walks and games from you to guarantee his health and happiness.

Exercise:

This is an energetic dog and will require a good amount of excerise. This dog isn’t suited to living in the city as they are highly active. Apart from wanting large grounds to run around in, he will need walks as well as ball- and rope games to keep him busy.

He is intelligent and needs some form of mental stimulation. There are good quality toys which one can buy for these dogs than can make them think.

Diet:

Many things can change a dog’s longevity, and diet is one. A good nutritious diet with vitamins and minerals will give your dog less of a chance to get sick.

If you go for the best quality commercially manufactured dog foods, you’ll find that they are both convenient and well balanced.

To provide your dog with just a bit of variety in his diet, some home-made food added into the dry kibble from time to time will delight your pet.

No need to make preparing the food a huge issue either. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Chop all this up and add small portions of it into the dry kibble.

Try to include a bit of raw meat occasionally and never let your dog be without a constant source of fresh, cool water