The Israel Canaan Dog - International Conference

The Israel Canaan Dog is unique among modern breeds. He is found on the borderline between all the truly domesticated and selectively bred breeds and the pariahs and wild dogs. The Canaan dog has been closely associated with man and has served him throughout his long history, but was never selectively bred. He owes his continued existence in a free living state to his adaptability. The exigencies of nature alone determined his development along lines dictated by the principle of "survival of the fittest", resulting in a dog admirably suited to the harsh conditions of his natural habitat.

The Canaan still has a precarious foothold in his natural habitat, the desert and wilderness areas of Israel. But the population is declining, much more rapidly than anticipated several years ago. There are less and less areas where these dogs can live undisturbed, and where there is no possibility of interbreeding with other dogs that have accompanied the spread of settlements into areas that were in the past wilderness. What is very encouraging and important to the fanciers of this breed is the spread and development of the breed to many countries outside of Israel, and the continually increasing interest, awareness and popularity of the Canaan both abroad and in its homeland. These dogs are becoming

more and more valued both at home and abroad as healthy and hardy companions, working dogs, and family pets.

The International Canaan Dog Conference is in celebration of these very special dogs, and of the very special people who chose to live with them. We are celebrating of 50 years of recognition of the breed by the international canine community, and the acceptance of the breed by all kennel clubs of the world. We are celebrating the achievements of the Canaan Dogs in the show and performance rings of the world, and their continuing and growing value to us a companions and working dogs.

We invite all Canaan owners, fanciers, and all interested in learning more about this fascinating breed to join us at this unique event, and get to see the source from which the dogs have come, and where some still may be found, to understand the background and history of the breed, and to meet many Canaans and their people. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we hope you will all join us here in Israel.

Thursday, March 19, 2015: Arrival

Participants will be met at the airport and will be hosted for the first night by Israeli dog people. If anyone prefers the first night in a hotel, it can be arranged (at additional cost).

Friday, March 20: International Canaan Dog Seminar

Participants will be brought to the Beit Erez Conference Center in Mishmar HaShiva, just outside of Tel Aviv, for the seminar program.

Lecture 1:
"The Importance of the Primitive Dogs, and especially the Canaan to the FCI and the International Dog World "
Professor Zeev Trainin, President of the FCI Scientific
Commission, former president of the Israel Kennel Club, all breed judge.

1963 – Graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
1966 – Thesis in Veterinary Microbiology for Dr. degree.
1970-1995 – Head of the Department of Immunology at the Kimron Veterinary Institute, Israel.
1984-1997 – Head of the Kimron Veterinary Institute, Israel.
1985 – 2006 - Professor of Immunology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Head of the course of Immunology and lecturer at the course of Virology.
2004 – 2010 – Editor in Chief of Israel Journal of Veterinary Medicine.
2005 – present – Scientific advisor and head of the Israel Dairy Board Research Fund.
*** 1981-82, 1988-89 – Visiting Professor, Harvard University, School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
Main Research Topics 1) Transfer of Immunity from mother to offspring.
2) Immunization of domestic animals. (Invention of vaccines)
3) Acquired Immunodeficiency in animals and men.
Author of approx. 150 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Cynology Activities: All round judge since 1975. Breeder of Standard Schnauzers and greyhound for 30 years.
President of the Israel Kennel Club 1983 – 1988.
Member of the FCI Scientific Commission since 1985.
President of the Scientific Commission since 2011.

Lecture 2:
Of Dogs and Men: Episodes from the History of the Human-Animal Bond
Dr. Monika Baár, ‬University of Groningen (Netherlands)‬

Monika Baár is Rosalind Franklin Fellow and Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). She works on problems related to marginality and her current research revolves around the history of the human-animal bond and the history of disability. She is particularly interested in the history of working dogs and the uses of dogs for therapeutic purposes and she combines these two pursuits in her project on the history of guide dogs for the blind.

Her article: 'Prosthesis for the Body and for the Soul: the Establishment of Guide Dog Provision in Interwar Germany' is forthcoming in the journal First World World Studies, while another article 'Disability and Civil Courage under State Socialism: the Scandal over the Hungarian Guide Dog School' is forthcoming in the journal Past and Present (May, 2015 issue).

Lecture 3:
"Living with a Canaan Dog, a Biblical dog in the 21st century."
Myrna Shiboleth

Myrna Shiboleth was born in Chicago, Illinois and received her B.A. from Northwestern University. On graduation, she took her first trip to Israel, where she became acquainted with the Canaan Dogs that were to become a major part of her life. After a year in Israel, she returned to the U.S. and was employed by Animal Talent Scouts of New York as an animal trainer and handler. During the next twelve months, she handled a wide variety of animals, including dogs, cats, llamas and a yak.

However, Myrna felt a great attraction to Israel and the lifestyle that she had experienced during her year there. In 1969 she immigrated together with her collie, Degel, and her first Canaan Dog bitch, Spatterdash Gimel Wafi, purchased from one of the very first litters born in the US. In Israel, Myrna met Prof. Rudolphina Menzel, and Dr. Dvora Ben Shaul and others who were interested in establishing a kennel for the purpose of breeding and preserving the Canaan Dog. This was the beginning of the Shaar Hagai Kennels, established in 1970 and still active and thriving today.

Over the years, more than fifty Shaar Hagai dogs have completed their Israel championships, and many other international titles have been accumulated: at last count, ten International Champions., eighteen World Champions, and many other titles including obedience and agility. Descendents of the Shaar Hagai dogs have had many additional achievements. The Shaar Hagai dogs are found behind all the major Canaan bloodlines in the world.

Myrna presently shares Shaar Hagai Farm with her daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren that have inherited the family love of animals. Other than the Canaans, the canine family includes smooth and rough collies, and Portuguese small podengos.

In addition to breeding and raising Canaans, Myrna has been involved in a wide variety of animal-related activities. She has owned and operated a riding stable, worked as a keeper and handler of wild animals in the Ramat Gan Safari Park, owned and managed a boarding and training kennel, and worked as an animal behavior research technician in Tel Aviv University. She also served as an advisor on working dogs for the Israel Defense Department and has been a professional advisor to veterinarians on clinical nutrition. From 1972-75, she and her husband lived in Africa, where she had the opportunity to observe and learn about animals in the wild. As one of her projects while working at Tel Aviv University, Myrna hand raised a hyena cub, which subsequently lived with the family as a house pet for twelve years. Stories of all these activities appear in her book, "Tails of Shaar Hagai", published in 2008. (www.sephirotpress.com )

A new edition of her book, "The Israel Canaan Dog" was published in 2012 (www.icdb.org.il)

Myrna has published numerous articles, in Israel and abroad, on the Canaan Dog and on many aspects of dogs and their behavior, and has lectured on many canine subjects both at home and abroad. She is an international judge of over 150 breeds, having judged in many European countries, the US and Australia.

But primarily, she lives and enjoys life at Shaar Hagai with family and her pack of dogs.

Lecture 4:
Panel Discussion: What future do we see for the Canaan Dog?

The panel will be made up of well known Canaan people from Israel and abroad, and the audience will be encouraged to participate.

Refreshments and lunch will be served during the seminar.

At the end of the seminar, participants will be transferred by bus to the location for the next days, The Field School in Hatzeva, Israel. Dinner will be provided on arrival. The bus drive is about three hours, through very beautiful and typical wilderness areas.

Saturday, March 21:

Canaan Dog Specialty Show, Hatzeva

Agnes Kertes Ganami

I was born to a dog breeding family. My father bred and trained Dobermans and Teckels before World War II in Hungary.

After the war I immigrated to Israel and as soon as my living conditions enabled I started my own breeding. I bred German Shepherd Dogs, Standard Schnauzers and the last 20 years I bred Shiba Inu as well. Dogs of my breeding achieved excellent results in the Show rings, many of them became champions.

I became judge first for German Shepherd Dogs and Schnauzers. With the years I added more breeds to my judging list until I completed all the tasks to become "All Rounder" Judge in 1984.

I judged all over the World: in Europe, in the Scandinavian countries, in South American countries, in the Far East, South Africa, in Australia, China, Japan, etc. I judged at FCI World Shows, Section Shows. Championship Shows and several times at the Melbourne Royal Shows. Also Specialty Shows all over the world. Among my activities in the Cynological world I write articles, give lectures on various dog subjects.

I took many tasks in the Israel Kennel Club as President of Breed Clubs, as President of judge's Committee and the Breeding Committee and took part for decades in the education of judges.

I am a Chemical Engineer by profession. Today I am retired from my professional life and I dedicate all my time to judging, lecturing, writing articles and enjoying my dog loving grand children's company.

The show will be held according to the regulations of the Israel Kennel Club, and CAC will be awarded to winning dog and bitch. Dogs registered in any recognized kennel club are eligible to participate, they do not need to be registered in Israel in advance.

In addition, we will offer some fun classes, and classes for neutered dogs/bitches, so that everyone has a chance to participate.

Lunch will be provided.

Regulations for taking a pet dog to Israel

Israel does not quarantine healthy pets who meet the following requirements:

• Your dog must have a 15 digit ISO pet microchip.
• Your pet must have been vaccinated for rabies between 30 days and 12 months before entry.
• A Blood Titer Test must be administered a minimum of 30 days after vaccination and sent to an approved laboratory.
• Within 10 days of travel, Veterinary Certificate for Israel must be completed by a licensed USDA or CFIA veterinarian for endorsement by the USDA or CFIA if traveling from the United States or Canada. If you are not traveling from either of these countries, the Governing Authority over animals in your country responsible for the import and export of animals should endorse the forms.
• The results of the Blood Titer Test and Rabies Certificate should also be included for endorsement.

After the show, there will be a free discussion with the judge, who will be happy to explain his judging and to answer questions.

Sunday, March 22:

In the Pawprints of the Canaan Dog - A Tour Through the Desert, to see the natural areas where the Canaan dog developed and is still found today. Lunch in a Bedouin camp, with the chance to become acquainted with their lifestyle and culture and relations with dogs. Visits to famous sites in the area – Dead Sea, Ein Gedi.

Deserts actually make up 33%, or 1/3rd of the earth’s surface area.

That might sound like a surprisingly large amount, but that’s based on the official definition of a desert. Desert are any region on Earth that can have a moisture deficit over the course of a year. In other words, they can have less rainfall in a year than they give up through evaporation.

You would think that deserts are hot, but there are cold deserts too. In fact, the largest cold desert in the world is the continent of Antarctica. There are barren rock fields in Antarctica that never receive snow, even though they’re incredibly cold. The largest hot desert is the Sahara desert, in northern Africa, covering 9 million square kilometers.

Israel is a part of a continuum of arid land areas that continues through out the middle east to Africa and parts of Asia.

And in almost all of these areas, we find native dogs. The dogs may be called, wild, feral, pariah, land races, or a variety of other things – or as they are often called in Israel by the Bedouin, "baladi", meaning "ordinary" – but they live in these harsh areas – and do it quite well. Participants will have a chance to see these areas and understand more about the special qualities of the dogs that can live in them.

Special dinner.

Monday, March 23:

We will be leaving Hatzevah and the bus will take us through more fascinating scenery and historical areas on our way to Jerusalem. We will have a half day to tour Jerusalem, and the historical sites.

Evening accommodation will be in a hotel in Jerusalem.

Tuesday, March 24:

Participants will return home, with many happy memories!

If there is anyone who is interested in staying longer in Israel, we will be happy to assist in all arrangements.

The price per person: $950 (950 US dollars)

This includes 5 nights, half board, (two meals a day), on some days also includes an additional meal, bus transportation to all locations, tours, guide, participation in seminar and dog show. (It may not include fees for entry to specific tourists sites).

Rooms are available for double occupancy and single occupancy.