Sibercaan

The Sibercaan is not a purebred dog but a type of intentional cross between two other breeds known as a designer dog. The American Canine Hybrid Club and the International Designer Canine registry list this dog as a mix between the Canaan dog and the Siberian Husky, two ancient Spitz-type breeds. The Canaan dog is a rare and unusual breed of dog that was first domesticated thousands of years ago. The Canaan breed is the National Breed of Israel and these dogs were known to perform guarding and herding duties for the Israelites and the nomadic Bedouins as far back as 2200 to 2000 BC. There are hieroglyphics, skeletal remains, and carvings dating back to these times that all closely resemble this breed that show its close relationship to the people living in the area. Then, the Romans conquered the area and scattered the Israelites. Many of the dogs remained behind, escaping into the Negev Desert where, except for a very few who continued to be employed by the nomadic Bedouins, they lived, and some still live, as wild or feral, semi-wild dogs. In the early 1930’s Professor Rudolphina Menzel, seeking a military dog that could handle the desert conditions of the area, captured some of the wild and semi-wild Canaan dogs that lived near the outskirts of the settlement. When she found them to be highly trainable, she began a successful breeding program, producing an extremely long-lived, healthy, and capable breed of dogs that were employed extensively by the military throughout World War II, and are still relied on by the Israeli Defense Forces today. Siberian Huskies first really caught the public eye in the early 1900s. During this time they were frequently used as sled dogs and several dogs of this breed were instrumental in the well-documented serum run in 1925; a gruelling race against a diphtheria epidemic that took twenty sled drivers and over a hundred dogs through 658 miles of wilderness in unbearable conditions and likely saved around 10,000 people.  Like the Canaan dog, however, Siberian Huskies dogs were domesticated and developed thousands of years ago, living closely with the Chuchki people in the cold northern reaches of Russia, helping with the hunt, guarding the tribe’s property, and pulling sleds of supplies. It is important to note that the Designer Breed registry lists the Sibercaan as a mix between the Canaan dog and the Native American Indian Dog, a breed recognized only by the Native American Indian Dog Registry and the National Kennel Club, which registers more types of rare dog breeds than the American Kennel Club, and is said to be a descendant of the dogs that accompanied Native Americans, although that status is somewhat controversial. This means that, while the majority of Sibercaans are likely to be the Canaan and Siberian Husky mix, there are those that will be mixed with Native American Indian Dogs instead, and you should be aware that this is likely to have a slight effect on the canine’s appearance and temperament, although the Native American Indian Dog does have many traits in common with both the Siberian Husky and the Canaan dog.