Canaan dog
noun
: any of a breed of medium-sized, square-bodied dogs developed in Israel from pariah dogs of the Negev desert region and having a short, straight, harsh coat and a bushy tail
There are 2,000 to 3,000 Canaan dogs across the world, but most are closely related. If the gene pool is not continually strengthened with new bloodlines from the wild, experts say, the breed could develop degenerative diseases.—
Nicolas Brulliard
Nicolas BrulliardExamples of Canaan dog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Canaan dog has roamed the deserts of the Levant for thousands of years, long before modern borders were drawn.
—
Pat Mueller,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Pat Mueller,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canaan dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Canaan%20dog. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
