Many of the recognized breeds have developed health issues over time. Some like the Doberman have dilated cardiomyopathy. Dachshunds and Bassets have cervical issues. Labs and Retrievers are prone to hip dysplasia. Bulldogs are a complete mess�AI to get pregnant and caesarian to whelp the young. That is why when we were searching for a new breed, health was a major main concern. I have yet to open a breed book and find more than epilepsy listed as a possible affliction of the Canaan Dog. Most say that there are no long or short-term health concerns. And I say this is rightly so. This is the model of evolution�. an animal that has survived for thousands of years in one of the harshest environments on the planet. Well, there were some good years in the Levant also. Recent studies have shown six major climate changes since the beginning of the Holocene Period. They had some lush tropical conditions for a while, then some very dry barren ones. Yet through this whole time they were able to adapt and survive. And to look at them this should come as no surprise. They are built so well�strong limbs, well balanced body, and well developed senses.
This was the noble beast that Dr. Menzel found in the 1930s and helped mold into such a versatile creature.
I was looking up facts listed on the OFA site. Did you know that the Canaan Dog is seventh best when it comes to being diagnosed with hip dysplasia? With all other measurements, like patella luxation, elbow dysplasia, thyroid, and cardiac the numbers are statistically insignificant. There have been five deaf Canaans reported�.at least one of them was born without eardrums. Others became deaf through disease. I would not consider this a significant health concern.
This is not to say that we should take their health for granted. All dogs deserve the best care and protection that we can give them. I am all for being proactive when it comes to the health of my Canaans. They receive a well-balanced raw diet, lots of exercise, and much personal time where we play and train. Challenging them this way keeps them alert and ready to perform in whatever activity they are participating. And this socialization has developed two Canaans that love to play with other dogs.
My point is that we need to understand the issues, be they health, training, or performance, and we can only do this by making the choices ourselves. The same goes for this current Environmental Catastrophe. If they had come out and said that they were going to combat NOX and SOX, then I would have been behind them 100% because these are the pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, etc. But this card had been played before and they needed a new scapegoat. So CO2 becomes a toxic, Earth-threatening substance, rather than one of the building blocks of nature. I�m all for alternative forms of power, but if you are supporting it please do it for the right reasons. Go solar, Go wind, Go microhydro, so that you can be off of the grid. Do it so that you have the peace of mind of managing your own resources. Don�t do it because some clown in telling you to reduce your CO2 footprint. The only way to get any truth out there is to examine the facts and make the decisions ourselves. Create your own agenda. Then the warm-mongers are only blowing hot air at each other.
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