About 1,000 dogs from about 100 different breeds will participate this year in the international dog show, which will take place this Saturday at the Expo complex in Tel Aviv, marking the 50th anniversary of the Israel Kennel Association.
At the exhibition, which is sponsored by Royal Canin, the French manufacturer of the super-premium nutrition and health brand for dogs and cats, the winners will be awarded the title of "Jubilee Winner" and a special certificate produced especially for the occasion. In addition, an honorary degree will be awarded to members of the Association who have played an important role during its years and who have achieved extraordinary achievements, and a presentation on the history of the Association will also be screened to the visitors.
How did it all begin?
Since time immemorial, dogs have been present in the Middle East. Wild dogs that lived with the Bedouin tribes helped them with grazing and guarding, but modern canines began with the waves of immigration to Israel and took a professional turn in the 30s, when Prof. Rudolf and Rudolfina Menzel, leaders in the field of animal behavior research and owners of boxer habitats called "Sons of Satan", arrived from Austria.
Rudolf and Rudolfina Menzel // Photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
In the 20s, the couple established a first-of-its-kind school for training attack, defense, guard and sniffer dogs, and at the same time participated in international competitions, and even won the title of world champions in world boxer dog competitions. The two trained the dogs that served in the Austrian police, and in order not to disrupt their training, they taught them to obey orders in Hebrew. Later, they sent dogs to Israel, and they took up a place guarding the fences of isolated communities in the center and north of the country.
In 1938, with the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany, the exploiters joined the dogs and immigrated to Israel themselves, when German police officers, who felt appreciation and gratitude for their work with the dogs, smuggled them out from under the Nazis' noses.
The exploiters first settled in Ramat Yohanan, and later moved to Kiryat Haim, where they founded the Institute for Dog Research and Training, which later became the professional kennel center in the Land of Israel. With the assistance of Martin Goldsmith, Chairman of the Jerusalem Dog Lovers Association, Rudolfina established the Israel Dog Lovers and Trainers Association and established the Israeli Breeding Book. In 1962, she became the first woman to receive the title of professor at Tel Aviv University.
Acclimatization difficulties
Rudolpina, who was asked by the Haganah to help develop a system of working dogs for the purpose of securing and guarding the Jewish community, saw that the breeds accepted for these tasks in Europe – Dobermans, Boxers and German Shepherds – had difficulty functioning in the climatic conditions of the country. The boxers she used to work with in Europe tended to be drowsy because of the heat, and did not function well. In parallel with the establishment of her training school and canine studies, she began looking for a "local breed" that would suit these tasks as well as the climatic and terrain conditions.
Rudolfina Menzel with the boxers she raised, photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
For centuries there were Canaanite dogs, called "Arab dogs," in the Middle East, who guarded property and herds, and Saluki dogs, who accompanied the Bedouin and helped them hunt. The Canaanite breed is very similar to the wild dog, and unlike most breeds – it has retained its natural characteristics and characteristics over the years.
Menzel identified the typical local breed that got along well in these conditions and its survival traits, which can be used in defense missions. She searched for the Canaanite cubs that had grown in the field throughout the country, and brought them to the habitats. The dogs that excelled at guarding actually served as an "alarm bell" when someone approached their territory. The first dog she captured was called "Dogma", on the basis of which she built her thesis. Rudolfina gave the breed the name "Canaanite Dog", wrote the breed standard and later made it the official national breed of Israel, when it was accepted and recognized by the International Kennel Federation in 1965.
The Canaanite dog, photo: Bar Aharon
The First Exhibition and the King of Iraq
In parallel to the exploiters' activities, British Mandate soldiers, who prepared for an extended stay in Israel, brought dogs of European breeds with them, and established in Israel The Palestine Canaan Club, an affiliate of the British Club. And so, in 1935, after 2000,35 years of exile, the first dog exhibition was held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center, today Tel Aviv Port, under the auspices of the wife of the British High Commissioner. The exhibition, sponsored by the Palestine Canaan Club, featured about <> Hebrew dogs.
In 1940, while canine exhibitions in Europe were shut down due to World War II, a European dog exhibition was held in Israel. Kennels in Israel continued to become established, with 1939 dogs registered in 531. By 1943, 2,100 dogs had been registered, and three years later about 3,300 dogs were registered. The Menzels' boxers became a household name throughout the Middle East, and the young king of Iraq received boxers from them for his birthday. In 1944, the first issue of "The Dog" – the towers' bulletin – was published.
The first dog show in Israel, in 1935 // Photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
Austerity and turbulent years
The 50s brought difficult years to Israel. However, the canine industry continued to develop, and the exploiters continued to breed dogs throughout the country. Rudolfina established regional organizations similar to those abroad – the Association of Dog Lovers in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Ra'anana, and as mentioned, began to formulate the standard that eventually led to the recognition of the Israeli canine breed – the Canaanite breed.
The canine clubs founded after the establishment of the state cooperated with each other, and from time to time were given the role of host for the national exhibition. The Ashkelon exhibition opened a tradition of exhibitions with many participants to which the general public is invited. In 1959, the Decade Exhibition was held in cooperation with Cruelty to Animals.
In the 60s, kennels in Israel already numbered 120 breeds, and at the 12th Oriental Fair the <>th Dog Exhibition was held. After the Six-Day War, the dogs were again recruited for guard duty along the borders of the settlements.
Advertisement for the dog exhibition in Ashkelon, in the 50s // Photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
At the same time, Rita and Ze'ev Trainin, veterinarians who were among the world's pioneers in the field of dog immunity, returned to Israel. In 1967, they established a new canine association, the "Association of Thoroughbred Dog Groomers in Israel", in which for the first time racial and non-regional circles were incorporated – the Schnauzer Circle, the German Shepherd Circle and the Spirit Dog Circle. Thus, a rivalry was created between two competing organizations with different breeding books – the organization of exploiters and the organization of the trainees. In order to officially join the FCI, it was necessary to decide which organization would lead the kennels in Israel.
In the end, it was decided that during the year they would examine which organization was most successful in terms of the number of puppies, the number of exhibitions and the scope of activity, and the better of the two would "swallow" the other. As has been customary in politics in Israel in recent years, even then a rotation was decided: the first chairman would be the chairman of the Shlomo Lieber Kennel Association, and two years later he would be replaced by the chairman of the purebred dog breeders' association, Dr. Yehezkel Gottschel.
At the end of 1972, the organizations merged into one organization called the Israel Kennel Association, and since then Yaron has published every year the name "The Dog". In October 1976, an international exhibition was held in the dunes of the amphitheater in Ashkelon, also known by its obvious name "Via de la Rosa". At the end of the 70s, it could be said that the union succeeded beyond expectations, raising awareness and establishing the status of Israeli canines in the world.
The International Dog Show in Israel, 1987, photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
The Great Aliyah
In 1987, for the first time, Israel received the honor of hosting the International Exhibition at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. At this exhibition it was decided that all standards of all races would be in a uniform formulation. To mark the occasion, the Philatelic Service issued special stamps with the Canaanite and Seleucid dogs. At the same time, the Rescue Dog Circle was also established, with its members training in locating and rescuing disaster survivors, and to this day they travel to disaster areas all over the world to provide humanitarian assistance.
In the early 90s, the Israeli Training Department began training its members in agility – a canine sport that began in the 70s, as competitors, instructors and judges. The clubs continued their independent activities even after the unification, and held exhibitions throughout the year for different races, in addition to the national exhibition, which continued to take place at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center.
Following the wave of massive immigration from the USSR in the same decade, many breeders came from the CIS countries, and thus new breeds joined. In 1994, the exhibition received a new format of domestic animal exhibition, which also includes horses, birds, reptiles and for the first time became a box office success.
Stamp issued for the International Dog Show in 1987, photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
Global achievements
In 2001, Israel hosted the "European Championship" with more than 120 breeds grown regularly, more than ever before. Now, with three world exhibitions held in Israel – international, European and the first in the world, Israel is definitely "on the map".
Sharon Ronen ended the decade in the first of the 21st century with the greatest achievement he has ever achieved as an Israeli white. Together with the dog Sam, the two won the World Training Championship in Germany in 2009 as representatives of Israel. The victory caught the Germans by surprise, so much so that they sent a research expedition to Israel to understand the training secrets of the German Shepherd's drug. In addition, Ran Levy and his dog Thor were crowned world champions this year at the highest level of the Mundioring, a relatively new canine sport that combines elements of protection and discipline in complex situations in real time.
Champions. Sharon Ronen and his dog Sam at the World Training Championship, 2009 // Photo: Israel Kennel Association Archive
The story of the dogs is the story of the state, and it reflects everything that the State of Israel has gone through and is going through. The history of kennels in the Land of Israel is intertwined with the history of settlement in the country and the Zionist story, even before the establishment of the state. The dogs and dogs added a powerful new dimension to the defense of Jewish settlements and the borders of the state, but today the dogs have received the status of family members, loyal companions, and they receive unlimited appreciation and love.
The 2023 International Dog Show of the Israel Kennel Association will be held on Saturday from 16:00-09:00, at Pavilion 1 at the Expo, Exhibition Grounds, Tel Aviv (entrance for children up to age 5 – free)
Ran Levy wins the World Cup championship // Photo: Archive of the Israel Kennel Association
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