Rudolphina Menzel
Encyclopedia
Dr. Rudolphina Menzel was a cynologist, best known for her work in the field of animal behavior, from Vienna
, Austria
.
Prof. Menzel was responsible for gaining recognition for the Canaan Dog
; and she wrote the breed standard, which was accepted by the FCI in 1966.
She was asked by the Haganah
for help in setting up a dog section (forerunner to what would become Unit Oketz
). Dr. Menzel found that the standard breeds used for guarding, tracking and other tasks were unable to cope with the harsh climate and terrain, so she sought an alternative, turning to the local pariah dog
.
She began a redomestication program of the pariah dogs living on the outskirts of settlements and with the Bedouin in desert. She collected puppies and adults, and found them to be highly adaptable, amenable to domestication, and quick to learn.
Menzel's Canaan Dog breeding program was concentrated with the Institute where a foundation of kennel-raised Canaan Dogs was established, carrying the name "B'nei Habitachon".
In 1965, she exported the four Canaan Dogs to the United States, and later sent specimens of the breed to Germany.
Menzel sent a male Canaan Dog to Mrs Connie Higgins in the United Kingdom. In 1964, Mrs. Higgins had already acquired a female puppy from a wild litter in Damascus
, and on 28 December 1969, she bred the first known litter of Canaan Dogs born in the United Kingdom
.
In 1970, Shaar Hagai Kennels, located near Jerusalem, worked closely with Dr. Menzel in the development and breeding of the breed, and continues her work after her death in 1973.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Prof. Menzel was responsible for gaining recognition for the Canaan Dog
Canaan Dog
The Canaan dog is a Canaanite breed of dog which may have existed in the eastern Mediterranean seaboard for millennia, as referenced in ancient sculptures.-Appearance:...
; and she wrote the breed standard, which was accepted by the FCI in 1966.
History
She immigrated, with her husband Dr Rudolph Menzel, to the British mandate of Palestine, in 1938.She was asked by the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
for help in setting up a dog section (forerunner to what would become Unit Oketz
Unit Oketz
The Oketz Unit , is the independent canine special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded in 1939 as part of Haganah. The unit specializes in training and handling dogs for military applications. Originally, Oketz trained dogs to attack kidnappers, but training has since become...
). Dr. Menzel found that the standard breeds used for guarding, tracking and other tasks were unable to cope with the harsh climate and terrain, so she sought an alternative, turning to the local pariah dog
Pariah dog
The term pariah dog originally referred to Chinese/Indian feral dogs of a particular type, but it is now used by the United Kennel Club to refer to a purebred dog category.- Feral dogs of India :...
.
She began a redomestication program of the pariah dogs living on the outskirts of settlements and with the Bedouin in desert. She collected puppies and adults, and found them to be highly adaptable, amenable to domestication, and quick to learn.
Menzel's Canaan Dog breeding program was concentrated with the Institute where a foundation of kennel-raised Canaan Dogs was established, carrying the name "B'nei Habitachon".
In 1965, she exported the four Canaan Dogs to the United States, and later sent specimens of the breed to Germany.
Menzel sent a male Canaan Dog to Mrs Connie Higgins in the United Kingdom. In 1964, Mrs. Higgins had already acquired a female puppy from a wild litter in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, and on 28 December 1969, she bred the first known litter of Canaan Dogs born in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
In 1970, Shaar Hagai Kennels, located near Jerusalem, worked closely with Dr. Menzel in the development and breeding of the breed, and continues her work after her death in 1973.
External links
- The dogs of war, Ofer Aderet
- Canaan Dogs from Bnei HaBitachon Kennel Web page displaying the Canaan dogs belonging to Drs. Rudolph and Rudolphina Menzel, the founders of the breed
- History of The Canaan Dog
- A Biblical dog in modern times
- History of the Canaan Dog History of the Canaan Dog by Home The Canaan Dog Club of America
- Report on the Canaan Dog Report by the Israel Nature Reserves and National Parks Authority on the Canaan Dog, written by Dr. Tamar Ron, October 1999
- Pariahunde - Pariah Dogs, written by Rudolf Menzel & Rudolphina Menzel, translated by Bryna Comsky