Keren, my Canaani Sunburst

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Sat, 05/23/2015 - 00:57

Today, 20 May 2015/2nd of Sivan, 5775, Keren—"Cherrysh Sunburst"—has become a blessed memory. Keren was bred by Cheryl & Jerry Hennings at Cherrysh Canaan Dogs, and whelped 30 Jan 2003/27th of Sh'vat, 5763.

Keren's sire was Multi Ch. Barak me Shaar Hagai, AKC —P340-789. Her dam was AKC Ch. Bay Path's Sufat Hol—P247-217. Keren was registered with AKC—DN04086503 and with UKC—P418-795.

Awards

She was shown several times and received ribbons, but she was never bred. She did, however, link her human with many other dogs and their humans, who offered companionship, support, and advice over the years. And she has received a number of prestigious lifetime awards bestowed by the Canaani Protection Society. A few of them include:

  • The UnConditional Love Award—She bestowed her love on people who had done something for: ear scratch, belly rub, ride to someplace new. She loved many, but very few people earned unconditional love.
  • The Entrepreneurial Dog Award—Her determination to solve problems was dogged. Her legacy is one of playfulness, knowing how to find expert help, and never giving up.
  • The Gustav Holt (the Planets) Jupiter Jollity Giver Award—She brought joy and happiness to everyone that appreciated her.
  • The Gross Dog Award—Rolling in mud and smelly organic matter was her avocation.
  • The Swimming Dog—As a desert dog, Keren's love of water was exceptional.
  • The Tolerant Dog Award—Exceptional tolerance for the foibles and weaknesses of her human; the award was granted despite Keren's intolerance of smaller and non-Canaani dogs.
  • The Artistic Dog Award—Known for her unique sculptural assemblages constructed from bone, these priceless works have been exhibited in numerous galleries.

Published author

She was the author of "Dogged Flight," an illustrated fable for children, distributed as an ebook. Although written for children, it serves as an instructional and motivational text for human entrepreneurs.

As Keren relates in Dogged Flight, she succeeded in bringing great joy and pleasure to her human companion, who otherwise would have remained stuck in the mud. She made sure that he took long walks along the beach, in the woods, and in the apple orchard. While Keren sniffed, rolled in mud or foul things, or swam, her human took in the sand, sea, sky, and woods.

She also wrote a handbook for Canaani puppies, providing instruction on the training, care, and feeding of humans, but at her request, this was unpublished during her lifetime.

Exceptional services

In addition to a precise internal GPS mapping and travel competence, Keren was endowed with a highly accurate internal clock app, coupled with an internal daybook/calender app, enabling her to herd her human in the daily tasks essential to survival, like getting away from a computer in order to prepare food, and to go for walks at the appointed hour, and to find her way back to the car even while the human was lost.

Although Keren did not always play well with her peers, she sought to befriend nearly every human she saw, most of whom knew her name even as they ignored her human companion.

Right until her last hours, Keren was on guard to protect her human and his neighbors from possible harm from nasty humans, squirrels, and small dogs.

She will be missed and remembered.

In Memory of Keren (z"l)

When it is easier to be among the animals
who have chosen to live with us,
who see us as we are and do not mind,
who are patient and wait
till our eye’s meet and blink,
and it is love happening.
And they come to our laps
and our beds, curled and trusting,
and we know we are safe,
and whisper to them their names
that follow us always.

Copyright © February 15, 2009 Carol Snyder Halberstadt

"But ask now the animals, and they shall teach you; and the birds of the sky, they will tell you.
Or speak to the earth and it will teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall inform you."

—Job 12:7-8

In memory

Keren's person, Jerry Halberstadt, suggests that donations be made in Keren's memory to Myrna Shiboleth at Shaar Hagai in Israel. Myrna has dedicated decades to the breeding and preservation of the Canaan breed.

Myrna is facing a suit by the Israel Lands Authority to evict her and the dogs from Shaar Hagai. This could mean the end of the Shaar Hagai breeding program. Donations to help with legal expenses and care of the dogs is welcome. Donations can be made to her PayPal account, myrnash@netvision.net.il