Canes Venatici (/ˈkeɪniːz vɪˈnætɪsaɪ/ KAY-neez vin-AT-iss-eye) is one of the 88 constellations designated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Both written words look the same in Arabic text without diacritics, leading Gerard to write it as Hastile habens canes ('spearshaft-having dogs').

[4] These spurious dogs floated about the astronomical literature until Hevelius decided to make them a separate constellation in 1687.

[9] Canes Venatici is bordered by Ursa Major to the north and west, Coma Berenices to the south, and Boötes to the east.

[10] The official constellation boundaries, as set by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930,[9] are defined by a polygon of 14 sides.

The Bayer designation stars, Alpha and Beta Canum Venaticorum are only of third and fourth magnitude respectively.

Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful galaxies visible, M51 has many star-forming regions and nebulae in its arms, coloring them pink and blue in contrast to the older yellow core.

Ton 618 is a hyperluminous quasar and blazar in this constellation, near its border with the neighboring Coma Berenices.