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RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK DOG BREED INFORMATION

Family	Collie, Greyhound, Irish terrier, Airedale, bulldog and pointer.
Life Span	10-13 years
Avg Size of Male:	Height: 24-28 inches, Weight: 70 pounds
Avg Size of Female:	Height: 22-25 inches, Weight: 70 pounds
Original Function:	lion-hunting dogs
Overall Rating (out of 5)	Ridgebacks are loyal and intelligent. They are, however, aloof to strangers. This is not to be confused with aggression

The Ridgeback's distinguishing feature is the ridge of hair along its back running in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat. It consists of a fan-like area formed by two whorls of hair (called "crowns") and tapers from immediately behind the shoulders, down to the level of the hips. Male Ridgebacks should be 25-27 inches (63-69 cm) at the withers and weigh approximately 85 lb (36.5 kg FCI Standard), females 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) and approximately 70 lb (32 kg). Ridgebacks are typically muscular and have a light wheaten to red wheaten coat, which should be short, dense, sleek and glossy in appearance and neither woolly nor silky. The presence of black guard hairs or ticking is not addressed in the AKC standard, although the elaboration of the AKC standard notes the amount of black or dark brown in the coat should not be excessive. The FCI Standard states that excessive black hairs throughout the coat are highly undesirable. White is acceptable on the chest and toes.

Ridgebacks have a strong, smooth tail, which is usually carried in a gentle curve backwards. The eyes should be round and should reflect the dog's color—skin pigment, not coat color: dark eyes with a black nose (regardless of coat color), amber eyes with a liver nose. The liver nose is a recessive gene. It is not as common as a black nose; some breeders believe the inclusion of livernoses in a breeding program is necessary for maintaining the vibrancy of the coat.

Temperament

Ridgebacks are loyal and intelligent. They are, however, aloof to strangers. This is not to be confused with aggression: A Ridgeback of proper temperament will be more inclined to ignore a stranger than to challenge them. This breed requires positive, reward-based training, good socialization and consistency, and is often not the best choice for inexperienced dog owners.

Ridgebacks are strong-willed, intelligent, and many seem to have a penchant for mischief, though lovingly. They may not make a good first dog, though the same traits that make them difficult often appeal to the more experienced owners. They can withstand wide temperature variations due to their African heritage. Despite their athletic, sometimes imposing exterior, the Ridgeback has a sensitive side. Excessively harsh training methods that might be tolerated by a sporting or working dog will likely backfire on a Ridgeback. The Ridgeback accepts correction as long as it is fair and justified, and as long as it comes from someone he knows and trusts.

Health

Health conditions known to affect this breed are hip dysplasia and dermoid sinus which is the canine version of the human condition, spina bifida. The Ridgeback ranks number six in terms of most affected breeds for thyroid problems recorded by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States maintains a web site devoted to the breed's health issues that also gathers ongoing research for their Health & Genetics Committee. This group recommends that breeders perform at least four health screenings -- hips, elbows, thyroid and eyes -- with cardiac and hearing tests optional. They also recommend that all Ridgeback owners enter their dogs' information in the Comprehensive Rhodesian Ridgeback Health Survey.

Care

This is a fast growing dog that should not be overfed or over exercised as a puppy, as this puts too much stress on developing bones. In addition, it needs plenty of opportunity to run as an adult, preferably off the leash in a safe area. If these dogs are allowed to get bored, and are not walked or jogged daily, they can become destructive

History

The breed's long history dates back to early in the 18th century when the first European settlers found with the Khoisan tribes a domesticated dog with the hair on his spine being turned forward.[citation needed] Later, to fill specific needs of the big game hunters of the late 19th century for a serviceable hunting dog, tough, resistant to disease, intelligent enough to avoid crocodiles and snakes, with tick repellent smooth coat, tight paw pads to protect against thorns and rough terrain, brave and muscular enough to face a lion or any other big game, but fast enough to stay out of harm's way of horns, claws and teeth. The main person behind this development was Cornelius Van Rooyen of Plumtree, Rhodesia.

The history of the breed is disputed. What is commonly accepted is that Van Rooyen used two ridged, rough-coated bitches from the Swellendam district brought to him by the Rev. Charles Helm in 1879. Van Rooyen crossed these bitches with members of his pack, noting that their ridged progeny excelled at lion hunting. The breeds believed to have been used by van Rooyen to develop his famed lion-hunting dogs include the Collie, Greyhound, Irish terrier, Airedale, bulldog and pointer. It is likely that the Great Dane and Deerhound also contributed to the gene pool along the way. The Breed Standard is loosely based on that of a slightly enlarged Dalmatian and was first registered by the South African Kennel Club, SAKU (now KUSA) in 1924. At that time KUSA was the only Kennel Club in the territory. The breed was first admitted into the American Kennel Club in 1955 as a member of the Hound Group.