Rhodesian Ridgeback

Sponsored by:

The Rhodesian Ridgeback grew out of a combination of various breeds. Many dogs were brought to South Africa by the Europeans who moved there in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These early settlers brought Danes, Mastiffs, Greyhounds, Bloodhounds, and terriers, among others.

But there were already native African dogs living in the area. One group of native people, the Hottentots, had a half-wild dog with a strange coat. A long patch of hair on his back grew in the opposite direction from the rest of his coat. It was like a long cowlick running down his back. Over the years, the Hottentot dog was bred with the European dogs to finally produce the Rhodesian Ridgeback as we know it today.

The Ridgeback was bred to hunt game--even lions--but also to guard homes and protect families. This is a strong dog, but one who wants to please. He is proud, dignified, and courageous, devoted to his family, and protective and loving of children. His short coat ranges in color from tan to chestnut.

Excerpts from the Standard

General Appearance: Strong, muscular, and active, with a ridge of hair on his back growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The ridge starts behind the shoulders and continues to a point between the hips; it should contain two identical crowns opposite each other.

Size, Proportion, and Substance: Height--males, 25 to 27 inches; females, 24 to 26 inches. Weight--males, 75 pounds; females, 65 pounds.

Fun Facts

As a tribute to his bravery, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is also known as the African Lion Hound. The Ridgeback would find the lion and keep him in place until the hunters, following safely on horseback, arrived.

Breed Profile

American Kennel Club
Group:: Hound
Size:: Large
Origin:: Zimbabwe
Color:: Tan and Brown

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a strong dog who wants to please. They are proud, dignified, courageous, devoted to family, and protective and loving of children.

Articles

Dog Breeds in the Hound Group

Hounds are some of the oldest kinds of dogs used by man to help him hunt. More »

See All Articles

Videos

Driving Safety With Your Pets Instructional Cartoon

Driving Safety With Your Pets Instructional Cartoon Driving with your pets can be fun but unless they are properly secured it can be treacherous for you, your pets and other drivers. This short cartoon shows you why you should buckle up your pets and/or crate them no matter how short a trip you take. During accidents windows break and non properly restrained pets can get lose, posing a further risk to themselves, moving traffic and first responders. Pets on laps are NEVER a good idea as they impede your ability to make quick avoidance motions ... From: wagn4u Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 01:28 More in Education

How To Prevent Summer Threats To Your Pets

On The Petside

Tips On Boarding Your Pets

On The Petside

Celebrities and Their Pets

On The Petside with Sara Radle

Blogs

Problems with Purebreeds? Say It Ain't So!

…Well--yes itâ s true. We love the squashed-in nose and wrinkles of the bulldog; the tiny pocketbook size of the Yorkshire terrier; the ridged back on the Rhodesian Ridgeback. How could these be bad? Caution--a slight rant follows. *s* A BBC... More…

Political Pets Speak Out!

…I don't see him with a bulldog or a keeshond, ya know? A basinji or a Rhodesian ridgeback might be ethnically appropriate, but I think they'd find the ridgeback too large, and the basinjis are high energy dogs - probably too much so for More…