Rhodesian Ridgeback

Rhodesian Ridgeback, also known as African Lion Dog and Rhodesian Ridgeback, is a scent hound. Through training, it can even become a competent search and rescue dog. It is produced in South Africa. The back is the characteristic of this dog. There are short knife-shaped hairs along the back. The hair on the back grows in the opposite direction to the hair on other parts, hence the name. This dog is well-proportioned, smart, friendly, calm, rarely noisy, but has a tenacious personality when angry, and can become a popular family dog. It is good at hunting lions and is also called Rhodesian Lion Dog. This dog is an all-purpose dog. It can be used as a hunting dog, guard dog, and companion dog. It is lively and active, tall and mighty, with a tough and tenacious personality. It is one of the most famous hunting dog breeds in the world. Although it may not be the most ruthless one in a single fight, it is indeed a winner who can "stand" to the end. It needs a spacious living environment. Lifespan is 16 years.

Market reference price: usually RMB 10,000 or more

... The back hair is very distinct, tapering and symmetrical, starting behind the shoulder blades and extending to the middle of the buttocks, including two identical whorls, one on each side, the lower edge of which may not be less than 1/3 of the back hair.

The coat is short, dense, smooth and shiny. It is neither woolly nor silky. The short razor-shaped hair on the back grows in the opposite direction to the hair on the rest of the body, which is typical of this dog. The back hair is very distinct, tapering and symmetrical. Starting behind the shoulder blades and extending to the middle of the buttocks, including two identical whorls, one on each side, the lower edge of which may not be less than 1/3 of the back hair. A small amount of white on the chest and toes is allowed, but excess white on the belly or above the toes is a disqualification. No back hair is a disqualification, and one whorl or more than two whorls are serious defects. The back hair grows forward, and in cold climates, the coat is short, dense, silky and shiny, with a strong undercoat well developed.

Breed History

The Rhodesian Ridgeback, also known as the Lion Hound, is a breed used for special hunting in the wild. Starting from around the 16th century, European immigrants brought large hunting dogs to South Africa, such as the Great Dane, Mastiff, Greyhound, Bloodhound and other breeds. These dogs brought to South Africa played an important role in the breeding of the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

In 1877, two Ridgebacks participated in a large hunting event in Rhodesia, and their outstanding performance won them a high reputation. In 1955, the AKC registered this dog as a purebred dog. The Rhodesian Ridgeback has been highly praised in the United States. Its effective working ability, its character of never disturbing others, and its nature of liking children make it very popular in American families.

Around the 16th and 17th centuries, European immigrants brought bloodhounds, mastiffs and various terriers to South Africa. These dogs hybridized and evolved with the local wild hounds, the African Hotandot Hounds. At the end of the 19th century, the Boers successfully bred the Ridgeback. In 1922, at a breeding conference held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, the standard for this sturdy dog was established. At that time, the biggest tendency was to merge the five existing dogs of this type into one breed. Used in groups when hunting cheetahs, buffaloes, antelopes, or lions, the Rhodesian Ridgeback has amazing endurance and flexibility. It is said that a group of three hounds can hunt lions and sniff large prey. This dog attracts the attention of hunters by barking, and their tall size and strength protect them from attacks. Because of their loyalty and affection, people later found that they are more suitable for long-term tracking than bravery and aggressiveness. Today, this hound is no longer used for hunting, but only as a police dog and companion dog.

Personality: The Rhodesian Ridgeback is stable, intelligent, friendly and seldom barks. It is brave and aggressive, has strong endurance, can endure 24 hours without water, and can withstand hunting in the extreme temperature difference in the interior of Africa. It is an excellent hunting dog.

Comprehensive evaluation

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a strong, muscular, lively dog with a symmetrical and stable appearance. A mature Rhodesian Ridgeback looks handsome, strong, and athletic, with long endurance and fast speed. It has a calm and majestic temperament, loves its owner deeply, but is reserved with strangers.

Although most adult dogs appear calm, they are very active as puppies like other dogs who love sports.

And their maturity period is relatively slow, and they will generally gradually stabilize after the age of 3.

They will easily find ways to jump over high walls out of curiosity-they are famous jailbreakers.

Suitable for hot weather, do not need to comb their coats frequently, are not easy to train, are not easy to get along with other dogs, and will be troublesome.

Defects of the breed

Some believe that the "ridge" on the back of this breed is formed by an abnormal protrusion of the spine. But in fact, this is just a result of the reverse growth of the hair on the back of their spine - a bit like a sword-shaped "whorl" on the back. There is a defect called "dermoid sinus", which may indeed affect the nervous system. But the incidence rate is actually very low - according to data from the American Rhodesian Ridgeback Club in 1996, the total incidence rate is only 5.3%.

And because dogs with dermal sinus defects cannot participate in dog shows, they are generally excluded from breeding dogs by regular breeders,

so the defects of this breed are actually gradually decreasing. In addition to the ridgeback dogs, Shiba Inu, Boxer Dog, Siberian Husky Dog, Cocker Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier, and some individuals in mixed-blood dogs have also had this problem.

How to raise a dog

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is known for its "lion hunting" and its running speed and endurance should not be underestimated. Therefore, its home should be spacious, at least with enough space to satisfy its basic exercise needs. If you prepare a large yard for it, it will be very happy. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is lively and active. A small activity space will definitely not satisfy its exercise needs, and it will only give it more opportunities to show its destructive power.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback has short and dense fur, which is very easy to bury and will not take you a long time. Just comb it regularly. In the molting season, increase the number of combings to remove dead hair for it, so that it can always keep its handsome appearance. In addition, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is naturally clean and has no body odor, which is also very suitable for people who love cleanliness.

Suitable people

The Rhodesian Ridgeback can adapt to hot weather and does not need special grooming. It is difficult to adapt to the initial breeding and has a certain degree of training. It is not easy to get along with other dogs. It is a real fierce dog with very high exercise requirements. It is not suitable for city life and has strong adaptability to climate.

Originally bred and used in South Africa, the breed has been introduced to other parts of the world over time, including Europe and North America. While their traditional habitat is South Africa, they can now live and thrive in suitable environments around the world.

The hair on the back grows in the opposite direction to the rest of the body, with a distinct ridgeline that tapers and radiates. The ridgeline begins behind the shoulders and continues between two protrusions on the buttocks, which are opposite to each other and the lower edge of the protrusions exceeds 1/3 of the ridgeline. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is well-proportioned, strong and agile, runs fast and has a noble temperament. They are extremely loyal to their owners, but will keep a certain distance from strangers. In addition, the coat color of this breed is light wheaten to reddish wheaten, and a little white is allowed on the chest and toes, but too much white on the belly and toes is considered a disqualification. The head characteristics of the Rhodesian Ridgeback include round eyes, ears close to the head, powerful and long jaws, and a black or brown nose, with corresponding black or glassy eye color. Their back is strong and powerful, with well-developed muscles and a slight ar