Rhodesian Ridgeback Gifts

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a member of the hound group. They were originally bred for hunting big game; today they are guard dogs and companions.

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General Information On The Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a medium sized, solid coloured, active dog with a short coat. These powerful, agile dogs have a distinctive ridge of hair along their backs. This ridge runs along the spine as a tapering line.

Rhodesian Ridgeback Dogs should measure between 63-67cms at the withers and weigh between 30-39kgs. Rhodesian Ridgeback Bitches should ideally measure between 61-66cms and weigh 30-39kgs.

Records show that the Hottentots of South Africa used ridge-backed dogs as hunters and companions from at least the 15th century. They were bred as big game hunters, to track and trap the prey but not to attack. Once they had cornered their prey they would bark to alert the hunter. In the 1800's European settlers bred these dogs to their own mastiffs and scent hounds thus producing the Ridgeback we know today. Nowadays few of these dogs are used for their original purpose of hunting; instead they are guard dogs and companions.

Rhodesian Ridgeback´s have been said to be a difficult breed to train, however with plenty of time and effort put into the training then the rewards will be seen. It is essential that this dog is socialised and introduced to some basic training as young as possible

The Rhodesian Ridgeback should have a flat skull, broad between the ears; the muzzle is powerful, long and deep. The jaws should be strong and have a complete scissor bite. The eyes should be round, bright and set well apart. The ears should be high set, medium in size and carried close to the head. The neck should be strong and reasonably long. The chest should be deep but not too wide. The front legs should straight, strong and heavy in bone, the back legs should be muscular and powerful. The feet should be compact, round with well-arched toes. The tail should be carried slightly curved upwards, but never curled. The coat should be short and dense. The ridge of hair which grows in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat must be clear and symmetrical; starting behind the shoulders and running in a tapering line down the spine and ending at the saddle area. There should be two identical crowns of hair, situated across from one another at the start of the ridge at the shoulder area. The colours desired are self-colours in light wheaten to red wheaten. Some white is allowed on the chest and toes, the less white the better.