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Our Rhodesian Ridgebacks
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Standard »
Features
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Characterized by a line along the spine where the hair grows in the opposite direction, forming a ridge, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is descended from several European breeds and an African breed, the Khoi Khoi dog, that had the ridge. The breed was originally raised by European settlers in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Having been developed on the savannahs of Africa, the RR is rustic, fast and strong, yet displays characteristics that are hard to find in a single breed: a good watchdog, yet patient with children, an intelligent working dog that barks little, doesn't shed and doesn't drool. The elegant gait of his breed is graceful and catlike.
Temperament and Character
While docile, affectionate, and of a gentle temperament, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is very much a "one-person" dog, loyal to the "pack leader," and often indifferent to the commands of others. While very good with the adults and children it considers the pack, or family, this dog can be shy and wary of strangers. That is why a trainer will have to first earn the trust of the dog before effective training can be accomplished.
As a housedog, the Rhodesian personality comes forth by virtue of the fact that it is quiet and happiest when lying on a carpet in front of the fireplace. Yet when taken out into the country or along the beach, this dog loves to run and enjoys following scent cues.
Its calm, quiet presence in the house belies the fact that the RR is an excellent guard dog, and can be a menacing force to strangers who enter the home uninvited. When a family member greets a guest at the door, the dog will accept the guest as a friend.
Attributes
The primary job of the Rhodesian Ridgeback is hunter. The breed was developed to hunt lions and other big cats and is known by the nickname, African Lion Hound. As an excellent scent dog, the RR tracks the lion, then flushes it out into the open through harassment and nibbling.
For this, the dog must be sleek and fast, to avoid the jaws and claws of the lion. Hunting is limited nowadays, but it still exists on safaris in South Africa, and the RR remains the dog of choice.
Its speed also makes it desirable as a racing dog. Next to the Greyhound, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is the fastest dog, and still in use by racing clubs throughout the world.
Ever adaptable, the RR is used as a cattle dog in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Argentina; competently guarding cattle and sheep against predators and effectively corralling the livestock.
The combination of its natural wariness of strangers and excellent scenting abilities makes the RR a dog favored by the South African Police for tracking criminals and by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for tracking and rescuing people lost in the mountainous forests of the Canadian wilderness.
Finally, the dogs' intelligence and loyalty to a single person make the RR a good choice as a service dog to people who are dependent on a guide dog to get around.
HISTORY
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is presently the only registered breed indigenous to southern Africa. This breed has its origins in the Cape Colony in South Africa, where they crossed the Crested Hottentot Dog, the domesticated dogs of the Hottentots, the first settlers.
Hunted mainly in groups of 2 or 3 dogs, the main function of the Rhodesian Ridgeback or Lion Dog was to hunt the lion, and with great skill and agility, keep him at bay until the hunter arrived. The first standard was written by F.R. Barnes, in Bulawayo, Rhodesia in 1922, was based on the Dalmatian, and was approved by The South African Kennel Union in 1926.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a well balanced dog of handsome good looks; strong, muscular, agile, active, and symmetrical to the eye. The hallmark of the breed is the ridge, or crest, on its back, formed by hair which grows in the opposite direction from the rest of the coat.
The ridge, for the purpose of competing in the show ring, must be clearly defined and symmetrical, tapering as it reaches the hip. The ridge should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue along the back as it tapers to the hip. The crest should only have two crowns and the beginning of the crown can't exceed 1/3 of the total length of the ridge. The average width of the ridge is 5 cm, or 2 inches. That said, not all ridges are created equal! One will find variation in ridges from dog to dog.
Standards for the breed are based on standards written by the Rhodesian F.R. Barnes in 1922. Rhodesian Ridgebacks were accepted into the South African Kennel Union (SAKU) in 1926 and the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1955.
The official SAKU standards are difficult for the average person to understand so will not be listed here. However you may view them in their entirety by following this link to the South African Rhodesian Ridgeback Club, an affiliate of the South African Kennel Union
http://rhodesianridgebacksa.org/BreedStandard.htm
THE LEGEND OF HOW THE CREST CAME TO BE
The ancient legend among the natives of South Africa explains the origin of the dorsal ridge in the R. and holds that in ancient times there was a Hottentot village which was being besieged by a man-eating lion. The natives were terrified, not daring even to go out to find food, so food became scarce.
When the situation became intolerable, they decided to eat the dogs in the village. A pregnant femal, fearful for the fate that could befall her young at birth, decided to flee the village. At the risk of having to face the lion, she went searching for a suitable den for the birth of her pups.
Some time later, she tried to return to the village followed by her progeny, but one of her pups was shot and eaten by hungry villagers. Desperate and seeing that nothing could be done to avoid the horrible fate that awaited her puppies, she decided that her only option was to attack the lion.
She found him dozing in the shade of a large acacia tree and using the tactic of initial surprise, she and her pups bravely attacked. The natives, having been alerted by the howls and growls, grabbed their weapons and came rushing to the scene.
The were shocked and horrified to find several puppies dead, gutted by the lion's terrible claws, while the bravest puppy, panting and bleeding, held the beast at bay. The dog clung, with the full force of his jaws, to the neck of the lion, which, in a last desperate attempt to escape, tore at the puppy's back with one last swipe of his terrible sharp claws.
With a skillful thrust of his spear, one of the natives finished off the savage beast. Ashamed of his cowardice and awed by the courage and bravery of the dogs, the native brought the female and her noble surviving puppies to the village's sorcerer.
The sorcerer implored the gods to heal the brave animals, and as a constant symbol of their bravery, preserve the mark left by the lion. Since then, all descendants of this noble dog bear the dagger-shaped marking that identifies them as the Lion Hunter.
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