Dog Breed of the Month -
Rhodesian Ridgeback, April 2009

• The Rhodesian Ridgeback is indigenous to the area of Southern Africa.

• They are also called by the names of Van Rooyen's Lion Dogs, the African Lion Hound or the African Lion Dog.

• The distinguishing feature of a Ridgeback is the ridge of hair along its back running in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat.

• These dogs require plenty of exercise, both mental and physical.

• The ridge on a Ridgeback's back consists of a crown area, formed by two whorls of hair which tapers from just behind the dogs shoulder blades, down to the the dogs hips.

• There are other less known dog breeds that possess a ridge along their spine: The Phu quoc ridgeback dog from Vietnam, The Thai Ridgeback and the Combai of India.

• This dog breed's history can easily be traced back to early 18th century when the first European settlers of South Africa were introduced to a domesticated dog with the hair on his spine being turned forward by the Khoisan tribes local to the area.

• The main person credited with development of the breed was Cornelius Van Rooyen of Plumtree, Rhodesia, around 1879.

• Did you know that the standard for the Rhodesian Ridgeback is loosely based on that of a slightly enlarged Dalmatian?

• The main health conditions to affect this dog breed are hip dysplasia and especially dermoid sinus which is a congenital neural-tube defect and all Ridgeback puppies should be screened for this defect at birth.

• Don't forget that these hunting dogs were developed for hard work and also love a good run - so they do need frequent exercise.

More Rhodesian Ridgeback Information

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