Origin

Use

FCI Classification

Brief History

General Apperance

Temperament

Head

Face

Ears

Neck

Body

Legs

Coat

Size

Faults

FCI Breed Standard No. 146

Official breed standard published on 10 December 1996

ORIGIN:

South Africa. The breed standard was draughted by the Zimbabwean Kennel Club for the South African Kennel Union.

USE:

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is used as a hunter and guardian. The Ridgeback is also a great companion and devoted family dog.

FCI CLASSIFICATION:

Group 6: Scenthounds and related breeds

Section 3: Related breeds

Free from performance test

BRIEF HISTORY:

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is the only breed of dog originating in South Africa to have gained official status. Today's Ridgeback is descended from a variety of breeds which were crossed by settlers of South Africa and Rhodesia with the native semi-domesticated ridged dogs of the Hottentot tribe. The Rhodesian Ridgeback usually hunted in a group of two or three dogs and he was used to trail and track lions and hold them at bay till the hunters arrived. The original standard draughted by F.R. Barnes in Bulaway, Rhodesia, in 1922 was based on the standard of Dalmatian and was recognized by the South African Kennel Union in 1926.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:

The Ridgeback should represent a strong muscular and active dog, symmetrical in outline, and capable of great endurance with a fair amount of speed. The peculiarity of this breed is the ridge on the back, which is formed by the hair growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The ridge must be regarded as the escutcheon of the breed. The ridge should be clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical. It should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue up to a point between the prominence of the hips (haunch bones), and should contain two identical crowns opposite each other. The lower edges of the crown should not extend further down the ridge than one-third of the ridge. 5 cm is a good medium width of the ridge.

TEMPERAMENT:

Dignified, intelligent, reserved with strangers without signs of aggressiveness or fear.

HEAD

CRANIUM

Skull: Of fair length (the width between the ears, the distance from the occiput bone to the stop and from the stop to the nose should be equal), flat and rather broad between ears, free from wrinkles when in repose.

Stop: Reasonably well defined, and not in one straight line from the occiput bone to the nose.

FACE

Nose: Should be black or brown, in keeping with the color of the dog. A black nose should be accompanied by dark eyes, a brown nose with amber eyes.

Muzzle: Should be long, deep and powerful.

Lips: Should be clean and closely fitting the jaws.

Jaws and teeth: Strong jaws. Full and tight scissors bite (top teeth fit neatly over lower teeth). Teeth must be well developed, especially the canines or holders.

Cheeks: Clean and flat

Eyes: Should be moderately well apart and should be round, bright and sparkling with intelligent expression, their color harmonizing with the color of the dog.

EARS:

Should be set rather high, of medium size, rather wide at the base and tapering to a rounded point. They should be carried close to the head.

NECK:

Should be fairly long and strong, free from throatiness.

BODY

Back: Firm.

Loins: Strong, muscular and slightly arched.

Chest: Should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, The brisket should reach well to the elbow.

Breast: Should be visible from the side.

Ribs: Moderately well sprung, never barrel-ribbed.

Tail: Strong at root, tapering towards the end, free from coarsiness. Of medium length, not inserted too high, or too deep, carried with a slight curve upwards, never curled.

LEGS

Forlegs: Should be perfectly straight, strong and heavy in bone. Elbows close to the body. The bone of the front legs should have plenty of substance, more so when viewed from the side than from the front. The pasterns should be strong and slightly sloping.

Shoulders: The shoulder blades should be clean, sloping, and muscular, denoting speed.

Hindquarters: The muscles should be clean, well defined, good turn of stifle, and hocks well let down.

Feet: Compact with well-arched toes, round, tough elastic pads.

Gait/Movement: Efficient, long, free and active.

COAT

Coat: Should be short and dense, sleek and glossy in appearance, but neither wooly nor silky.

Colour: Light wheaten to red wheaten. A little white on the chest and toes permissible but excessive white here and on the belly and above paws is undesirable. Excessive black is absolutely undesirable in any place on the body.

SIZE

Desirable Height at Withers:

Dogs: 63 - 69 cm (25 - 27 inches)

Bitches: 61 - 66 cm (24 - 26 inches)

Desirable Weight:

Dogs: 36,5 kg (85 pounds)

Bitches: 32 kg (70pounds)

FAULTS:

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the
seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.