Rhodesian Ridgeback
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | ||||||||||||
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| Country of origin | ||||||||||||
| South Africa | ||||||||||||
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| Breed standards (external links) | ||||||||||||
| FCI, AKC, ANKC, KC(UK), NZKC |
The Rhodesian ridgeback is a South African dog. They were traditionally hunters, guardians, and companions. They are loyal and gentle, making them good family pets despite their size.
The ridgebacks' distinguishing feature is the ridge of hair along their back running opposite to the rest of their coat. The ridge tapers from just behind the shoulders, extending about a third of the way down its back, and about 5cm in width at its widest point.
Male ridgebacks should be 25-27 inches at the shoulder and weigh approximately 85 lb, females 24-26 inches and approximately 70 lb. They are typically muscular and have a red coat. The coat should desirably contain no white hairs, except on the crests of the toes, where it is acceptable to have patches of white.
Ridgebacks have a strong, smooth tail, which is usually carried in a gentle curve upwards.