The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a breed with a noble heritage. With origins in Africa, the ridgeback is classified as a hound breed by AKC.
The Ridgeback is a loyal but stubborn critter. The settlers in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and South Africa, needed a well rounded dog that could hunt the wild game native to the country and be an all purpose dog for protecting the farms as well. The dogs were used to hunt everything from fowl and other game, but gathered their reputation as the African Lion Hound for their tenacity at hunting the King Of Beasts.
Early settlers needed a dog to breed to dogs they imported to gain some of the natural immunity and wanted the great hunting instincts of the native Hottentot dog that possessed a Ridge on it's back. To assure that the new breed of dog had the Hottentot dog in its bloodlines, the new offspring had to have the ridge, the Hallmark of the current breed.
The dogs required a great deal of stamina, a good amount of speed, and had to be agile on it's feet to avoid a deadly swipe from one of the great cats paws. The dog had to be a self-thinker, as it had to be quick with mind as well as body.
The result is a breed that is a balance of power, strength, elegance, loyalty, and a drop of stubbornness to make him interesting!
For more information about the breed, please check out the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States Website under Related Links.
Greg Castillo and David Bueno
Westwood Rhodesian Ridgebacks
