Explore the history, classification, and unique traits of the Rhodesian Ridgeback, from its origins to its role in AKC breed realignment.
Nancy Faville - Diablo Rhodesian Ridgebacks
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This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, March 2015 issue.
We recently attended the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. While breed competitions have moved to the West Side piers, Groups are still held at Madison Square Garden, adorned with purple and gold furnishings on green carpet. Despite the ample venue, some Groups, like Hound, Terrier, and Sporting, felt crowded, with 31 entries each, dogs nearly nose-to-tail in the ring. This crowding brings attention to the increasing size of Groups due to the AKC’s recognition of new breeds from the Miscellaneous Class, raising questions about when breed realignment might resurface.
In October 2007, the AKC formed a committee to explore restructuring Groups to better manage size. A 2009 proposal to expand from seven to 11 Groups evolved into a revised 2011 plan, accepted by the AKC Board but defeated by delegates in 2012. With a two-thirds majority required, the proposal fell 16 votes short. Under this plan, Ridgebacks would have been classified as Sight Hounds, a change supported by the breed’s national club and many American Ridgeback enthusiasts at the time, myself included. This position reflected the prevailing thought among Ridgeback mentors who had shaped the breed in the U.S. since its AKC recognition in 1955.
Before the internet’s rise in 1991, Ridgeback breeders relied on limited resources, chiefly The Complete Rhodesian Ridgeback by Peter Nicholson and Janet Parker and T.C. Hawley’s The Rhodesian Ridgeback—The Origin, History and Standard. These works influenced early educational materials about the breed. Later, the web and sites like Wikipedia transformed the availability of Ridgeback information, incorporating sources like Lamarade Perro, various kennel clubs, scientific studies, and modern breed authorities like Denise Flaim.
Ridgebacks have a complex origin, blending semi-domesticated Hottentot African dogs (likely Ridged Africanis) with European breeds such as Greyhounds, Bulldogs, Pointers, Irish Terriers, Airedales, Collies, Great Danes, Mastiffs, and possibly Deerhounds, Bloodhounds, and Salukis. Initially classified as Gundogs in South Africa, Ridgebacks were categorized as Hounds by the 1950s. The shift reflected evolving perceptions of group labels and the breed’s function, transitioning from the endurance-focused Gundog category to the broader definition of Hounds as dogs bred to hunt.
The Ridgeback’s classification remains a topic of discussion, with theories highlighting their dual nature. As scent-guided hunters, Ridgebacks possess the endurance, efficient gait, and body substance required to traverse southern Africa’s landscapes, setting them apart from the lighter, visually-driven Sight Hounds of the north. This complexity underscores the need for thoughtful consideration in any future efforts at breed realignment.
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