Why a Sight Hound? Categorizing the Rhodesian Ridgeback

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, November 2015 issue.

Why a Sight Hound? Categorizing the Rhodesian Ridgeback

The purpose of a breed of dog dictates the conformation which lends to that purpose. Those dogs best suited for the task were the type used for breeding advancement. The Ridgeback was first developed 350 years ago by the early European settlers in the Cape colony area of South Africa. The domestic animals that the Europeans brought to the new land quickly succumbed to the diseases and parasites of the region. They realized the need to cross their imported domestic stock with the native animals to instill disease resistance producing the Afrikaner cattle, sheep, Boer horses, etc. The ridged native hunting dog of the Hottentot people was chosen to produce the hybrid strain of dog known today as the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

In addition to disease resistance, this cross incorporated the genetic based “local knowledge” hunting instincts for survival in this land. The settlers created a dog which possessed the keenest of sight, scenting ability and hearing as well as formidable courage, dedication and athleticism, securing survival for both man and dog. Lacking the ability to test DNA, the visible ridge was maintained as the identifiable feature that indicated the dog’s crossed heritage. The importance of this dog to the Dutch/European settlers cannot be overestimated as he aided in sustaining the family with meat for the pot.

Quoting the South African handbook circa 1947: “…a trained hunting pack will upon scenting game fan out, one running directly towards the quarry and the other circling with the object of cutting off any retreat. Here again the dog’s amazing agility is displayed—the ability to turn in a split second, swerve and feint, or maintain a fast pace should their quarry break and run, and a chase ensue.”

While tracking game, usually on foot, the hunter depended on his dog to signal him as to what lay ahead. He relied on the dog’s keen senses to detect danger. When encountering a herd of antelope the hunter shot at the selected target hoping to affect a kill. A wounded antelope could run for many miles before dropping, resulting in the loss of a week’s worth of meat to the hunter. In the event that a clean kill was not affected by the hunter’s bullet, the dog would sight the wounded antelope, and with speed, endurance and agility strike out to knock it down. He often slammed the game with his chest, landing on his feet yards away out of striking distance of the quarry.

If the wounded game was enraged and threatening a charge, the dog would distract with agile feint attacks and retreats until the hunter could take a clean kill shot. He would if needed sacrifice himself for his master.

The original KUSA standard called for a maximum 25 inch bitch 65 lbs. and a dog 27 inches, 75 lbs.—certainly not the short necked, drafty, weighty, low legged and unathletic specimens judges often ribbon in the show ring today. The AKC Standard was revised by our parent club to increase the weight to 75 and 85 lbs. for no other reason than the committee wanted a bigger Rhodesian Ridgeback. This decision was not based on anything but preference for size to fit their dogs into acceptable range.

If wounded in the bush the utilitarian size dog could be portaged out for treatment. The hundred pound and over dogs of today would certainly be left where they dropped.

The AKC Breed Standard references speed throughout “General Appearance… athletic dog, capable of great endurance with a fair (good) amount of speed… The Forequarters… the shoulders should be sloping, clean and muscular, denoting speed. The neck should be fairly long. The Chest should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, ribs moderately well sprung, never rounded like barrel hoops which would indicate want of speed. At the chase the Ridgeback demonstrates great coursing ability and endurance.”

Nowhere within this Standard for the Breed is the mention of “lion hunting” or guard dogs for diamond mines, etc. Rather this breed had a much more serious work which was to aid the settler in procuring meat (no one ate lion) and protection by signaling as to what danger lay ahead in the bush or what was surrounding their encampment at night.

These Standard requirements do not describe a heavy, shorted neck, Mastiff-like, stationary, sentry dog (which I refer to as a “get off my front porch dog”), nor that of an overly frail Whippet-like build (or a “gone wrong Lab”), as many perceive them to be. Rather they should be an agile speedster with strength easily recognized as the Rhodesian Ridgeback, resembling no other.

Lack of unity in perception is the reason dogs differ in appearance from breeder to breeder, and show judge to show judge. This lack of unity ultimately affects the overall conformation excellence of a breed, causing confusion in its wake resulting in irreparable damage to type. It took one prolific over-advertised breeder of substandard poor quality type dogs that were well awarded by judges in the ring to negatively effect correct breed type in our modern time. Awards for such dogs would have been withheld back in the day.

Too often lately it has been said to me by long respected dog show judges that, “Your breed is in trouble.” Who is to blame? There is a great need for our parent club to concentrate education of judges as to the true purpose of this breed and the desired type to perform that function. In addition, the AKC needs to monitor judge’s choices as to correct type and conformation that would allow a dog to serve as he once did, in the bush.