HISTORY OF THE RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK
BREED HISTORY
The Rhodesian Ridgeback’s origins are from an African hunting dog which was used to track big game animals such as Lions and Cheetahs. From early in its origins the Ridgeback has been renowned for its intelligence, loyalty, mild temperament, yet brave.
The origins of the foundation dogs is believed to trace back to Ethiopia or the Southern Sedan. There is a drawing in an Egyptian tomb (4,000BC) that shows a Hound with drooped ears and what appears to be a ridge on its back. It seems that this was most likely the ancestor of the dog that was domesticated by the Hottentot tribe of Africa.
The first known evidence of the Hottentot hunting dogs is a rock painting near Rasape in Zimbabwe. The painting is of the preparations for the burial of a chief. The Hottentots most prized possessions, cattle, sheep, and hunting dogs are shown.
The breed was first written with European standards in 1922, with its parent breed company formed by Francis R. Barnes in Bulawayo.
A native of South Africa, the breed’s history begins when the first Dutch Settlers entered the area of Cape of Good Hope and Namibia in Southern Africa, and discovered the Hottentots tribes. The Dutch word “Hottentots” was given to the Hottentots tribes because of the unusual clicking sounds the tribesmen made when they spoke, Hottentots are actualy members of the Khoikhoi tribe; the term Khoikhoi was referred to by the tribe itself as “men of men” or “a pure race”. They had domesticated a dog with a ridge of hair on its back turned backward, which eventually becoming the Rhodesian Ridgeback, with the European immigration bringing in their own dogs until 1707, when the imports were closed to Europe. A hard breed was needed that could withstand the rigors of the African bush weather and go without water for 24 hours if necessary. And one that would be a companion dog with the settler and his family. Over the years, a dog was developed from the Hottentots tribe’s ridged dogs that was cross-bred with the European’s finest imported dogs – Danes, Mastiffs, Greyhounds, Salukis, Bloodhounds.
The first Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Britain were shown in 1928 by Mrs. Edward Foljambe. The development of the African Rhodesian Ridgeback breed is a fascinating story. The end result was a dog that became famous for its intelligence, speed and agility, endurance and hunting ability under the most adverse conditions. They were also notorious for their courage and skill in keeping lions at bay. Though the Portuguese Ridgeback lacks the opportunity to exhibit this particular feat, the skill and bravery to face a lion can still be seen in those Ridgebacks carefully bred according to their African character and type.