Origin of the Breed
 Rhodesian Ridgebacks from Scott Langley |
Rhodesian Ridgebacks
From Scott Laangley
The existence of dogs with a stripe on their backs have been known for a long time.
As early as in the sayings from the old Egyptians and Phoenicians, dogs with an unusual hair formation on their backs has been described and seen on many illustrations.
The first written references are found in reports from Portuguese travelers to Africa in anno 1480. Small (50 cm / 20 inch), ugly, hyena-similar hounds with a unique hair array on their backs, in which the hairs lean forward, were the only domestic animal described which the natives had. Further they noticed that these hounds were very loyal and useful.
The existence of dogs with a stripe on their backs have been known for a long time.
As early as in the sayings from the old Egyptians and Phoenicians, dogs with an unusual hair formation on their backs has been described and seen on many illustrations.
The first written references are found in reports from Portuguese travelers to Africa in anno 1480. Small (50 cm / 20 inch), ugly, hyena-similar hounds with a unique hair array on their backs, in which the hairs lean forward, were the only domestic animal described which the natives had. Further they noticed that these hounds were very loyal and useful.
 "Soldate-Hund" Vortrekker Museum Pretoria |
As early as 1505, other reliable sources (reports and illustrations) indicated about the South African hounds of the Khoikhois (Hottentots), which had a ridge.
Also in the 17th century, as the white settlers reached the cape, they reported about the hounds of the natives, which had a ridged back, and they were bewildered of their courage towards predators. Quickly they realized, that these hounds in that environment were far superior to those imported from Europe. So they adopted these “Khoikhois (Hottentots)” hounds and used them for their needs.
In the middle of the 19th century, a South African hound was developed through interbreeding them with imported European hounds. This resulted in they’re being similarly tuff and persistent as the Khoikhois (Hottentots)-hounds, but much larger. These hounds were mostly monochrome red or blotched, and many of them had a ridge! These hounds were not only used by the white colonists for hunting, but also for the protection of their farms.
 "Missionary Travels in South Africa" Illustration: David Livingstones |
The 1857 published work David Livingstone ("Missionary Travels in South Africa") shows a hunting scene, in which a hound in the foreground can be clearly seen with a ridge.
 Gruppe von "lionhounds" in Skukuza, Transvaal 1921 Photograph |
There wasn’t "breeding" in the modern day sense at this time, where the only value of the hounds’ usage was determined in their outer form.
As old as the origin of the breed's distinction, the ridge, so young is the breed Rhodesian Ridgeback.
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is also known as the "lionhound" because it was used to hunt for lions in his homeland. The task of the hounds in the pack was to track down the lion and to prevent it’s escape by diversionary maneuvers, such as surrounding and bogus attacks, until the hunter arrived to kill the lion. These hounds never fought with lions. Those who were neither quick nor agile enough to avoid the attacks of the cat became a victim of natural selection. This highly effective type of natural selection did not only determine the dog's appearance, but also the essential traits which are preserved to this day.
 “Lionhounds” in the hunt Painting from unknown artist |
In 1879, the missionary Charles Helm brought two ridged hounds from Swellendam on the Cape to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), which is where the farmer and famous big game hunter Cornelius van Rooyen first became aware of them. He used these hounds in the hunt and was impressed by their special abilities. He crossed two of them with Great Danes and other various European hunting hounds. Many other hunters also wanted to own such dogs and the "breed" took on ever greater proportions.
Unfortunately, it has never been protocolled exactly which breeds were culled into the ridged hounds, but presumably Bloodhound, Pointer and Retriever.
In Rhodesia at around 1900, hounds with back crests were widely known as "Lion-Dogs" or "van Royen-Dogs". From 1915 on, the first scheduled breeding was implemented under the kennel name "Eskdale" by Francis Richard Barnes in Bulawayo (SW Rhodesia).
 The breeder T. Kedie-Law with his bitch Mapandora of Avondale in Rhodesia |
Through the initiative from Barnes, the "Rhodesian Ridgeback Club" was also founded in Bulawayo in 1922. In the same year, Barnes worked together with C.H. Edmonds and B.W. Durham to establish the first breed standard for the Rhodesian Ridgeback. The model for this standard was based largely on that of the then Dalmatian.
In 1924, the breed "Rhodesian Ridgeback" was recognized by the Kennel Union South Africa (KUSA) and, until a few years ago, it was the only recognized South African dog breed.
In 1974, exactly 50 years after the recognition of the breed, the first litter with a proven descent was whelped in Germany (breeder Anne Müller, Helvesiek).