Presentazione Rhodesian Ridgeback

ORIGIN : Southern Africa.
Standard supplied by the Kennel Union of Southern
Africa and the Zimbabwe Kennel Club.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD : 10.12.1996.
UTILIZATION : The Rhodesian Ridgeback is still used to hunt game in many parts of the world, but is especially prized as watchdog and family pet.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION : Group 6 Scenthounds and related
breeds.
Section 3 Related breeds.
Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The Rhodesian Ridgeback is
presently the only registered breed indigenous to southern Africa. Its
forbears can be traced to the Cape Colony of Southern Africa, where
they crossed with the early pioneer’s dogs and the semidomesticated,
ridged Hottentot hunting dogs. Hunting mainly in
groups of two or three, the original function of the Rhodesian
Ridgeback or Lion dog was to track game, especially lion, and, with
great agility, keep it at bay until the arrival of the hunter.
The original standard, which was drafted by F.R.Barnes, in
Bulawayo, Rhodesia, in 1922, was based on that of the Dalmatian
and was approved by the South African Kennel Union in 1926.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : The Rhodesian Ridgeback should
represent a well balanced, strong, muscular, agile and active dog,
symmetrical in outline, and capable of great endurance with a fair
amount of speed. The emphasis is on agility, elegance and
soundness with no tendency towards massiveness. The peculiarity of
the breed is the ridge on the back, which is formed by the hair
growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The ridge is the escutcheon of the breed.
The ridge must be clearly defined, symmetrical and tapering towards
the haunch. It must start immediately behind the shoulders and
continue to the hip (haunches) bones. The ridge must contain only
two crowns, identical and opposite each other. The lower edges of
the crowns must not extend further down the ridge than one-third of
its length. A good average width of the ridge is 5cm (2”).

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Dignified, intelligent, aloof
with strangers, but showing no aggression or shyness.

HEAD
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Should be of a hair length (width of head between ears,
distance from occiput to stop, stop to end of nose, should be equal),
flat and broad between the ears; the head should be free from
wrinkles when in repose.
Stop : The stop should be reasonably well defined and not in one
straight line from the nose to the occipital bone.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : The nose should be black or brown. A black nose should be
accompanied by dark eyes, a brown nose by amber eyes.
Muzzle : The muzzle should be long, deep and powerful.
Lips : The lips should be clean, closely fitting the jaws.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong, with a perfect and complete scissor bite,
i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. The teeth must be well developed, especially the canines or holders.
Cheeks : Cheeks should be clean.
Eyes : Should be moderately well apart, round, bright and sparkling,
with intelligent expression, their colour harmonising with the colour
of the coat.
Ears : Should be set rather high, of medium size, rather wide at base, and gradually tapering to a rounded point. They should be carried close to the head.
NECK : Should be fairly long, strong and free from throatiness.

BODY
Back : Powerful.
Loins: Strong, muscular and slightly arched.
Chest : Should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious; the
brisket should reach to the elbow. Forechest should be visible when
viewed from the side. Ribs moderately well sprung, never rounded
like barrel-hoops.

TAIL : Should be strong at the root and gradually tapering towards
the end, free form coarseness. It should be of moderate length. It
should not be attached too high nor too low, and should be carried
with a slight curve upwards, never curled.

LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS :
General appearance : The forelegs should be perfectly straight,
strong and well boned, with the elbows close to the body. When
viewed from the side, the forelegs should be wider than viewed from
the front.
Shoulders : The shoulders should be sloping, clean and muscular.
Pastern : Should be strong with light spring.
HINDQUARTERS :
General appearance : In the hind legs the muscles should be clean
and well defined.
Stifle : Good turn of stifle.
Hock : Strong, well let down.
FEET : The feet should be compact and round, with well arched toes
and tough, elastic pads, protected by hair between the toes and pads.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Straight forward, free and active.

COAT
HAIR : Should be short and dense, sleek and glossy in appearance,
but neither woolly nor silky.
COLOUR : Light wheaten to red wheaten. A little white on the chest
and toes is permissible, but excessive white hairs here, on belly, or
above toes is undesirable. A dark muzzle and ears permissible.
Excessive black hairs throughout the coat are highly undesirable.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height at withers : Dogs : 63-69 cm (25” -27”).
Bitches : 61-66 cm (24” -26”).
Weight : Dogs : 36,5 kg (80 lbs).
Bitches : 32 kg (70 lbs).

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
upon the health and welfare of the dog.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical of behavioural abnormalities
shall be disqualified.
N.B.:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed
typical conformation should be used for breeding.