Rhodesian Ridgeback

African Lion Hound, Lion Dog

Patient, affectionate, kind and loyal, his reserved temperament towards strangers rarely turns into aggression as long as his education is precocious and adequate. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are highly regarded as companions and guard dogs. In France as everywhere else in Europe, he is very rare and therefore it's necessary to reserve in advance to get a puppy. As he is mainly a track dog, he is still primarily used today in safaris and wild animal hunting in some regions of the world.

Height 61 to 69 cm
Weight 29 to 41 kg
Life expectancy 10 to 13 years
Hair Loss High
Excercise Need High
Home country South Africa

Quick Overview of the Rhodesian Ridgeback

Temperament

  • Friendly and pleasant
  • Faithful and kind
  • Perfect for the whole family
  • Not at all aggressive

Appearance

  • Robust and muscular
  • Symmetrical silhouette
  • Fast and lively
  • Very harmonious appearance

Health

  • Rarely ill
  • No particular pathology
  • Very robust and rustic
  • Generally in excellent health

Temperament of the Rhodesian Ridgeback

Friendly, pleasant, loyal and gentle, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an excellent dog for the whole family. Excellent playmate for children and even the smallest, he is not aggressive and very patient.

Extremely reserved with strangers, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a very good alarm system. In spite of his lack of aggressiveness, he prevents the intrusion of malicious people by barking and dissuading them from their bad intentions. The police or security agents use him to stop or dissuade criminals.

A hunting hound; his excellent skills and sense of smell allow him to chase wounded  or unscathed game.

rhodesian ridgeback personnalité

Breed Appearance

rhodesian ridgeback

This sturdy, muscular dog with outstanding stamina has a symmetrical silhouette with a distinctive ridge on the back. Fast and lively, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a very harmonious looking dog.

Height

Between 63 and 69 cm (24.80 to 27.17 inches) for the male
Between 61 and 66 cm (24.02 to 25.98 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 36 and 41 kg (79.37 to 90.39 pounds) for the male
Between 29 and 34 kg (63.93 to 74.96 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat is light to red fawn and white on toes and chest is allowed.

Hair

His short, thick coat is very shiny.

Morphology

His bright eyes are round and of a color varying according to the color of the coat. His ears are of medium size. His nose is black or brown. His tail is never curled and is slightly tucked up.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 3 and is #146

Characteristics of the Rhodesian Ridgeback

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy: between 1000 € / $ 1 / £1 and 1500 € / $ 1 / £1
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Rhodesian Ridgeback: 130 € / $ 1 / £1
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies near me

Rhodesian Ridgeback pictures

Tips About this breed

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is nowadays very popular as a companion dog. He is faithful and very friendly. Never aggressive and incredibly patient, he loves children, their games and their presence.

Endowed with a strong temperament, the Rhodesian Ridgeback must benefit from an early and strong education. The master must be firm and totally respected while respecting his animal in return. A rigorous education will make him an excellent dog.

Resistant to almost all temperatures, he can live outdoors without any problems. Since he needs a lot of daily exercise, the city dweller should provide him with a large garden to allow him to run regularly.

Health of the Rhodesian Ridgeback

Rarely ill, he is not affected by any particular pathology. Very robust, these hardy dogs generally enjoy excellent health. His lifespan is also very good.

GROOMING

His fur does not require any particular maintenance. Care twice a week will be sufficient to ensure a beautiful shiny coat.

History of this breed

Originally from Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is thought to be a cross between the semi-domesticated ridgeback dogs of the Hottentots (San/KhoiKhoi people moving and living in Southern Africa lands), and the dogs of the European pioneers of the time.

His name Rhodesian is related to his country of origin, i.e. Rhodesia.

Used at the time for hunting big game, especially lions, the Rhodesian Ridgeback was also very useful for the protection of Hottentots' campsites. According to a legend, the ridge on the Rhodesian Ridgeback's back is believed to be the mark of a lion's paw.

In the South African Republic, the most famous Rhodesian is certainly the very popular "Mr Kelly", a real show-dog who is very well trained for police work. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is also widely used by police forces in several countries around the world.

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