The Vicious and Courageous Hunter of Lions, the Rhodesian Ridgeback Breed

Everyone knows that when a lion gets mad, it wrecks unimaginable and irreversible havoc that’s why only those skilled enough and experienced hunters can face and elude this creature’s wrath. Humans and animals are known to shiver in fear over the sight of a lion gone mad but not this one breed of dog. Instead of running for its dear life, it unabashedly challenges and faces the king of the jungle’s fury and succeeds at it most of the time: this is the Rhodesian Ridgeback dog.

This breed, in all its handsomeness and masculinity, is a native of South Africa where lions are a common sight. Originally, some native tribes of this country owned a ridgebacked breed of dog used as hunting aids and household companions. The Boer farmers, another tribe, realized the potential of this breed and so they bred it with the Khoikhoi dog, Mastiff and Deerhound to produce the modern day Rhodesian Ridgeback.

A man named Reverend Helm introduced two of these new breed to Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe, in 1887 and it is there that this breed gained additional popularity as an excellent lion hunter. The first standard for this breed was written in 1922 in Rhodesia stating that this breed is of the game hunting kind. This distinction brought about several debates as there are different classifications for big game hunting and small hunting and it turned out that the Rhodesian Ridgeback is excellent at both.

This breed is called Ridgeback because of the distinct symmetrical ridge formation along its back. This ridge is a hair growth growing towards the opposite direction of its natural coat growth. This breed’s coat looks sleek and glossy with colors of either red or light wheat.

In hunting, this dog is courageous and fearless but inside the home, it is placid, gentle and docile. It is naturally good to people, playful and patient with children and protective of its owner. It is wary of strangers although this can serve as an advantage when it comes to its watchdog duty because it tends to be vigilant and watchful.

Additionally, this renowned hunter is naturally intelligent, cunning, and independent and these sometimes may lead to difficult training sessions. However, if you have a firm and patient disposition towards this dog, you will gain its trust and thus will never have to handle difficult trainings. This breed has a tendency, too, to be aloof towards strangers and will always be on its guard if it chances upon one.

An apartment dwelling is fine with the Ridgeback as long as it gets its daily exercise of long brisk walking and jogging. Inside the house they are inactive but once outside, they pour out all their energies thats why you must bring them to a wide space outdoors to jaunt and run around in. Bring them to open- spaced yards or parks for example.

The Ridgeback has a natural instinct to survive harsh conditions because its ancestors are pliable to the unforgiving situations of Africa. The Ridgeback can withstand hot climates and damp and cold nights. It can also last up to more than 24 hours without water or food.

Published on May 17, 2009 under Dog Breeds (Articles)
Tags: animals, breed history, breed information, breeds, Dog Breeds (Articles), Dog Grooming, Dog Training, Dogs, rhodesian ridgeback breed, rhodesian ridgeback grooming, rhodesian ridgeback history, rhodesian ridgeback information, rhodesian ridgeback training

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