General Appearance
The Ridgeback represents a strong, muscular and active dog, symmetrical and balanced in outline. A mature Ridgeback is a handsome, upstanding and athletic dog, capable of great endurance with a fair (good) amount of speed. Of even, dignified temperament, the Ridgeback is devoted and affectionate to his master, reserved with strangers. The peculiarity of this breed is the ridge on the back. The ridge must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed.

Size, Proportion, Substance
A mature Ridgeback should be symmetrical in outline, slightly longer than tall but well balanced. Dogs--25 to 27 inches in height; Bitches--24 to 26 inches in height. Desirable weight: Dogs--85 pounds; Bitches--70 pounds.

Head
Should be of fair length, the skull flat and rather broad between the ears and should be free from wrinkles when in repose. The stop should be reasonably well defined. Eyes--should be moderately well apart and should be round, bright and sparkling with intelligent expression, their color harmonizing with the color of the dog. Ears--should be set rather high, of medium size, rather wide at the base and tapering to a rounded point. They should be carried close to the head. Muzzle--should be long, deep and powerful. The lips clean, closely fitting the jaws. Nose--should be black, brown or liver, in keeping with the color of the dog. No other colored nose is permissible. A black nose should be accompanied by dark eyes, a brown or liver nose with amber eyes. Bite--jaws level and strong with well-developed teeth, especially the canines or holders. Scissors bite preferred.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck should be fairly strong and free from throatiness. The chest should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, ribs moderately well sprung, never rounded like barrel hoops (which would indicate want of speed). The back is powerful and firm with strong loins which are muscular and slightly arched. The tail should be strong at the insertion and generally tapering towards the end, free from coarseness. It should not be inserted too high or too low and should be carried with a slight curve upwards, never curled or gay.

Forequarters
The shoulders should be sloping, clean and muscular, denoting speed. Elbows close to the body. The forelegs should be perfectly straight, strong and heavy in bone. The feet should be compact with well-arched toes, round, tough, elastic pads, protected by hair between the toes and pads. Dewclaws may be removed.

Hindquarters
In the hindlegs the muscles should be clean, well defined and hocks well down. Feet as in front.

Coat
Should be short and dense, sleek and glossy in appearance but neither woolly nor silky.

Color
Light wheaten to red wheaten. A little white on the chest and toes permissible but excessive white there, on the belly or above the toes is undesirable.

Ridge
The hallmark of this 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 must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed. The ridge should be clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical. It should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue to a point between the prominence of the hips and should contain two identical crowns (whorls) directly opposite each other. The lower edge of the crowns (whorls) should not extend further down the ridge than one third of the ridge.

Disqualification: Ridgelessness. Serious Fault: One crown (whorl) or more than two crowns (whorls).

Gait
At the trot, the back is held level and the stride is efficient, long, free and unrestricted. Reach and drive expressing a perfect balance between power and elegance. At the chase, the Ridgeback demonstrates great coursing ability and endurance.

Temperament
Dignified and even tempered. Reserved with strangers.

Scale of Points
General appearance, size, symmetry and balance 20
Ridge 20
Head 15
Legs and Feet 15
Neck and Shoulders 10
Body, Back, Chest and Loin 10
Coat and Color 5
Tail 5
Total 100

Disqualification
Ridgelessness

Source: American Kennel Club

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Offical Breed Standard of
the South African Kennel Union

Rhodesian Ridgeback 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 pioneers’ dogs and the semi-domesticated, 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 (2ins).

Behaviour/Temperament
Dignified, intelligent, aloof with strangers, but showing no aggression or shyness.

Head

Cranial Region

Skull
Should be of a fair length (width of head between ears, distance from occiput to stop, stop to end of nose, should be equal), the skull flat and broad between the ears and 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.

Mouth
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, powerful.

Chest
Should not be too wide but very deep and capacious and 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 from coarseness. It should be of moderate length. It should not be inserted too high nor too low, and should be carried with a slight curve upwards, never curled.

Limbs

Forequarters
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 when viewed from the front. Pasterns should be strong with slight spring.

Shoulders
The shoulders should be sloping, clean and muscular, denoting speed.

Feet
The feet should be compact and round, with well arched toes, and tough elastic pads, protected by hair between
the toes and pads.

Hindquarters
In the hind legs the muscles should be clean, well defined, good turn of stifle and strong hocks well let down.

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
The desirable heights are:-
Dogs : 63cm (25ins) to 69cm (27ins)
Bitches : 61cm (24ins) to 66cm (26ins)

Weight
The desirable weights are:-
Dogs : 36.5kg (80lbs)
Bitches : 32 kg (70lbs)

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.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Source: Kennel Union of South Africa

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