Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight: Rhodesian Ridgeback
This week, Best Bully Sticks takes you to historical Zimbabwe and back for a surprising look into the history of a great hound dog, the Rhodesian Ridgeback. This week's Breed Spotlight is sure to not only inform but create a newfound respect for this graceful and athletic canine.
History & Background: The Rhodesian Ridgeback’s forerunner was first native to South America where the breed is thought to originate from the Khoikhoi people’s dogs. These dogs were known to be extremely fierce and loyal and were used to hunt and bay lions, meaning they would hold the lion until the hunter would make the kill. This dog was also used to bay wild pigs and hunt baboons.
This Khoikhoi dog was first called the African Lion Dog while in the Rhodesia area of Africa and then progressed to the standard Rhodesian Ridgeback we now know through breeding by European settlers and traders. The standard Ridgeback came about in 1922 and was accepted into the AKC in 1955. Read more
