STANDARD OF RACE

FCI Standard No 146/10.12.96 - Rhodesian Ridgeback

Origin: Southern Africa
Standard supplied by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa and the Simbabwe
FCI Classification: group 6

GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Rhodesian Ridgeback should present a well balanced, strong, muscular, agile and activ 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 5 cm .

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

HEAD
cranial region
scull: should be of a fair length (width of head between ears , distance from occiput to stop, stop to the 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 fittings 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 , thei colour harmonising with the colour of the coat.
ears: should be set rather higt, 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 an free from throatiness.

BODY
back: powerful
loins: strong, muscular and slighty 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: noderately well sprung, never rounded like barrel-hoops.
tail: should be strong at the root and gradually tapering towards end, free from coarseness. It should be of moderate length. It should not be attached too higt nor too low and should be carried with a slight curve upwards, never curled.

LIMBS
forequarters: the forelegs should be perfectly straigt, 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. 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.
hindquarters: in the hind kegs, the muscles should be clean, 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 wooly nor silky.
colour: ligth 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 are permissible. Excessive black hairs throughout the coat are highly undesirale.

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.
n.b.: male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Correct Ridges

Incorrect Ridges

1. Ridge with 2 crowns - but the box is too large (only 1/3 from the length of the complete ridge)
2. Ridge with 4 crowns
3. Crowns not opposite each other
4. Ridge with 1 crown
5. Ridge with 4 crowns
6./7. Ridges with correct crowns but incorrect length