Editing Rhodesian Ridgeback (section)

==Description==

===Appearance===
[[File:Vistoilridge.jpg|thumb|right|Rhodesian Ridgeback showing distinctive ridge]]

The appearance standard of the Rhodesian Ridgeback originated in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and goes back to the year 1922, and by 2019 this standard had remained virtually unchanged.<ref name=pedigree1922>{{cite web | url = https://www.hillspet.co.uk/dog-care/dog-breeds/rhodesian-ridgeback| title = Rhodesian Ridgeback Dog Breed Information and Personality Traits - History
| last = Hillspet Staff | date = 2 December 2019 | website = hillspet.co.uk | publisher = hillspet| access-date = 2 December 2019}}</ref> The Rhodesian Ridgeback's distinguishing feature is the ridge of hair running along its back in the opposite direction from the rest of its coat. It consists of a fan-like area formed by two whorls of hair (called "crowns") and tapers from immediately behind the shoulders down to the level of the hips. The ridge is usually about {{convert|2|in}} in width at its widest point. It is believed to originate from the dog used by the original African dog population which had a similar ridge.

Male Rhodesian Ridgebacks usually stand {{convert|26|-|29|in|cm|abbr=on}} at the [[withers]] and weigh about {{convert|45|kg|abbr=on}} (FCI standard); females are typically {{convert|24|-|26|in|cm}} tall and about {{convert|38|kg|abbr=on}} in weight. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are typically very muscular and have a light wheaten to red wheaten [[coat (dog)|coat]], which should be short, dense, sleek and glossy in appearance, and neither woolly nor silky.<ref name="AKC" />

White is acceptable on the chest and toes, but excessive white is considered a fault. The presence of black guard hairs or ticking is not addressed in the [[American Kennel Club|AKC standard]], although the elaboration of the AKC standard notes the amount of black or dark brown in the coat should not be excessive.<ref name="AKC">{{cite web|url=http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/rhodesian-ridgeback/#standard |title=American Kennel Club - Rhodesian Ridgeback |publisher=Akc.org |access-date=2011-10-24}}</ref> The FCI standard states that excessive black hairs throughout the coat are highly undesirable. Rhodesian Ridgebacks sometimes have a [[melanistic mask|dark mask]], but it is not considered a fault to have no mask at all. The dog's nose should be black or liver in keeping with the colour of the dog. No other coloured nose is permissible. The brown nose is a [[recessive gene]]. It is not as common as a black nose; some breeders believe the inclusion of brown noses in a breeding program is necessary for maintaining the vibrancy of the coat. The eyes should be round and should reflect the dog's colour: dark eyes with a black nose, amber eyes with a brown (liver) nose.

Other dog breeds also have a reverse line of fur along the spine, including the [[Phu Quoc ridgeback dog]] and [[Thai Ridgeback]]. The Thai Ridgeback is a crossbreed of the Phu Quoc; historians have speculated the relationship between the Rhodesian Ridgeback and the Phu Quoc with suggestions that historically one breed may have been imported to the other's location.<ref name="fox6"/><ref name="fox7">[[#fox2003|Fox (2003)]]: p. 7</ref>

<gallery widths="180px" heights="200px" perrow="5">
File:Akani Stehbild.JPG|Rhodesian Ridgeback
File:Rhodesian Ridgeback 4500.JPG|Rhodesian Ridgeback
File:Rhodesian Ridgeback ridges.jpg|Examples of ridges
File:Rhodesian Ridgeback double swirl.jpg|Ridge with an extra whorl
</gallery>

=== Temperament ===
Rhodesian Ridgebacks are known to be loyal and intelligent. They are typically somewhat aloof to strangers; this is not to be confused with aggression, a Rhodesian Ridgeback with a good temperament will not attack a stranger for no reason. They require consistent training and correct socialization; therefore they are often not the best choice for inexperienced dog owners and families with younger children.

Despite Rhodesian Ridgebacks being extremely athletic and sometimes imposing, they do have a sensitive side. Francis R. Barnes, who wrote the first standard in 1922, acknowledged that, "rough treatment ... should never be administered to these dogs, especially when they are young. They go to pieces with handling of that kind."<ref>{{cite journal |author=Denise Flaim |date=November 2002 |title=The Other End of the Leash Understanding Our Complex Hounds |publisher=American Kennel Club |location=New York, NY |journal=AKC Gazette |volume=119 |issue=11 |issn=0033-4561 |url=http://www.revodana.com/ridgebackarticles/temperamentarticles.html |access-date=2009-07-31 }}</ref> The Rhodesian Ridgeback accepts correction as long as it is fair and justified, and as long as it comes from someone the dog knows and trusts.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Denise Flaim |date=November 2002 |title=The Other End of the Leash Understanding Our Complex Hounds |publisher=American Kennel Club |location=New York, NY |journal=AKC Gazette |volume=119 |issue=11 |issn=0033-4561 |url=http://www.revodana.com/ridgebackarticles/temperamentarticles.html |access-date=2013-10-28 }}</ref>