Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a dog breed developed in Southern Africa. Its European forebears can be traced to the early pioneers of the Cape Colony of southern Africa, who crossed their dogs with the semi-domesticated, ridged hunting dogs of the Khoikhoi.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback

F.C.I.'s The Rhodesian Ridgeback - The National Dog Club of South Africa

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Illustrated Standard (AKC): The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States

• http://www.rrcus.org/pdf/Illustrated_Standard.pdf

AKC Video (link - https://youtu.be/7-sSuu8DnOQ

View more videos on AKC's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanKennelClub

See: The German Kennel Club (VDH) for information and video (if available).
(Hint: your browser should be able to Translate to English, at least for text (e.g., right click in Google Chrome or Internet Explorer).)

http://www.vdh.de/welpen/mein-welpe/rhodesian-ridgeback

Video (link - https://youtu.be/kfsA5_Etbh4):

This and other breed videos are available in full length here: www.meisterpetztv.de

• Chien de Rhodésie à crête dorsale
• Perro crestado rodesiano

The Get a GRIHP! on Rhodesian Ridgebacks article is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds.  See IPFD's Get a GRIHP! on Breed Health Initiative

There are many others doing great work to advance heath, well-being, and welfare in this wonderful breed.  We reference and link to terrific work, developments, reports, and research from the UK, USA, Sweden, Finland and more below.  Thanks to all of those working on behalf of Ridgebacks. 

Rhodesian Ridgeback - Follow-up report from the Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress 2016

Modern Dogs Magazine - Rhodesian Ridgeback

Sweden: New in August of 2022 the Rhodesian ridgeback is the first with MI - SPECIALKLUBBEN RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK SVERIGE:  MENTALINDEX för rhodesian ridgeback baserat på BPH

Read more on MI, based on BPH - which provides a statistical measure, a calculated value, of a dog's expected heritability for a number of different traits.

There are numerous breed standards.

The basis of breed/conformation shows is the judging of pedigree dogs against the 'Breed Standard', which is a picture in words that describes the range of features that are deemed appropriate for the breed.

Three of the major international standards are:

The American Kennel Club

The Kennel Club, UK

FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale)

1. Swedish Insurance Data

• Breed-specific information on rates of disease and death from Agria Pet Insurance (Agria Djurförsäkring) is available for many breeds.

2. Finland: Database: Rhodesian Ridgeback:  http://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/frmEtusivu.aspx?R=146

Finnish Ridgeback Association Statistics: http://www.ridgeback.fi/10 

Health/Breeding Strategy Documents and Links:

1. The Kennel Club, UK: Breed Watch (Category 1)
2. Sweden: Breed-specific Breeding Strategies: (in Swedish) and/ or English summary
3. Finland: JTO - Breeding Strategy (RHODESIANKOIRIEN JALOSTUKSEN TAVOITEOHJELMA
   2023 ‐ 2027): https://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/RotuPDF.ashx?R=146&T=2

Finland Ridgeback - Association: Genetic testing: http://www.ridgeback.fi/88

      4. US: CHIC: http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/brdreqs.html?breed=RR

Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV) in Rhodesian ridgebacks 

Comment: See this thorough presentation on LVT by Nina Lindqvist which includes data on Finnish Rhodesian ridgbacks along with resources for understanding this condition, scoring information as well as breeding recommendations.

Quote

summary

The prevalence of the LTV varies between the breeds and so does LTV’s clinical significance. Rhodesian ridgebacks are for sure yet less clinically affected than ie. German shephards are due to the LTV. More information is needed to make conclusions. It is already known than the LTV and other vertebral anomalies are inherited. To secure Rhodesian ridgebacks future as an agile, capable and versatile dog for various sports it is my recommendation to take the spine radiographing as a standard procedure and part of breeding recommendations in all countries.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress took place in Sweden on June 28 - June 30, 2016!

AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT

We hope that even those who were not able to attend the congress, can benefit by reading the congress program and presentations.

• PROGRAM

See:

Rhodesian Ridgeback - Follow-up report from the Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress 2016

• RRWC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rrwc2016/ 

PRESENTATIONS from RRWC (internal DWN links - provided for records retention purposes)

• Anja Geretschläger Presentation -- Strategies For Maintaining Genetic Diversity in the Rhodesian Ridgeback.pdf
• Astrid_Indrebo Presentation -- Ridgeback World Conference 2016.pdf
• Barbara Turpin Presentation -- Are we destroying our breed for the sake of its name.pdf
• Miroslav Hornak Presentation -- Ridge gene test - Its use and potential.pdf
• Orit Nevo and Linda Costa Ridgeback Presentation--Burning Our Bridges.pdf
• Patrice Johansen Presentation -- Judging the Rhodesian Ridgeback.pdf
• Tomas Laube and Martin Klopsch Presentation -- DZRR - Dermoid Sinus.pdf

Researchers & Dogs helping in study of human disease! University of Helsinki. "Significant epilepsy gene discovery in dogs." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 February 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170221110730.htm>.
The research publication in full is available at: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/02/17/1614478114.full

Significance

"Comprehensive clinical, neurological, and genetic examinations characterized a generalized myoclonic epilepsy syndrome with photosensitivity in young Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. The average age of onset of seizures was 6 mo. Genetic analyses revealed a defective DIRAS family GTPase 1 (DIRAS1) gene and protein. DIRAS1 is widely expressed in the brain and has been suggested to regulate acetylcholine release and play a role in neurodevelopment. This study reveals a candidate gene for human myoclonic epilepsies, and a translational model to further elucidate the role of DIRAS1 in neurotransmission and neurodevelopment, and its modulation as a therapeutic option in common epilepsy."

We are listing sites for breed clubs with health or other information that might be helpful. Follow links below.

US: The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States: http://www.rrcus.org/

Sweden: Specialklubben Rhodesian Ridgeback Sverige: http://srrs.org/

Finland: Suomen Ridgeback - yhdistys ry: http://www.ridgeback.fi/

Statistics: http://www.ridgeback.fi/10

Netherlands: Rhodesian Ridgeback Club Nederland: https://www.rrcn.nl/ (This website has an excellent health section!)

Switzerland: Rhodesian Ridgeback Club Schweiz: https://www.rrcs.ch/