At a glance the quick version
FCI gives a single desirable weight for each sex; PetMD gives about 32-39 kg (70-85 lb) overall.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short, dense coat
A strong, athletic hound with a short, sleek, shiny coat. Its trademark is a band of hair along the spine that grows the opposite way to the rest of the coat, starting behind the shoulders with two matching whorls called crowns and tapering towards the hips.32
Personality what they are like
A calm, dignified and clever dog that is devoted to its family and tends to be reserved with strangers without being shy or aggressive. It responds best to gentle, consistent training.324
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An athletic breed; The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day, plus mental enrichment.54
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Short coat that needs a weekly brush; it sheds moderately.54
Home where they are happiest
Best suited to a larger home with a large, secure garden, in town or country.5
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A complete food formulated for large breeds, fed as two meals a day for adults, adjusted to activity level.4
Company who they like around
Forms strong bonds with its family and can live happily with other dogs if socialised early.4
The story where it all began
Settlers in southern Africa crossed their European dogs with the ridged hunting dogs of the Khoikhoi people. From 1879 Cornelius van Rooyen bred dogs that tracked lions and held them at bay for hunters, and in 1922 F. R. Barnes drafted the first standard in Bulawayo.23
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard No. 146, Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds); definitive acceptance 21 February 1955.1
- AKC
- Recognised 1955 (Hound Group).2
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Registered in the Hound group.5
- South African Kennel Union (KUSA)
- Approved the breed standard in 1926.3
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Rhodesian Ridgeback. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- FCI nomenclature - Rhodesian Ridgeback (146) fci.beused for recognition, origin
- Rhodesian Ridgeback - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, AKC, history
- FCI Standard No. 146 Rhodesian Ridgeback fci.beused for size, coat, colour, temperament, history, facts
- PetMD Rhodesian Ridgeback petmd.comused for lifespan, weight, care, diet
- The Royal Kennel Club - Rhodesian Ridgeback royalkennelclub.comused for exercise, grooming, home, lifespan
- AKC Rhodesian Ridgeback akc.orgused for fun fact
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.