"Kelly's" Sire: MBIS_CH_NASHIRAS_EXCALIBUR_OF_RIDGELEA
Standard for the Rhodesian Ridgeback
General Appearance
Size, Proportion, Substance:
A mature Ridgeback should be symmetrical in outline, slightly longer than tall but well balanced. Dogs - 25 to 27 inches in height; Bitches - 24 to 26 inches in height. Desirable weight: Dogs - 85 pounds; Bitches - 70 pounds. Though this is the standard, many champions are much larger than these. The Ridgeback represents a strong, muscular and active dog, symmetrical and balanced in outline. A mature Ridgeback is a handsome, upstanding and athletic dog, capable of great endurance with a good amount of speed. Of even, dignified temperament, the muscular Ridgeback is devoted and affectionate to his or her master, and generally reserved with strangers. The peculiarity of this breed is the ridge on the back. The unique ridge must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed.
Head
Should be of fair length, the skull flat and rather broad between the ears. The Eyes should be moderately well apart and should be round, bright and sparkling with intelligent expression, their color harmonizing with the color of the dog. The Ears should be set rather high, of medium size, rather wide at the base and tapering to a rounded point. They should be carried close to the head. Sometimes the ears will be taped down when the puppy is young to assure the look of closeness to the head. Muzzle-should be long, deep and powerful. The lips clean, closely fitting the jaws. The Nose should be black, brown or liver, in keeping with the color of the dog. No other colored nose is permissible. A black nose should be accompanied by dark eyes, a brown or liver nose with amber eyes. The Bite-jaws level and strong with well-developed teeth, especially the canines or holders. Scissors bite preferred.
Coat
Should be short, dense, sleek and glossy in appearance.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck should be fairly strong and free from throatiness. The chest should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, ribs moderately well sprung, never rounded like barrel hoops. The back is powerful and firm with strong loins which are muscular and slightly arched. The tail should be strong at the insertion and tapering towards the end. It should be carried with a slight curve upwards.
Forequarters
The shoulders should be sloping, clean and muscular, denoting speed. Elbows close to the body. The forelegs should be perfectly straight, strong, and heavy in bone. The feet should be compact with well-arched toes, round, tough, elastic pads, protected by hair between the toes and pads. Dewclaws are usually removed.
Hindquarters
In the hind legs, the muscles should be clean, well defined and hocks well down. Feet as in front.
Color
Light wheaten, wheaten, and red wheaten. There are many shade variations within each color. A little white on the chest and toes permissible. Brown nose and black nose.
Ridge
The hallmark of this 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 must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed. The ridge should be clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical. It should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue to a point between the prominence of the hips and should contain two identical crowns (whorls of hair) directly opposite each other. The lower edge of the crowns (whorls of hair) should not extend further down the ridge than one third of the ridge.
Temperament
Dignified and even tempered. Reserved with strangers. People and animal friendly. A very happy breed of dog.