Thai Ridgeback

The Thai Ridgeback is an ancient breed of dog that was bred to protect the homes of the laboring class in the owners' absence. It was also a hunting dog and carting dog. It is one of only three ridgebacked breeds in the world. The Thai Ridgeback was largely unknown to the outside world until 1975; as a consequence its gene pool has remained undiluted. Thai tradition forbade the crossbreeding of a Ridgeback with another breed. It is unknown whether the Thai Ridgeback and Rhodesian Ridgeback influenced one another, or if the ridge pattern was a spontaneously-occurring mutation in two different geographical regions.The Thai Ridgeback is a muscular, medium-sized dog. It has a wedge-shaped head, triangular prick ears, and a very short, smooth coat. It has a pronounced ridge on its back formed by an area of hair growing in the opposite direction that extends from behind the withers to the hips. Puppies are occasionally born ridgeless. Thai Ridgebacks have a muscular and streamlined body, making them extremely agile. The tail is carried upward and curved like a sickle. Like many eastern breeds, the Thai Ridgeback has retained a 'scissor jaw' where upper and lower teeth interlock when the jaw bones clamp down. The tongue can be black or have black marks. Eyes are almond-shaped and brown but may be amber in blue dogs. The ears are set low and point slightly outward; they are not cropped. The back is straight and level. The coat is short, hard, and straight. Due to the length and density of the coat shedding is minimal, occurring once or twice yearly. The coat appears in solid colors of blue, black, red or fawn. The red coat may have a black mask. For international show and competition, shoulder height should be 22-24 inches (56-61 cm) in males and 20-22 inches (51-56 cm) in females. The weight averages 3555lbs in females and 40-60lbs in males. Eight distinctive ridge patterns have been identified in the Thai Ridgeback: needle, feather, arrow, lute, violin, bowling pin, leaf, and saddleback. All patterns are acceptable, but must be clearly defined and symmetrical. The broader the ridge, the more highly it is prized. The origin of the Thai Ridgeback is undocumented, but historians agree that the breed was developed in eastern Thailand. The history of the breed is the subject of numerous hypotheses. It is generally considered an ancient breed of the Pariah type. Petroglyphs show dogs that accompanied Thai hunters over 2,000 years ago. Due to the isolation of Thai villages in the past, the breed has remained pure. As a result, the appearance of the breed is quite uniform. Most lethal traits had been discarded through several generations of natural selection. The breed has a low level of inbreeding depression.The relationship between the Thai Ridgeback and the Rhodesian Ridgeback is uncertain, but possible through the Hottentot or Ari Dog. There is no scientific proof that they are related. In 2001-2002 at the University of California, Fresno Veterinary College, a genetic study of 300 DNA samples taken of Thai Ridgebacks from across Thailand found the Thai Ridgeback to be a unique breed unrelated to the Rhodesian Ridgeback or Phu Quoc (Ridgeback) dogs.The Dog Association of Thailand recognized the breed in the mid-20th century, along with the Japanese Kennel Club and the Asian Kennel Union. The Thai Ridgeback was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1993. In 2008 the breed became eligible to compete in American Kennel Club companion and performance events, as a first step toward full breed recogniton in the future.This breed is easy to groom, but it must be brushed regularly to remove dead fur and keep the coat clean. Begin this daily vigorous brushing when the dog is a puppy so that it becomes accustomed early to the routine. The Thai Ridgeback should be bathed infrequently, as doing so strips the waterproofing oils from its undercoat. Although a good indoor dog, this breed needs a great deal of exercise to be healthy and mentally stable. Daily walks are essential. This breed is extremely healthy. Dermoid sinus has been seen as a problem in some individuals. The Thai Ridgeback is charming, energetic, and willful. It is a "primitive"� breed, that displays many characteristics of dogs in the wild. For example, it is prone to roaming, and must be carefully contained at all times. It is also prone to marking its territory, and can be fiercely protective of its food, toys and other belongings. If socialized early in life to accept other dogs, it can do well with canine friends. But when it is not socialized, it can be quite dominant and even dog aggressive. The Thai Ridgeback has extremely strong hunting instincts and is not recommended for households that have smaller pets such as cats, rodents and birds. This breed is bright, eager, and very trainable under the care of a dog-savvy handler. It is very important that the owner is a strong leader with this little dog, lest it become a tyrant. It must be taught to be well-mannered with visitors, because it is innately suspicious of strangers, protective, and may exhibit jealousy. It is not a barker, and will be moderately active indoors. It feels itself strongly part of the human pack, and does not like to be left alone outside. Thai Ridgebacks can easily scale walls and fences, and will do so if left alone in the yard to their own devices. The Thai Ridgeback is good with older, respectful children it does not take kindly to rough handling and may retaliate. Thai Ridgeback s are very affectionate with family and with people they know. They bond very strongly, are extremely loyal, and are not suitable to being left alone for hours, since they tend to become bored, frustrated and destructive. This breed can also exhibit separation anxiety when separated from the owner. Besides hunting with their dogs, Thai Ridgeback owners enjoy involving their dogs in hunting, tracking, and agility competitions.

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