Everyone knows that when a lion gets mad, it wrecks unimaginable and irreversible havoc that’s why only those skilled enough and experienced hunters can face and elude this creature’s wrath. Humans and animals are known to shiver in fear over the sight of a lion gone mad but not this one breed of dog. Instead of running for its dear life, it unabashedly challenges and faces the king of the jungle’s fury and succeeds at it most of the time: this is the Rhodesian Ridgeback dog.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large, majestic, and strongly-built type of hound that is native to the safari lands of South Africa. For centuries, the native tribes kept with them a ridgebacked dog breed that had been used as hunting companions and watchdogs. The modern day Rhodesian Ridgeback is said to be the result of the Boer natives’ cross- breeding of the said indigenous ridgebacked dog, Khoikhoi dog, Mastiff and Deerhound.

In 1877, a Reverend Helm brought two of these new breed to Bulawayo, Rhodesia- today’s Zimbabwe, and it was there that more people discovered this dog’s ferocity towards lions and excellent hunting skills. In 1922, the first standard of the Rhodesian Ridgeback was created and the breed was remarked as a game hunting breed. There had been a debated conundrum regarding this dog’s classification in terms of hunting as it is both excellent in hunting big games as the ferocious and large as a lion and hunting small games as tiny as a squirrel.

The ridgeback name serves appropriate for this dog for indeed it possesses a distinct ridge-looking growth of hair on its back. This clump of hair grows symmetrical along its back with an opposite growth direction with the dog’s overall coat. This breed appears in either red wheaten or light wheaten colored coat.

In hunting, the Ridgeback is ferocious and accurate but inside the home, it transforms in to a gentle, calm and biddable pet. It is playful and patient with children, kind and strongly protective of its owners. It is also an outstanding watchdog as it is intent, sharp and alert in observing unfriendly people or forces.

Moreover, you can say that this dog is intelligent, cunning, self-sufficient and stubborn that’s why training sessions can be a pain sometimes. In imposing rules to this breed, you need to do it firmly, patiently and consistently as these are the best ways for it to be able to trust you. Meeting strangers is not a favorite of the Ridgeback for it tends to be indifferent with people it just met or doesn’t know.

It is also a suitable dog for apartment living so long as it is provided with an everyday lengthy and fast-paced walking or jogging. Inside the house they are relatively dormant but once outside they tend to be energetic and eager huge pets. Their exercise needs to be done in an open space such as large backyards or parks.

The Ridgeback has a natural instinct to survive harsh conditions because its ancestors are pliable to the unforgiving situations of Africa. The Ridgeback can withstand hot climates and damp and cold nights. It can also last up to more than 24 hours without water or food.

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