GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 61-66cm (25”-27”).
Colour: Light wheaten to red Wheaten with or without a dark mask.
Coat: Short, dense, sleek and glossy with unique ridge.
Gait: Active and free with fore and hindlegs moving true.
These handsome upstanding dogs have a unique ridge of hair, a characteristic regarded as the escutcheon of the breed. This ridge commences behind the shoulders (where it is flanked by two crowns) and extends to the haunch bones. The broad skull must be free of wrinkles in repose, and the equally long and powerful muzzle must have--close fitting lips. The eyes are set well apart and ears are carried close to the skull. The long neck runs into a level topline and a deep capacious chest. The tail is carried up in a slight curve when the dog is moving. Strong well boned forelegs end with compact feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE 
Dignified and intelligent, these dogs are aloof with strangers but are in no way shy or aggressive. They are most adaptable and easily fit into different homes or climates. They require plenty of exercise, and respond very well to good handling and sensible but firm training. Should they be allowed to become bored or are ignored, they might show a streak of independence. Easy to train and relatively quiet, with a coat that requires minimum care.
HISTORY
The ancestry of the Ridgeback is believed to be associated with a family of dogs bred by natives on Phi Quoc, an island off Cambodia in south east Asia. Dogs on this island display the same characteristic ridge of hair along their back In the days when Phoenician traders were active during the 2nd and lst century BC, many varieties of dogs found their way to different parts of the then known world, and credit must be given to these traders for the arrival of Ridgebacks in Africa. There, the Hottentots preserved these dogs and after the invasions of the Dutch and other European races in the 16th and 17th century, breeds like Great Danes and Bloodhounds were crossed with them. The Dutch Boers found them invaluable as guard dogs, hunters
D of small game, and alerting their owners to the whereabouts of large game.