The Thai Ridgeback is an ancient breed of dog. They are also known as a Mah Thai Lang Ahn in the Thai language. The breed was formerly unknown outside of Thailand, but is gaining notice in the western world. The breed is still very rare outside of Thailand. The Thai Ridgeback is one of only three breeds that have a ridge of hair that runs along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The other breeds are the Rhodesian Ridgeback and the Phu Quoc Ridgeback.
Appearance and StructureThe Thai Ridgeback is a muscular, medium-sized pariah-type dog with a wedge-shaped head, triangular-shaped prick ears, and a very short, smooth coat. It has a pronounced ridge on its back formed by hair growing in the opposite direction that extends from behind the withers to the hips. Puppies are occasionally born ridgeless. Thai Ridgebacks have muscular thighs and a streamlined body, making them extremely agile. The tail is carried upward called a sickle or sword tail. Its forehead wrinkles with enormous expression. 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 brown or amber and almond-shaped. The ears are set low and point slightly outward. The ears stand up progressively during the puppy growth period, 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. Because this breed does not have an undercoat the hair does not usually bother people allergic to other breeds of dogs.
Coats are typically solid colors of blue, black, red or fawn. However, brindle and white are also found rarely. The weight averages 35–55lbs in females and 50-75lbs in males. Eight distinctive ridge patterns have been identified: needle, feather, arrow, lute, violin, bowling pin, leaf, and saddleback. The broader the ridge, the more highly it is prized.
For worldwide show and competition requirements please see the official standards:
http://trdusa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1276&sid=9ef67eb3e02bb2546a3674a35643c0f3HealthThai ridgebacks are a hardy, overall healthy breed with few inherent heath issues. The breed has reproduced in Thailand almost exclusively by natural selection until the very recent past. The domesticated population is small. Inbreeding depression has not been observed in the breed. Thai Ridgeback Dogs are prone to dermoid sinus. Modern lines of Thai Ridgeback, resulting from interpopulation crosses, may also be prone to hip dysplasia and other genetic disorders. When more data has been collected by the organizations that compile this information the extent of this will become more clear.
TemperamentThai Ridgebacks are an intelligent breed. The energy level is typically medium, with most of the day spent lounging and activity periods occurring in sporadic bursts. Well bred and properly socialized Thai Ridgebacks make loyal, loving family pets. They are naturally protective of their home and family and can be aggressive or shy when not properly socialized. They are best kept by dominant owners who have a thorough understanding of dog behavior. Because of prior geographic isolation and lack of human contact, the Thai Ridgeback remains independent minded and much of the original natural instinct and drives remain intact, particularly prey drive. Due to its nature, the Thai Ridgeback is not recommended for the novice dog handler unless you seek training guidance from a professional with an understanding of primitive breeds. They have an excellent jumping ability and may seek to roam if not properly contained.
HistoryThe origin of the Thai Ridgeback is undocumented, but the breed was developed in eastern Thailand. The history of the breed is the subject of numerous hypotheses. It is generally considered a Pariah-type dating back to ancient times. The Thai Ridgeback may have mutated from another form of Thai dog which has similar appearance but with no ridge on the back. Rock art indicated that Thai dogs had accompanied a hunter since the new stone age of the country (over 2,000 years ago). Due to the isolation of Thai villages in the past, the breed had been inbred within the village for centuries. 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 Dog or Ari Dog (as called by the tribe). The Hottentot Dog, a known African ridgeback ancestor of the Rhodesian Ridgeback, is now extinct. When the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed was being developed, Africa was trading with Thailand and it is very possible the Thai Ridgeback may have actually been the “Hottentot dog” or part of what made up the Hottentot dog and thus one of the several dog breeds combined to create the Rhodesian. There is currently no scientific proof that they are related.
The third existing breed of ridgeback dogs is the Phu Quoc Ridgeback of Vietnam, which is somewhat smaller than the Thai Ridgeback. The Thai Ridgeback Dog and Phu Quoc Dog are likely to be closely related due to geographic proximity and may even actually be the same dog with changes to its structure due to it’s slightly differing environment.
The possible genetic connection among the three ridged breeds is being investigated through DNA studies
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