Can anyone tell me more about "Rhodesian Ridgebacks" We have one and she is the greatest a

We got her as a puppy in a animal shelter. Smart, listens, great with kids.

When European Boer settlers arrived in South Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries, they brought with them such breeds as the mastiff, Great Dane, bloodhound, pointer, staghound and greyhound, among others. These settlers needed a dog that could withstand both hot and cold temperatures, limited water and rough bush, while performing the duties of guard dog and hunting dog. By breeding their European dogs with native Hottentot tribal hunting dogs (which were distinguished by a ridge of hair growing in the opposite direction along the top of their back) they produced just such a dog. These dogs hunted by both sight and scent and were devoted protectors of the entire family. In the 1870s, several were taken to Rhodesia to hunt lions, chasing and harassing the lion until the hunter could shoot it. The "lion dogs" were so successful that they soon became popular, their distinctive ridge becoming a trademark of quality. By the 1920s, so many different types of ridged lion dogs existed in Rhodesia that a meeting was held to elucidate the most desirable points of the breed, which became the basis for the current standard. Dogs meeting the standard criteria were known as Rhodesian Ridgebacks (the dogs' former designation as lion dogs was deemed to sound too savage). The breed was introduced into England in the 1930s and America soon after. In both countries, it gained recognition in the 1950s and quickly attracted admirers. In the 1980s, the breed received recognition as a sighthound and became eligible to compete in sighthound field trials. Today it is among the more popular hounds, undoubtedly because it combines the abilities of hunter, protector and companion in a sleek handsome body.