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Thai Ridgeback

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AKC Foundation Stock Service · UKC Sighthound & Pariah · FCI standard 338

Thai Ridgeback.

FCI 338: utilization hunting and companion dog (Group 5, Section 7, primitive type hunting dogs, without working trial). History: an old breed shown in Thai documents about 360 years old; used mainly for hunting in eastern Thailand, also to escort carts and as a watch dog; it kept its type because poor transport left it few chances to cross with other breeds. UKC: pariah-type dog from eastern Thailand, kept pure by isolation, used for hunting and as a guard dog; very rare outside Thailand; UKC recognized it January 20, 1996. Vetstreet: an all-purpose dog kept to guard property, serve as an alarm dog, escort or pull carts, hunt small and large game and keep cobras at bay; first brought to the US in 1994..

Breed sets the odds. The parents set the dog. Every number here shows its source, its spread and how sure we are. Nothing on this page is a prediction about one dog.

0INHeightdogs null, bitches null. An ideal from the standard, not a range.
35–75LBWeight, all linesbreed dogs 35 to 75 lb; breed bitches 35 to 75 lb.

The body

What the breed is built like. Registry standards give an ideal, not a range.

Height at the shoulder

dogs 20 to 24 in · bitches 20 to 24 in

Breed clubFédération Cynologique Internationale, 2004

Ideal printed as a range, so center is blank. The AKC header is one breed-wide range, counted in both sex rows.

Weight

dogs 35 to 75 lb · bitches 35 to 75 lb

Breed clubAKC

Neither standard prints a weight. AKC header is breed-wide and counts in both sex rows.

Coat

FCI 338 and UKC: short and smooth, with a ridge of hair growing the opposite way to the rest of the coat, clearly defined, symmetrical either side of the backbone and within the width of the back; various ridge shapes and lengths; crowns and whirls at the head of the ridge acceptable. Colours: solid red, black, blue and very light fawn (isabella); a black mask is preferable in reds. Disqualification (both): no ridge, long hair (UKC: long coat). Wikipedia: short, hard, straight coat with no undercoat; eight named ridge patterns (needle, feather, arrow, lute, violin, bowling pin, leaf, saddleback); brindle and white occur but are not accepted colours. Vetstreet: some are born with a plush coat, considered a flaw; spayed or neutered and sold as pets.

Breed clubFédération Cynologique Internationale, 2004

Two registries agree; Wikipedia and Vetstreet add pattern names and the plush-coat flaw.

Shedding

Shedding 3 of 5 (AKC breed page trait score)

Breed clubAKC

AKC breed page trait score, 1 to 5: a breed-club tendency, never a measurement.

Heat tolerance

5 of 5 · FCI 338 and UKC: short, smooth coat; Wikipedia: no undercoat. Vetstreet: from Southeast Asia, he does not appreciate rainy or cold weather and is better kept indoors then.

DerivedFédération Cynologique Internationale, 2004

Derived from the standards' coat description (short smooth single coat = 5 on the ruled scale). Vetstreet agrees in direction on cold. No measured data.

The dog at home

What the breed asks of a day. The first thing most homes get wrong.

Exercise need

Vetstreet: at least a good hour of strenuous exercise daily (a couple of long walks or runs); eligible for lure coursing; an excellent jumper and climber that needs a high, secure fence; walk on a leash because he may chase or kill other animals. Wikipedia: may roam if not properly contained.

EditorialVetstreet, 2011

One editorial source for the figure; no Royal Kennel Club band exists, so exercise_need_min is left blank.

Energy

AKC breed page: energy level 3 of 5; mental stimulation needs 4 of 5; trainability 3 of 5; playfulness 3 of 5; barking level 1 of 5; watchdog/protective nature 5 of 5; openness to strangers 1 of 5. Wikipedia: energy typically medium to high, most of the day spent lounging, with activity in sporadic bursts. UKC: very active and agile, with excellent jumping and climbing abilities; devoted to family, wary of strangers. FCI 338: tough and active with excellent jumping ability; a loyal family dog.

Breed clubAKC

AKC trait bands are the AKC page's own scale, not a study.

Grooming load

2 of 5 · Vetstreet: short coat, easily cared for with a weekly brushing (rubber curry brush); sheds year-round but not heavily; bath once or twice a year. Wikipedia: shedding minimal, once or twice a year. AKC breed page: coat grooming frequency band 3 of 5, shedding level band 3 of 5 (AKC bands, not mapped).

EditorialVetstreet, 2011

Mapped by the library rule (weekly brush = 2) from one editorial source; no Royal Kennel Club page exists for the breed. Wikipedia and Vetstreet disagree on shedding rate (Wikipedia's grooming paragraph repeats Vetstreet).

The work

What it was built to do in the field, and what a test or trial asks of it.

Role

FCI 338: utilization hunting and companion dog (Group 5, Section 7, primitive type hunting dogs, without working trial). History: an old breed shown in Thai documents about 360 years old; used mainly for hunting in eastern Thailand, also to escort carts and as a watch dog; it kept its type because poor transport left it few chances to cross with other breeds. UKC: pariah-type dog from eastern Thailand, kept pure by isolation, used for hunting and as a guard dog; very rare outside Thailand; UKC recognized it January 20, 1996. Vetstreet: an all-purpose dog kept to guard property, serve as an alarm dog, escort or pull carts, hunt small and large game and keep cobras at bay; first brought to the US in 1994.

Breed clubFédération Cynologique Internationale, 2004

Registry history from FCI and UKC; Vetstreet adds quarry detail. Sources differ on the breed's age (FCI: documents 360 years old; Vetstreet: noted 350 years ago and thought far older).

Primary game

Vetstreet: hunted vermin such as rats, and dangerous prey such as cobras and wild boar; small and large game generally. FCI 338 and UKC: hunting use stated, no quarry species named.

EditorialVetstreet, 2011

Single editorial source for the quarry; the two standards name none.

Also used on

Vetstreet: kept cobras at bay; guard and alarm dog; cart escort and cart puller. FCI 338: escorted carts and acted as a watch dog.

EditorialVetstreet, 2011

Single editorial source beyond the FCI line.

Field trial standard

FCI 338: Group 5, Section 7 (primitive type hunting dogs), without working trial. Vetstreet: eligible to compete in lure coursing competitions.

Breed clubFédération Cynologique Internationale, 2004

No hunt test or field trial standard found for the breed.

How common the problems are

Evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock; the numbers are still the best there are.

Most common disorders

Vetstreet: generally healthy, but can develop hip dysplasia and may be prone to dermoid sinus (a skin condition on the middle of the back); breeding stock should have hips X-rayed and graded at 2 years. Wikipedia: prone to dermoid sinus, a genetic disorder; modern lines from interpopulation crosses may also be prone to hip dysplasia; the small domesticated population shows no observed inbreeding depression.

EditorialVetstreet, 2011

Two editorial sources, the second partly derivative. No VetCompass or club survey found; the OFA has no Thai Ridgeback row in the B17 pull.

More

akc bands

AKC breed page trait scores (1-5): Energy Level 3; Mental Stimulation Needs 4; Trainability Level 3; Barking Level 1; Watchdog/Protective Nature 5; Good With Young Children 3; Openness To Strangers 1; Good With Other Dogs 3; Shedding Level 3; Coat Grooming Frequency 3; Drooling Level 1; Affectionate With Family 5; Playfulness Level 3; Adaptability Level 1.

Breed clubAKC

Fourteen AKC bands in one row; the selector reads each by name. Breed-club ratings: a tendency, never a measurement.

What to ask a breeder for

The health clearances the breed’s own club and registry name. Reference only: what to ask for, never a statement about any dog’s health.

How to read this page

Every value carries a label. Measured means peer-reviewed data on many dogs. Studied means peer-reviewed, smaller or indirect. Breed club means a club or registry states it. Editorial means expert opinion with no measurement behind it. Where two good sources disagree, both are shown and neither is averaged.

Published when the entry rests on the best information available from no fewer than three independent sources, checked by a second pass that did not write it. 3 sources on this page. Found something wrong? Tell us and the correction is logged with its date.

Also called
Thai Ridgeback Dog, Thai Lang-An

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