Thai Ridgeback / Red Thai Ridgeback

Breed history:

 It is a breed less known outside Thailand where it is used for hunting and guarding. It is an old breed that has been known for 350 years and is the most common breed in the East of Thailand.

Description:

 It is a medium-sized dog, with a brawny body that is long rather than tall. The head is proportional to the body, trapezoidal. The muzzle is conical and it is of the same size as the skull, the nose is black. The eyes are medium-sized, oval, light brown. The ears are medium-sized, triangular, round-ended, erect. The tail is medium-sized, thin, pointy at the tip, kept horizontally at rest or vertically when alert. The fur has short, straight, soft hair with a ridge on the back formed by the hair grown upwards. The coat can be chestnut, black, silver or blue.

Personality:

 It is a lively, active, dynamic, smart, pretty independent dog. It is protective and devoted to its master, it accepts children, but is cautious with strangers. It can be dominant with other dogs, and the animals in the yard are accepted if the dog was socialized from an early age.

Grooming:

 A casual brushing with a rubber brush is enough to maintain this dog's fur.

Living conditions:

 It is a dog which likes to live outdoors, in a climate that is not to cold, with the possibility to get daily exercise, with an active family with experience in raising dogs. It needs socialization and training.

Training:

 It is an easy to train dog, but because it is sometimes independent, the training must be firm, consistent, well-balanced with a gentle and friendly approach. It likes to do a lot of exercise and to participate in various canine competitions.

Usefulness:

 It is used for hunting and as a watchdog.