Thai Ridgeback
Breed: Thai Ridgeback
Temperament: independent, shy, cringing
Maintenance: low
Cost: not available in Australia
Recommended for: not recommended
History and genetic development
The Thai Ridgeback dog is little known to the Western world. It is one of four types of dog native to Thailand and is named due to the distinctive ridge of hair that runs down the spine, interspersed with ‘crowns’, or tufts.
There is little historic record to help determine the Thai Ridgeback’s place of origin. The Thai Ridgeback is believed to have mutated from another Thai dog of similar appearance but with no ridged back. The ridgeback dog not only inhabits Thailand, but also the islands of Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. It is believed that of these locations, it is the Thai Ridgeback that is oldest. The most distinctive difference between the Thai dog and its East Asian relatives is the greater width of the Thai’s ridge and the greater number of crowns.
Thai anthropologists performed a study into the historical origins of the dog based on the characteristics of this distinctive ridged pattern. A genetic theory is proposed that the dog with the broader ridge and more crowns is likely to have evolved over a longer period as this characteristic is due to a number of mutant recessive ridge genes. The greater the number of crowns and the wider the ridge, the more mutant recessive genes present. As it takes a longer period of time for the expression of recessive genes to increase, it is proposed that the Thai Ridgeback must have evolved over a longer period than its relatives.
Social adaptation and temperament
Due to its isolation and small degree of human contact, the Thai Ridgeback has always remained an independent and largely undomesticated breed. With the boom of civilisation and the encroachment of larger cities into the natural habitat of this dog, whilst it still maintains its independent characteristics, the Thai Ridgeback has learnt to adapt and modify its behaviour.
Pariah dogs, as these are known, are dogs that have evolved to live around and colonise cities. Pariahs are generally despised by others, or regarded as outcasts, as these dogs are. Like vermin, these dogs are poorly regarded by most throughout Asia. So, in order to survive in the cities, they scavenge garbage, remaining fearful of humans and avoiding contact. This fear does not often translate into aggression, as this would soon see them killed off. As a result of their environment, these pariah dogs have become genetically adapted to be terrified of human beings. They continue to cringe their way around the cities, merely tolerated by the human inhabitants.
In recent times, the Thai people have attempted to domesticate the Thai Ridgeback, with little success. Even when raised in captivity and handled often, this dog’s first instinct is to cringe with its tail between its legs and flee when approached. As such, they are usually kept in cages or continually chained up, a practice not regarded as particularly cruel or unusual in Thailand. This practice, although somewhat necessary in order to avoid its escape, only institutionalises the dog, causing it to run straight back into the cage and hide when let out. Presently, these dogs do not make good companion animals and will continue to remain so over many, many generations of breeding.
Appearance
Strong and muscular, the Thai Ridgeback is a medium-sized dog with a tapered body and large high-set triangular ears. The coat is short, hard and straight with a thin undercoat. Recent breeding practices have resulted in further development of the dog’s extremely short coat (called velvet coat) without the undercoat. This ensures that the dog’s coat remains cleaner and does not require regular grooming.
There are 4 predominant coat colours; Silver, Blue, Red and Black. White coats are sometimes seen, but very rare. The coat remains a solid colour throughout.
Health
There are reportedly three main conditions which affect the Thai Ridgeback;
- Dermoid Sinus Cysts: Caused when a tube (or sinus) forms between the spinal column and the surface of the skin. These tubes are lined with hair but when natural shedding of the coat occurs, these hairs remain, resulting in infection due to irritation of the skin
- .Hip Dysplasia: A disease common to many breeds of dogs that affects the hip joints.
- Patellar Luxation: Due to the straightness of the hocks, the kneecaps can be prone to become fixed, locking the leg in a straight position.
Secondary problems, such as pressure sores may occur due to their confinement in cages and on hard wooden floors. Malnourishment, due to poor diet, may also lead to the dog’s becoming underweight and underdeveloped.
Maintenance and popularity
The Thai Ridgeback is a low maintenance dog, requiring minimal grooming and showing little appreciation for any attention that may be paid to it.
Over 50,000 Thai Ridgeback dogs were registered during the late 1990s with the now abandoned Dog Association of Thailand. It is expected there are many more dogs that are not registered.
Very small numbers of the Thai Ridgeback exist in the US, with breeders reporting approximately 200 dogs.
The Thai Ridgeback is not available in Australia.
More Information
We filmed our story when visiting Thailand in 1998. More information about the Thai Ridgeback Dog can be obtained via the internet. Website: www.thaidog.org