"Ridgeless" Ridgebacks

You see lots of Ridgeback pictures on this and other websites, but have you ever seen a Ridgeback without a ridge? They aren't very common, in fact when a puppy used to be born without a ridge it was typically euthanized, because this lack of ridge was, for obvious reasons, an undesirable trait for the breed when it was being developed.  It was also thought that from a genetic standpoint the ridge brought with it more active hunting instincts since this was the original reason for breeding to the native South African ridged dogs when Europeans began developing their animals.  

In any case, this practice of culling the "ridgeless" puppies is still in use by some, but more and more breeders are finding  these animals are truly Ridgebacks in all but one cosmetic sense, and make just as loving a companion as any ridged version of this breed.  Reputable breeders invariably insist that "Ridgeless" puppies be neutered or spayed when they get to a suitable age because this IS an anomaly to the breed's standard, but this requirement is also true of ridged puppies which are sold as non-show companions.  This requirement is only in the best interests of the breed and the puppy you take home.

What is "Ridgelessness"?

Below, find some beautiful pictures of Ridgebacks, who happen to not have a ridge...but they don't mind, and neither should you.