Deep Red Ridgebacks

[Jem]

I am on the hunt for a second ridgeback puppy. My 2 year old girl that I have now is more of a wheaten color. The color that I have always been attracted to are the very dark red ones. It seems like those are less common in the US. I am a fan of Rhodesian Ridgebacks on facebook, and there are many pictures of the red ones that I like but they are all in Europe somewhere. I am in Colorado and have looked at breeder's websites around here, all of them are wheaten-red. Anyone know of any good breeders that breed for this dark red color? Thank you!

[caro]

The reason why you don't see so many really dark red Ridgebacks in the US is because wheaten is the correct color and the dark mahogony that you see in Europe is in fact not wheaten and so is incorrect.  However, it is possible to find a dark red wheaten  which is not mahogony, but you have to look for the European kennel names.  There have been several imports in the recent past and there is a branch of a South African kennel in Washington State.  If you see a dog you particularly like on Facebook, why not ask the owner/breeder if they have sent a dog to the US and where that dog is.  But remember, while the really dark red dogs are successful in Europe, if you want to show, they are not favored here in the US and Canada.

Caroline

[rrbylexus]

Caroline is correct, deep red is not a correct color for Ridgebacks, there has to be a banding of color on the hair shaft to make wheaten or red wheaten.  Without the banding you get a solid red color which is incorrect.  You have to keep in mind where this breed was developed and why the Standard calls for wheaten or red wheaten, these colors are needed for camouflage. 

Picture in your mind a wheat field at sunset, then put a wheaten/red-wheaten dog in the middle of that field....it will blend right in because of the various shades in the wheat and the coat color of the dog.  Put a solid color dog in the field, deep red, or flat yellow, and it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Personally, I wouldn't purchase a dog from any breeder that is purposely breeding for out of Standard dogs. 

Pam

[caro]

Great illustration Pam!
Here are two links to the colors that are acceptable and unacceptable in the Standard with illustrations.

http://kalaharirr.tripod.com/oddcolors.html
http://kalaharirr.tripod.com/normalcolors.html

and here is a great description of the word "wheaten" as it pertains to the correct color of a Ridgeback

http://kalaharirr.tripod.com/wheaten.html

This is a website that is well worth exploring for all the information gathered there.

Caroline

[georgejr]

i thought the lack of ANY black hairs in a mahogany colored dog is a sign of not being wheaten

-george

[caro]

Never been close enough to a mahogony dog to really look, but I understand the problem is that the hair is not banded. 
Caroline

[rrbylexus]

Caroline is correct, it's all about the banding.  The hair shaft has to be banded with multiple colors to get the wheaten, which gives the coats a nice 3 dimensional color for better camo out in the fields.

Pam

[rrmom]

Have to chime in here, in South Africa there are quite a lot of the deep reds.  If you pull a hair out it is banded and when molting the colour is a lighter wheaten.  There are some over here and I have to say I love the colour.  I have a friend who has a dark red and he is just gorgeous.  Kumbas sister is a deeper red than he is and it is just astonishing to see the difference.  She is almost mahogany in colour.  I believe that the dark reds go way back.

[norahormerod]

The dark red color has been around for years and years and was passed down by the famous original kennels like Gazeley. Just because the USA does not have many, does not mean it is 'out of Standard'.

 It used to just be called 'red wheaten' but a few years ago the 'dark' was added in common usage but not the Standard.

There are a few dogs in Europe which are mahogony but the majority of them are correct.  In fact the majority of dogs in Africa, Europe and Australia are all dark red.

If one knew the countryside where these dogs originated, one would realize that a dark red dog would be well camouflaged in the tall very red grass or on the bare red earth.  There were no fields of wheat.

[Jem]

If one knew the countryside where these dogs originated, one would realize that a dark red dog would be well camouflaged in the tall very red grass or on the bare red earth.  There were no fields of wheat.

I was actually going to say something about that earlier. I have been to Africa twice. South Africa and Mozambique to be exact. The dirt/sand is RED RED RED....red ridgebacks would camo real well there.

I am not too concerned with the technicalities of coloring and the lining of the ridge etc. (I do not show, or breed) I understand and respect those of you that do. I want a dog in good health, genetic testing done, from a good breeding program, and from good lines. I ALSO want a red Ridgeback because they are stunning.

Also, I do believe the pictures of the red dogs that I have seen are considered red wheaten anyways.

[caro]

Norah writes:
In fact the majority of dogs in Africa, Europe and Australia are all dark red.

I don't think this is altogether true.  Perhaps there are a lot in Africa and it seems to be the "in" color in Europe right now, but there are also some very nice wheaten dogs being shown in both Europe and Australia.  Admittedly the light wheaten are more rare, but I think you will find normal wheaten dogs in both Europe and the UK, at least judging from the photos I have received.

Caroline

[nana]

I would have been OK with dark red but..... IT IS A FASHION now!! And it is a shame! Here in Russia (for example) 90% puppy buyers want to get a DARK puppy without white and with good ridge.. It is ALL that they want to get... Only color and ridge.. Because of this I am almost in the position of hating this DARK coloring... And I would like to add that when I got my first RR girl I wanted, what a stupid person I was then..!, to get the color and ridge... Now I don't pay much attention to cosmetic points..

Nana

[CA in TO]

I would have been OK with dark red but..... IT IS A FASHION now!! And it is a shame! Here in Russia (for example) 90% puppy buyers want to get a DARK puppy without white and with good ridge.. It is ALL that they want to get... Only color and ridge.. Because of this I am almost in the position of hating this DARK coloring... And I would like to add that when I got my first RR girl I wanted, what a stupid person I was then..!, to get the color and ridge... Now I don't pay much attention to cosmetic points..

Nana

Maybe they should get a Vizsla and a tube of hair gel 

[heiditr]

The red wheaten is a different color from the mahogany color. When you see the colors "in real life" it is easy to see the difference.
Another thing I have noticed the last year or so; many ridgebacks have the dark red, but their masks (in the face) have become dilluted and brownish, not very attractive. I prefer a mask that is black, and that is defined. Doesn't matter if it's just a little black around the eyes, or a full "burglar" mask.
So I have been wondering if this undefined, dark brownish mask is a result of breeding for darker red?
A friend of mine owns a light wheaten ridgeback. The dog is a good representant for her breed, but she could have had a better head. Whenever the dog is shown for judges from SA, or judges that are breeders/specialists of ridgebacks, it always gets compliments for the "true and original ridgeback color" and after the judging is done, is called forward so that the judge can tell everybody that is present: this is the original color, take care of it.
The light wheaten is actually a beautiful color, and I think my next ridgeback will be one of those.

Jem, just make sure that the parents are healthy and good representants for their breed. Also check out if the breeder is ok, after all, the puppy is spending 8 of it's most important weeks of life with the breeder. If there are lines you want to buy from, that produces a certain trait or feature, that is ok, as long as it is within standard. Dark red is, mahogany is not. Good luck with your search.

Heidi

[nana]

Another thing I have noticed the last year or so; many ridgebacks have the dark red, but their masks (in the face) have become dilluted and brownish, not very attractive. 
So I have been wondering if this undefined, dark brownish mask is a result of breeding for darker red?

Could you put any photo of this? Just I can not realize how it looks...

Jem, just make sure that the parents are healthy and good representants for their breed. Also check out if the breeder is ok, after all, the puppy is spending 8 of it's most important weeks of life with the breeder. If there are lines you want to buy from, that produces a certain trait or feature, that is ok, as long as it is within standard. Dark red is, mahogany is not. Good luck with your search.

+1000!

Nana