Phu Quoc Ridgeback - TOP 10 Interesting Facts - Vietnamese Ridgeback

1) Origin
The history of this breed is not very well documented. What we know for sure is, that this breed was developed, and also got its name from the island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam, where they were used by local people as hunters and guards. The first written evidence about this breed is from the 19th century from French colonists.

2) Three Ridgebacks
The Phu Quoc Ridgeback is not the only breed with the ridge. The other two are the famous Rhodesian Ridgeback and the Thai Ridgeback. Some scientists believe, that all these three dogs have their origin in similar region, either in Asia or Africa, but this theory is not has never been confirmed scientifically.

3) Athletes
Just look at the muscular body of the Vietnamese Ridgeback. This is a natural athlete. They have high stamina and they can run incredibly fast. They also have webbed feet, which helps them to swim faster than most dogs can do. And i can not forget about their agility, because they can jump very high and they are known for being able to climb trees

4) Rarity
This is one of the rarest dog in the world and it is estimated, that there is only something about 1000 of purebred Phu Quoc Ridgeback in the world. It is very hard to find a purebred Phu Quoc Ridgeback, because most of them were crossbred with other breeds.

5) Ridge
This dog breed has short, shiny and smooth coat. Of course, the Vietnamese Ridgeback has the beautiful ridge of hair running along its spine. The ridge must cover more than 60% of the length of the spine. When the dog is excited or in danger or chasing a prey, the ridge become erect, which gives the dog intimidating look.

6) Intelligence

Many owners of the Vietnamese Ridgebacks say, that this is one of the smartest dog in the world. We can not find them in any official ranking, because their poopulation is so small and they are not recognized by any major kennel club, but there is no doubt that this is extraordinary smart animal. Thanks to their intelligent and curious nature, they learn new commands fairly quickly.

7) Colors
Traditionally, the Phu Quoc Ridgeback comes in four color variations, which are black, yellow, striped and spotted. Sometimes you can aslo see them in reddish brown, and golden brown color.

8) Loyalty
The Phu Quoc Ridgeback is a social animal who loves their people. They are incredibly loyal to them. They make good watchdogs, because they will most likely bark when something suspicious is going on around your home. Some of them can be also trained to be good territorial protectors, but naturally, they are almost never agressive towards people, including strangers.

9) Size

This is a medium sized, muscular and athletic dog with small head and long muzzle. Their average height is between 48-55 cm, which is 18-22 inch and weight between 20-25 kg, which is 44-55 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

10) Health
This is a very healthy and hardy dog breed with amazing lifespan, typically around 14 years. Just like all dog breeds, they do suffer from some health issues, most commonly from hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, bloating and arthritis.