What the ridge actually is
The ridge on a Rhodesian Ridgeback is a strip of hair along the spine that grows in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. In its classic form it starts just behind the shoulders, runs to the hips, and contains two crowns — swirls of hair — set opposite each other. Breeders talk about ridge length, width, symmetry, and crown placement because those details define the feature the breed is named for.
Ask a breeder to show you the ridges on their adult dogs and on the litter, and to explain what they are pleased with and what they would improve. A breeder who can discuss the ridge critically, rather than simply calling every puppy perfect, is usually selecting with real care.
Ridgeless puppies and ridge faults
Not every Ridgeback puppy is born ridged. Ridgeless puppies are healthy, normal members of the breed who simply lack the signature strip, and puppies can also have extra crowns, offset crowns, or a short ridge. Ask what happens to those puppies in this breeder's programme: the reassuring answer is that they are placed in pet homes, with the same rearing and health care as their ridged siblings.
Be cautious with any suggestion that ridge faults are a health problem in themselves, or the reverse, that a spectacular ridge guarantees a sound dog. The ridge is a breed feature to understand clearly, not a proxy for overall quality.
Dermoid sinus: the screening question specific to this breed
Because you are asking about the ridge, ask in the same conversation about dermoid sinus. This is a congenital defect associated with the breed, in which a tube-like tract can form along the back; it matters because an unrecognised sinus can become infected and may need veterinary attention. Experienced Ridgeback breeders examine puppies carefully by palpation, often repeatedly as they grow, and should be able to explain exactly how and when the litter was checked and what their policy is if a sinus is found later.
Ask whether either parent has produced an affected puppy before, and how the breeder responds if one appears in your puppy after you take him home. Their answer reveals more about their responsibility than the simple fact of checking.
The wider health screening behind the litter
Beyond the ridge, ask for the parents' core results and expect to see evidence, not summaries. For Ridgebacks that normally means hip and elbow scoring, eye examination, thyroid testing, and in many programmes screening relevant to inherited deafness and degenerative myelopathy, alongside general questions about longevity and temperament in the lines. Ask what ages the parents are, whether relatives are still alive and well, and what health issues have appeared in the wider family.
Also ask how puppies are raised: where they sleep, what surfaces, sounds, people, and handling they meet, and how the breeder matches puppies to homes. A breeder selecting for ridge and health should also be selecting and socialising for a dog who can live calmly in a family.
Keeping the evidence together
You will collect a small dossier before your puppy even arrives: both parents' scores, eye and thyroid paperwork, and the breeder's own checks on the ridge and for dermoid sinus. KinsLe helps you hold that dossier together through its Pet Passport, so the screening behind your puppy stays in one portable packet for future vet visits.