Rhodesian Ridgebacks technically only comes in one colour: wheaten. There are lots of different derivatives of this colour that your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy’s coat could mature into, such as red wheaten and white wheaten, though. Dilutions in the dog’s hair can also occur, giving them even more distinct colours, such as silver or grey.
In this colour guide, we’ll explore all the shades that Rhodesian Ridgebacks come in to help give you an idea of what to expect!
The breed’s most common coat colour is wheaten, which ranges from light gold to a rich reddish hue.
While wheaten is the primary colour, some Ridgebacks may also exhibit subtle variations, including a darker red or a more golden shade. Although not typical, small white markings on the chest or toes can occasionally be found.
If you’re thinking of adding a brave Rhodesian Ridgeback to your pack (they were originally bred to hunt lions, after all!), here are all the potential shades of wheaten that your Ridgeback puppy may develop as they grow older:
Wheaten, in its purest form, can be recognised by its reddish tinge, light base, and dark tip. Standard wheaten is the most prominent Rhodesian Ridgeback coat colour, although there are a lot of variations of this colour – from light wheaten to dark wheaten.
Wheaten is sometimes called agouti and has the same recessive colouration that appears on some wild animals, such as raccoons, wolves, and coyotes.
Many Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies are born grey or silver, which normally develops into full wheaten as they age. However, the wheaten may only appear sprinkled across the dog’s coat, which gives some adult Rhodesian Ridgebacks a silver, grey, or blue-silver appearance.
Even if the dog appears very silver, you’ll be able to find some red hairs on their coat on closer inspection.
Some purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies can appear with a predominantly black coat with tan bellies, noses, and paws. This shade is a recessive colouration of wheaten. A black and tan Rhodesian Ridgeback is an extremely rare dog as both parent breeds need to feature this recessive colouration.
Finding a Black Wheaten Ridgeback can be extremely difficult, but not impossible. A pure black, wheaten Ridgeback has the darkest shade of the breed, although you won’t find one with a 100% solid black coat.
Although the body appears black, if you look closer, you can identify a few reddish hair tinges close to the roots. Therefore, Black Rhodesian Ridgebacks still technically have a dark wheaten coat.
Like black and tan Rhodesian Ridgebacks, both the dog parents need a dark black, wheaten coat to produce a black Ridgeback in their litter, making this a very rare dog.
The Australian National Kennel Council recognises Rhodesian Ridgebacks as light to dark wheaten. This kennel club also accepts Rhodesian Ridgebacks with a small amount of white hair on specific areas of the dog’s coat, such as the chest and toes.
However, it does not accept dogs with a full white belly, for example. For this reason, some black and tan Rhodesian Ridgebacks may not be accepted by the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC).
To make your dog hunt easy, settle for a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy with a standard wheat coat. This is by far the most common coat colour for this dog breed and, therefore, the easiest – and cheapest – shade of Ridgeback on the market.
Not only are pure silver, black and tan, or black Rhodesian Ridgebacks difficult to find, but breeders may charge more given how rare these shades are.
As with other dog breeds, Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies can have totally different coats from that of their adult coats. During the first few days of a Ridgeback’s life, their coat will either appear very light or very dark. If your Ridgeback features a particularly dark coat during puppyhood, they’ll likely grow a black, wheaten coat in adulthood, with hints of mahogany.
If your African Lion Hound has a light coat during their first few weeks, then your Ridgeback will most likely develop a pure wheat coat in later life.
You may notice a change in the dog’s hair within a few short weeks, which will continue to change for many months. At around the six-month mark, your puppy will settle on its adult coat.
This strong-willed dog breed makes the most of its one colour! Depending on random colourations and genetics, your ‘wheaten’ Ridgeback may appear very silver, pure black, or partially tan! Most commonly, a purebred Ridgeback will feature a wheaten coat denoting reddish tinges and yellowish hair.
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