The Rhodesian Ridgeback, also referred to as the African Lion Dog, is a native of South Africa; former Rhodesia and present day Zimbabwe. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, Dutch, Germans, and Huguenots immigrated to South Africa, bringing with them their families and their dogs.  These dogs included Danes, Mastiffs, Terriers, Bloodhounds and others. They discovered that the local Hottentot tribes possessed a half wild dog which they hunted with on the African veldt.  This dog was capable of withstanding drastic changes in climate, traveling all day, and going a full twenty-four hours  without water, if necessary.  The Hottentot dog was short haired, and resistant to local insects and ticks.  He was a strong, quiet hunter, rarely barking, possessing keen eyesight and a good nose for scent.  The Hottentot dog had one unusual feature that set it apart from all others, and that was a ridge of hair that grew up its spine in the opposite direction from the rest of its coat. An early written account of this semi-domesticated camp dog is included in Dr. Livingstone's memoirs, including a sketch of this small dog with a pronounced ridge.

In 1707, South Africa was closed to immigration from Europe for more than one hundred years.  The settlers who went to Rhodesia could no longer bring in new blood lines for their dogs.  They had discovered that the Hottentot dog was supremely suited to the conditions of the African veldt.  Over time, the settlers started to cross breed the Hottentot dog with the dogs they had brought from Europe.  They noticed that these dogs became excellent hunters, possessed a good disposition, and were a loyal companion to family and flocks.  The settlers became more selective in their breeding, and in 1926 the Rhodesian Ridgeback was accepted by the South African Kennel Union as a pure breed.  The Rhodesian Ridgeback still possesses a ridge, keen scent and eyesight, and remarkable intelligence; but even more importantly is a devoted and loyal family member, known to be gentle with children.