Letter 1

Rhodesian Dog (Lion Dog) Club
Box 597, Bulawayo                    

5th February 1925

The Secretary
South African Kennel Union
Cape Town

I beg to advise you that a Club has been formed in Bulawayo to promote the interests, and encourage the breeding to a fixed standard, of the Ridgeback Lion Dog. This dog as you are doubtless aware, was used to a large extent by the big game hunters in this country in the early days for spooring wounded game and for holding up lions and big buck. The dog is known for his courage, loyalty, intelligence and dislike of strangers. He will in fact seldom have a friend except his master to whom he gives everything.

There is a  tendency towards deterioration in the breed owing to wrong mating or uncertainty as to the characteristics which should be developed or retained.

With the object of assisting breeders and to encourage them to proceed on similar line, my Committee has drawn up a standard for the breed, which I enclose for your information.

My Club is anxious to be affiliated to the SAKU, from whom it would seek recognition of the "Rhodesian Ridgeback (Lion Dog)" as one of the recognised breeds in South Africa.

I submit a copy of the rules of the Club for the information of your Committee and shall be obliged if you will favour me with their decision as early as possible.

If you have in your possession, or are able to acquire, any information as to the ancestry of this breed my Committee would be much obliged for the assistance. As far as we are aware the breed is unknown in Europe, and the only reference to its origin in South Africa is in Heal's History, where, in writing of the domesticated animals found by the early Dutch settlers amongst the Hottentots, he mentions a dog "an ugly creature, his body being shaped like that of a jackal and the hair on his spine being turned forward, but he was a faithful, serviceable animal of his kind".

Yours faithfully

FR Barnes
Hon. Secretary

Transcribed from a photocopy of the original document donated to the RRCWA by Pauline Sadler.