Welcome! My name is Tesla and I'm a Rhodesian Ridgeback; a sighthound that originated in South Africa and was used by owners to help hunt game (including lions), guard the family farm, and be a family companion. A Ridgeback also needed to be able to withstand the rigors of the African bush (i.e., temperature extremes, lack of water, brush and burrs, ticks, etc.). The "ridge" is a strip of hair along my spine that grows in the opposite direction of my body hair.

After researching the various dog breeds, my human mom and dad chose a Ridgeback because:

• they are a medium to large size dog; females are 24-26 inches at the withers (shoulder) and 65-80 pounds
• they are an extremely clean dog with little body odor and minimal shedding of their short coat
• they have a quiet, gentle temperament
• they rarely bark; and when they do bark, you should investigate
• they are very laid back indoors; most owners refer to them as couch potatoes
• they are energetic outdoors; easily able to go for a long walk or run with their owner
• they are good with children and other dogs, and even cats (I guess as long as the cat is not a lion)
• they are very intelligent and of above-average trainability for a hound

Continue your trek through the turf to find out how much of this is true :-)  or stop and take a quick look at my vital statistics and pedigree.