Thai Ridgeback puppies

About the Thai Ridgeback

The Thai Ridgeback spent centuries as an isolated village and hunting dog in eastern Thailand, kept to hunt small game and guard homes, and it carries a ridge of hair growing forward along the spine. It is a muscular, athletic dog of 51 to 61 cm with a short smooth coat and almost no undercoat. Temperament is primitive in the useful sense: independent, constantly aware of its surroundings, affectionate with its household, reserved with visitors, and a serious climber and jumper.

Daily exercise matters, and it should include problem solving as well as walking. Grooming is minimal, an occasional brush with more when the coat drops once or twice a year. The thin coat means the dog feels the cold. Training needs patience and reward, since this breed will weigh up whether a request is worth obeying. Fencing has to be high and solid. The common mistake is under socialising a naturally aloof dog and then blaming the breed for the result.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Thai Ridgeback puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Dermoid sinus, a skin tube along the spine found by careful examination of puppies
• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Skin allergies and demodectic mange, diagnosed by veterinary skin scrapes and allergy testing

From Thai Ridgeback breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/thai-ridgeback/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Thai Ridgeback puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Thai Ridgeback.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 34 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other medium breeds

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