PetzloverSouthern Hound is originated from United Kingdom but Thai Ridgeback is originated from Thailand. Southern Hound may grow 10 cm / 4 inches higher than Thai Ridgeback. Southern Hound may weigh 7 kg / 16 pounds more than Thai Ridgeback. Both Southern Hound and Thai Ridgeback has almost same life span. Southern Hound may have more litter size than Thai Ridgeback. Southern Hound requires Low Maintenance. But Thai Ridgeback requires Moderate Maintenance
The Southern Hound hails from England and is a breed of dog that existed sometime in the 19th century.
There isn’t much information available as to the time the dog became extinct. Some people believe that other breeds were bred with the dog until the true Southern Hound bloodline no longer existed. It was a breed of scent hound, and had an excellent sense of smell.
Known also as the Old English Hound, it was during the 18th century that the Southern Hound’s popularity waned and other kinds of hounds became more prominent.
While the Southern Hound has been extinct for decades, there is still some of this dog breed found in modern day breed.
It s believed that the Southern Hound has been used in the development of the Beagle and the Bloodhound as you can see the similarities.
Until recently the Thai Ridgeback was not known outside of its native land. However, after being recently recognized as a standard breed, the dogs are getting some notice from the western world. They are one of three known ridgeback breeds with the ridge running the opposite direction of the rest of her fur. The other breeds with this characteristic are the better known Rhodesian Ridgeback and the even lesser known Phu Quoc Ridgeback.
The Thai Ridgeback is believed to have originated in eastern Thailand but there is no documentation of their actual history. The breed is thought to be descended from the Funan Ridgeback based on a genetic hypothesis. It is thought that the same Funan Ridgeback is an ancestor od the Phu Quoc Dog. This Funan Ridgeback lived over a century ago. Along with the Rhodesian Ridgeback, all have a common ridgebearing ancestor.
It is still unknown where the original ridge came from but it has been shown that all of the ridgeback dogs have the same genetic mutation and even though the Rhodisian is from Africa, there is not a parallel mutation. The Thai Ridgeback is an active, energetic, tough dog. He is loyal, intelligent, and has great jumping ability.
The Southern Hound was a large, solidly built, deep chested dog with a square head and a longish muzzle. He stood at between 58-71 cm in height and weighed 25 – 41kg.
The Southern Hound had long, wide floppy ears, much like the Basset Hound of today. The tail was fairly long and curved upright. It was known for its deep melodious voice, much like the Bloodhound we have today.
It had excellent scenting abilities and was used to follow the trail of its prey. The coat of the Southern Hound was short and smooth and it is believed that the most common colors for the coat were white with black or brown markings, making it a tricolor dog.
Used to being on the hunt with other dogs, there is no doubt that the Southern Hound wasn’t aggressive towards other dogs and that he knew how to get along with them. It’s a dog that was dedicated to to the hunt and was bred to work, known for its stamina and endurance.
The dog didn’t possess strong herding or protective instincts and it is thought that it wasn’t kept as a companion dog. Because of the breeds used to develop this dog, it is assumed that it was a non-aggressive, friendly dog.
The breed is medium in size and muscular in body. They have a wedge shaped head, a short coat that is smooth and pricked, triangular ears. The ridge on his back is pronounced as the hair grows away from the rest of the coat from the hips to the withers. Puppies can be born with or without the ridge. They are extremely agile. With what is often called a sword tail being carried up, the Ridgeback has wrinkles on his forehead, a black tongue or the tongue has black marks, and almond shaped eyes.
The coat sheds minimally and is dense, while the eyes are usually brown – in blue dogs they can be amber. The color of the coat is fawn, red, black or blue with a black mask on the reds. There are 8 different ridge patterns: Feather, violin, saddleback, needle, arrow, bowling pin, lute, and leaf. The broader the ridge the better the dog is considered for show.
There are two epistatic genes that determine the ridge and its size. The more genes of this type the individual dog has, the broader the ridge will be. There must be a dominant gene for the ridge to appear at all.
The Southern Hound is no longer in existence, which is a pity as it seems as though he may have made an excellent pet in modern times.
They were a playful breed, loyal, gentle and affectionate and no doubt made a good watchdog too, although it is thought that his protective instincts weren’t good.
They aren’t dogs recommended for city living, but it seems according to the few records there are of this dog that he could have made a reliable, loving pet to have around.
The Southern Hound had drop ears which would have made him prone to ear infections. This is because unlike dogs with erect ears, air isn’t able to circulate into the ear and the inside of the ear become a breeding place for bacteria.
The dog may have had to deal with Cherry Eye too. This eye problem affects the tear gland in the third eyelid. It needs to be treated so as to avoid long term eye problems. This is also because exposure of the tissue can bring on swelling, inflammation and infection.
With such a mysterious origin, there are not a lot of documented episodes of genetic illness as the breed has been isolated in Thailand and natural selection has driven reproduction. There are only a few issues that they are genetically predisposed to. These include:
• Dermoid Sinus – this is a genetic skin condition known as pilonidal sinus as well. This is a defect in the neural tube and the sinus might be removed. If the sinus is wrapped around the spinal cord and cannot be removed it can be tied off.
• Bloat – can be terminal if not treated as soon as possible. Bloat is a distension of the stomach and intestines which can twist and tangle, killing the dog almost immediately without veterinary attention.
Because this dog was once used as a hunting dog, they were accustomed to large open spaces. He would have required a fair amount of exercise. They would have needed a walk every day if he wasn't involved in a hunt that day.
The Southern Hound had a short coat and in those days he probably would have needed to be brushed once or twice a week.
The Southern Hound would have required top quality food to support his energy. If in that time there has been commercially manufactured food, it would have had to be the better quality ones. Today if you were feeding the Southern Hound you would check out the ingredients on the packaging and go for the dog foods with wholesome, natural ingredients in them.
No doubt the owners of these dogs provided their dogs with raw and cooked meat. If you had a Southern Hound today you would try to include some home-made food for him which would be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super nutritious.
The Southern Hound would have required a constant supply of fresh, cool water within his reach.
1. Feeding the Puppy - Don’t over feed the puppy as they are inclined to become obese. Feed a high quality protein rich puppy for medium breeds. Feed in 3-4 smaller meals per day. As he grows be aware of bloat possibilities.
2. Feeding the adult dog - The risk of bloat is even greater in the adult and so is the risk of obesity. Don’t feed large meals and don’t feed before or after strenuous exercise. Feed in 2 smaller meals per day.
4. Games and Exercises – Energetic and needs serious exercise. She loves to swim, retrieve, hike, hunt, and catch frisbees. Likes search and rescue and guard dog work.