Which breed was originally bred to hunt lions in Africa?

The Rhodesian Ridgeback was originally bred in Southern Africa to help hunt lions.

Its ancestors included ridged hunting and guardian dogs associated with the Khoikhoi people. European settlers crossed these local dogs with breeds such as Greyhounds, Mastiffs, Great Danes, and Bloodhounds, selecting for endurance, courage, tracking ability, and the toughness needed in southern Africa.

The dogs did not usually kill lions themselves. Their role was to track and bay the animal, darting in and out to keep it distracted or at a distance until the hunter arrived. This is why the breed was once called the “African Lion Hound” or “van Rooyen’s lion dog.” It was also used against boar and other large game and as a farm guardian.

The modern breed standard was drafted by F. R. Barnes in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, in 1922 and approved by the South African Kennel Union in 1927. The ridge of hair growing backward along its spine remains its defining feature.