Thailand’s legacy to American pets has long been the Siamese cat. Well, welcome the distinctive new four-legged kid on the block.
Sporting a velvet-like blue coat, a clearly defined ridge on her back, 7-month-old Manee is one of only an estimated 25 Thai ridgeback dogs in the United States.
Owned by Ed and Lora Black of Edmonds, Wash., Chinese Shar-pei breeders, Manee hasn’t missed a beat since entering their household last month.
The dog, along with seven others, was flown in January from Thailand to San Francisco for Jack Sterling, who purchased the eight puppies during a trip to the Southeast Asia country.
All were in quarantine 30 days, moved to Phoenix and later Mesa, Ariz., with Sterling. And now Edmonds, Wash.
“She’s still a very young dog in a very foreign environment,” says Black. “At home, she’s adapting well to the Shar-peis and our two cats. She nuzzles right alongside Muffin, our 2 1/2-year-old Shar-pei, or will join Lora or myself on the couch.”
Unusual rare breed
After an older Shar-pei of the Blacks died three months ago, Ed decided he’d like to find something unusual.
A friend saw a Thai ridgeback at a rare-breed show in San Diego, phoned Black and described the animal.
“It sounded intriguing,” he says.
The friend directed him to Sterling, who sent a videotape and brochure. Sterling helped popularize the pharaoh hound and Shar-pei in this country.
Shortly afterward, Black doled out $1,500 for Manee, a bargain compared to today’s price tags of $2,000 to $2,500.
“I’m usually not the type of person who spends that kind of money for a dog sight unseen,” Black says. “But after viewing the tape and reading the brochure, I became so intrigued I decided to take a gamble.”
Any regrets?
“None whatsoever,” he replies, “although it wasn’t a situation of what you see is what you get. The ridgebacks in the videotape were much better socialized than Manee, or I’m sure any of the seven others he brought over from Thailand.”
Manee cowers and seeks refuge when in public.
“If she’d been kenneled much longer, there’s no telling how it might have affected her personality,” he says.
To encourage her self-confidence, Black gets her out in public as often as possible. During walks around downtown Edmonds, the Blacks are stopped regularly by passersby, inquiring: “What kind of dog is that?” or remarking, “What a beautiful color.”
To boost the 34-pound dog’s confidence, Black plans to enroll Manee in an obedience class soon.
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“She needs to be around other dogs and people more,” he adds.
Providing she becomes more self-assured, Manee may be shown at an area rare-breed show this summer.
“I’m not gonna push her,” says Black. “She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”
One of the new owners’ concerns is establishing a registry soon.
“I’m trying to find out where all of Sterling’s dogs have gone,” he says. “Once a registry base is set up, owners can begin making some breeding decisions.”
Manee’s silver blue is one of three primary breed coat colors. The others are chestnut red (the deeper, the better) and pure black. Males weigh 50-60 pounds, females 40-50. Height at the withers is 24-26 inches for males, 22-24 for females.
Because of its ultra-short, pliable coat, the Thai ridgeback needs a jacket when venturing outside in cold, damp northern climates, a far cry from the warm, humid weather of its homeland.
Reared as watchdog
Developed in Eastern Thailand as a guard and escort, it is a muscular animal with all the makings of a decathlete–endurance, agility, climbing and jumping prowess.
It is reared as a watchdog there, where houses in rural areas are not fenced and owners are far removed from the house while working their land.
“She hasn’t snapped at anyone,” adds Black. “She’s fine with children, as long as they don’t make any sudden, quick or loud moves toward her. With strangers, she needs time to establish a comfort zone.”
“The reason why the Thai ridgeback is not as famous as the Siamese cat is because wealthy city residents prefer cats to dogs,” says Sterling, in a profile brochure, which characterizes the breed as “clever, fierce, freedom-loving” and somewhat shy.
Its trademark is the ridge on the back, which is formed by the hair growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The standard calls for the ridge to be clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical. It begins immediately behind the shoulders of the compact canine and continues to a point of prominence between the hips.
“It’s gonna be interesting to see how she develops,” says Black. “This is gonna be one of those cases where you get exactly what you put into it. I see all sorts of potential in her, it’s just a matter of coaxing it out with some careful nurturing.”
It’s called character-building.