Things to Know Before You Buy a Rhodesian Ridgeback Although Rhodesian Ridgebacks are still a relatively rare breed (about 2,000 AKC registrations per year, compared to 50,000 for breeds such as Rottweiler, Doberman, Labrador Retriever), there are quite a few reputable breeders who are members of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States (RRCUS), and subscribe to the RRCUS Code of Ethics (PDF document).