Some breed parent clubs and canine registries in Europe have even made the culling of ridgeless whelps a requirement. Although the Rhodesian Ridgeback's bird hunting prowess has been well known throughout the breed's history (the original description from the South African parent club belabors this point in fact), it is important to note that the 'gundog' classification made in 1920s Southern Rhodesia and South Africa was not specifically about bird hunting. To understand this it is necessary to understand the union's classification system at that time.