The Khoikhoi people who lived in the Cape Peninsula when the Dutch began trading with the area during the mid 17th century, had a hunting dog which was described as ugly, but noted for its ferocity when acting as a guard dog. This dog measured approximately 18 inches (46 cm) at the withers, with a lean but muscular frame. Van Rooyen saw Helm's pair of bitches and decided to breed his own dogs with them to incorporate their guarding abilities. It is not known if these two first direct ancestors of Rhodesian Ridgebacks had dorsal hair pattern ridges themselves, but they founded the Rhodesian Ridgeback bloodline, so either carried the trait or it was added from other Boer dogs and hybrids with Khoikhoi ridgebacks which van Rooyen bred into his lines over many trials then generations.After trying pointers and Airedales, crossing with collies gave van Rooyen the best lion hunters, as his son Cornelis Jr. tells us.
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