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Phu Quoc Ridgeback Resources

The PQRA has compiled a list of resources to help others begin their own research on the Phu Quoc Ridgeback breed. The resource library will include news and scientific journals as some resources on the breed's history and more.

Rare Breeds of the World

October 1939

by "Canis"

In the article by a writer by the pen name of "Canis," the Phu Quoc Ridgeback is described as one of the rarest breeds and includes early photographs of the breed. This is the first known mention of the breed in the U.S.

Another New-Comer

June 1944

by George L. Gilkey

In the article "Another New-Comer," George L. Gilkey talks about the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed and makes reference to the Phu Quoc Ridgeback as a potential ancestor.

Les Chiens de L'ile de Phu-Quoc / The Dogs of the Island of Phu Quoc

July 30, 1891

by Philipierre Fils, with excerpt from Fernand Doceul

translated to English by Dan Khanh Tran

translated to Vietnamese by Dung Tran

In one of the earliest articles on the breed, the magazine Le Chenil publishes the letter that Fernand Doceul sent to the Jardin d'Acclimatation along with his donated 3 examples of the breed (including two dogs known as Annamite and Kratie which are illustrated on the cover). He describes the dogs and his experience with them in detail.

Revue des Sciences Naturelles Appliquées / Journal of Applied Natural Sciences

Notes sur Les Chiens de L'ile de Phu-Quoc / Notes on the Dogs of the Phu-Quoc Island

Page 198-201

1892

by Emile Oustalet

Translated into Vietnamese by Như Ý

The J'ardin d'Acclimatation compiles notes on the breed, including the article in Le Chenil as well as a paper by Mr. Emile Oustalet who describes the breed, speculates about notes similarities to wild canids and considers a possibility that the Phu Quoc Ridgeback may share a common ancestor with the Australian Dingo. This is the same article as is posted in La Nature, November 1891.

La Chasse En Indochine / Hunting in Indochina

Chapter 2 : Hunting Dogs

Page 87-90

1913

by Lucien Roussel

Translated into English by Dan Khanh Tran

Lucien Roussel writes about 4 varieties of dogs specifically in relation to hunting in Vietnam, separately mentioning the Phu-Quoc Ridgeback and describing its ridge of fur and a medium, brindle hunting dog that is hardy and vigorous in the hunt that is very similar to the Phu Quoc Ridgeback today.

Bulletin de la Société des Études Indo-Chinoises de Saigon / Bulletin of the Society of Indo-Chinese Studies in Saigon

Chiens Sauvages de Cochinchine — Chiens de Phu-Quoc / Wild Dogs of Indochina — Phu-Quoc Dogs

1899

by Dr. J.C. Baurac

Translated into English by Dan Khanh Tran

Dr. J.C. Baurac writes about 2 Vietnamese breeds, mentioning a sort of wolf-like 'wild dog' that hunts in packs and then going on to describe the Phu Quoc Ridgeback in amazing detail for the Society of Indo-China Studies in Saigon in 1899.

Les Races de Chiens : leurs origines, points, descriptions, types, qualités, aptitudes et défauts. Tome 3 

Dog Breeds: their origins, points, descriptions, types, qualities, aptitudes and faults. Volume 3 / by Count Henri de Bylandt

1897

by Count Henri de Bylandt

Count Henri de Bylandt lists the Phu Quoc Ridgeback as "Lévrier Phu Quoc" in a book of breeds along with a vague standard of the breed as they know it. He includes the image of Annamite and Kratie seen at the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris, France, and an image of Mango owned by Mr. Gaston Helouin Helfaut.

The New Book of the Dog; a comprehensive natural history of British dogs and their foreign relatives, with chapters on law, breeding, kennel management, and veterinary treatment

The Phu Quoc Dog

page 494

1911

by Robert Leighton

Robert Leighton briefly writes about the Phu Quoc Ridgeback in The New Book of the Dog, including a picture of a dog that is thought to be a Phu Quoc Ridgeback or Phu Quoc Ridgeback mix. He includes a translated standard based off of Count Henri de Bylandt's description in Les Races de Chiens, but disagrees in Count Henri's judgement of the breed as a hound. He mentions many European dogs being on the island, evidencing early admixture of the breed.

Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History

The Phu-Quoc Dog

page 414-415

1902

Published by Hutchinson & Co, London

The Phu Quoc Ridgeback is mentioned in Animal Life, alongside two photographs of the dogs, provided by the Marquis de Barthelemy and Mr. H.C. Brooke. The Marquis notes that since the French colonization of Vietnam, the breed had become very rare, even in its country of origin. 

Dogs of All Nations

Phu Quoc Greyhound

page 103

1867

by Mason, Walter Esplin

The Phu Quoc Ridgeback, noted in the book as the Phu Quoc Greyhound, is listed under the category of "Various Greyhounds" and briefly describes the breed as they know it at the time.

The Franco-Annamite Alliance Newspaper

page 2

June 26, 1932

by Coursing Society 

A Coursing Club in Vietnam announces their desire to host a dog show featuring all accepted breeds, as well as a variety of miscellaneous East Asian breeds, including the Phu Quoc Ridgeback.

VKA / Vietnamese Kennel Association

Searching for the "identity" of the Phu Quoc Dog - Chapter 4: A Warning From a Hundred Years Ago

August 5, 2011

by an unlisted writer with the VKA

translated to English by Chau B. Vu and edited by Dan Khanh Tran

While digging into the history, breed enthusiasts learn about historical versions of the breed and desired traits of the breed from hunters on the island, and note warnings of extinction of the breed from late 19th century records by French travelers.

Travel Journal of Anusorn Supmanue

In Search of the Thai Ridgeback Dog’s History
From the Travel Journal of Mr. Anusorn Supmanu

July 28, 1997

Translated summary from Thai to English by Panuchai “Pop” Praditbatuga

A summary of Opening the Travel Journal to Discuss the Tracing of the Thai Ridgeback Dogs: From Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. This article in Nature & Pet Magazine, Year 3, Volume 24 was written by Anusorn Supmanue in 1987-1990 about his journey to the island, including vintage photos of the dogs.

Canine Genetics and Epidemiology

Development and validation of a diagnostic test for Ridge allele copy number in Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs

January 27, 2015

Jennifer Turner Waldo and Kasandra Santana Diaz

Researchers studying the ridge allele in the Rhodesian Ridgeback provides a rapid and accurate methodology for determining dog genotype with respect to the Ridge allele through DNA testing.

Vietnam Journal of Biotechnology

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity of Phu Quoc Ridgeback Dogs Based on Mitochondrial DNA Hypervariable-1 Region

January 24, 2016

Chung Anh Dung, Huynh Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Tu, Thai Ke Quan, Tran Hoang Dung and Tran Ngoc Trinh

Researchers from Saigon University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University and the Institute of Agricultural Science for Southern Vietnam work together to make discoveries about the Phu Quoc Ridgeback's DNA and the high frequency of the rare E haplogroup in the breed.

International Journal of Agricultural Technology

Based Zoometric Description of Adult Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog (Canis familiaris)

September 2019

Chung, A. D., Nguyen, T. C., Quan, Q. D., Tran, B. H. and Tran, H. D.

Vietnamese researchers evaluate the average body heights and weights for 175 Phu Quoc Ridgeback dogs to compare the breed to the previously (incorrect) recorded sizes in old French and English records. These results are considered in the PQRA's current standards.

Natural Science / Khoa học Tự nhiên

Determining the Frequency of Homozygous and Heterozygous Genotypes of the Phu Quoc Ridgeback with real-time PCR

October 27, 2017

Chung Anh Dung, Pham Cong Hoat, Quan Quoc Dang, and Tran Hoang Dung

Vietnamese researchers study the frequency of homozygosity in the Phu Quoc Ridgeback's ridge gene. They conclude that the amount of homozygous specimens is rising and could be a concern due to the linkage to the dermoid sinus cyst.

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