The Ridge is the HALLMARK ( Escutcheon) of the breed, its the single most important identifying characteristic. Since the ridge,though not functional,is the identifying mark of the breed.
The ridge on the back which is formed by the hair growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The ridge MUST Be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed.
The ridge should be clearly defined,tapering and symmetrical. It should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue to a point between the prominence of the hips. The ridge should contain two identical crowns opposite each other. the lower edges of the crowns should not extend further down the ridge than one third of the ridge.