The Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback has a
delightful nature. He is a faithful, one person or one family dog, and his
friendship, once given, is for life. The Ridgeback is very affectionate and
likes to lean on you, lie on your feet or sit on your lap if permitted. He is
extremely loyal to those he loves, but distinctly offhand with strangers and
quite disinterested in anyone outside his chosen circle. He is placid and easy
going, putting up with endless torment from children, as well as being highly
intelligent and quick to learn. He is happy to participate fully in family
activities, but is equally content to laze around all day if there is nothing
better to do. The Ridgeback is an excellent guard and his deep bark warns
intruders to keep away from his property.
No single breed of dog ideally suits
everyone and there are aspects of the Ridgeback character which may not appeal
to some people. Most Ridgebacks are independent and stubborn: if you give them
an order when they would prefer to be doing something else you will probably
not get instant results.
Servility plays no part in the
temperament of this breed but if you want the rewarding companionship of a dog
that has spirit and considers himself your equal rather than your slave, then
this is the dog for you.
History of the Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a native
of
Dermoid Sinus
This genetic condition is a fine tube
of skin growing down from the surface of the back to the spine, and may be hard
to detect in young puppies. Experienced breeders and some vets can detect it at
birth. All detected puppies are euthanased, as the sinus can become infected
and extremely difficult to remove, resulting in costly and very traumatic
surgery.
Exercise
Puppies should only be lightly
exercised to start with as they are growing and the joints are not set and are
very vulnerable. Once a puppy is 6 months of age, it can go for longer walks.
When the pup is 10 months of age he/she will be able to take a fair amount of
exercise but it will not be until it is 18 months of age that it can do serious
exercise such as alongside a pushbike for several kilometres.
A Ridgeback is a well muscled lean
animal and should not carry any fat. You should see the outline of the ribcage
when the dog is moving. If you cannot see the outline of the ribs, then the dog
is too fat!
Worming
Puppies should be wormed at 2, 4, 8
and 12 weeks of age and thereafter every three months. The product we use is
Bay-O-Pet *Drontal All Wormer. With a Ridgeback it is easiest to administer in
a piece of meat or cheese - it will soon be swallowed down. We also strongly
recommend that pups are started on heartworm tablets as soon as your vet
advises this should be done.
Obedience
All dogs need obedience. As the
Ridgeback is a large dog, correct training is a must. This not only teaches the
dog the correct way to go about things, but more importantly it teaches you how
to handle the dog in different situations. Obedience is also very good for
socialisation for both you and the dog. If you keep your dog isolated from
people and other dogs, you will have trouble on your hands when the dog is
fully grown. Obedience is a wonderful way for you to bond with your dog and
establish yourself as the leader. It teaches your dog to get on with other dogs
and behave itself in crowd situations. As a responsible Rhodesian Ridgeback
owner, PLEASE go to the obedience school which is near you. Ours is a wonderful
breed and we don't want its reputation ruined by an uncontrollable and
unsocialised dog.