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 South Africa descending from a variety of European breeds which were bred with the wild, ridged dogs of the Hottentot tribes. The Boer farmers originally bred this breed as a multi purpose companion who would hunt, bring down game for food and protect their homes from predators. These ridged dogs became well known above all others for their ability to keep a lion at bay with a combination of speed, agility, cunning and bravery. The ridge has become the breed's identifying mark.

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.