| About Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Mystic Ridge Rhodesian Ridgebacks are a medium-large, short haired, muscular, athletic hound. Originally developed in South Africa, the Ridgeback was an all-purpose plantation dog. They were used for hunting, herding, and protecting the family farm. Many different breeds were used in the development of this breed, the most noteable being the now extinct Hottentot dog, which gave the Rhodesian Ridgeback it's trademark ridge. While they can be an outstanding family companion, their independent nature, protective instinct and prey drive do not make them the ideal choice for everyone. In my opinion and experience, Ridgebacks need an owner who is willing and capable of providing them with the following... 1. Respect and Love, This breed will not react to situations the same as a Labrador Retriever. THey are intelligent and independent, yet aren't particularly known for their obedience. This is how they were able to perform the functions that they were developed for and is quite natural for them. However, if you need a dog that will listen to you 100%, all of hte time...this is not the breed for you. 2. Love, This one is pretty obvious. These dogs develop strong bonds with their people and need to be part of the family. Ridgebacks cannot be expected to live isolated from their family. 3. A clearly defined place in the family "pack" order, While this is true of any dog, it is particularly true of the Ridgeback with it's tendency to be dominate. If they see a vacancy in the leadership of the "pack", they will try to take over. This does not mean that they need a "heavy hand", rather that they need to have clearly defined rules to live by. 4. Proper training (positive motivation) While Ridgebacks are incredibly intelligent, their independent nature makes them more inclined to see commands as suggestions. This can make training more of a challenge than with some other breeds. The trick is to keep the training sessions short, kept it fun, fair and positive. Ridgebacks do not respond well to heavy handed, harsh training methods. They regard your relationship more as a partnership than a "master-dog" relationship. And you will just have to learn to live with the fact that there will be times when they just "blow you off". 5. Proper socialization and a lot of it, Because Ridgebacks tend to be more aloof with strangers than some more common breeds, and also because of their strong protective tendency...they needs as much socialization as you can give them. Think of it like filling a database with information, the more information you put in...the better decisions you'll be able to make with that information. 6. Mental stimulation, These are VERY smart dogs. And very smart dogs who become bored usually become destructive. 7. A fenced in yard (a real fence please, not an invisible one), Ridgebacks need a REAL fence (at least 4 foot). Because they have the prey drive and hunting instinct that they do, they WILL take off and hunt if hte opportunity arises. BEcause of this, they cannot be safely allowed off leash except for areas that are extremely safe and away from traffic, and then only after a reasonably reliable (see #4) recall has been established. Invisible fences are usually ineffective with these dogs, due to their size, intelligence and amount of prey drive...they will usually take the "hit" and keep going. 8. Plenty of exercise, While Ridgebacks have a distinct tendency to be "couch potatoes" in the house, they do need quite a bit of exercise to keep them healthy. Free running (only in safe areas, remember), walking, biking, rollerblading, etc. are all activities that can be done withe Ridgebacks. They are not particularly fond of water, so swimming is usually not an option. They also are not known to be good Frisbee or fetch dogs...they usually will look at you after the second throw like, "If you want it, why do you keep throwing it away?" About Mystic Ridge Rhodesian Ridgebacks Here at Mystic Ridge, I believe very strongly in dogs that are able to combine beauty, temperment, health and athletic ability into one "package". While I am active in conformation, coursing, and working with my breeding program, all of my dogs are my pets first and foremost. They live in the house with my family, sleep on our furniture and pester us at dinner time. I show my dogs to prove that they met the standard of conformation for the breed. I participate in lure coursing or do other performance sports with my dogs to prove their atheltic ability. And I do health checks (OFA hips/elbows and MSU thryoid panels) to keep my line as healthy as I possibly can. When I breed a litter, I do it by combining worthy dogs in an effort to improve the breed and my breeding program. I believe in keeping my program small in size but large in quality. I do feel that people need to do their research thoroughly if they are considering getting a Ridgeback, and to be discriminating in who they decide to purchase a puppy from. Ask a breeder why they bred those two particular dogs, theyt should be able to give an in-depth explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of each dog and how they compliment each other. Ask them about the health status of the dogs and of the breed in general...if they seem ignorant of or down play the presence of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, dermoid sinus, allergies and cancer, go elsewhere. IF they do not have a contract, again...go elsewhere. If you are interested in discussing my dogs or an upcoming litter, please feel free to e-mail me or call me (815-739-1662). I do require people to call, come and visit the dogs if you are within a reasonable driving distance, and to fill out a questionnaire and return it to me. I am picky about who I will let have one of my puppies, but I also want people to be sure that a Ridgeback is what they really want. I also feel that you are buying a breeder as well as a dog, so I want you to feel comforable with me and my dogs as your choice. Return to Mystic Ridge Home Page |