Rhodesian Ridgebacks...........Good Hounds? or just Guard Dog? [Archive]

buck nash

01-30-2012, 11:54 PM

Great dogs. Incredibly athletic, fiercely devoted, brave and make fantastic pets.

I got mine from the pound when she was about 6mo old. She was by far the most destructive dog I've ever owned. She ate everything in my house and yard. She had some serious separation anxiety when left alone, but I'm sure most of that stems from being a pound dog. She was foung on granville street and had an irrational fear of squeegies. She was also terrified of cars. I had to pretty much drag her into the car and once we were driving she was an extremely nervous passenger. She used to duck if we went under a bridge or low hanging tree. The time we went through a carwash with her in the car was hilarious, never saw a dog freak out like that before.

It toook her a few months to settle in but she came around and has proven to be an awesome family pet, great with other pets and kids. protective but not overly protective which can be more problematic than not protective. She was a super high energy dog when she was young,but she's smart and has been pretty easy to train. She's 10 now but doesn't look like it. She's mellow when she's is the house but she runs with the puppies when she hits the field.

We never tried too hard to train her as a hound but I think It could've been done with the right trainer and more effort /time on my part. She's very responsive to verbal commands even when she's playing hard, she'll stop in her tracks the instant you call her name or whistle.

As for beng a sight hound, its true she certainly leans more in that direction but she uses her nose and ears pretty effectively too.

It was really hard to get her to swim and she was a terible swimmer at first. I don't know if its a trait of the breed but swimming did not come naturally to her. It looked like she was trying to crawl out of the water. But once she got the hang of it, she was a strong swimmer and loves the water.

Summary: Great dogs that work hard but require hard work. Probably doubly hard if she's already a year and a half old.
Super family dogs but not for the couch potatoe family

91Jason91

01-31-2012, 03:19 AM

i believe ridgebacks were bred, or used for lion hunting in africa. i would say it would be a lot of work to train a dog at that age but not imposible.

ya thats what they are used for, if lions come into a village the dogs will take down the lion or chase it away, At my fams cabin at the lake when I was little we had good fam friends up there and the one guy was a dog man for the police and he had his police dog with him. We were playing water gun fights on the dock at the lake and the police dog came and pinned me and my cuz to the ground the the Ridgeback came flying in and shitkicked this shepard until the parents came.
It will not back down from anything. And am big into mt biking the the dog will come with me and Run full out as fast as it can for ever! without being tired!

91Jason91

01-31-2012, 03:30 AM

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v5118/100/1/709785011/n709785011_7414019_8372761.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/224583_10150721504365012_709785011_19768688_482193 5_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/294307_10150740654440012_709785011_20019560_292233 3_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/248861_10150631172170181_802045180_18977746_346411 0_n.jpg
uncle with his
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/222277_10150579677680181_802045180_18424751_903762 _n.jpg

91Jason91

01-31-2012, 03:33 AM

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/6769_230814680180_802045180_7845214_6978147_n.jpg
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/6769_230813750180_802045180_7845202_5335186_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/283570_10150721502655012_709785011_19768666_200908 6_n.jpg

SPILTZ

01-31-2012, 10:28 AM

Thanks guys soo far for the replies, yeah shes been pretty good to us!! lots of energy for sure! Ironically after i wrote the the original post last night, we were sitting on the couch watching tv relaxing, while Emma was outside doing her "duties" and all of a sudden we hear a ton of barking and commotion, my gf was on the phone so she didnt hear it at first but i jumped up and ran outside,it was pitch black and Emma was chasing something then stopped once she saw me come out. She came in with all her hair standing right up and pacing. First we were very happy for what she did cause she was gaurding the house, and for me it, it made me happy! as I work away in camp. But she actaully managed to get a cut above her eye, right through the flesh......anyways we arent too sure what it was out there but I think it was a rabbit or maybe a racoon.

As for her behaviors, shes super friendly to people, but for some reason, back packs freak her out a little, but shes started to grow through that phase. Also Bicycles were also a problem but now she has got past that too. She absolutely loves the SNOW and SAND.......but the water is a bit of an issue, she will go in up to her stomach/chest and a little above, but no swimming yet but We have reasearched that they arent much of a water dog! She also Fetches which is also not a ridgeback characteristic.

I dont think my gf would let me take her cougar hunting because I think it just scares her if anything happend to the dog, I dont cant really comment too much about cougar hunting though as I dont know too much about it, or dont know anyone with hounds. but I was thinking more like duck/ pheasant hunting in a field........just let her go out and "spook" out the birds and let us fire away.......

Anyways thanks for all the posts soo far! and once I become more proficient with this site I will try and post some pics !

Stone Sheep Steve

01-31-2012, 10:36 AM

Heard they don't like the cold too much at least for extended periods. Not sure where you live.

SSS

FirePower

01-31-2012, 10:45 AM

I was hoping to find out if ridgebacks are good hounds and how hard would it be to train a 1 1/2 yr old one?

Thanks for any help/advice in advance!

To answer your first question, my brother-in-law is a professional hunter(guide) in Tanzania and there are a goodly number used to run big cats over there including lion. They are however a much diffrent type of dog than the ones I have encountered here, akin to the UK/US lab split. As to the second part of your question a large amount would hinge on what the dog had or hadn't had done with it in those 1 1/2 yrs and its temprement etc. Perhaps if you could have a local houndsman evaluate it the questions woild be answered.

Good Luck

91Jason91

01-31-2012, 11:05 PM

Heard they don't like the cold too much at least for extended periods. Not sure where you live.

SSS

Lol of course they dont like the cold they are african hahhahaha

buck nash

02-01-2012, 06:51 PM

Wow 91jason91 that dog is like a clone of jezebel.http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=26333&cat=500

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=26332&title=jez&cat=500
Spilts my ridgey will fetch until she can't walk anymore.

shed-hunter1

02-01-2012, 09:33 PM

had one crossed with a bluetick when i was younger he was know as the cougar fighter he wasnt the best at treeing but was the best back up dog ever when the cat was up

Bow Walker

02-02-2012, 11:38 AM

Good Old Outdoors

02-02-2012, 11:55 AM

Saw one down on Island View Beach yesterday. Beautiful dog. It was 2 yrs old, according to its owner, and it was full of beans. Played with my 2 yr old rescued dog for quite a while. Seemed very gentle and full of fun.

Both my dogs are in the 50 lb range - this Ridgeback was at least twice that weight yet was still not over powering or aggressive at all.
This is good to know, My fiance are looking for a family type dog that i can bring in the bush, go shed hunting, camping etc. The debate so far has dwindled down to either a black or choc lab or a ridgeback. Both sound good with kids(hopefully that wont be fore at least 3-4 years) and i need a dog that can come for runs with me. Anyone know where to get them? I know there are some on the SPCA every now and again....

SPILTZ

02-02-2012, 07:04 PM

This is good to know, My fiance are looking for a family type dog that i can bring in the bush, go shed hunting, camping etc. The debate so far has dwindled down to either a black or choc lab or a ridgeback. Both sound good with kids(hopefully that wont be fore at least 3-4 years) and i need a dog that can come for runs with me. Anyone know where to get them? I know there are some on the SPCA every now and again....

Good Old Outdoors- everyone that we have talked to that has had them usually say their pretty happy with their Ridgeback. Ours is definetly loyal and super friendly. Basically the reasons why you are looking for them are the same reasons myself and my girlfriend got one. Shes been pretty good around children, we just arent sure about young young children as we havent brought her around too many babies yet. But I'm sure she'll be fine. As for outdoorsy and lots of energy, I took ours for a hard and fast 15km bike ride and when we finished, she looked up at me as if " Thats it, thats all you got" kind of look....lol but thats why we chose her. To get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors and have a dog that can keep up or even better!. As for trainning, its takes some patience and hardwork, but most dogs do.....but it has payed off, which is why I am curious to know if it would be worth trying her at some hounds work! As for size, ours is 85lbs at just under 2 years of age so shes a bit bigger than the labs she plays with and we believe she will put on some more weight eventually.

As for a Breeder.......We live on the Van Island and got ours just south of Nanaimo....Shambaridge Rhodesian Ridgeback Kennel. When we were looking for ours, there was wait lists all over BC for ridgebacks breeders, so if you want one be quick to get on a list!

Cheers. Hope that helps a bit.

IF anyone lives on the island and has a ridgeback and wants to meet up let me know as we've only seen her play with one other ridgeback which was awesome!

Good Old Outdoors

02-03-2012, 12:54 AM

Good Old Outdoors- everyone that we have talked to that has had them usually say their pretty happy with their Ridgeback. Ours is definetly loyal and super friendly. Basically the reasons why you are looking for them are the same reasons myself and my girlfriend got one. Shes been pretty good around children, we just arent sure about young young children as we havent brought her around too many babies yet. But I'm sure she'll be fine. As for outdoorsy and lots of energy, I took ours for a hard and fast 15km bike ride and when we finished, she looked up at me as if " Thats it, thats all you got" kind of look....lol but thats why we chose her. To get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors and have a dog that can keep up or even better!. As for trainning, its takes some patience and hardwork, but most dogs do.....but it has payed off, which is why I am curious to know if it would be worth trying her at some hounds work! As for size, ours is 85lbs at just under 2 years of age so shes a bit bigger than the labs she plays with and we believe she will put on some more weight eventually.

As for a Breeder.......We live on the Van Island and got ours just south of Nanaimo....Shambaridge Rhodesian Ridgeback Kennel. When we were looking for ours, there was wait lists all over BC for ridgebacks breeders, so if you want one be quick to get on a list!

Cheers. Hope that helps a bit.

IF anyone lives on the island and has a ridgeback and wants to meet up let me know as we've only seen her play with one other ridgeback which was awesome!

My Inlaws have a ridgeback but this one is no prime example of a brilliant dog lol she is lazy, fat, and DUMB lol but she gets in to houng mode once she can see a neighborhood cat. I will see what i can do for getting on and finding the breeders lists out here. Thanks for the info

GOO

Ridgeback Fan

02-08-2012, 11:37 AM

Ridgebacks were originally bred as sight hounds....not scent hounds. They are known for having a lot of heart - and I have no doubt they'd put the run on a bear or a lion. Not sure how well they would do tracking, I think sight hounds tend to run with their heads higher than scent hounds.

Classifying Ridgeback as sighthounds is only one of several competing classification theories for the breed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback
The classification that makes the most sense to me is the "cur dog" classification because this conforms best the original purpsoe of Ridgeback as an all purpose farm dog. They were used as much for protecting farms and livestock from cats as they were for hunting them. Also, if you have a look at people who are using Ridgebacks for hog hunting in places like Australia, you will find that they are actually renowned for their scenting ability. However, they are silent trackers and so it is not always so easy to tell when they are on scent.

The problem I had before I bought my dog was finding a breeder who was breeding working dogs.These guys are out there, but they are primarily overseas (Australia and Africa for the most part) and I had a really tough time getting in touch with anyone who had a pup, was willing to go to the trouble of shipping a dog, etc. I ended up getting a male from a show breeder and he is a fantastic dog, but does not have that much hunt in him, although I can't say if this is because I never really exposed him to it or not. I never have as much time as I think I will for that kind of thing.

At the end of the day, my experience with the breed is that you could do just about anything with them other than use them in cold weather. They hate the cold.

Blk Arrow

02-08-2012, 05:06 PM

My wife grow up with Ridgebacks and I grew up mainly with English Springers, so when it came time to get a dog we both compromised and got a Black Lab. That was 22 years,and two children ago. We have our second and third Lab now.

When I was small we had a Lab/Ridgeback cross on the ranch. It was intelligent and extremely tough. Mom says she would follow my sisters and me up into the bush and when she called her, the dog would stay with us and bark rather than leave us. According to Dad, Tipper dragged a badger out of a shallow hole to show him what she found. The first time it was by the nose and he raked her pretty good. The badger went down the hole head first and she pulled him out again by the butt! She hated cats and the barn cats stayed up in the loft or they didn't survive.

My brother-in-law in P.G. has had 3 of them. They do not like cold and I am amazed at the picture of the Ridgeback in the water! The ones we have known detested getting wet. Proves all dogs are individuals.

Boner

05-18-2013, 03:27 PM

I picked one up a couple of weeks ago. She's a year old. She likes to swim and is definitely my wife's dog unless i'm one on one with her. I only have her off leash in a local fenced-in ball diamond until I can fully trust her to come back. Then i'll try her out in the bush, i'm looking for a hunting companion (not as a working dog), hopefully it works out.

Spokerider

05-19-2013, 08:56 PM

What a dog has been bred to do [ hunt game of your choice ] and a true hunting dog are two very different things.........

If you want a hunting dog, choose one where the previous generations have actually hunted. If three gens have past with no active hunting, the offspring are already behind the 8 ball, as far as hunting goes.

motosuccubus

05-31-2013, 10:03 PM

I have a 2yr old ridgeback and he's the best family/bush dog Ive had. Will run for many kms behind my bike or lay around inside all winter with no complaints. He's also been easily introduced to chickens and other critters that are "not for chasing" yet he has instincts to tree rakins and other pests. Most trustworthy guard dog Ive ever had as well; he challenges people without being overly aggressive.

I think these dogs vary quite a bit since they are a mix of so many different breeds but mine has shown both guard and hunt qualities. When he is onto something Ive noticed he pursues with his head up quite a bit so that supports the sight hound suggestions. There are obviously way better breed choices for hunting but I can attest to their unfaltering loyalty, responsiveness to training, endurance yet calm gentleness in a family.

SPILTZ

06-19-2013, 08:26 PM

Well, since I first posted the questions a year and a half ago....my pup is now a full grown 85lb dog full of piss and vinegar, but like a couple others have said, mine, can also be soo chill that she makes me and my wife relaxed. I couldnt have asked for a better dog and if i was home more (work) i would honestly get another one without any hesitation. At first my RR hated water, jumped over puddles, dodged rain, you name it, but now for the last year or so....she swims all the time at the lake or ocean, chases birds in shallow waters of the ocean. But I have found that rain is stll not her thing, but if i'm out there with her, shes good to go. Her recall is awesome, and we dont even need a leash anymore to walk her, it did take alot of work and the right tool but it has payed off ten fold. With her high energy and not knowing her own size we had doubts how she would be around small children but she has been unbelievably good soo far. She has definitely come into her own but like i said before it has taken lots of time and effort but worth it.

Originally I was wanting to get her into hunting but the wife sqaushed that idea, which is fine, but Ive been introduced to a trainer that will get her into tracking which should be fun as i wouldnt mind doing shed hunting with her. Also course luring was something i was interested in aswell which i think would be good excercise.

Anyways I want to thank you all for posting as there have been some good ideas and advice. I just wish there were more of them in the comox valley so I could see a couple of RR together as Ive heard its great seeing them play.

Cheers

Spiltz

Boner

01-04-2014, 11:46 AM

This is my first winter with my RR, she doesn't like to be out of the house for too long on her own, but she handles it well when we take her out for a snowshoe. I take her ice fishing with me too. We have a fishing tent, and she lays in my skimmer on a blanket under my coat. Most of the time I bring along a propane heater.

So far so good. She hasn't been exposed to hunting yet because I harvested my moose while at work this past September.

Fella

01-04-2014, 11:51 AM

My wife and I love ridgies, we're hoping to get one in the next year or so, so this thread has been a great read for me.

Boner

06-07-2014, 09:43 AM

I took mine out for a ride yesterday, she likes riding shotgun in the sxs except if there's water bars, then she runs.

I easily called her off of chasing a bull moose we flushed, I was happy about that. We haven't had a close encounter with a bear, but i'd prefer if she stuck with me instead of chasing it. We'll see how she does.

tadpole

07-20-2014, 06:37 AM

Supper great dogs but not the best for winter. One of mine froze the skin on his balls while ice fishing with me.

albravo2

07-20-2014, 08:37 AM

We just had to put our RR/B Lab down last night. She had 3 ruptured discs and there was nothing we could do for her. The vet figured that she had been laid on by her mother as a pup and that had caused problems with her knees, so we had both of them operated on last spring and she was doing really well. The only problem with that was that by correcting her ability to walk it put pressure on all of her back joints. She was 3.5 yrs old, very loving, great with other animals, loved to swim, chase bears and flush grouse. We are going to miss her.

Hunter Dog, that sucks. Sorry to hear. I'm just reading this old thread and saw your post. Usually people start a new thread when they lose a dog because everyone knows how much it sucks.