Rhodesian Ridgebacks?
- Thread starter Euro Hunter
- Start date
I know that this is an old topic, but I thought that I would add my insights for anybody interested. I owned a male ridgeback for 11 years from puppyhood. Charlie was oversized at 28" and 110lbs but extremely active, athletic and fast. Both parents were South African dogs. His breeder emigrated from SA with both parents and subsequently raised a litter. I saw both parents. My dog was independent, hardheaded, bonded with me only and was relatively aloof with anybody else, including family.
Charlie had a very strong prey drive. He used his eyes, nose and ears when hunting but mostly eyes. He seemed to realize the game we were after and adapted accordingly. For pheasant he ranged closely. He was not particularly fond of upland game hunting but slowly retrieved to hand. He was easily broken off deer. He hated coyotes with a passion and never passed up an opportunity to hunt them on his own. He caught and fought to kill. He was incredibly fast in his youth and had amazing endurance. I frequently biked 20-25 miles in the country with Charlie heeling off lead at my back sprocket. He usually ignored other dogs when biking but as soon as we stopped, I had to leash him to avoid the potential for drama. He seldom started fights and had patience with quarrelsome or aggressive dogs, but he had his limits. Small dogs were not a problem.
Charlie was relatively easily trained to my hand signals and the usual obedience commands because he was so food focused and wanted to please me. He ignored everybody else except my oldest daughter.
Although Charlie was not protection trained, he was naturally protective of me and mine, especially the house and car. He exercised dependable judgement about he considered trustworthy. He foiled an armed carjacking, a break in at my business and prevented a workman from working on my roof who I later found out used roofing jobs to case homes for burglaries. He aggressively refused to let the guy exit his truck so I told my roofing contractor that his guy could not work on my job. My roofer later dropped by to advise that the cops had arrested the worker on a job site!
I have had beagles, labs, Blackmouth Curs, various coonhounds in addition to a couple of Heinz 57 pets but Charlie was hands down my favorite. He suffered from a brain tumor at 11 and quickly deteriorated until I was forced to put him down. I lost a true companion and family member. RIP my good dog.
Charlie had a very strong prey drive. He used his eyes, nose and ears when hunting but mostly eyes. He seemed to realize the game we were after and adapted accordingly. For pheasant he ranged closely. He was not particularly fond of upland game hunting but slowly retrieved to hand. He was easily broken off deer. He hated coyotes with a passion and never passed up an opportunity to hunt them on his own. He caught and fought to kill. He was incredibly fast in his youth and had amazing endurance. I frequently biked 20-25 miles in the country with Charlie heeling off lead at my back sprocket. He usually ignored other dogs when biking but as soon as we stopped, I had to leash him to avoid the potential for drama. He seldom started fights and had patience with quarrelsome or aggressive dogs, but he had his limits. Small dogs were not a problem.
Charlie was relatively easily trained to my hand signals and the usual obedience commands because he was so food focused and wanted to please me. He ignored everybody else except my oldest daughter.
Although Charlie was not protection trained, he was naturally protective of me and mine, especially the house and car. He exercised dependable judgement about he considered trustworthy. He foiled an armed carjacking, a break in at my business and prevented a workman from working on my roof who I later found out used roofing jobs to case homes for burglaries. He aggressively refused to let the guy exit his truck so I told my roofing contractor that his guy could not work on my job. My roofer later dropped by to advise that the cops had arrested the worker on a job site!
I have had beagles, labs, Blackmouth Curs, various coonhounds in addition to a couple of Heinz 57 pets but Charlie was hands down my favorite. He suffered from a brain tumor at 11 and quickly deteriorated until I was forced to put him down. I lost a true companion and family member. RIP my good dog.
