A Guide to Owning a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog! | The AFRICAN LION Hunters!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ค. 2023
- What’s Up guys! Im Dr. Lindsay Butzer a small animal veterinarian and I have always wanted to Own a Rhodesian Ridgeback!
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Most people want to own a Ridgeback because they are majestic, muscular, strong and athletic dogs and have a cool history of being are used to hunt lions! ☝️However, they are large dogs and can weigh up to 85 pounds and may be too much hound for the average dog owner!
MYTH ABOUT RIDGEBACKS:
So you might have heard that Rhodesian Ridgebacks are African Lion Hounds and hunted lions in South Africa where they are from, and this is true, but they did not take down lions, they are used in packs to hold lions in one place for hunters to then approach them. And as a Hound this dog was also used to take down Antelope, fend off Baboons and herd the occasional Ox.
And what should this mean to you? That the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a hard-core dog!!
THE RIDGE:
As most people know the breed is cherished by their ridge of hair that grows in an opposite direction along the dog's spine usually topped by a couple of swirls of hair, at the withers-end of the spine, called “Crowns”.
ORIGIN:
The Ridge originated by their African ancestor dog's, some of whom had ridges, such as Mastiffs, Grey hounds, and Great Danes. But the real reason the ridge is so cherished is that the dog's with ridges would always come back after helping to hunt lions, and so the belief began that the dog's with ridges were better hunters. Sadly, after this became a spiritual belief puppies without ridges would be euthanized to create the breedstandard, thanfully this is not happening anymore, and I have seen many ridgebacks without a ridge.
PERSONALITY:
Ridgebacks personality includes being, Stubborn, courageous and intelligent as well as a very loyal and protective of their owners. They have a strong instinct to guard their territory and make good watch dog's. They do have a lazy couch potato side to them when they are tired and don’t always require a huge house if they get adequate exercise.
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a high-energy dog and excellent running partner who enjoy playing fetch or other games for mental stimulation. They are capable of great endurance with a good amount of speed too! They are beautiful and majestic which is why most people adore them and want one, and do get them, however, they may be too much hound for a novice dog owner.
TRAINING:
For training they require firm and consistent training from an early age to ensure good behavior and obedience. I always tell my new Ridgeback puppy clients to start early with their training and discipline when they are small, because they will be big and strong soon.
HAIR COAT AND GROOMING:
Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a short and dense coat that requires minimal grooming. Their coats come in only one color, “wheaten”, which spans every shade seen in a wheat field, from pale flaxen to the burnished red of a maturing crop. Ridgebacks also have two nose colors: black and the less commonly seen brown.
HEALTH AND LIFE SPAN:
They are generally healthy dogs but can be prone to hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and certain types of cancer. Since they are a large breed dog their lifespan is from 9 to 12 years old.
And there’s another health issue I must mention which is a classic developmental disease in ridgebacks called a Dermoid Sinus (DS) which is a developmental defect of the spinal cord and skin causing a pinpoint hole or even bigger hole, exposing the spinal cord. These can become infected if deep all the way to the spine.
If you are a committed and responsible owner who can provide plenty of exercise and attention, a Rhodesian Ridgeback can make a wonderful and loyal companion!
Thank you for watching this video. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more informative videos about dog breeds, ownership tips and pet health care! ~ Dr. Lindsay Butzer
I've had Rhodesian Ridgebacks in my life for 50 years....They truly are The Best Breed in The World ❤ xx
My dad used to refer to them as military grade Dalmatians. Absolutely beautiful but they will drive you insane if you don't spend the time on them that they need.
And they get jealous so easy 😂 but extremely loyal
These magnificent dogs are definitely not for inexperienced dog owners, and they need a ton of exercise and a range to roam. My uncle has a ranch here in Texas of about 1000 acres, and he loved being a rancher. There were about 4 or 5 ridgebacks of differing ages and only one male, and they frequently saddled up to move cattle to new feeding areas, get them corralled in the springtime, etc. The ranch abutted the property of a farm prison, and they actually would get an escapee on the property once in a while. Hence the choice of Ridgeback. All the dogs followed alongside our horses, trotting along for a few miles in the scrub and then back to the stable. They could do that all day.
Males and females are quite different in temperament. Females are guarded but less challenging. Big males can dominate the environment all around the ranch house area, and they will challenge anyone coming into their territory. My uncle had a big male named Red, and my dad and I (about 7yo) met Red one day. Mind you, I've never seen my father be intimidated by anything, except that experience. We open the gate to my aunt's yard, and go to walk 100 feet to the door, and about halfway there, a 100# athletic dog which had a gaze like Sauron, trots up between us and the house, giving us a quiet growl. We were Fkd. Then my dad slapped his leg and said something like, "come on Red come on boy" in a greeting voice. Red kind of ambled over sniffed us and turned around and walked off. I was a small kid, but I just remember that being the most intimidating thing I've experienced.
I have had a ridgeback but he passed away about 11 years ago.
My first dog was a golden retriever.
Long before he passed I all ready had my eyes on the ridgeback.
Once on a vacation in Granada we happened to take a wrong turn when out in a car with our guide.
We came up to the lawn in front of a manor like house.
On the steps in front of the entrance there was a beautiful ridge back.
I got out of the car to direct our guide to turn the car without getting in to the lawn and without having the car falling down the steep slope outside.
That ridgeback kept us under observation all the time but did not move at all.
By the time we left I was very impressed and pretty much in love with that dog.
I knew that my next dog had to be a ridgeback.
And it was.
I got my ridgeback and called him Cecil, after Cecil Rhodes.
He was certainly a very stubborn puppy.
He almost drove us crazy.
But at the same time he he learnt really quickly.
I think that he only had 3 accidents before he learnt to do he’s business outside.
Even being very stubborn and wilful he was also the sweetest and most lovable dog from the start.
When mature and fully trained he was an absolute pleasure to have around.
He was a bit different.
He had s short ridge.
One of he’s ears was shorter and a little piece was missing.
I believe that was due to his mean sister.
He had no desire to chase after wild animals what so ever.
For me that was great as I want to be able to keep my dogs off leash also in the wild where there are animals about.
Ridgebacks can have a sharp temperament but mine was a pacifist.
If another dog attacked him he would protest but did not really defend himself.
Perhaps he was not the tough but controlled guard dog I had hoped for, but he was the sweetest and most beautiful dog ever.
He is sorely missed but at least he got to be almost 14 years old.
And besides,
He still looked like a tough bad ass ridgeback.
He’s bark was like thunder.
In most cases that is more than enough to keep any would be bad guy away.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful story 😊
And those are the best memories any dog owner could wish to cherish. Thank you for sharing ❤
My dad when he was a boy had a Rhodesian ridgeback growing up in Jamaica. He said the Ridge (Simba) would lie in the hot 30+ degree sun while the other family dogs would seek refuge in the state. SO CUTE!! 😊
Since 1980 I've had 6 ridgebacks, all being wonderful companions and protectors. Four males, from 90-120 pounds, and most recently, two sisters from successive litters one year apart. They were 118 and 106 pounds. There isn't a day that goes by, that I don't mourn their passing. We can no longer afford to take care of dogs, as the veterinarian business has turned predatory where we live, on NY's Long Island.
I have owned Borzoi for thirty years. I always advise anyone getting a sighthound (Rhodesian Ridgeback) that they are four legged Ferraris covered in fur. They will give chase to anything that moves and leash training is a MUST. They are sensitive to some anesthesia as they have very little body fat to absorb it. These are just a few things to consider before sharing your life with one of the most majestic and elegant breeds of hounds on the planet. Thank you doctor for an A1 educational video.
Love our !5 month old female ridgeback Sadie! She is loving and sweet, and follows most of what I ask of her, although her stubbornness sometimes shows up. She loves to bark at anyone who comes to our door, usually because she just wants to meet them. She is presently 82 pounds of muscle, and still has some growing to do. Our best dog, ever!!
Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a special place in my heart because it was the first ever Dog i ever owned. His name was Roose we named him after a Jamaican lifeguard i befriended when iw as 7 on holiday. Roose was a rough pup and always wrestling with me but still obediant to my mum and Stepdad nontheless. And the only reason we had to give him away was because my Mum was going to have my sister. We even had to move house for her. But it was fun while it lasted and i'll always remember him and i even have the pics of us. For a dog with a legacy reputation of hunting Lions he was a damn good family pet.
Thank you for this video! I got a free mystery puppy last year. She actually scared me to death! I never had such an intense focused dog, even at such a young age (5 weeks.) Whenever I googled her, she would id as Rhodesian Ridgeback, and I never paid it any mind bc I thought it just wasn't possible. She was 4 months old before I looked at that breed, and sure enough, that was her. She is only 50 pounds, and she's my best dog ever! She has taken loads of training. She's fearless, friendly, so intelligent! Definitely not for a new or faint-hearted owner.
I❤myridgebackmix!!
We just fostered Canelo, a 85lbs Rhodesian Ridgeback. He was a stray and roaming our community for 2-3 weeks. He’s super friendly and great with other dogs. Unfortunately, we travel a lot and can’t keep him so we’ve been reaching out to rescues so he can find his forever home.
Amazing energy level, you come back from a big walk, within half hour he wants to go out again. And this happens many times during the day.
My Yama is such a loving and cute dog but also such a derp. A 90lb dog not realising how big he is, can be such a pain, but it's hard to stay mad at him.
My best friend/roommate and I have a ridgeless ridgeback. He is 3 years old now. He was a stray in the neighborhood, having been thrown from the truck and shot at by the former owner. He only got grazed by the bullet, thank goodness. When we got him, he had been hit by a truck and the town's animal control guy was calling around to have him put down. He only had a broken front right leg, and we weren't about to let the animal control guy have him put down. We put him in our van and took him to our vet, as we had 3 dogs of our own already. We thought he was a hound of some sort, and found out from the vet that he was just a puppy. She figured he might be just about a year old at that point. I guess it was about six months in that I started researching to find out what kind of hound he was because the vet wasn't sure. We had him neutered within a month of having him and while he was still in a cast. When I realized he is a ridgeless ridgeback and that they are supposedly rare, I was a bit upset that we had neutered him.
We had named him Red in the beginning but didn't like that name and we (mostly me) thought that he should have a regal name, so his name is King Titan, with our last names hyphenated at the end. We call him Titan, but he has a few nicknames and answers to all of them.
We adopted another puppy that showed up at our house in August. Turns out that that one is a red-nosed pitbull and about the same size as Titan. Lokie is going to be a year the first week of January. Our vet figured he was about 7 months old when he showed up. Titan and Lokie run the yard, so Titan gets a lot of exercise.
If you didn't know about his broken leg, you would never know he had one. At the time, the vet was worried that we might have to amputate because of the break being at the ankle area, and with all the cuts and abrasions, they couldn't put a full cast on until those healed. He does favor it during bad weather, or when he and Lokie play too rough. We know that he'll have issues when he gets older as well.
So, all that being said, he hasn't had any training and I wouldn't even know where to start. I'm just glad that we have a big yard and another big dog for him to play with. Our other 2 dogs and a beagle/basset, and a blue-nosed pitbull.
We’re currently fostering a 85lbs Rhodesian Ridgeback. He had been roaming around our community for weeks. We couldn’t take him in right away because we were already fostering another stray. Eventually we able to take him in but boy, this big fella needs a lot of attention. When I take him out for walks, I noticed he walks really close to me and towards my leg. When he’s in the backyard, he does everything to get our attention.
I am lucky to have one! Absolutely magnificent! But need really a strong handler.
I have two boys they are different to many dogs . YOU must be boss, however you must never hit them they don’t respond well and will damage your dogs trust in you. They will lie in the sun for around twenty mins at a time. Only tend to drink ONCE A DAY. Unless exercised hard. Stay in them as pups from day one . They have a tendency to stand up and shadow box you or grab you , this is fine if you’re 200lbs and 6’2 “ but for lady’s and kids it’s scary. So this behaviour must be jumped on as soon as it starts . They are big strong powerful dogs with a high pray drive not a first time dog . But I can’t live without them they are loyal loving goofy and very intelligent. A magnificent guard . No one and I mean no one gets near my property without the boys issuing a bark . They don’t bark much only when needed of sometimes excited. The BEST DOGS EVER .
Ive had 3 in my life love these breeds ❤ ive got 2 new ones now. except one is cross breed with Pitbull so hes jaw is massive but still holding the Ridgeback body.😅
And yes they can be couch potatoes, Literally one sits on the couch and the other cross breed Ridgeback is always trying to get hes brother to play outside 😂
If anyone has any advice for training pls share im trying to train mine before i move mext year.
I have a 2 year old female ridgeback and she has a very sweet nature. It's our first dog but our children are nearly adult so we have the time, including to give 5 - 10 kms walk or run every single day and take her weekly to a dog training club. Next year we will start agility with her. She's not the best guard dog but will bark if strangers arrive, otherwise the only time she barks is at the cat occasionally.
My advice is not to get a ridgeback if you have young children under 10, if you can't commit to the exercise requirements of a ridgeback, or if you live with old people. When ridgebacks get excited they tend to knock things over i cluding people, children, their owners. Start with a female as they're a bit easier.
The crowns of the ridge are at the head end, contrary to the video, and whilst wheaten is the most common colour, they do come in more tan colour, or in exceptionally rare cases a fully black ridgeback.
My Mom brought home a puppy he was half Ridgeback best dog ever 1965-1980.
I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback mine is very cute and he is quite healthy and sadly has allergies
1987 we purchased are first Ridgeback bitch. When we were living in Zimbabwe. Absolutely 💯 best dog on earth..... When training is done early and consistently. Otherwise you will end up having a dog that will be hard to live with
Funny she say's only 1 colour type Wheaten (but there are 2 colours) she is holding an orange wheaten one and she got the curls back to front, they are at the front shoulder end not the butt end.
I could have spent more time on specifying the colors but for the sake of time wheaten really is the color, with variations. Thanks for commenting though for other pet lovers to read ! :)
Can anyone help me. My friend had a RR puppy of 4 months and she also has another 4 dogs. The puppy has become aggressive towards her when he makes him to something he doesn't want to do for instance getting off the couch. He went for her properly the other day and she had to use a cushion to get him off. He also bites her when she comes home from work - she thinks it is because he needs to get the attention first, but I am worried he is going to her her as he seems to be dominating her in a way. And the other dogs too now. Any suggestions from the RR community here?
Hey! Dr. Lindsay here! It seems like you need to seek a dog behaviorists help. This dog may need to be rehomed if your friend is in danger and cannot handle him around the other dogs. Maybe he is a 1 person, no other pets, type of dog! Seek help from a local trainer in your area. Aggressiveness can lead to the dog needing to put down if someone is in danger. Seeking help and training for him now is the best thing.
We love our Rhodesian Ridgeback!!!! Woodstock is the most loyal and intelligent dog we’ve ever had. He does get jealous easily though.
***BUT DO NOT GET A RR if you don’t have ample room for it to roam and play and aren’t planning on taking time to play with and train it.
Miner is is also jealous it's hilarious
i actually have a black and white rhodesian ridgeback
Cute scrubs. Sure. Not heaps of indepth info.
My Rhodesian ridgeback Daisy sleeps all day. Would welcome in a burglar to the house
Why is Dr. Lindsay pointing to the dog's loin and calling it the wither????
OH sorry!!! I must have been going too fast! Thanks for catching that! :) And I hope your enjoying the rest of my channel
I was thinking the same thing
Me me me. Look at my great scrubs.
I had a ridgeback,that weigh120lbs.He was chill,unless,you were in his yard,without permission,especially,if you were a small furry animal,in that case,you were dead,god help you,if he thought you were a threat to me,or “his” children.usually,he was pretty good ,at discerning'which was which.I was,at a small,roadside BBQ shack,when,a drunk,waked in,and said”Can I pet your dog?””I said,”Not,if you want to keep,that hand”.He kept on,saying all dogs loved him.FinalLLy,Imstood up,all6’1” 250lbs of me,and,said,I told him,I said no”.fortunately,he had a couple of sober friends eith him,who told him,to give it up.They saved him,from serious injury. Thank you for the video
Gonna be my first dog when I’m in my 20s been saying this since I was 10
They’re so cool! Haha so have I been saying that! I really want one. BUT this is an athletic beast so I will need more land
@@drlindsaybutzer I ride horses so I plan to have one follow me out onto the trails
you wont regret it, if you need any advice feel free to ask had 4 2 males 2 females, did you decide if you want a male or female yet?
Training.... Repetition, repetition, repetition... Limit using treats as a training aid... Do NOT raise your voice or make loud sounds, a positive voice will lead to positive results.
Do not over feed them. Let them run daily. Not good in apartments all days everyday.
Finally,be prepared to give up a couch or chair😂😂
first lie...ridgeback weight up to 100pounds
Second they should always be with boerboel to fends off baboons hunt leopards and no, they didnt hunt lions, it was too dangerous to hunt a lone or old lion because 10 dogs were going to catch it and 5-8 were returning after hunt session. That's why hunting lions became difficult and were needed to have a hunter near the dogs that hold the lion or the wild animal they found. Even with a hunter, one of ten dogs would get injured to death in a hunting session and the hunter could be injuried too
your dog is overweight doctor......not cool !!
Up to 85 lbs? Mine is over 125...
People are breeding for size but the originals and standard is up to 85 lbs.
Hunting line and backyard bred dogs are more likely to be bigger.