From: richard@bach.udel.edu (Richard Gordon)
Subject: Re: info wanted on Rhodesian Ridgebacks-please do not Email
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 12:39:08 GMT

Anne has already posted the national club's secretary's address.
Do write her for official info!  Here is the chatty geninfo file
I send people who are interested in RRs.  

---
Ridgebacks are sturdy, low-maintenance, short-haired dogs, bred for two
purposes in turn-of-the century Africa: hunting lions and staying home
with the family while the stronger members of the household were out
hunting or farming.  The breed is a very good people dog, bonding well
to a family if introduced into the family in the first 4-5 years of the
dog's life.  Ridgebacks are usually quite gentle with their family and
with people their masters introduce to them but are great watchdogs if
people they don't know or sounds they don't understand show up around
their home.  

Ridgebacks are very smart, responsive, and trainable.  They can easily
master the basics of good canine citizenship: down, stay, come, no
jump, quiet.  They are, however, independent thinkers; that is, they
are not traditionally seen competing for advanced obedience titles
('though some Ridgebacks each year DO get their UD titles).  For
instance, even though our Ridgback bitch and I do not yet have our
first obedience title, she has passed her Canine Good Citizenship Test,
has been certified by Therapy Dogs International to make therapy
visits, and I walk her off lead in the park--yes, she comes when
called.

Like any medium-large dog, Ridgebacks need exercise--a daily romp in the
back yard or park and a couple of longer trips to the park per week
should be sufficient.  More would be better, but Ridgebacks do adapt to
their people.  

A young Ridgeback is a very energetic fellow.  But as Ridgebacks
mature, most of them become much more laid back.  One author calls them
the "kings of dozing."  Some would say that a mature Ridgeback is
happiest when either running flat out across a field or flat out asleep
at your feet.  In general, they mature into lovely calm dogs that do
well when raised with children and other pets. :)

Ridgeback bitches are about 24-27 inches tall at the shoulders and
weigh 65-75 pounds (Standard: 24-26"; 65 lbs.).  Dogs are about 25-28
inches, 70-95 pounds (Standard: 25-27"; 75 lbs.).  Their coats are
light brown ("wheaten") with some black around the face and some white
on the feet or chest.  And of course, they have a ridge of hair growing
down their backs in the shape of a dagger.  (The hair grows backwards.)

Once you have earned the trust and love of a Rhodesian Ridgeback by
investing some energy into making sure that he or she has had adequate
food, exercise, affection, and training, you will have a regal, gentle,
yet protective companion that others will envy.

---
Let me add what I know re: RRs and horses.  We have a friend who has a
brood of RRs plus several horses living together just fine on a farm.
What she has to do, however, is train the RRs from an early age to not
go after or chase the horses.  Some of the horses (particularly
equine visitors and mares with foals) are bothered by the dogs--
or that's my understanding.  Would probably be true with most dogs.

In addition to Anne and myself, there are about 20-25 Ridgeback
owners who have surfaced on the net--including at least 4
breeders: 

Name           State   e-mail address
Jackie Giles    (MI)   jag@iti.org  
Matt Leist      (OH)   leist@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
David Prager    (WA)   prager@mdd.comm.mot.com
Kammi Kai Hefner (WV/PA)  hefner@cards.com 

Hope this helps!

Best,
Richard
-- 
Richard Gordon                             richard@brahms.udel.edu
CNS User Services, Smith Hall          or  gordon@udel.edu
University of Delaware                 or  acs02244@udelvm.bitnet
Newark, DE 19716 USA (302-831-1717) 
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