RHODESIAN RIDGEBACKS
African Lion Hounds
As a Family Pet:
In my opinion, they are like no other dog I have ever known. I am constantly surprised at how smart and patient my ridgebacks are (and my part-ridgeback). They have a patience and tenderness that is unmatched as well as quiet self-confidence which makes them a great even-tempered companion.
Thunder (our part-ridgeback) loves the game of tug-of-war (and yes, I know the dangers of playing that game with them). I guess he remembers when he just had mommy to play with and he usually gets annoyed if his brothers try to join in. However, I was really surprised one night when he patiently stood there holding the rope (not pulling) waiting while I tried to coax Tawny into playing the game with us. He waited patiently while she tried to figure out how to play the game. The same can be said with the puppies too. I've watched Thunder play tug-of-war with Malia or Larkin and he pretends to pull while in a puppy bow. Larkin really hasn't grasped the whole idea of the game. Instead, she just walks up and licks Thunders face till he gives up whatever he's holding. Larkin may not understand how to play the game, but she knows what to do to win.
Tawny's patience and tenderness was evident the moment I put her with Malia. She quickly became the mother figure to both Malia and Larkin. I had no idea how helpful having a "mother figure" would be for the pack. While being both patient and firm, she quickly had the puppies respecting the boundaries of proper play and it greatly reduced the times the puppies mouthed both me and my husband.
I truly hate to admit it but my ridgebacks are much smarter than my mutts. The puppies, Larkin and Malia, have picked up little things like using their paws to hold things or sitting on command much faster than my mutts did. Tawny came to us not knowing how to sit on command. She picked it up in no time. Now, I don't even have to tell her to sit before I set down her food bowl. There are times when she's not sure what my commands mean, I can see that she's thinking "okay, I know mom wants me to do something but I'm not quite sure what it is that she wants."
I do not foresee a time when our home would be without at least one ridgeback. In my opinion, they are far too valuable as a companion.
As Guard Dogs:
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 16 percent of American households were victims of property crimes in the year 2003. Homeowners that have an early warning system, such as a dog, can have the effect of deterring burglars. The dog doesn't even have to be aggressive to be an effective deterrent. A dog that barks to alert their masters that something unusual is happening in their territory can be an effective deterrent.
It has been my experience that our ridgebacks make great watch dogs (even though they have never been trained to perform such tasks). According to Stig G. Carlson, in his book Rhodesian Ridgeback (Pet Owner's Guide), "There is no need to train your young Ridgeback to be a guard dog, as he already has the talent for this in his genetic make-up. A Ridgeback is a wonderful natural guardian, insofar as he is never naturally aggressive, nor does he have a tendency to attack or inflict damage, unless absolutely necessary."
According to Carlson's research, ridgebacks have also been used by farmers as watch dogs. In Africa, ridgebacks not only protected farms from unwanted human visitors but "they also showed remarkable skill in keeping the place clear of raiding baboons."
There are some funny ridgeback stories in Stig Carlson's books Rhodesian Ridgeback (Pet Owner's Guide) and The Rhodesian Ridgeback Today. One of the stories I like the best is about a man walking his ridgeback one night. The man and his dog come across a group of young men that were looking for trouble. The man's ridgeback used his body to stop the man in his tracks and then disappeared. The ridgeback made his way around and then behind the group of men. Before any one knew what happened, the dog made his presence known (without harming any one) and the man was able to proceed through the men without any trouble.
I have had several experiences with Thunder where someone out of the ordinary appears and Thunder positions himself in front of me with his side resting on the front of part of my leg. Once he has determined that no threat exists, he calmly resumes what he was doing (which is mostly looking for interesting smells or playing with his siblings).
When out on our property, I feel safer having either Thunder or Tawny by my side. They seem to have an ability to read people and can determine if someone (or something) poses a threat. I've read stories where breeders have prospective buyers meet their ridgeback and get the ridgeback's opinion of a person before they will sell a puppy to them. After having my ridgebacks for a while, I can see why they trust their ridgeback's opinion.
As Hunters:
Ridgebacks have bred for use as both a hunting and a guard dog in Africa for at least the last 300 years. The call of fame of the Ridgeback is the legendary lion hunts. As Stig Carlson points out in his books, Ridgebacks would not attempt to attack or kill the lions but used their "exceptional mobility, their stamina, and their power to move fast enough to avoid the claws of the lion while keeping it at bay until the hunter arrived." Today, there are records of Ridgebacks being used to hunt cougars, wild boar, cheetahs, and baboons. According to Carlson, "it is the ridgebacks' strong mental capabilities that make them a valuable hunting dog."
Carlson's books list famous hunters who have owned and hunted with their ridgebacks. The list includes Cornelius van Rooyen, Frederick Courtney Selous, H.A. Fraser, Mrs. Foljambe, Sydney Waller, and Lewis Christian.
While my dogs are not used for hunting lions, I can honestly say I've seen them stalk deadly tennis balls, wild ropes, vicious dog chewies, and their siblings.
For information on the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed standards, please refer to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
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