If you are considering a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy it helps to understand a little about the breed itself before making that lifelong commitment to the newest member of your family.

The Ridgeback is an extremely social, loving, loyal, family dog who likes to spend his time in close proximity to his family…..YOU!!

The Ridgeback is an extremely intelligent, independent dog. Why? The breed was developed to hunt/bail up lions. This it did in groups of several dogs. The dogs worked away from the hunter, flushing out the lion, bailing it up until the hunter/s arrived. To have the ability to do this, the dog had to be fit, extremely agile/fleet afoot, able to travel long distances and most importantly able to think on its feet and work with other dogs. Without these skills the dog would possibly be killed. The job this breed was bred for is awesome!

Its independence stems from the necessity to think on its feet. The hunter was not there to give directions. So unlike the working dogs such as the Cattle dogs, Border Collies or Kelpies who, over the years were selectively bred to respond to commands, the Rhodesian Ridgeback's intelligence comes from its ability to work things out for itself. That thought process is still very evident today.

 Training.......

This independence can also manifest itself in stubbornness, particularly if the dog is bored or if it is trained in the repetitive, traditional, compulsion style of training where check chains are used to reprimand. Ridgeback's need not only physical stimulation but mental stimulation too. Positive train a Ridgeback with praise, encouragement, rewards but ensuring there is firmness, fairness and consistency and they will do anything you want them to.......but remember positive does not mean permissive. This versatile dog can be trained to do anything you want it to do as long as the training is fun and each training session is of a short duration.

Positive Training....

My dogs are all positve reward based trained, using a clicker. Positive train ing is much more than offering a reward to any animal species for a correct response to a cue. It is about the journey. Training my to behave appropriately in the home and when we are out. I use positive training techniques to change any inappropriate behaviours they may have to any stimuli they percieve as a threat. It is important to note here that

     'positive is not permissive'

When there is a dog with a fear or aggression issue (which is more often than not fear based) food is used to change the emotional response toward the object.

“ To change how the reactive dog feels about certain events in the world, combine the principles of systematic desensitization and counter conditioning with positive reinforcement. Both shy dogs and aggressive dogs are over stimulated by certain events in their environment. We call them "reactive" dogs. The shy dog withdraws and avoids any action that might trigger "bad/scary/dangerous" things. While the pushy/growling/aggressive dog also thinks the stimulus is “bad/scary/dangerous" but tries to solve the threat by making it go away. Training skills to replace reactive behaviour  is a powerful way to change how a dog feels about what he currently fears. When working with a reactive dog, be mindful of the dog's stress levels and of

any stimulus which may trigger the dog's anxieties or fearfulness. Always begin with the dog "where he is" and reward any good behaviors.

Systematic desensitization is controlled, gradual exposure to a stimulus over time to produce habituation. If the stimulus has no consequence, the dog ceases to respond to it. For example, if a dog fears traffic noise, and is exposed to a period of low-level traffic noise, the dog may begin to

ignore the traffic noise (at that level). If the noise level is gradually increased, and the dog is allowed to become desensitized to that level before it is increased to the next level, the dog can be taught to ignore very loud traffic noise.” (Changing People Changing Dogs – Dee Ganley, 2006)

It is good to have an understanding ofsocial structure and it is through this understanding of social structure/canine behavior and canine body language we are able to positively train and integrate our dogs as well adjusted canine citizens which are a pleasure to take out. it is timely to remember here we are dealing with a domesticated dog which requires us to shape his behaviour so he can live with us on our terms, not on his.

Positive training is a vast concept and for those interested I recommend looking to people such as Karen Pryor who was one of the forerunners in changing the face of training all animal species, not just dogs. Other incredibly brilliant, knowledgeable people who have been instrumental in leading the way are Tuurid Regas, Emma Parsons, Pat Miller, Patricia McConnell and Australia's front runners Pat Robards and Kaye Hargreaves to name but a few.

Predatory Instincts...

Ridgeback's are scent and sight hounds....although there are some who may disagree with the idea that they are sight hounds. Many Ridgebacks have very high predatory instincts and it is important that they are socialized with any species they are likely to come into contact with during their early socialization period (up to 16 weeks). Get to know your Ridgeback and always be one step ahead.

Considering a puppy........

In todays society owning a dog is vastly different to owning a dog many years ago. Gone are the days when our dogs roamed freely, enjoying their day, coming home for dinner and to sleep by the fire. Local government rules and regulations regarding ownership of a dog are tightening every year. Our busy life styles may also mean that we cannot give the love, training and time to our pet as we would like. This, in many cases, leads to the rehoming or surrendering of many, many dogs which, due to the lack of care have become out of control and their owners are incapable of handling them.

All of this occurs because people purchase a puppy without doing any research, homework at all. They do not research the breeds which may be suitable for their lifestyle, they do not research the characteristics of the individual breeds and that includes the many X-breeds available today. Most new puppy owners, who have never owned a dog previously, have no idea at all as to what is involved in raising a well adjusted canine citizen. Even by the time they get puppy to a Puppy Pre School, many unwanted behaviours have become out of control.

Before making the decision to purchase your new family member learn about normal puppy behavior such as jumping, nipping why they do it and how to eliminate these quite normal but unacceptable puppy behaviors from their repertoire in a positive way. Have a family plan of action which involves consistency in training and boundaries for your puppy.

Your first day with your puppy marks the beginning of your life together – the beginning of the bonding process that establishes your life long relationship with your dog.

To get you started off right: Let’s look at this experience from the puppy’s perspective. She/he has left familiar surroundings with a warm, comfortable pile of brothers and sisters to enter a completely new environment filled with unfamiliar objects and new people. More often than not she/he has just had her first car ride.

Key things to do: To ease your puppy’s transition from the known to the unknown.

• When you arrive home with your puppy make sure she/he has the opportunity to eliminate before you bring her/him into your home. Follow the positive training plan from the moment he/she enters your life

•  Young puppies tire easily and require a lot of rest. Keep this foremost in your mind when introducing your puppy to new people and other animals. I know everyone is excited to see the cute new family member, but she/he’ll be there for a lot of years. If she/he seems to be tired or timid, let her rest.

•  Whoever thought up the idea, now an old wives tale, that a puppy should spend his/her first night in isolation with a hot water bottle and a ticking clock to take the place of mum seriously underrated the intelligence of dogs. Your puppy is not stupid! Since she has most likely never been alone before, and since everything else is strange and new, how much more comforting it is for your puppy to sleep near a person. Put her on a nice warm blanket in a crate or box she can’t climb out of, and let her sleep by the side of your bed for the first few nights. She will be comforted by the sound of your breathing and your increasingly familiar presence. If she

         wakes up and whimpers, you can pop a finger in the crate to

         reassure her – or get up and take her out if she needs to eliminate.

• Within a few days your puppy should be feeling confident and getting used to the household members – but remember she is still a baby. Take the time to familiarize yourselves with puppy issues such as diet, housetraining, crate training, leash training and chewing. Learn about her developmental stages. Above all appreciate your puppy as a new and important part of your family life. Treat him/her with love, respect and understanding, and the bond you will form will last for many years of your life together.

Make a check list of the finances involved in owning a puppy:

• The initial cost of the puppy, including the home necessities such as a bed, lead, collar, toys, bowls and food.
• Vaccination fees.
• The cost of regular worming
• Puppy preschool/training fees
• Speying/castration fees - Female A$260.00
•                                      Male -   A$160.00
• These costs are estimates only and may vary State to State
• Fees for regular health checks
• Local council yearly registration fees ...cheaper when desexed!

Ridgeback's are not little for long, they grow into large dogs, and require a fenced yard, plenty of exercise for health, happiness and longevity and equally important, your companionship. Your dog will give you unconditional love for the whole of its life, it deserves your love too! With that love and devotion from you ,the training of appropriate behavior inside and outside the home, you will have a well adjusted dog, a dog that is a pleasure to have around, a lifetime companion!

Ridgeback's love to be part of the family structure and most do live successfully in families with children. How well this works depends on whether the dog is integrated with the children or not. Involving the child in the care of the dog helps the dog to understand its place in the household.

If you have small children it is good to be aware that Ridgeback's can play in a  very roughhouse manner and if left unchecked they may knock them over. Teach puppy and children to respect each other and never leave a small child unsupervised with the dog.

Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus

GDV or torsion as it is commonly known is a severe, life threatening, condition that occurs predominantly in large breed, deep chested dogs. It generally occurs when at-risk breeds are fed a large meal within hours of exercise. The large meal with large amounts of air ingested whilst feeding may well lead to destabilizing the positional balance of the stomach, leading it to twist. If the dog is exercised after feeding the bouncing action may also cause the stomach to twist. This is a life threatening condition.

GDV is not always preventable but there are steps that can reduce the risk:

Never feed the dog within 2 hours of exercise (before or after).

Feed more frequent smaller meals. If kibble fed, pre soak the kibble before feeding.

Ensure dry kibble bags are not left in a place where the dog can break into it.

Do not leave unlimited food out for the dog to graze on.

Symptoms of GVD include:

A tight distended abdomen.

Non-productive dry retching and gagging

Drooling

Heavy rapid breathing

Signs of pain

Signs of collapse and weakness.

GDV is a true emergency. If you suspect the condition, even in its early stages, always seek veterinary advice. The earlier the dog is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of a good outcome.

.....and finally!

Be mindful of the diet you feed your dog.  A fat Ridgeback is not a healthy dog. Bear in mind that they suffer from all the diseases obesity brings as we do. Adjust your dogs diet according to its exercise.

Ridgeback's think they are always hungry, are masters at the art of counter surfing and left unprotected your dinner will disappear from the bench....this is the voice of experience talking.