I am now looking to find out all I can about Rhodesian ridgebacks.I am doing this because they seem very well suited for me and my family and they have short hair so It won't be a big prob. for my sister.so are rhodesian ridgebacks good for 13 acres of land?do they like to sleep outdoors or indoors?do they like to play?are there any sites where I can find this info? Please reply if you have any info on these dogs.

-- Stephanie in maine (aubrey56@maine.rr.com), November 15, 2001

Answers

Response to are Rhodesian ridgebacks good for acreage?

How about adopting a greyhound? I knew two people who had done this. They were great dogs. Quiet, sweet, loved to run, but also loved to just curl up in the house. There are greyhound adoption organisations all around the US.

-- pc (jasper2@iname.com), November 15, 2001.

Response to are Rhodesian ridgebacks good for acreage?

I considered adopting a retired greyhound but they told me he had to be fenced in all the time. We have 20 acres of open ground, no fenced yard, pasture fenced for livestock but not fine enough for a dog. They told us that greyhounds get to running and just keep on going....

-- Debbie Trimble (risingwind@socket.net), November 15, 2001.

Response to are Rhodesian ridgebacks good for acreage?

I don't know if this is the norm, but the two Rhodesian ridgebacks I know of are extremely territorial.

Also, if you're getting a dog as a family companion then what would be the purpose of the dog sleeping outside? Dogs are pack animals and a dog left outdoors is being excluded from his pack.....this can create hoardes of emotional problems.

You plan on letting your dog roam 13 acres? It may seem like a lot of space but its very unlikely that your dog will stay close to home at all times. What happens if he/she gets hit in the road, harasses someone else's stock, harasses the wildlife, or harrasses someone else off your property? Not only are you liable for any damages, but you'll also lose your dog. Letting your dog out to play when you're there to supervise etc. is one thing, but just letting your dog stay out is asking for trouble. Please keep your dog safe/happy.....its your responsibility.

I only bring these things up to be sure you keep them in mind. I'd hate for you to get a dog and then lose it or wind up giving it away because it is not appropriate for your situation. This happens FAR too much!

Also, having short hair doesnt' necessarily mean that your sister won't be allergic. People are not allergic to dog hair, they're allergic to the dander the dog produces. Several people I know are actually more allergic to shorter haired dogs because the dander becomes airborne more easily whereas the dander is more likely to stick in the hair of a longer haired dog.

Good luck!

-- Lisa (lambrose@summitpolymers.com), November 15, 2001.

Response to are Rhodesian ridgebacks good for acreage?

Stephanie, try www.micaweb.com/firstline They have lots of information on the Ridgeback. They also have useful links. The Ridgeback is a beautiful dog, good luck to you!

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

Response to are Rhodesian ridgebacks good for acreage?

Stephanie my mom has Ridgebacks on her 3 acres near San Diego, a horse farm, they have a doggie door for going inside and out. They sleep in bed with my Mom, on the couch on blankets during the day. Nobody is getting through the front door, fence or out to the horses without somebody being there. Yet just like mine they are loving and completely trustworthy. I never hesitated to leave my infants around my Mom's dogs. Now in Texas I have mine on a little more property than you have. It is fenced but does have several sections that are just barbed wire. They never leave the property. I mean never. They are very easy to train, but you have to know that the goats and everything outside are my job, so I spend an incredible amount of time with them. I start with walks up to get the mail where they are severely scolded for stepping foot across the property line up front (we do not have a gate) and it just goes from there, walking property lines and scolding them for leaving under or over. I use the alpha male form of training, have never hit my animals, and they mind me. Morgan my dog right now has a completely different relationship with me, with my son, or with my husband. My older dogs were pups when my children where 2, 4, and 8. They are wonderful companions for children. They are excellent guardian dogs for my goats, loving mothers to the infants and are just plain all around smart. My older girls which we got when we moved out here as pups, one put down at 12 and the other at 14 last Christmas, we have a nearly 3 year old now and will be getting some more pups this fall. They are definetly a breed that once you have you will never settle for other dogs. You really have to be around them to understand just how smart they are, how they fit themselves into your household and how they instinctivly know who is good and who they will not let get near you! Mine can tell the difference in cats that belong here and cats that don't, kill strays yet just run off dogs they know (maybe by their bark) from the neighborhood. In 15 years of living just 10 acres away from the National Forest we have never had dog attack or stock. Yes they will kill dogs or coyotes that come onto the property, that don't run off. Even with this type of attitude, Morgan lays right in front of the 8 month old little girl in her stroller, while I am doing chores, tenderly taking cheerios from her when she offers them, just to show you how smart they are, she would never take it upon herself to take one from the tray! Yet with my son she wrestles, growling and barking like she is attacking him, he is 17 and they have played this way since she was a pup. If like me your dogs are going to also guard stock, get two. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

Stephanie, Go to rrus.org, That is the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States. You will find their webpage with some good sources of info. The questions you ask are dependant on how you raise and train your dog(s). Lots of breeds would work for you, If you like the looks of the RR's and understand they have a mind of their own and invest in proper training just like you would any dog, they will be good dogs for you. Remember, they are a "Hound" and sometimes pay more attention to what they are smelling and seeing than to you but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be a good dog for you. research and talk to people who have them. Good Luck, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), November 15, 2001.

STEPHANIE.....I DON`T KNOW A LOT ABOUT RR`S BUT I WOULDN`T LEAVE A SHORT HAIRED DOG OUT IN THE COLD.I DON`T RECOMMEND ANY DOG BE LEFT OUTSIDE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HUSKIES.A FRIEND OF MY BROTHERS HAS TOP SAMOYEDS[SP].THEY PANTED INSIDE IN THE WINTER BUT LOVED TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE SNOW.I`VE WITNESSED THEM WAKING UP COVERED IN SNOW.THEY DON`T SEEM THAT INTERESTED IN COMING INSIDE. I`VE SEEN DOGS THAT HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH.[DOBERMANS]THEY WERE KEPT IN A DOG HOUSE AND THE OWNER THOUGHT THEIR COMBINED BODY HEAT WOULD SUSTAIN THEM...NOT!ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENS TO DOGS LEFT OUITSIDE IS THAT THEY ALMOST STARVE TO DEATH.THEY ACTUALLY NEED ABOUT TWICE THEIR NORMAL DAILY INTAKE OF FOOD.TO MAINTAIN THEIR BODY WEIGHT.THEY BURN CALERIES TRYING TO STAY WARM. ANOTHER THING ABOUT MANS BEST FRIEND LEFT OUT IN THE COLD IS THAT THEY TEND TO GET CRIPPLED UP WITH ARTHRITIS.I GUESS LAYING OUT THERE IN THE COLD ON FROZEN GROUND DOESN`T HELP IN THIS REGARD.SURELY YOU CAN MAKE A SPOT IN THE BASEMENT. BUT LEAVING YOUR DOG OUT TO RUN IN THE WARMER WEATHER ISN`T A GREAT IDEA UNLESS THE DOG IS CHAINED OR IN THE PRESENCE OF A FAMILY MEMBER .GIVEN A DOG HOUSE FOR SHADE AND AMPLE WATER CLOSE BY..IT SHOULD BE OK.YOU DON`T WANT YOUR DOG RUNNING LOOSE ALL THE TIME. [1]HE MIGHT BECOME A NUISANCE DOG. [2]MIGHT RUN INTO PROBLEMS WITH NEIGHBOURS NOTE: UNFRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS MIGHT TRY AND POISON THEM. A NEIGHBOURS DOG KEPT TEARING MY GARBAGE APART.SO I STARTED LEAVING DOGGY BAGS FOR HIM.HE DRAGGED THE BAGS TO THE OWNERS YARD NAD MADE THE MESS THERE.THE DOG HAD A PATH WORN DOWN FROM THEIR FRONT DOOR TO MY GARBAGE.IT WENT ON FOR YEARS EVEN AFTER TALKING TO THE FAMILY INVOLVED.FINALLY I CALLED SPCA AND THEY SET A SAFE TRAP FOR THE DOG.MY TENANT CALLED ANIMAL CONTROL TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ME TRAPPING DOGS...THEY LAUGHED AND SAID IT WAS THEIR TRAP.I THINK THE MOTHER WANTED THE DOG GONE BUT WASN`T WILLING TO TAKE ANY STEPS DIRECTLY.NOW I BECAME THE SCAPEGOAT SO HER KIDS COULD HATE ME INSTEAD OF HER.THEIR DOG PRIOR TO THIS ONE WAS RUN OVER. [3]CHASING WILD LIFE (a)CATCHING PORCUPINES (b)HUNTERS SHOOT DOGS CHASING GAME IN THE FALL. (c)MIGHT GET CAUGHT IN A SNARE/TRAP. (d)MIGHT EAT POISONED BAIT [4]MIGHT GET RUN OVER [5]SOME DOGS HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD.THEIR COLLARS GOT SNAGGED IN A BRANCH.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), November 16, 2001.

PS to Cordwood Guy, You have some very good points and you would hope people would use common sense, but there is no need to shout! We can read normal letters just fine. I tend to ignore statements typed in capitols and just skimmed yours. Good points though. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), November 16, 2001.

yeah very good point JUST don't shout i mean people know these things

-- (aubrey56@maine.rr.com), November 16, 2001.

A Ridgeback would do fine for that, especially if you get a pup and train it along your property lines. That breeds natural enviroment is outdoors so you'd be doing it a favor to let it have its freedom. I had a border collie raised from a pup that always ran free, always stayed outside, never crossed our property lines(70acres), never killed any livestock. Never starved or froze to death either. We had several cats that spent their lives outside around the barn 100% of the time, even in near 0 temps and they all did fine for many years with no health problems whatsoever. Never had tick or flea problems either since nature was allowed to follow through. I often wonder why people insist on applying human traits to animals. I feel sorry for any dog that spends its life chained up or regulated to a few square feet cooped up in a house all its life, even if they're let out for a few minutes of freedom. It doesn't seem healthy for the animal or the human. I also wonder why people aren't bothered by dog hair, dog slobber, feces particles, the smell, etc that comes with keeping dogs in the house? Do they not notice these things because I surely do when I visit dog people homes or get in a car that's had a dog in it. I love dogs and all animals but I believe there's a line between beast and human. Please don't jump on me for this opinion, just a an observation and wondering how others look at this.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), November 16, 2001.

I believe Cordwood posted once and mentioned that he has a sever vision problem and could only see what he typed if he used Caps. He asked us, if memory doesn't fail me again, to try to overlook this breach in etiquette. He's not shouting, only trying to see and participate.

Have some fun sometimes.

Wildman

-- Wildman (jdenterprises@centurytel.net), November 16, 2001.

Ridgebacks are people oriented dogs, a ridgeback generally wants to be where its owner is...at least I can say that my RR, who LOVED the outdoors, wanted to be outside, following me around when I took care of the horses and property, but when I was done so was she...she would not have been happy without being close to me. They are very active outdoors but have low activity indoors.. I lost my RR last month to cancer, She was incredble. RR's can be silly and playful, or more serious....I hear the liver noses are especially playful. Lilith was very serious and intense, but was also 1/2 GSD. They do have short fur/little shedding. They definitely want to sleep indoors...they could wander if unsupervised outside as they are a sight hound.

-- Susan in NY (ridgebackmom@statetel.com), February 17, 2002.