Ridgeback experts

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Coblette

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Hi, we are researching into possibly getting a RR puppy next year but I want to make sure we buy the right breed. Those of you with RRs what would be your advice & main pitfalls of the breed? Also any recommendations on breeders in the South East would be good. Or PM if there are any in particular to avoid!
 
That’s not good, I hope yours were ok? Hopefully that’s not a common trait if they are well socialised as pups
 
Coblette said:
Hi, we are researching into possibly getting a RR puppy next year but I want to make sure we buy the right breed. Those of you with RRs what would be your advice & main pitfalls of the breed? Also any recommendations on breeders in the South East would be good. Or PM if there are any in particular to avoid!
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I hope you don't mind me asking, but how much experience do you have with owning/training dogs , and what sort of breeds?

They can be loveable dopes, but were bred for guard purposes, and can be strong (even bone-headed) both mentally and physically...I would suggest they would not be a first time large dog owners breed of choice?!
 
I used to ride for a lady who had two. They thrived because they had 20 something acres to bound around. They would also frequently bolt after wild animals.

Not a dog for an inexperienced home due to size (not saying you’re inexperienced), and I’d say a tendency to be a little aggressive if they’re unsure about who is approaching them.

Dogs tend to be significantly bigger than bitches, IME, anyway.
 
quizzie said:
I hope you don't mind me asking, but how much experience do you have with owning/training dogs , and what sort of breeds?

They can be loveable dopes, but were bred for guard purposes, and can be strong (even bone-headed) both mentally and physically...I would suggest they would not be a first time large dog owners breed of choice?!
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Had springer spaniels and a GWP. Our preference would be a bitch just as I know the dogs can generally be much larger!
 
I've known some lovely ones but they can be very unruly and bouncy if not trained well.
There was a lovely one where I walk he was overly friendly and far too bouncy as a young dog. He knocked several people over being :friendly"

As an older dog he was very nice and had a lovely nature. He died and owner got another

This one also ran riot and was a pain with people and dogs. However last time I spoke to the owner he had started growling at the children if they tried to get him off the sofa. She was very keen to point out the dog was only a pup and shouldn't be told off!
I've just realised Ive not seen them for a couple of months... They're big and I suspect need early boundaries.
 
My neighbour is on their third lot of ridgebacks. The first 2 pairs were fine, the current pair is locally known as the killer dogs as very aggressive towards other dogs. It seemed to start with the female getting more aggressive as she grew up and the male just follows on. So that seems like a case of nature rather than nurture. Personally I would not wish to buy a dog bred for attack purposes, but each( to their own I guess.
 
Coblette said:
Had springer spaniels and a GWP. Our preference would be a bitch just as I know the dogs can generally be much larger!
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I would just say that they have a very different mindset to the gundog type breeds.....Spaniels and (most) GWPs are bred to be co-operative and respond well to mind stimulating training... RRs are much more of a guarding breed and need keeping one step ahead of....they don't have the same inherent will to please.

Just depends what suits you/your household/your way of doing things!
 
The only one i knew of as a teen wiped out my entire 30+ flock of large garden free roaming chickens and an old magnificent cockerel, when it managed to get loose from it’s owners property, their gate left open…. jumping the wall into ours. Absolute carnage.
The poor dog was cooped up with an inactive elderly couple, so never had exercise, and would frequently be very aggressive on my paper round whenever they had to open the door to pay me, barely able to hold the dog back. It was a male.

I suspect they’re an entirely different personality when given great training from a young age by dedicated owners and given plenty of exercise.
The one i knew i suspect was bought for ‘guard dog’ purposes initially, but they didn’t appreciate the needs the dog had, like training and exercise, to be sane doing that job.
I never blamed the dog…just like i never blamed the foxes when they took a few, understanding the nature of them. The owners i blamed for being so over-dogged!

But that cockerel was so beautiful, just like from the fairytale stories, plumes of shiny multicoloured feathers, 7 yrs old massive bird with his harem of girls.
 
I've only had experience of two. They belonged to some neighbours, they were extremely aggressive along the fence line as I rode past and the day she left the gate open they came after my horse. He was an extremely bold horse and he stuck his head down and charged forward at the first one when it jumped for his throat, so they left, but it was really frightening for a few moments.
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Hmm general consensus here is that they can be either lovely or aggressive and not always to do with its upbringing. Maybe I’ll do some more research into some other breeds. Yes vizsla & Labradors are also strong contenders.
 
I've had mixed experiences with RR and I see a lot who should be well handled/trained/socialised dogs as I'm seeing them in the capacity of show vet. Temperaments are questionable in at leats half. There's nothing worse than a dog bred to guard/be protective that isn't temperamentally stable, it's a dangerous combo.
 
Husband had a RR when we met. She was quiet, calm and aloof. Not particularly seeking of affection from people but very easy to have around. Never chose to interact with other dogs but absolutely not aggressive either and I could have friends dogs in the house without issue. It seems there is a lot of variation in the breed!
 
Think about original use/purpose and whether you can channel natural instincts/are the right home for a dog which may display clear genetic tendencies.

I only knew one, that came to the bus stop every morning with it's young owner and was waiting there for her every afternoon - presume it went home alone afterwards and returned alone.
Nobody else interacted with the dog and both everyone at the bus stop and the dog were fine with that.
 
rara007 said:
For balance I prefer a ridgeback to a vizsla! Most our local ridgebacks are balanced dogs with the right handling, unlike the Vizslas that are bonkers and the wired ones even worse!
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I think our views in a breed can be skewed if you have a good local breeder so see lots of nice examples.I see lots of lovely temperamentally stable, well socialised and not bonkers border collies...but there's a very good local breeder.
 
A family friend bred them for many years, her were nice well balanced dogs, not too big, well behaved, raised around all sorts of livestock and creatures from ponies to wildlife.
Outside of hers i have met both good and not so good
 
I've known a few on yards and farms.

The 2 I knew really well were a pair of bitches who were sisters. They both had dead eyes like a shark! Quite hard dogs to read.

I have found them all quite aloof and hard headed.
Not really what I'd want in a house pet but good guarding dogs in farmyards.
 
We used to meet a pair of RR when walking the Rotts, I think they lived next door to each other. They were nice dogs, well -trained, definitely not aggressive towards the Rotts or people.
BUT there used to be one that lived near us, was allowed to wander the district, badly trained and not a pleasant dog.
 
My parents have a 2year old male ridgeback and friends of ours have his sister. They also have a older 5 year old male but he is from a different breeder. All 3 ridgebacks have amazing temperament, brought up around children, other dogs horses, chickens etc. My parents 2 year old male still has his balls but he is such a softie around other dogs, no aggression at all. We are also in south east would be happy for you to pm if you wanted to know their breeder or any other info.
 
I had a Ridgeback about 30yrs ago, and currently own another one now. Both males, and both very different dogs. My old one was quite unpredictable. He didn't like black or disabled people (yes, I'm being very honest!), even if it was just the fact someone was using crutches would make him very wary. He was brilliant with me, my family and my friends, but if he didn't know or like you, he definitely let you know about it. My current Ridgeback is a completely different story. He's probably the most laid back dog I've ever owned. I can walk him off his lead and he just follows me everywhere. He might wander over to other dogs to have a sniff, but he is never aggressive with them. If another dog shows any signs of aggression towards him, he just walks away. He is so soft and gentle, and absolutely adores my daughter. I've got grand-kids (2yrs old) and they can walk him easily, he just doesn't pull. His only issue is when he meets another male dog of similar size when he's either on his lead or in an enclosed space. He took a bit of a beating from a male Black Lab when he was only a few months old, and it seems that he hasn't forgotten about it! All in all, he's a fantastic dog. My original one was, but you had to be very aware of how he was when out with him. I'd definitely recommend them as a breed to own (as long as you can cater to their needs), but just bear in mind that they all have their own personalties. My current dog was one of the quiet ones in the litter - maybe that's why he's so loyal and chilled. Who knows. For context, I owned a Weimaraner and two German Short-Haired Pointers in between the two Ridgebacks. If you ask me, get a Ridgeback. Bring them up right and you couldn't ask for a better dog.
 
My friend had German Shepherds and Ridgeback. She said the Ridgeback was the better guard dog than the GSD and that if she barked, something was bothering her. She could be let off the lead, and wasn't bothered about strange dogs unless they were being aggressive to her.
I just hope the breed isn't going be be the next XL Bully. There are quite a few being advertised and I just hope there are enough suitable homes/people for them
 
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