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- Dec 3, 2017
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This past week I met another dog named Lucky! A man came into one of the dog parks I frequent with a dog. Being a Rhodesian Ridgeback person, I asked the guy if his dog was a RR? The dog had the right head shape, ears, big paws, long tail, the long legs, the right body shape, and the right coloring, but no ridge. Yes, a ridgeless ridgeback.
Many dogs are bred to be sold for the breed, such as RR. I don't know the current price of buying a RR, but upwards of $2000. In any litter of RR, there can be one or two that is born without a ridge. These dogs can't be easily sold because of no ridge, but are often given away, sometimes to a shelter. This Lucky dog was given to a kill shelter! A RR rescue group saw it and rescued it, and the man who adopted him decided that he was lucky to be adopted.
There are not a lot of RR out there. If there are any, I immediately connect with the person who brought them. There used to be a ridgeless RR named Sergio that I saw often, but he moved with his owner. There is another RR that I see periodically named Blitzen, meaning lightening in German. He is a big dog and has not been neutered. Lucky has been neutered. Lucky is not even a year old yet, just a puppy.
It just happened that the day I saw Lucky, Blitzen was also at the same dog park. Lucky and Blitzen immediately began running around together. Ridgebacks are runners. They are not fetchers. They have no interest in chasing balls or frisbees. They are hunters and were bred to hunt lions and to protect people from lions. They are best in packs.
RR are also typically a one person dog, meaning that they have a favorite person. They will be friendly in a group of people, such as a family, but the person who feeds them, takes them out, and especially gives them treats, are their people. Anyone who is unkind or abusive to a RR, will never be their person, and they never forget when they are mistreated.
I always speak to dogs when I see them. I call them by name. I always speak to Blitzen, but he is pretty aloof with me, unlike other dogs who will come right up to me, some even when I haven't seen them in a while. He aloof, because I'm not his person and I haven't given him treats. That would win him over.
RR are great protectors. If someone comes in the door of the home of a RR, you hear a deep growl and bark. Otherwise, they are sweet dogs.
Most people have just one RR, because they can be large dogs. Blitzen must weigh 120 pounds. Lucky weighs around 75 pounds.
Many dogs are bred to be sold for the breed, such as RR. I don't know the current price of buying a RR, but upwards of $2000. In any litter of RR, there can be one or two that is born without a ridge. These dogs can't be easily sold because of no ridge, but are often given away, sometimes to a shelter. This Lucky dog was given to a kill shelter! A RR rescue group saw it and rescued it, and the man who adopted him decided that he was lucky to be adopted.
There are not a lot of RR out there. If there are any, I immediately connect with the person who brought them. There used to be a ridgeless RR named Sergio that I saw often, but he moved with his owner. There is another RR that I see periodically named Blitzen, meaning lightening in German. He is a big dog and has not been neutered. Lucky has been neutered. Lucky is not even a year old yet, just a puppy.
It just happened that the day I saw Lucky, Blitzen was also at the same dog park. Lucky and Blitzen immediately began running around together. Ridgebacks are runners. They are not fetchers. They have no interest in chasing balls or frisbees. They are hunters and were bred to hunt lions and to protect people from lions. They are best in packs.
RR are also typically a one person dog, meaning that they have a favorite person. They will be friendly in a group of people, such as a family, but the person who feeds them, takes them out, and especially gives them treats, are their people. Anyone who is unkind or abusive to a RR, will never be their person, and they never forget when they are mistreated.
I always speak to dogs when I see them. I call them by name. I always speak to Blitzen, but he is pretty aloof with me, unlike other dogs who will come right up to me, some even when I haven't seen them in a while. He aloof, because I'm not his person and I haven't given him treats. That would win him over.
RR are great protectors. If someone comes in the door of the home of a RR, you hear a deep growl and bark. Otherwise, they are sweet dogs.
Most people have just one RR, because they can be large dogs. Blitzen must weigh 120 pounds. Lucky weighs around 75 pounds.
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