Weight?

[benb]

What is an average weight of a fully grown adult male ridgeback?  I know the AKC breed standard says something like 85 pounds but I have rarely seen an adult male weigh that little.  Is it not "correct" if they weigh upwards of 110 to 120 pounds of solid muscle?

[oscarsmom]

Hi Ben,

I don't think it's a matter of muscle or not, a dog at 120lbs (without being overweight) is pushing the upper limits (I'd say too big) of a "standard" male RR. My male is between 90-95lbs, at maturity and I don't think he has ANY excess body fat. He fits the standard to a "T" I believe (just talking weight here - my boy is purebred ridgeless ). His dad I think is about 100-104lbs.

Standards exist to keep breeds within certain limits and maintain a distinctive regularity. Breeds that do come in "sizes" so to speak are often sub categorized as such (like 13 and 15 inch beagles). There will always be variation and a window of range within the standard, but as a general rule, standards are a good way of maintaining a breed - dogs that fall *far* outside of that standard just shouldn't be used as breeding stock so as not to further skew the standard, they still make wonderful companions . I for one wouldn't want something like a 50lb Jack Russel Terrier - ESPECIALLY if it was solid muscle! JMO

Lots of people brag about their GIANT 150lb RRs - who knows if they're overweight, or even weighed correctly , but I think the official standard is something like 85 to 95lbs... someone involved in breeding and showing here will surely know more...

~Natalya

[benb]

Thank you!  I was wondering mainly because the sire of the puppy i am prospectively getting weighs around 120 pounds and i was wondering if i should not buy it.

[melissap]

 

Ben, there is a LOT of info on here and I am sure you will see many posts on the forum about weight -

There is some variance on weight - Are you buying a show potential dog or are you more of a pet owner?

It is my opinion that ideally a dog should not reach much over 100 lbs  and that would be at the "top" of the standard.

None of the ridgebacks you see should be  anything less than lean and muscular ~ PERIOD - even if they are at the female standard of 65 LBS of pure muscle.

THere is a lot that could make it impossible for a large rr to get down to a proper weight - some are big boned some are taller then  they should be, so while you are asking about weight - there is  so much more to know about how the dog looks or what it  weighs.

You mentioned you were getting ready to bring home a new puppy - what are the parents like?

Have you looked at thier previous and mature litters that are on the ground....

Melissa

[melissap]

Sorry I am going to post over my post -


Ben,

He may be big, but to know more about how his off spring  will turn out - check out his siblings and any dogs from previous breedings - Check out the line he is being bred to - check out her siblings and off spring - grandparents and parents!!!

That is a bit big for the standard, but ~ it really depends on all of the information you will find between the lines and your breeder should have and share openly with you ~ but also be  patient with your breeder, a litter of puppies is a busy endeavor.

How many RR;s and breeders have you looked at?

Melissa

[benb]

Yes i have seen the parents and they appear to be very good looking RRs.  The breeder I am buying from has only raised 2 litters before this one but I will ask her to send current pictures (if she has any) of past litters.  I've done as much as possible to get ready for owning this new pup as far as educating myself about the breed but there is only so much i can do.  I've read books and talked to people about them but I've only actually seen RRs in person one time and that was at this breeders' farm.  I do not plan on showing him and i'm sure he'll make a great pet i just want to make a well-informed decision and get a good dog for my money. 

[melissap]

Hi Ben,

You will get a LOT of great info here - and that does not mean that mine is by any means more valuable than some of the others as there are wonderful and well educated and very invloved breeders on this forum so you are in the right place.

1st - have the  parents been shown to thier championship?

2nd - Have they done the proper health screening? You can swap question # 2 in for a tie with question # 1 .....

3rd - were the parents well tempermented? again, I think temperment is equal in importance to question 1 & 2.

4th - is  he balanced and well put together over all?

5th - how big is mom?

How many puppies are there, and are you taking home the largest?

I would not worry as much about size as long as the breeder is ethical, breeds for sound temperments and has thier health certified.

there are several other things you may consider - depending on what is individauly specific to you and what kind of relationship you have with your breeder.

THere may be people on here who know more about the breeder, and you will get a great deal of information......If you are buying a pet and the are "good people" you will not be dissapointed - but cross your t's and dot your eye's and gather info.

Luck

Melissa

[melissap]

Ben,

You can ask your breeder to talk to other owners she has placed her puppies with ~ ask them if they are happy with thier dogs and if they are healthy and well tempermented.

Also - cost - is very subjective


Another question: the contract?

are you comfortable with it?

It should read spay or neuter with a pet contract.

Does it read that the breeder takes back?

Melissa

[Kapani]

Hi Ben,

You will get a LOT of great info here - and that does not mean that mine is by any means more valuable than some of the others as there are wonderful and well educated and very invloved breeders on this forum so you are in the right place.Wow Ben lots info thrown at you:)

1st - have the  parents been shown to thier championship?


2nd - Have they done the proper health screening? You can swap question # 2 in for a tie with question # 1 .....?I wouldn't worry the CH as much as the health clearences.  Melissa are your pups parents CH and were their health test all done before the breeding?  Just curious since you are laying down the law for Ben on what is acceptable?


3rd - were the parents well tempermented? again, I think temperment is equal in importance to question 1 & 2.

4th - is  he balanced and well put together over all?

5th - how big is mom?

How many puppies are there, and are you taking home the largest?Cowboy was the largest male in his litter as a pup and ended up the smallest male.

I would not worry as much about size as long as the breeder is ethical, breeds for sound temperments and has thier health certified.

there are several other things you may consider - depending on what is individauly specific to you and what kind of relationship you have with your breeder.

THere may be people on here who know more about the breeder, and you will get a great deal of information......If you are buying a pet and the are "good people" you will not be dissapointed - but cross your t's and dot your eye's and gather info.

Luck

Melissa

[k9crazyrr]

hi Ben, in regards to your original question, I have a male that is 27 inches tall ( top end for a male ) he averages about 85 pounds, closer to 90 when he is very buff after spending some time biking in the summer.  It is not uncommon to see dogs 28 or even 29 inches tall and they would be the ones I would exspect would cross the 100 pound mark.  Since you are looking for just a good family dog, size will not be that big of an issue.  The more important things have already been listed by others.
Angie

[Kapani]

Ben,

You can ask your breeder to talk to other owners she has placed her puppies with ~ ask them if they are happy with thier dogs and if they are healthy and well tempermented.

Also - cost - is very subjective


Another question: the contract?

are you comfortable with it?

It should read spay or neuter with a pet contract.

Does it read that the breeder takes back?

Melissa

I thought we discussed in early thread that it's perfectly fine if breeders choose not to sell pups with contracts or co-ownership so maybe Ben's breeders aren't using a contract?

[Kapani]

hi Ben, in regards to your original question, I have a male that is 27 inches tall ( top end for a male ) he averages about 85 pounds, closer to 90 when he is very buff after spending some time biking in the summer.  It is not uncommon to see dogs 28 or even 29 inches tall and they would be the ones I would exspect would cross the 100 pound mark.  Since you are looking for just a good family dog, size will not be that big of an issue.  The more important things have already been listed by others.
Angie

Ben my boy is also near 27 inches but he weighs around 98ish not an ounce of fat but he has a bit more bone than Angie's boy.

[melissap]

Funny Michelle - but I think you noticed that I asked all questions to garher information and gave every excpetion to be considered - as well us just under your red commentary - I had stated, the a. it depends on what he is buying the dog for & if you read above what you wrote - I also clearly stated "questions # 1-3 are interchangable to  a certain degree *** depending on his purpose for the dog.

Also - let me state clearly why I asked if either parent was finished, since your attitude has changed again towards me. I was trying to identify wether he was buying from a back yard breeder, and I am FULLY aware of the circumstances surrounding Aziza's title and they have NOTHING TO DO with her quality and soundness in health or conformation!!!!

I am also fully aware of the ethics Sandy holds with regard to her line and the care she puts forth in raising, placing and assisting  her buyers because I know her quite well personally - and this is not an advantage he may have. I also know of her success and history in the ring - and I have talked to many many breeders and learned a great deal before making the decision to bring Zola home. I  really do  not need to justify that to  you & would NEVER think that I had the right to judge you and your endeavors ~ but if you insist in manuipulating what limited information you think you have with your regard to me, then carry on. It is your opinion, nothing more and nothing less!

Ben - I am sorry if this post has caused you to wonder what is going on as you had asked for my opinion - and it is one that I would give any friend or family member when asking questions about wether or not you are getting a good pet for your money!

I think between you and I our corrrespondence was clear - and again -this is a decision you have to be comfortable with -

Best regards, and good luck.

Melissa

[Kapani]

Funny Michelle - but I think you noticed that I asked all questions to garher information and gave every excpetion to be considered - as well us just under your red commentary - I had stated, the a. it depends on what he is buying the dog for & if you read above what you wrote - I also clearly stated "questions # 1-3 are interchangable to  a certain degree *** depending on his purpose for the dog.

Also - let me state clearly why I asked if either parent was finished, since your attitude has changed again towards me. I was trying to identify wether he was buying from a back yard breeder, and I am FULLY aware of the circumstances surrounding Aziza's title and they have NOTHING TO DO with her quality and soundness in health or conformation!!!!

I am also fully aware of the ethics Sandy holds with regard to her line and the care she puts forth in raising, placing and assisting  her buyers because I know her quite well personally - and this is not an advantage he may have. I also know of her success and history in the ring - and I have talked to many many breeders and learned a great deal before making the decision to bring Zola home. I  really do  not need to justify that to  you & would NEVER think that I had the right to judge you and your endeavors ~ but if you insist in manuipulating what limited information you think you have with your regard to me, then carry on. It is your opinion, nothing more and nothing less!

Ben - I am sorry if this post has caused you to wonder what is going on as you had asked for my opinion - and it is one that I would give any friend or family member when asking questions about wether or not you are getting a good pet for your money!

I think between you and I our corrrespondence was clear - and again -this is a decision you have to be comfortable with -

Best regards, and good luck.

Melissa

This has nothing to do with an attitude shift I simply asked a question since you were telling him what to look for and IMO implying his breeder was less then ethical if 1-4 weren't done not to mention the contract question.  If that was not what you meant and I took it incorrectly then I apologize.  Like I said if a dog has it's health clearences done I couldn't care less if some in the dog fancy would consider that person a BYB.

[melissap]

Okay - well you have a right to your opinion as well; but it was just yesterday you had so much to say about the GSD and how it's breeders got far off track from the standard - which is ultimatley true, but if breeders are not showing for CONFORMATION how do we gauge when and who is producing dogs that are not within it???

Now, lets assume that some traditions are meant to be upheld. That is why conformation exists, and it is the root of the word CONFORM ATION!!! a validation from your piers that the dog meets a set of previously established guidelines that define the norm

Bens breeder may have great reasons for breeding him and with a moderate breedign partner may produce top winning show dogs that are health certified and have wonderful temperments - and my advice to him was given with the perspective that he may have not considered for his sake as he wanted to know if  this was going to be a good puppy and if he wants a good representation of the breed - the standard should matter! That is not to say every dog is not for showing and is also not meant to say that a great show dog in my opinion should have a loving HOME Life - I do not know who bens breeder is so I aired on the side of caution thinking "maybe he has not thought of this"......as many new people do not and the forum is here to educate - for the protection of the breed and to ensure happy puppies have happy educated owners!

My asking the standard questions that most anyone would were meant to get him to make an evaluation of the information he has...never to pass judgement - that is just not my bag!

Nor should he be passing judgement - but he should have all of the right questions to ask so that he has the information to discern! Had he not asked for an opinion, I would not given it nor have I  ever drilled anyone on the pedigree of thier dog; as I assume they made the best decision they could with the information they had at that time.

JMHO

Melissa