how did you get introduced to the Ridgeback breed?

[lotsofjoy]

I don't own one yet.

One of my husband's high school buddies who we still keep in contact with got one 14 years ago. We fell in love with his looks and then fell in love with his personality. Ever since I've followed the breed with hopes of someday having one of my own.

So how did ou find out about ridgebacks? What attracted you enough to consider getting one?

Thanks!

-Renee

[Karen]

  Great question,  Myself it was over twenty years ago and my neighbor which we would spend every summer water skiing with, (yes we took entire summers off to ski during the days and sail at night) back to RR's -- they had an 8 month old male given to them, I fell instantly in love. So about a year later we took in our first rescue bitch, fully intact, spayed her and loved her till she passed 7 years later.  In that time period my husband and I had to have a second a buddy for her, and bought our first RR pup almost two years after taking in our rescue girl . He too was our baby and companion. It was sixteen years ago that we took in the third and have had them ever since.  I showed horses as well, so getting into showing the dogs was second nature. We love this breed and respect their intelligent loving nature.

Cannot wait to hear more tales of RR Addictions.

[ridgebackpack]

Growing up I lived way out in the Country. My best friend lived on about 8000 acres. Her father a real oldtime Cowboy was big into Hog hunting. He bought what he said was a RR cross with Pitt Bull. At 6 months old he gave me the dog, because he said it would not bark on the trail.

We called him Buc and he lived to be about 12. He was a beautiful dog, with a perfect ridge, and if he had Pitt in him, he took after the RR side completely.

He was a great dog!

[Rosebud]

Well I guess you can say they were forced on me.

My best friend (at that time) had grown up with rr's. When her boys got old enough she got one for herself and decided to breed her. She was adamant that I was going to get a puppy, I was adamant that I was not.

3 months later the day they were being born tragedy struck and mom had am emergency c-section half-way through whelp and had to go on IV and the pups had to be separated from her and bottle raised. I was a relief feeder and poop cleaner for 4 weeks before I started giving in.

The first give-in was Rocket, he was the runt, the only one to survive the c-section and the only one with a white paw-paw. Making sure that baby made it was enough to make any one give in. There was no way he was going anywhere but home with me. There was no way I was going to trust anyone to take good care of him but me.

The second give-in was Sally, and this is the look that did it. My heart melted, that pup wanted ME and nobody else but me, and she made it very clear to everyone that I was her momma and she had to come as well.



So Miss, no way in the world am I gonna get a dog, ended up with two and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. It was honestly the best decision I have ever made in my life.



Michelle

[petersen]

I met my husband at FSU and he had a RR mix named Tommy.  Tommy was only 40 pounds, ridgeless, but had every trait a ridgeback is known for.  Fastforward to 3 years ago, the lake we live on used to be pristine until a developer decided to dredge about 11 acres and caused a major blue-green algae bloom.  My dog, Jude, who we adopted only two years earlier, drank from the lake and immediately became infected with what we found out after a necropsy was a neuro toxin from the algae bloom.  Very rare, you may remember the teenager who died after swimming in a pond on a golf course, same symptoms, same type of neuro toxin.  Horrible death. 

The day I went to pick up Jude's ashes was one of the worst our family ever went through.  We were devasted.  My daughter, in her infinite wisdom, announced later that night, that the only way we would ever be happy again was if we got a puppy.  I immediately told her no, I don't do puppies (all our dogs up until then had been adopted/rescue).  Persistant as ever, she proceeded to search the internet for puppies.  I was melting, but still did not want a puppy, nothing could ever take Jude's place, when all of a sudden out of my mouth came "the only puppy I would ever get would be a rhodesian ridgeback!"  She had never heard of a ridgeback, so together we went on an internet search.  We stumbled upon Jeannie's website and saw that she had ONE puppy left.  (This was also the only ridgeback puppy in the state of Florida at that time).  I called Jeannie, poured my heart out to her (she probably thought I was nuts, but was too nice to say so).  The rest is history, we drove to Tampa the next morning and picked up Max.

Max has truly healed the hole left after the horrible death of Jude.  Every day we thank God for him and for Jeannie!  He is an amazing dog, and has so many traits that Jude had.  God truly works in mysterious ways.

[Estelita]

We knew of Ridgebacks, thought they were "cool" but didn't think about getting a purebred dog initially.  I grew up with German Shepherds who had major health issues, so I was against a purebred.  I wanted a GSD mix.  We ended up adopting Stella from a shelter the day she was set to be euthanized.  We knew she was a GSD mix but had no clue what the other part was.... we were told a number of times by people seeing her with us that she was an RR mix, but we didn't really buy it until we ran into a dog looking identical to her, adopted from the same shelter about the same time, the same age, and with a ridge.  We were able to piece more together.  A bunch of shelter workers had been fired between Luna being adopted and Stella being adopted, so we never had the whole story.  We were fascinated.

Of course, the longer we had her, and the more we researched, we realized she was so much more RR in behavior than she was GSD. OOPS!   

We now foster RRs!  And we are amazed at how perfect of a breed they are for us.... considering this all happened by mistake!

[RRBoy's Mom]

Research...

I knew I wanted a dog and what I wanted out of the relationship.  With that in mind I bought books, went on the web, and went to dog shows to talk to breeders.  We evaluated our life and the dog that would fit into our life.  Owning an RR is a lot of work but it if very rewarding.  We spend a lot  of time with our boy and are starting to reevaluate our life to determine the best time to add another to our family. 

Bottom line, know what you can and can not do and be prepared for the commitment. 

Good Luck (from a newbie RR owner, only 3 years but looking forward to many more)

[sarah yates]

i moved to africa from the US about 5 years ago. people were helping themselves to stuff in my yard and in my garage so i decided that i needed another pair of eyes around the house. i did not like dogs but felt that i needed a dependable companion that was aloof, reasonable intimidating and intelligent (as well as low maintenence). i had heard of ridgebacks and started researching- it turned out to be one of the best decisions i've ever made. Khale joined me when i lived in Botswana about 2 years ago, and now Naro joined has me in after my recent move to Nairobi, Kenya.

even after i got khale i wasn't sure about my emotional investment with an animal but, when Khale was about 5 months old she woke me up in the middle of the night and went to look out the window. i figured it was a cat or something...then she started to growl a low quiet growl that i had never heard her do. i looked out the window and there was someone creeping through my yard. this person then turned on a flashlight and started looking into my car! i hit the alarm button and that was the end of that. she helped the security people scour the yard but the person had already disappeard. after that i really saw her as my best friend!

i now want to get into showing and breeding and rescue and everything else- i'm totally in love with them.

after i moved to Nairobi and brought both Khale and Naro into the vet the vet shook her head and said...'no one will ever trouble you.' i hope that's not entirely true but they're my best friends for sure.

[rrlady]

  Great question

Yes, it is...I backed into the breed actually.  In 1986, my neighbor's daughter brought a 10 lb pup with a strange ridge on its back.  I hadn't ever heard of RRs nor seen one. He had lots of black ticking.  My neighbor couldn't keep him.  She was going to bring him to the SPCA in the afternoon.  She asked me to watch him a few hours for her that morning.  He just walked in and made himself at home.  Curled up at my husband's feet, let out a contented sigh and fell asleep.  Will said, "Look at this little guy, he's right a home."  At that I started to cry, and told him Jane was going to bring him to the humane society.  He said, "he can stay, if he doesn't get too big".  Famous last words in our family.  We named him Bogie. He grew to be 120+ lbs.  We believe he may have been mixed with bullmastiff or mastiff, possibly some pit, too.  He had a gorgeous, perfect ridge and fan.  He was the most unique and wonderful dog I had ever had.  He was light wheaten when all of the ticking fell away. I lost him to OS in November of 1994, 3 months after we had gotten a purebred RR puppy from Shirley Batson of Deer Ridge.
We got 'Dozer in December of 1995. Lost him to OS at the end of Oct 2004.
Joe in summer of 2000 after we had lost our funny Charlie to ARF.
Rhett came to us March of 2005.
They were and are all very special to us.
Sharon

[Donna]

My first Ridgie came to me over 25years ago.  A friend had one and they were going back to their breeder to discuss getting another, so I went along for the ride, well the woman turned out to be so nice, we spent the day at her house, toured her kennel, and needless to say I was hooked. Got my first pup about a year later, this was from Alicia Mohr, I showed that dog for a spell, but my dad got cancer, and I had to take care of him, so showing was put on the back burner, needles to say we never finished her, but she lived to be about 12, and she was great, I swore I would never have any other breed and I haven't.
To raise the money for her, I wanted one so bad, we had a garage sale, and I sold all my kids baby things and anything I could find, raised enough money for the dog and then some, best money I ever made, was for my best cause ever.
Over the years, after Kesha died, we had lived in apartments that didn't allow dogs, but soon as I moved to where I could have dogs, I purchased a pair, brother and sister and I had my hands full for a while, but that was our beginning. I ended up with 4 well actually five dogs, husband came with a springer spaniel, was a package deal!!
And as long as I live and am able, there won't be an end to my having Ridgebacks.
Donna

[Keeper]

We were at relative's house, riding motorcycles when she said, "I know how you love dogs...you got to see Shirley's Weird Looking dog!!"  Shirley was a Lab and German Shorthair Breeder and handler.  She took on a livernosed male named Kinde for a friend who asked her to show it.  This was 1978. 
Shirley was cooking for a large crowd that was expected for a Pig Roast the next day.  I watched her while she was making sausage to stuff into chickens.  The first thing I noticed as Kinde sauntered into the kitchen was the similarity to a lion on the hunt. He walked with his nose up at counter level across her very large kitchen and then into the formal dining room and then in a circle of the main floor until his second pass put him on the opposite side of the kitchen, nose still skimming the edge of the counter.

On the 3rd pass, without missing a single step, he raised on his hind legs, grabbed 2 large German Brats and sauntered into the formal dining room where he loudly smacked his prize into oblivion!  I was laughing so hard by the time that Shirley noticed the raid on her food that I could barely sit on the bar stool!  By then Kinde was approaching his 4th pass...and agile as Shirley was...Kinde was smoother and faster! 

I thought, 'Wow!  That dog actually planned the assualt on that food!'  Within a week, Shirley had contacted the only breeder in Michigan...and I was the proud owner of my first livernose RR...he was 4 months old and it took 5 of us to hold him for his last shot before I could take him home.  His name was "Akeeta Maxwell of Kimbida"  He was the son of the a rather famous RR of the time.  The Guardsman of Kimbida.

I still miss him.
KEEPER

[Rosebud]

These are some wonderful stories.




Michelle

[k9crazyrr]

I grew up with German Shorthair Pointers.  I wanted a dog that was short haired and simalar size.  I love Shorthairs, but because I do not hunt I felt it was wrong to have one.  I was managing a large boarding kennel at the time and I saw my first RR.  I asked the owner alot of general questions and then went to afew shows.  I was introduced to lure coursing, and then I was just plane hooked.  Now I have two and I am looking for my third.
Angie

[saikridgebacks]

I LOVE German shorthair pointers, and more importantly my dogs love to play with their GSP friends.

But back to the subject:

My husband, Andrew...his grandfather had three Ridgebacks. They all went to work with him. Andrew would spend the summers with them and fell in love with the breed. My mother bred Chows and I grew up with many different pets. I myself had owned a Border collie that we had obtained through rescue.

When it came time to get an dog, there was no discussing it. Drew wanted a Ridgeback!!! After much research I agreed. It took us a couple years to find a dog. At the time we lived in North Carolina (uggggg I miss it) We talked with one breeder that wouldn't sell us a puppy because we weren't married. Then another a year later that would  not place a puppy with us because we had a child. Then we got on a list with a breeder and all but one of the puppies had died in birth. It was tough. But we finally got our boy Murphy and I have been hooked since.

Our dogs are a big part of our family and I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Heathe

[a_bomb_betty]

My brother started showing ridgebacks in Southern California about 25 years ago. I helped him show a couple times and loved going to the shows with him and hanging out as a young girl. A few years ago my husband saw my brother's dogs when we went for a visit and really liked them. Turned out his boss at work also had ridgebacks and they got to talking about them. So about 2 years ago I told my brother to keep a puppy for me the next time he had a litter. We got Betty last year in March and she is great. A perfect family dog and she's competitive in the show ring. We are going to try lure coursing next!

[Christine]

When I was 12 I volunteered at the local Humane Society. There was an RR that worked in the front office- and I was in LOVE! He had such an awesome disposition and was a beautiful dog. 20 years later, I was finally in a position to get a dog of my own and spent alot of time researching different breeds but kept coming back to the RR. It took a while to find the right breeder etc- but Koa was definitely worth the wait!

[Keeper]

When I was 12 I volunteered at the local Humane Society. There was an RR that worked in the front office- and I was in LOVE! He had such an awesome disposition and was a beautiful dog.

sorry can't pass this opportunity...so, Christine, was the RR a receptionist or a Vet Tech?   
Sandra

Did I tell the one about the 2 RRs who worked at Diamond Daves in Lake Orion?  They were great crime deterents until they got fat and lazy....  Ahahahaa!

[caro]

I met my first Ridgeback soon after I arrived in the US in the early1960s.  I was staying with cousins in New Jersey at the time and they have a farm in Western NJ.  Jessica used to love to come for long hikes with me but she never strayed far from my side.  I was fascinated by the breed. 

Having grown up with Golden Retrievers, Dachsunds and Springer Spaniels I knew pretty well what I didn't want in a dog, and hair was a huge consideration.  I never wanted to see any more dust bunnies!  But being young and travelling a lot I was not in a position to have a dog until some years later.

It was almost 10 years before I met another Ridgeback.  It belonged to a girl who hunted with the Potomac Hounds.  They were meeting at my stable and there was the dog, quite at home with all the horses and people.  I thought that was exactly the type of dog I wanted to have, but by then I already had two rescues (a mixed GSD and a Borzoi) and lived in a townhouse.  Finally after I married and moved to a bigger house with a nice fenced yard I was in a position to get the dog I really wanted.  Through the newspaper I found a litter in Virginia and went over to look.  The breeder had a number of dogs, and puppies and older dogs poured out of the basement when we arrived.  I fell in love with Niki and brought her home.  She made it to within a couple of miles of the house and then threw up all over the back of my station wagon.  When we got home, she absolutely wouldn't get out of the car and screamed like a banshee when we pulled her out.  Once in the house she took over and tales of Niki could fill a book.  She was the most amazing character.  Totally her own person.  Lazy in the extreme!  Master counter surfer!  She was terrified of little dogs and cats.  So much so that she would cross to the other side of a field if she had to pass one on the trail!  The one exercise she really loved was swimming and she would chase the Canada geese around the pond for hours.  Never actually caught one and I think the geese used to tease her!  She died of cancer at the age of 7 and I was devastated.  Once again back to the newspaper classified and I found Tory  who was bred by a lady in No. Maryland who had had RRs in her family since childhood.  From there it was dowhill all the way.  At one point we did have 9 including a rescued Labrador, but now are down to 7 with two geriatarics.  I would like to get down to just 2 so once again my husband and I can travel together and stop having our lives run by the dogs!  Why did we have so many?  I honestly don't know how it happened.  But we bred Tory and she only had two puppies.  We couldn't part with either of them.  Our first litter and Tory's babies!  Big mistake.  Second litter we finally had our first show bitch, so of course we kept her.  Then her brother whom we had sold was never picked up so by this time we were attached to him, lived on a farm so decided, sure we could keep him too.  No problem!  Then of course, the show bitch had to be bred upon finishing her championship to carry on the bloodline.  And we kept her daughter from that litter.  Same story again!  Now all the bitches are spayed and it will be a long time before we have another puppy.  I did cry though when Cat was spayed.  She was such a good mother and so easy to breed and she really is a very pretty bitch, but I can't bear to see any more puppies ruined by people who simply will not listen when you tell them Ridgebacks are not Golden Retirevers and need a a strong leader and a firm but always kind hand.

Caroline

[Christine]

sorry can't pass this opportunity...so, Christine, was the RR a receptionist or a Vet Tech?   
Sandra

Did I tell the one about the 2 RRs who worked at Diamond Daves in Lake Orion?  They were great crime deterents until they got fat and lazy....  Ahahahaa!

Receptionist, of course!

[Akanni]

I grew up with a hunting poodle (yes, I said hunting poodle!) - got "into" Irish Wolfhounds when I was 18 (with an AWFUL specimen of the breed but not many breeders will sell an 18 yr old a nice dog, even today) and then had a very nice smooth collie (who decided she would rather live with my mother and lived to be 17!). I had moved out to Utah with a SO and had NO dogs in my home for far too long when...

A woman that I worked with had a litter on the ground of malamute mixes that she wanted me to come look at...I had no intention of taking one of her pups but was hoping to convince her to spay her bitch and not breed again...My SO at the time and I got there, were playing with the pups when in out of the dog door came this roly-poly, super-teething RR puppy! She was about 12 weeks old and when I said "what's the story with this one?" I was told that she was available. No story to go with it. My SO had been in love with the breed since having stayed in Africa for awhile and so we decided that she would come home with us. I learned about ILP numbers from a local RR person and was working to get that in order when one day, in our mailbox, was a photo of a whole litter of ridgedpups with a sticky note saying "your girl is the one on the top in the blue collar!"

That girl ended up getting me involved in RR rescue  - I did it on my own for years but was then the State and Regional Coordinator for the first incarnation of RRCUS rescue (though still working very much alone - at that time it wasn't quite as "PC" to help out with rescue and to even get people to go pick up dogs for me was incredibly difficult - I still owe Leigh Kelley HUGE gratitude for all the help she gave me when she was living in WY). I managed to convince friends in six different states to step up and become state coordinators for states that had NO rescue program before...but most importantly that particular dog got me more involved in the breed as a whole.

That "rescue" pup became BIF Phaedra LCM MC NA CGC TDI (and only needed one more leg to her CD and a major to complete her AKC FC). She was in the running for the top ten in the triathalon at the Colorado Nationals in '98, by earning her first CD leg, getting high score in novice agility (first time it was offered at a National Specialty), and by earning 4th in her full lure coursing stake, as well as scoring VERY well in the triathalon conformation class. Not bad for a rescue! She also certified just about every dog running in Utah and Idaho in lure coursing for a couple years, regardless of their breed. She traveled to KY, AZ, NM, CO, ID, WY, NV, OR, WA, and CA during her performance career and was never, ever phased by anything that happened on the coursing field or in the rings. She was an excellent specimen for temperament - and caused many people to become interested in the breed.

Because of Phae, and my success in performance events with her, my SO arranged to get me a show pup from a local breeder. Having already been active within the breed for several years before getting my show puppy - I had a very good idea of what I wanted and where I was going when I did get my first "full" ridgeback. Sad to say that my show girl wouldn't lure course - had no interest in agility - and was a princess to the extreme (the complete opposite of Phaedra) BUT she was beautifully put together and had an incredible floating gait thanks to her sire. She was a tough bitch to live with, very demanding and high drive, but was adored (of course!) anyway. My additional involvement in the breed led me to even publish one of the issues of RRCUS's The Ridgeback!

When that bitch was four (and had been finished already for two years) I bred her with a frozen semen breeding/surgical AI to a male who'd been out of the country for years. I had had his pedigree on my desk for 2.5 years but no one could give me information on him - where he was, who owned him, nothing. Serendipity would have it, I ran into the woman who used to own him at a teeny show in an out of the way state. We got to talking and getting to know one another and the rest is history.

I have bred two litters - repeat breedings - the first one didn't produce many pups at all so we repeated the breeding. I will be breeding my third litter sometime this fall or in the spring of '07. I don't believe in breeding unless I'm planning on keeping a bitch out of the litter and since I own another breed, I don't often have room to keep anything - which keeps litter numbers WAY down   I have had to rehome two of my puppies, both in the last year, and thankfully I had contracts on both of them with return to breeder clauses. Even with that, and with all of the dogs that I had come through rescue I will ALWAYS have a ridgeback in my home as they are amazing creatures.

Sorry about the length, I guess it doubles as a full introduction? LOL

Cheers
Amy Balthrop
Akanni Hounds - RRs and Borzoi
(in RRs since 1995)

[ekim]

  I'm new to the site , and this is pretty cool.  I read 'Dogs of Babel' about 3 years ago and was very intrigued. We new we wanted a larger dog with minimal grooming, and sound temperment, narrowed down to Dobes, Vizsla, or Ridgies. After plenty of research we know there couldn't be a better fit for our family.

[Karen]

Welcome to the forum Ekim.  Let us know if you have any questions on posting pics. etc.

Enjoy

Karen

[Missienay84]

Hi all,

My family has loved Rhodesian Ridgebacks since we adopted a 1/2 Ridgeback who was abandoned with all her brothers & sisters when they were only 6 weeks old.  She's been a great girl to us and we've had some great times with her, especially when she was younger...  Long walks/runs and open fields and wood paths were her favorite.  She's getting to be a sweet old girl now, at age 11, and her age is catching up to her.  My husband and I are now in the position where we can get a dog of our own...we knew we wanted a large breed, after discussing it, we decided that a Ridgeback was really the direction we wanted to go.  We knew we weren't looking to breed or show one, so we started researching around for pet-quality ridgeback puppies in our area.

Last Saturday we got an 8 week old ridgeless girl from a breeder here in Massachusetts.  She really was the sweetest girl out of a rambunctious litter.  Lots of love and snuggling.  It's certainly going to be an adventure...goodness, this whole past week has been an adventure!!  I've been looking around for as many resources as I could find, and a discussion group seemed one of the best ways to get lots of ideas on how to give our baby girl plenty of room to grow and explore while teaching her who's Alpha in the house.

[Rosebud]

Welcome.

This is a great place to learn about your new addition.

Browse around and check out the Fun Stuff section. I'm sure you already have plenty of stories to share about April's mis-adventures.



Michelle

[Karen]

Hello and welcome.
Please post a pic of your older girl and the new pup.
Let me know if you need help with photo bucket.

Karen

[Missienay84]

Here's a picture of Amber - her last mountain climb a couple years ago (after the trip down, we decided she was just getting too old for it):



My father worked in the vet office on Ft. Sam Houston (army base in San Antonio) when a litter of puppies who were thrown away in the garbage (infuriating!!!) were brought in.  She was one of the ridgeless ones of the litter, which was obviously part-ridgeback but certainly not purebred.  The black around her muzzle and eyes has now turned white...she's aged gracefully.




Here's our little girl on her first day home with us on Sunday.  She loves lap-naps.  But she's going to be too big for that sooner than we'll know it!!!



Here's one where she was getting a little tired out after playing w/ her new "daddy."

[caro]

Tired of lap naps?  Never!  My 7 year old will still climb up on my lap and settle herself on my lap for her evening nap, even tho she now weighs in at around 80lbs!  And her son, who must weigh around 85 lbs has decided leaning on me is much the best way to nap.  He puts his front legs on my shoulders and leans his whole body on top of me.  He can't fit all of him on the chair, but he sure does try!

Cute photos.  You will have lots of fun times ahead of you!!

Caroline

[Karen]

Amber has such a sweet face. What is the name of that cute little r-less girl?

I love puppies, even all the housebreaking and all that comes with raising a pup. Lots of work, but you sure get a ton of laughs and love in return.

Karen

[Missienay84]

Thanks, Karen.  Amber has been such a joy in our lives...  One of the most amazing personalities I've ever known in a dog.

Our new addition is named April.  She's also showing signs of great personality, as well...  She's a mischievous one! (Typical ridgeback!!)  We've got a pen for her set up in our kitchen for times when we're busy doing something else nearby but can't keep a close eye on her...  Well, yesterday she decided enough was enough and she was going to climb her way out!  After 5 times up picking her up and putting her back in, she finally pouted and went to sleep in her crate...  We were thinking we got off pretty easy that she gave up after only 5 times.

[amy kujala]

My mom met my step-father in 1985 and was introduced to his ridgeback Duke. She was breeding and showing Chows, and Lhasas at the time. We lived in Illinois, and moved down to Atlanta in 1991. Chows are temperamentally different down here, and she decided to concentrate more on the ridgebacks. She had her first litter in 1994, and continued her involvement with the breed until she passed in 2004.

I had wanted a little show dog, and got my first show toy poodle in 1998. He grew too big, and got my second one in 2000. I began showing Pebbles, and had some success, but it is hard to finish a dog that should have a ton of coat, when in reality mine looked like she was balding.

After my mother passed, I decided to finish Brandy, a ridgeback bitch she was showing at the time, and I have continued on staying involved in the breed. I got out of poodles completely because my mom did all the grooming, and I could not keep up with all of the day to day work of a poodle. Besides, it is less political in ridgebacks than poodles.

Amy Kujala

[kainda]

there was one bitch with puppies in our zoo.. I liked them... THen I researched on the internet and i liked them, then i went to see some puppies and i went home with one...

[melissap]

Well I guess you can say they were forced on me.

My best friend (at that time) had grown up with rr's. When her boys got old enough she got one for herself and decided to breed her. She was adamant that I was going to get a puppy, I was adamant that I was not.

3 months later the day they were being born tragedy struck and mom had am emergency c-section half-way through whelp and had to go on IV and the pups had to be separated from her and bottle raised. I was a relief feeder and poop cleaner for 4 weeks before I started giving in.

The first give-in was Rocket, he was the runt, the only one to survive the c-section and the only one with a white paw-paw. Making sure that baby made it was enough to make any one give in. There was no way he was going anywhere but home with me. There was no way I was going to trust anyone to take good care of him but me.

The second give-in was Sally, and this is the look that did it. My heart melted, that pup wanted ME and nobody else but me, and she made it very clear to everyone that I was her momma and she had to come as well.



So Miss, no way in the world am I gonna get a dog, ended up with two and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. It was honestly the best decision I have ever made in my life.



Michelle

Michelle ~ this is such a great story, and it got me teary!!! Thank you for sharing your story about little rocket!

[Rosebud]

Michelle ~ this is such a great story, and it got me teary!!! Thank you for sharing your story about little rocket!

Thank Melissa,

But true to being the runt, Rocket ain't little no more. He's the biggest one of the whole litter. Gawd awful in conformation, way above standard in height and weight, bow-legged and cow-hocked, but he has a heart as big as he is and I love my biggest man in the world.

Michelle

[melissap]

 

The biggest one in the pack huh, guess you did a great job with your bottle feeding responsibilities! When we picked up our 2nd last month - she was the baby budah of the bunch ~ such a great temperment

now, last I saw the gang, she was not the biggest any longer

I will make a concerted effort to learn to upload my pics so I can share!

Kisses to Rocket ~

[Rosebud]

The biggest one in the pack huh, guess you did a great job with your bottle feeding responsibilities! When we picked up our 2nd last month - she was the baby budah of the bunch ~ such a great temperment

now, last I saw the gang, she was not the biggest any longer

I will make a concerted effort to learn to upload my pics so I can share!

Kisses to Rocket ~

Yes we did. He got extra meals and extra love since he was so tiny.

We're getting off topic so here's a link to the rest of my reply in a new topic. Puppy personalities.

http://rr-forum.com/forum/index.php/topic,962.new.html#new

Michelle

[Alfred]

i was crazy about Dobermans as a small child
two of my dad's friends had one...

one had a Doberman bitch that was knocked up by a Rhodesian Ridgeback that ran loose in the nearby small town...
and i got two of that litter
i remember being disappointed that they looked just like their father (minus the ridge), and not the doberman mother
 

there were a number of RR's in the area back then
(across the Lake from Chicago, IL... between South Haven and Kalamazoo, MI)
a store owner had one as a guard dog in South Haven...

i was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, so i'd often see one, or an obvious mix while going from door to door...

anyway, as mine grew, i realized how special they were
and that it was more due to their RR genes than Dobe

i've always kept an eye out for them...
noticing them on television and magazines...
but went without a dog for many years

i had a $900 kayak stolen out of my garage a little over four years ago...
(i owned the thing for three days... sat in it in the driveway ONCE)

as i stood there, looking into my garage... i thought...

"why don't i have a dog?"



so i began my search
i looked at ONE Doberman kennel online and thought...
nah.
i have to have a Ridgeback
a real one this time...

i looked at hundreds of dogs on many, many webpages for weeks

deciding what i liked
and found exactly what i wanted


ohyeah...
and even though this small rural community has been ravaged by crystal meth, i haven't had anything else stolen from my property since getting Chester
 

[melissap]

 
Loved your story ~

I always laugh when my husband locks the doors so religiously ~ I always tell him, there is NO WAY anyone would be fool enough to enter our home, adn that locking may be an old habbit, but it is really not necessary with Brando around the house!

We live in a really safe neighborhood though ~ he only gets to scare the squirrrels and the pizza guy!