Overview
The Rhodesian Ridgeback was bred by settlers in southern Africa to track and hold lions at bay, and to guard the homestead between hunts. It is a muscular, short-coated dog with the famous ridge of backward-growing hair along its spine. The breed is dignified, independent and quietly protective of its family.
In the UK it is a fairly common large breed and a frequent client for walkers. Most Ridgebacks are good company once they know you, but they take their time with strangers and they are strong enough to make a bad lead habit a real problem.
Exercise and walking needs
A healthy adult wants at least ninety minutes a day and can take far more. Ridgebacks like to run and will match a jogger or a cyclist for miles. A long walk with a stretch of off-lead running or fast lead work keeps the body tired and the mind quiet.
Puppies and adolescents are big and clumsy and the growth plates take a long time to close. Keep the young ones to shorter, gentle walks and skip the ball launcher until the owner gives the go-ahead.
On the walk
- Pulling: Forty kilos of lean muscle. Use whatever harness or headcollar the owner has trained the dog to, hold the lead with two hands near roads and keep your feet under you.
- Prey drive: Deer, rabbits, cats and squirrels will all be chased hard. Off-lead time belongs in places you have checked for wildlife and livestock first.
- Recall: Good with its owner, variable with a walker. Build it with high value treats and never test it near a road or a flock of sheep.
- Other dogs: Usually confident and sometimes pushy, especially entire males. Introductions should be calm and on loose leads, and group walks work best with dogs it already knows.
- Guarding: The Ridgeback watches people. A stranger approaching briskly or reaching for the dog may get a stare or a warning growl, so manage greetings yourself.
Tips for professional walkers
- Build a relationship before expecting cooperation. A Ridgeback that respects you will listen; one that does not will simply decline.
- Vary routes and pace to keep the dog engaged; they become bored on the same loop and start hunting for interest.
- Carry a towel for wet days; the short coat dries quickly but the dog hates the cold and will shiver.
- Watch the tail and body language before greetings with other dogs and step in early if the dog goes still and tall.
- Keep young dogs off hard ball chasing and steep slopes to protect the joints while they grow.
What to ask the owner
- What has the dog been trained to walk on, and does it pull on it?
- How does the dog behave around strangers approaching, and are there situations the owner avoids?
- Is the dog reliable off the lead, and where has that been tested with wildlife around?
- Any history of hip or elbow problems, or any sinus or skin issues along the ridge?