I stopped to deliver a package to a house today and the customer came out with his Rhodesian Ridgeback. She was absolutely beautiful but wasn't very big so I assume she was just under a year old but later found her height to be average for her breed. What made us both laugh though was the way she shied away from me when I went to pet her. She actually ran back into the house and poked her head around the door. When I made the comment that she probably wouldn't be good for hunting lions, her owner laughed. As I walked away, she became curious again and followed me out to the truck and looked like she was interested in getting in. As I left, she chased me down the driveway.

Rhodesians are a very rare sight. Other than the one my Dad had in the '70s, I've only see three others. I consider them the most gorgeous of the canine species.

About three years ago a young stray dog about 4-5 months old covered in mange showed up at our farm. When I went to put him down he looked at me with prettiest blue eyes and expression on his face that my heart melted. That dog turned out to be a Ridgeback/Lab mix. Great dog with a great personality and very smart but just a little bull headed at times. Dog takes his guard duty very seriously and always places himself between us and any perceived threats. As I said a great dog and he is my pal.

Rhodesians of unusual size? I don't think they exist...oof!

Years ago I had an Ainu dog, medium sized japanese breed, picture a 50lb. Akita and you're probably close. She had an air and a presence about her with other dogs. The only dog I ever saw her back down from was our trainer's Rhodesian. Rhodesian's are great dogs provided their owners put the time and training into them.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Rhodesians of unusual size? I don't think they exist...oof!

I have to acknowledge cleverness when I see it!

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Rhodesians of unusual size? I don't think they exist...oof!

DF wins the internet for today!

My little girl Rhodesian (3 dogs ago for me, in that measure of time) was ~115 pounds. And not timid, also not aggressive, but definitely curious.

Paws on top of the car, looking in the window at strangers kind of curious...

My good girl Chavela is a Rhodesian. She was hell on wheels when she was young-would attack marauding javelinas and hogs and often got injured doing it. She would steal food off your unattended plate and grin at you if you caught and admonished her. She's the last survivor of the six dogs we had at the ranch, and lives in town with me now. Every day she goes to the ranch with me to check on things. She won't even get out of the truck until she has a good look around to make sure there's no hogs or cows that are going to get after her. That's alright with me. She's turned out to be a sweet and obedient old dog.

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Rhodesians are a very rare sight. Other than the one my Dad had in the '70s, I've only see three others. I consider them the most gorgeous of the canine species.

Must be a regional lack of popularity.
They are a very common sight around here.

Some of the fastest dogs I have ever seen excluding the racing hounds.

I looked up what one is, and they are sorta common here. However, they are working dogs when I see them.

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Originally posted by Black92LX:
Some of the fastest dogs I have ever seen excluding the racing hounds.

Though their body shape does not conform to the general sighthound form, RR's are classed in the sighthound group of hounds, i.e., dogs who hunt with their eyes and their speed to run down prey.
 

Ridgebacks are great dogs, if well trained. Reminds me of the Cane Corso Italiano. Mastiff breed, looks like a pit bull on steroids. Best dog I ever owned (so far). Kyzer was fearless, confident (135 pounds). He wouldn't start trouble, but there was no way he would back down.

Now his cousin, Luca, at 165 pounds, was a different kettle of fish. He could have been a lion hunter.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Rhodesians of unusual size? I don't think they exist...oof!

My Mom told me a story about how she was playing with me in the yard when I was about 3ish. Keba, apparently going into guard mode, ran past me and jumped on my Mom. He was standing on his hind legs with his fore paws on her shoulders and staring her in the face. But apparently, he was fine with me jumping on him when he was trying to relax...

We had to let him go when we moved because he would get out and chase dogs in the neighborhood. He was actually strong enough to get under a garage door that had an electric opener on it.

I love Ridgebacks; I have never met one that was the least bit aggressive. Perhaps a bit standoff-ish, but that just means it is not ignoring its environment. They are beautiful dogs.

 
Vang Comp Systems (Hans Vang), in Chino Valley AZ, used to have the baddest RR I'v ever seen. The dog hung around the shop, about 130 lb. and a true African hunting hound.
 

I’ve never met an aggressive one, in fact they tend to be shy in my experience. Many years ago at a park a lady had one that was freakishly tall, the thing never left her side. She said he wasn’t so much protective, but had bad separation anxiety. Countless other dogs running around he was happy just walking within 5-10 feet of her.

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Rhodesians of unusual size? I don't think they exist...oof!

My Mom told me a story about how she was playing with me in the yard when I was about 3ish. Keba, apparently going into guard mode, ran past me and jumped on my Mom. He was standing on his hind legs with his fore paws on her shoulders and staring her in the face. But apparently, he was fine with me jumping on him when he was trying to relax...

This is very much my experience with RRs that are pets to families with children.
I dated a little girl in High School and college and we frequently babysat her little nephews and they had a RR.
I had to be very careful playing with those boys. There were a couple times I distinctly remember I was about to be on the receiving end of the RR.
We were playing a little baseball and the boy was running the bases I began to chase the boy and their pup hopped up and just stared. I should have known better but when I caught up with the boy I picked the boy up and began to spin him around and that dog came flying at me barking and growling something fierce every hair on the dogs back was on end and just blended in with the ridge. If I would have not put the boy down I can pretty much be assured I would have been in the hospital getting stitches if not worse.

That dog would have killed someone in a heartbeat trying to hurt those boys.

We had African strain ones growing up - significant difference between the two. Great dogs, but NOT to be trifled with by strangers.

What, no pix?

I've had two and neither were timid. Both excellent protectors. They can be a handful.