RottnRidge Rhodesian Ridgebacks-RottnRidge Mia Tail's a Waggin'

Mia is my lucky girl, if you will notice she has the number seven on her chest.. She is my five year old rescue. In the past she was very active in obedience, agility, and lure coursing. Even though she has achieved a 3 point Major toward her Field Champion, the aches and pains of her rescue body have begun to limit her to only chase her squirrels. Mia was chosen to represent the month of May in the 2000 Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue Calendar.

Mia takes High Scoring Hound the day she earned her CD title at the OVDTC trials in Ruston, Louisiana.

Mia & Tag are chillin' in the sun around the house. They never seem to miss a photo opt.

Usually 'owner ignorance' is responsible for whatever behavioral problems the owner complains about. A Ridgebacks that has not been properly housebroken, who is territorial about food and toys, who jumps on people to greet them, who chews furniture... this is almost always the result of a lack of training or a lack of CORRECT training, on the owner's part. Rather than 'do the work', they just turn their dogs in, as if a dog is a returnable item;

There are some cold-hearted monsters in this world who, when they decide that their Rhodesian Ridgebacks is no longer a welcome member of their family, abandon them rather than call the breeder they bought the dog from, or take their pooch to a shelter (and they do not always choose a NO-KILL shelter, sadly). I have heard of someone throwing a dog out the window of a moving car from an overpass; hoping the dog would be hit by the unsuspecting oncoming traffic below. No dog deserves to die a horrible death on the streets.

Certainly, breeders need to educate their puppy-buyers on the importance of formal obedience training, and make it a contractual requirement that the dog complete at least two levels of such. This is just as essential for the new owner as it is for the dog. Most people have no idea that they are encouraging the very behaviors they want their dogs to cease. Educating oneself on the methods and psychology of formal obedience training,

A particular breeder of reputation I know stipulates in her puppy-buyer contract that if the Rhodesian Ridgebacks owner is ever unable to keep the Rhodesian Ridgebacks, that dog MUST be returned to the breeder, and, if the return is being made due to behavioral problems that are not a result of poor health, the buyer then understands and accepts that the breeder will likely have their dog put to sleep. Sounds harsh, but it opens the lines of communication ahead of time, and it certainly makes a potential buyer think twice about not working with their dog!

It is the volunteer who must house, feed, clean up after, exercise, socialize, work with, care for, medically treat, and protect this dog. It is also the volunteer who must screen and interview potential second-owners to be sure the particular dog is right for them,

Some of the rescued Rhodesian Ridgebacks come from loving homes that can no longer keep their cherished pets. Reasons include an owner who dies or must go into a nursing facility, families that are forced to make a lifestyle change, such as a move overseas or into an apartment, or animals that are given up due to divorce. In these instances, a complete background of the animal's health and temperament is usually available.

Other Ridgebacks are given up because the owners were unprepared for the lifestyle requirements of the breed or they did not spend the time to properly train their dogs. Again, with these animals, a complete background of their health and temperament is usually available.

Some of the dogs in Ridgeback Rescue were obtained from animal shelters or found as homeless strays. These dogs are placed in foster homes so Ridgeback Rescue may evaluate their temperament and suitability for placement. They are also taken to a veterinarian for a health check-up and immunization.

Most of the dogs that come to Ridgeback Rescue are adult dogs. Puppies are rarely available for rescue. All rescue dogs are neutered or spayed before going to their new homes, and almost without exception go without AKC registration papers.