What to Know about Bringing a Rhodesian Ridgeback into Your Home

Bred as a hunting dog, there are few dogs as sleek and as beautiful as the Rhodesian ridgeback. This dog has a beautiful and unique pattern, or ridge, of fur along its back – hence the name. It is a breed that is wonderful with children, very people-oriented, and just overall lovely. This is a dog that you want in your house, especially since it has a few of the most beneficial aspects of any dogs. It has a short coat so it sheds infrequently. By brushing your Rhodesian ridgeback just once a week you can ensure that you do not end up with dog hair all over your house on a regular basis. Additionally, this is a dog that does not require frequent baths. It does, however, require exercise. It’s an athletic dog bred to run free and wild while hunting, and keeping it cooped up for long periods of time in the house will cause the dog to become bored and potentially lethargic.

Once you see this lovely and beautiful dog you might ask yourself how soon you can bring it home and make it a part of your family. We say do it right now; and let us remind you that we are big fans of animal rescues. But our logical and intelligent nature reminds us to remind you that you should never bring home any animal without a lengthy knowledge regarding what it takes to raise an animal and as much information as possible about any given type of animal. For example, did you know that you shouldn’t bring home a dog without first purchasing all the necessary items needed for the animal? And did you know that you should learn what to expect once you get this dog home before you bring it home? The last thing you want to do is get a dog and then try to figure out what having an animal such as this is going to do to your life. We have a list of things you should know before bringing home your beautiful Rhodesian ridgeback.

The Rhodesian with Other Dogs

The good news is that this is a breed that loves to be around other animals. This is a dog that does not care what other type of dog you have, so long as you have another type of dog around the house with which he or she can play. The only consideration to make if you already have dogs in the home is that too many male dogs in one location can lead to conflict in terms of dominance. Each one wants to be the leader of the pack and that’s where conflict can arise. You do not want to deal with dogs that fight and do not get along, especially if you have children in the house.

Rhodesians and Kids

These are great family dogs. They don’t bark without reason, so the kids fighting or playing or being too loud isn’t going to cause the dog to go into a yapping frenzy. This is a dog that is going to relax and enjoy the kids, but it should never be left alone with the kids without adult supervision. This is nothing to do specifically with the Rhodesian ridgeback, but with all dogs as a whole. Dogs are not to be left alone, under any circumstances, with small children. All dogs are potentially excitable. All kids are potentially excitable. One might accidentally harm the other without intention, and others might actually harm your children with intention. You just don’t know until it happens; and we like to live in a world where there is no chance it could happen at all. Ever.

Ridgeback Life Expectancy

According to the AKC, the average lifespan for this breed is around 10.5 years. Of course, that could extend to around 12 years, and some have been known to live much longer. However, the vast majority of this breed does not live past 12 years and even that is a bit long for the breed. This is a dog that will spend a good decade in your life, and that’s important. While it is not prone to an overwhelming number of genetic disorders of any sort, the lifespan of this dog is just a bit shorter than others and that can be a deal breaker for many families. If you want a dog that will live years longer, the Rhodesian ridgeback might not be the breed for you.

Adopting a Ridgeback

There is some speculation by many that adopting a ridgeback is a bad idea. It is not a bad idea. Sure, older dogs are going to be with you far less time than younger dogs, but that certainly does not mean that it’s not worth having this animal in your home even for the short years it might have left. An adopted, rescued dog is typically one that has been given up for reasons that are difficult to hear. Many rescue dogs have no choice. Their owners die or become too ill to take care of them. Life changes make it impossible for them to continue to care for their animal and they are then brought to a rescue as they cannot find a new home. It’s a sad moment for any dog and its family, but you can make that better. You can adopt a dog that will be forever grateful to you and what you’ve done for the dog. You can adopt this animal and make sure that you give it a home it’s proud to live in, one that it will respect and care for and appreciate for the rest of its life.

Before you adopt, rescue or buy a Rhodesian ridgeback or any other type of dog, you should know what is expected once you get it home. Know what you must have for the dog, what you will need to do to train the dog and how to teach the dog. You should know it all; it’s the responsible thing to do.

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