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About Ridgebacks, Sloughis & Mystic Ridge
Rhodesian Ridgebacks are a medium large, short haired, muscular but athletic hound. Originally developed in South Africa, the Ridgeback was an all-purpose plantation dog. They were used for hunting, herding and protecting the family farm. Many different breeds were used in the development of this breed, the most noteable being the now extinct Hottentot dog, which gave the Rhodesian Ridgeback it's trademark ridge. They are recongized by the American Kennel Club.
Sloughis are an ancient breed of sighthound that developed in North Africa. They were developed to hunt prey by sight, guard and occasionally herd. They fall into the same type of sighthound as the Saluki and Azawahak. They are considered to be a rare breed in the United States and are recognized by the United Kennel Club, International All Breed Canine Associaton, American Rare Breed Assocation, States Kennel Club and FCPR.
While both breeds can be outstanding family companions, their independent nature, protective instinct and prey drive do not make them the ideal choice for everyone. In my opinion and experience, Sloughis & Ridgebacks need an owner who is willing and capable of providing them with the following:
A. Respect & Understanding,
Both of these breeds will not react to situations the same as a Labrador Retriever. They are intelligent and independent and aren't particularly known for their obedience. This is how they were able to perform the functions they were developed for and is quite natural for them. However, if you need a dog that will listen to you 100%, 100% of the time...neither of these breeds are for you.
B. Love,
This is one pretty obvious. These dogs develop strong bonds with their people and need to be part of the family. Neither the Ridgeback nor the Sloughi can be left to live isolated from their family.
C. A clearly defined place in the family "pack" order,
While this is true of any dog, it is particularly true of the Ridgeback. They can be a more dominate breed and if they see a vacancy in the leadership of the "pack", they will try to take over. This does not mean that they need a "heavy hand", rather that they need to have rules that they have to live by.
D. Proper training (positive motivation),
While both breeds are incredibly intelligent, their independent natures make them more inclined to see commands as suggestions. This can make training more of a challenge than with some breeds. The trick is to keep the training short, keep it fun, fair, and positive. Neither Sloughis nor Ridgeback response well to heavy handed, harsh training measures. They regard your relationship more as a partnership than a "master - dog" relationship. And you will just have to learn to live with the fact that there will be times when they just "blow you off".:)
E. Proper socialization and a lot of it,
Because both Sloughis & Ridgebacks tend to be more aloof with strangers than some more common breeds, and also because of the protective sides of their nature...they need as much socialization as you can give them. Think of it like filling a database wtih information, the more information you put in...the better decisions they'll be able to make.
F. Mental stimulation,
These are VERY smart dogs. And very smart dogs who become bored, usually become destructive.
G. A fenced in yard (a real fence please, not an invisible one),
Both breeds again need a REAL fence (4 foot is minimum, 6 foot is ideal). Because they have the prey drive and hunting instinct that they do, they WILL take off and hunt if the opportunity arises. Because of this, neither of these breeds can be safely allowed off leash except for areas that are extremely safe and away from traffic, and only then after a reliable recall has been established. Invisible fences are usually ineffective with these breeds, due their size, intelligence and amount of prey drive...they usually will take the "hit" and keep going.
H. Plenty of exercise
While both breeds have a distinct tendency to be "couch potatoes" in the house, they do need quite a bit of exercise to keep them healthy. Free running (only in safe areas remember:), walking, biking, rollerblading, etc. are all activities that can be done with Ridgebacks & Sloughis. Neither breed is particularly fond of water, so swimming is usually not an option. They also aren't known to be Frisbee or Fetch dogs...they usually will look at you after the second throw like, "If you want it, why do you keep throwing it away?" It's also important that both breeds get enough exercise to keep them from becoming obese.
For more on the history and the standard of the Rhodesian Ridgeback, please go to RRCUS. For more on the Sloughi, please go to SFAA.
Here at Mystic Ridge, I believe very strongly in dogs that are able to combine beauty, temperment, health and athletic ability into one "package". While I am active in exhibiting, coursing and breeding, all of my dogs are my pets first and foremost and live in my house with my family. I show my dogs to prove that they meet the standard of conformation for their respective breeds. I course or do other performance sports with my dogs to prove their athletic ability. And I do health checks (OFA hips/elbows and MSU thyroid panels) to prove that the dogs being used are healthy. When I breed a litter, I do it by combining worthy dogs in an attempt to improve the breed and my breeding program. I believe in keeping my program small in size but large in quality.
My next Ridgeback litter will not be until Spring of 2002 at the earilest. I do not have a Sloughi litter planned for any time in the near future. I do feel that people need to do their research thoroughly if they are considering either of these breeds and to be discriminating in who they purchase either a Ridgeback or Sloughi puppy from. Unfortunately there are people in both breeds who are more than happy to sell puppies, but have no real concern for the welfare of the puppies or their owners. Ask a breeder why they bred those two particular dogs, they should be able to give an in-depth explanation of the strengths & weaknesses of each dog and how they compliment each other. Ask them about the health status of the dogs and of the breed in general...if they seem ignorant of or down play the presence of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, dermoid sinus, hypothyroidism, allergies and cancer (Ridgebacks) and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Sloughis), go elsewhere. If they do not have a contract, again go elsewhere.
If you are interested in discussing my dogs or a future litter, please feel free to e-mail or call me. I do require folks to call me, come and visit with the dogs if you're within a reasonable driving distance (roughly 4 hours), and to fill out a questionnaire and return it to me. I am picky about who I will let have one of my puppies, but I also want people to be sure that either a Ridgeback or a Sloughi is what they really want. I also feel that you are buying a breeder as well as a dog, so I want you to feel comfortable with me and my dogs as your choice.
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Other Interesting Links
RRCUS (Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States)
SFAA (Sloughi Fanicers Association of America)
ASFA (American Sighthound Field Association)
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
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