Rhodesian Ridgebacks

[vandynole]

My one-year-old pup is a real mystery hound ... he's clearly got some Dachshund and/or Basset in him, but I also think he's part Rhodesian Ridgeback. I'm not sure how the reproductive logisitcs would have worked out there, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You can't really tell from the pic, but he's got a stripe of darker hair running down his spine and he has a prominent patch of white on his chest, which I've seen on a lot of Ridgebacks.

Anyway, I wanted to hear thoughts about Ridgebacks from anyone who is familiar with them. How would you describe their temperament, activity levels, etc.? Are they known for anything in particular (aside from their lion-hunting heritage)? Thanks!

 

[BostonBanker]

I used to house-sit for one quite a bit, and I adored him. Very loyal and a bit goofy with anyone he considered "his", but not a dog I would have wanted to mess with! He was extremely protective of his property and his people. I always felt very safe staying out in the middle of nowhere with him (and, oddly, not at all convinced the pit bull would protect me!). Ridgebacks are one of the few purebreds that I would really like to own someday.

The ridge, as I'm sure you know, has nothing to do with color and is caused by hair growing in the opposite direction. Honestly, from the two pictures you posted, I wouldn't guess Ridgeback. It can be hard to tell from a couple of shots though, so I'll take your word on it. That first shot is fantastic - hounds have some of the most appealing faces of all dogs!

 

[RD]

Honestly, I don't see Ridgeback in him. Dachshunds come in that color as well and commonly have a darker bit of fur running down the back. It's possible that he's a ridgeback mix, just unlikely IMO.

Beautiful dog, tho.

 

[Dulce Pit Bull]

LOL! WAY too small for a Ridgey. Not even close. FOr sure Weener dog

 

[vandynole]

I know it seems ridiculous that he could be part Ridgeback given his body type, but the pictures don't tell the whole story. I've had multiple Ridgeback owners ask me if he was part Ridgeback, and if you saw him in person, you'd understand.

The bottom line, of course, is that very few rescue dogs (or mutts in general) are a perfect combination of two pure-bred dogs. We like to think of our mutts as "part X and part Y," but it's not like Breed X and Breed Y necessarily mated to produce said mutt.

So while I realize my dog is hardly 50% Ridgeback (and perhaps 0%), he does possess some of that breed's characteristics. So I thought I'd ask people who are familiar with Ridgebacks about their personalities to see if my own dog's temperament shared anything in common. Just a piece of the puzzle that is my mutt's lineage ...

 

[Doberooney]

Very interesting looking little fella!

 

[ToscasMom]

Looks like a Docksie to me.

 

[LargeDogBreedz]

Way too small to have a mix of Ridgeback. Even the smallest Ridgeback would tower over your dog, although cute, does not have Ridgeback blood.

Here is a pic-