Does anyone still hunt these dogs in Africa? I'm on my third, he is only 9 months old and I was wondering how of the hunting is instinc and how much is taught.

Hello

NO NO ONE HUNTS RIDGEBACKS, THEY ARE PROTECTED SPECIES,



Ok now that I have your attention,

Yes there are still some of us that use them for hunting, I have a male that is the abslote bottom of my heart and my wife's whole heart , I am certain she will the dog's life before mine.

When I got him, it was as a addition too my Pointer bitch that I use for tracking, HA big idea forgot about the wife, she hijacked him and for 12 - 14 months he was not even allowed with, ]

Slowly take note very slowly I started taking him out too just ride with ?!! ,which worked fine , he took too the bush like a pro and really loved going, but due too the threat too a part of my body I really like, I could not allow him free roam, till he was about 2 years old.

I had a client on a meat hunt in SA, and swindled the RR with me on the trip as it was not a serious hunt, chap wounded a impala ?

and I asked him if I could test the RR, he ok'ed it and I let the pointer go, she went the half cirlce too pick up smell and took off,

I saw where ti impala went and knew it went down still alive, the RR was just having a ball, running with he Pointer, then as they got close the impala gotup, now my pointer never bites , she just tracks, when the impala took off , the RR knew what his job was, he took off and left the pointer standing , about 50-60 yards overtook the impala and grabbed it by the shoulder into the ground, man I was impressed, I ran closer and he stood back, nver being allowed too bite anyhting ( my yard is a zoo Guinea fowm, tortoise , quail, 2 dachsies)

Impala decided too get the hell out of there and I ordered him too attack, he took that impala in 3-4 bonds behind the head and bit down, crushing back of neck and skull, WOW IMPRESSIVE no training genetics took over,

The downside too this was the trackers had too walk home he would not allow then too touch it, or get on the back of the truck with his kill.

Since then I have sneaked him out some more, and the instinct is spot on, he love the bush and loves the hunt, he does vocalize and have stalked in with me without a sound, I love it.

Friend of mine in NC , raises Bloodhounds, had a RR, and his was trained too stalk in England after Roe and Stag, you should hear his stories absalotuely marvelous,

Will be picking up a RR bitch puppy in March, this one will be trained too replace Pointer who is going on pension soon

Kwan,

I'm jealous. Our two appear to only be genetically programmed to crap indoors and bark at the FedEx delivery man. Just kidding! They're great dogs and amazingly athletic.

Ridgebacks are super pets and instinctive hunters. They are 100% hound and as being such they are hard headed as hell. Once they get something in their mind they are "locked on". They are a good conversation piece at the feed store or anywhere they go, as most people have never seen one. They are my favorite dog and we have had several. Everyone my best buddy. Most will retrieve ducks ,pheasants or deer.

ANy pics of these pups?

Yeah right,

I knew that ? was coming, I have tried and failed miserable too put pictures on here,

I will attempt again

They are great and loyal hounds. I cried like a baby when mine died.

Hello

The one thing that bothered me from the RR's that I have seen in the US is that they all looked liked whippets and were more yellow than the dark re brown that I like,

May have been that the ones I saw were just bad examples(show dogs)

The one I have now is a red wheaten my past two where light wheaten. Spot on they are head strong to beat hell, always have to be reminded of who is the alfa male.

Here's a pic of mine...



That they have hunting instinct is a given - as two young bushbuck that wondered into our garden discovered...they are both dead now...

I got him from the SPCA when he was a year old and and his previous owners were city dwellers so he had no formal hunting training. Regrettably, even though he's a great pet, he is completely gunshy so he does not mean much as hunting dog to me.

Is that a Jack Russell with him??

They are great little hunters too.

This is my old bloke Fred. Not with us anymore but a blood great dog. My wife alsways felt safe when I was on night shift as she knew fred as right outside.



My old vet used to live in Zim till the troubles forced him off the family farm. He told me that they are still used to hunt down cattle killing leopards. Pete said 3 ridgies would go in, one would come out but the cat would be dead. Don't know if thats true but it sounds good

I owned a couple of Ridge backs when I was ranching...They are great dogs with kids and are only agressive if you teach them to be that way..smart dogs for sure. My dogs were great stock dogs and about the only thing they would attack was Javalinas and coyotes..They were hell on a coyote if they could catch him, but the Javalinas ripped them up from time to time..They could also kill a rattlesnake in a heartbeat. Goooood dogs.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/kwansafaris/PurdeyLeopold-1.jpg


Hope this picture comes out

quote:

They could also kill a rattlesnake in a heartbeat. Goooood dogs.

I have had four ridgebacks. Mine liked to kill snakes too. When the snake would strike, they would grab it by the neck and shake it. One time one of them grabbed a snake by the neck, shook it and slung it right on to me!

Well, there must be something with snakes, mine has not had a close encounter, but I try too teach my dogs snake manners , via the use of a python of a friend of mine.

We put te python out on the grass and when the pups are about a 18 months old intoduce them too snake and the smell, with a electonic collar, as soon as they go too close too the snake , they get a little message too stay away.

This has worked well on a lot of dogs, they learn the snake smell and the current goes together and they stay away,

The ridgeback, walked up too the snake, lifted his leg and al over the snake

Here you go Walter. RR's are neat dogs.

Ruby. She was suppose to be my hunting dog and the same thing happend the wife took her over, they are lovely with kids.

She was a handfull when she was younger and got the nickname Tsunami, it look like one went through every night, ate everthing from dog blankets to The Perfect Shot book.

Thanks for posting the picture,

There is a lot of heart ache in that photo, I think that was the last hunt of my Pointer, she had HD, and we did a TPMO operation on both hips , she was great for 5 years, but now the hips are getting too bothering her , so I have decided that the end of hunting is there, she will have too stay at home, and keep the wife company, she is going too hate me.


Will be picking up my new RR puppy in two weeks time, a bitch as mate too Leopold

SO my time of destuction is coming again

Kwan,

how many pounds doe your RR weigh?

Norseman,

As I was the whle year in Mozambique, that was end of last year in South Africa, and he was not used at all, so he picked up (my wife) weight, at that stage he was about 57 Kg,

When he is out with me for a couple of weeks in SA, he drops down too a lean and fit 50-52 kg, depending on how much of the gutpile he stole the previous night

Here in Argentina there are some rhodesians ,most imported by DR LAS HERAS a great shooter and hunter ,AND 90 PERCENT OF THEM ARE USED FOR HUNTING BOARS WITH GREAT RESULTS.Juan ill try to test one ,i only have 6 dogs at home and 4 at farm.Juan

I really enjoy hunting dog threads!

Thanks for sharing your pictures and stories

Thanks for the posts, I to enjoyed the stories. The photo of the Jack Russel and the Rhodi is great. I have always wanted one, (Rhodi) not to hunt, but as a companion. I used to have airdales, after the last one died, I have a hard time trying to replace him.

.........Kwan ;;that is a very nice looking dog ..........I have heard of Ridgebacks but never saw one that I know of ........

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:
Is that a Jack Russell with him??

They are great little hunters too.

Yep, the JR's name is Walker and she's currently undergoing training to become the best hunting dog EVER in Africa...

Her tally up to now (own kills) is... OK...one squirrel and one banded mongoose... But as I said - she's still being trained...

I love Ridgebacks!!! Our PHs in Namibia last year had a beautiful female named Sasha, a lover in camp and a superb tracker in the field. She pounced on every head of game taken in the long grass long before a hunter or tracker could get to it, and saved more than one hunter's cookies with her ability. Wonderful dogs!!!

Funny this post should pop up now. Just picked our pup up Feb 8th. Like Walter's, she's the wife's dog, may get a male for myself one day. Her name's Coco. Bloodlines are African, out of South Africa and Holland. This breeder went out of her way to find the best bloodstock. She's an Afrikaaner who grew up in Kenya so she knew what she was looking for. NOT cheap, but thats' OK.