Living with your Breeder
Searching for the right Breeder
You need to remember that you will need help with your dog for
as long as s/he is alive. Things will come up that you don't
know what to do about. For example, I had a dog that like to eat
my drywall. So instead of calling a vet I called my breeder who
told me it was common and how to get through the problem.
When you choose a breeder, choose one for life. If you choose
well you can save lots of time and money.
So what do you look for in a good breeder?
Although Rhodesian Ridgebacks are still a relatively rare breed
(about 2,000 AKC registrations per year, compared to >50,000
for breeds such as Rottweiler, Doberman, Labrador Retriever),
there are quite a few reputable breeders who comply with the
Code of Ethics.
The Code includes several important provisions that are
intended to assure the continued improvement of the
Rhodesian Ridgeback breed, and also to protect puppy buyers.
These provisions include the following:
as long as s/he is alive. Things will come up that you don't
know what to do about. For example, I had a dog that like to eat
my drywall. So instead of calling a vet I called my breeder who
told me it was common and how to get through the problem.
When you choose a breeder, choose one for life. If you choose
well you can save lots of time and money.
So what do you look for in a good breeder?
Although Rhodesian Ridgebacks are still a relatively rare breed
(about 2,000 AKC registrations per year, compared to >50,000
for breeds such as Rottweiler, Doberman, Labrador Retriever),
there are quite a few reputable breeders who comply with the
Code of Ethics.
The Code includes several important provisions that are
intended to assure the continued improvement of the
Rhodesian Ridgeback breed, and also to protect puppy buyers.
These provisions include the following:
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Avoid buying puppies from pet shops. Most people say not to
do this because you are supporting dogs are typically
produced wholesale by "puppy farms" where the sole purpose
is producing a salable product. Be aware of two things, one is
that these breeders from their home are interested in earning
your money and two is that although pet shop puppies usually
have AKC registration papers, this registration implies
absolutely no guarantee. These puppies may not be screened
for possible inheritable problems like the dermoid sinus, hip
dysplasia, and temperament. My personal opinion is that
these dogs are usually crated and are taught to potty in their
crates so they will be really hard to crate train and house break.
Often you will see Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy ads in the
newspaper. These ads can placed by reputable breeders,
though usually they are what is commonly referred to "Backyard
Breeders (these are people who are accused of having
acquired a dog and one or more bitches and crank out litters of
puppies for the sole purpose of profit) but remember everyone
is after a profit.
I would exercise caution while buying if:
do this because you are supporting dogs are typically
produced wholesale by "puppy farms" where the sole purpose
is producing a salable product. Be aware of two things, one is
that these breeders from their home are interested in earning
your money and two is that although pet shop puppies usually
have AKC registration papers, this registration implies
absolutely no guarantee. These puppies may not be screened
for possible inheritable problems like the dermoid sinus, hip
dysplasia, and temperament. My personal opinion is that
these dogs are usually crated and are taught to potty in their
crates so they will be really hard to crate train and house break.
Often you will see Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy ads in the
newspaper. These ads can placed by reputable breeders,
though usually they are what is commonly referred to "Backyard
Breeders (these are people who are accused of having
acquired a dog and one or more bitches and crank out litters of
puppies for the sole purpose of profit) but remember everyone
is after a profit.
I would exercise caution while buying if:
 | An ethical breeder does not engage in the over | |
| breeding of stock for profit without regard for quality and health of the dogs. | ||
| An ethical breeder studies and weighs the faults and | |
| attributes of a stud and bitch, becoming well informed of those considered genetic (inheritable). An ethical breeder is sincere in the intent of not breeding dogs with defects that are likely to cause impairment of the health of the dogs or offspring. | ||
| An ethical breeder informs his/her buyers about the | |
| dermoid sinus and how to detect it. | ||
| An ethical breeder is always available to buyers for | |
| consultation even after completion of a sale. | ||
| An ethical breeder will x-ray the hips of all potential | |
| breeding stock and will use only dogs certified clear of hip dysplasia for breeding. | ||
| An ethical breeder will obtain an OFA (Orthopedic | |
| Foundation for Animals) certification of clear hips, or an OFA preliminary x-ray and will provide a copy of this certificate to a puppy buyer, on request. |
For your information:
Most reputable breeders make a distinction between
"show-quality" and "pet-quality" and price the dogs
appropriately (show-quality dogs are usually 30-50% more
expensive than pet-quality dogs). Show-quality means that the
dog has no obvious faults that would make it difficult or
impossible for the dog to achieve a championship. With
Ridgebacks, the most common faults are a defective ridge (too
short, less than or more than two crowns) and excessive white.
Other faults that might be present are kinked tail or imperfect
bite. Faults of this sort are usually cosmetic rather than
functional and do not effect the health of the dog. Remember
that the breeder is making a decision that a puppy is "show
quality" at a very young age (usually seven or eight weeks of
age). It takes a fair amount of experience to make these kinds
of predictions with any confidence, which is a compelling
reason to buy from a breeder who either has considerable
experience in the breed, or who has a network of friends who
can serve as consultants.
Most ethical breeders do provide written guarantees that cover
genetic conditions like the dermoid sinus, hip dysplasia, etc.
There are enough reputable breeders that you can certainly
find a guaranteed puppy, so there is no need to take one with
no strings attached and then find in a year that you have a $300
vet bill to remove a dermoid.
Most reputable breeders make a distinction between
"show-quality" and "pet-quality" and price the dogs
appropriately (show-quality dogs are usually 30-50% more
expensive than pet-quality dogs). Show-quality means that the
dog has no obvious faults that would make it difficult or
impossible for the dog to achieve a championship. With
Ridgebacks, the most common faults are a defective ridge (too
short, less than or more than two crowns) and excessive white.
Other faults that might be present are kinked tail or imperfect
bite. Faults of this sort are usually cosmetic rather than
functional and do not effect the health of the dog. Remember
that the breeder is making a decision that a puppy is "show
quality" at a very young age (usually seven or eight weeks of
age). It takes a fair amount of experience to make these kinds
of predictions with any confidence, which is a compelling
reason to buy from a breeder who either has considerable
experience in the breed, or who has a network of friends who
can serve as consultants.
Most ethical breeders do provide written guarantees that cover
genetic conditions like the dermoid sinus, hip dysplasia, etc.
There are enough reputable breeders that you can certainly
find a guaranteed puppy, so there is no need to take one with
no strings attached and then find in a year that you have a $300
vet bill to remove a dermoid.
| If the seller has trouble remembering details of the | |
| pedigree of the puppies for sale and does not have them handy for you to view. Breeders who are breeding with the goal of improving the breed will be very familiar with the pedigree of their puppies, and will be able to tell you the AKC names of sire and dam, grandparents, and usually even great-grandparents. People who are just in the business of selling puppies for a profit will often "not remember" these important facts. | ||
| If the seller does not know what a dermoid sinus is, run | |
| away. This is a common genetic problem in the breed. The condition is present at birth and considerable experience is required to detect it. A dermoid sinus can be removed surgically, but the operation is rather major and costly. It is a genetic condition and is likely to pop up in any litter. | ||
| If the seller tells you that "hip dysplasia is not a problem | |
| in Ridgebacks" or that it "is not a problem in my line," beware. Although the incidence of hip dysplasia in Ridgebacks is much lower than in many other breeds, it is still about 3%, meaning that the chance of a given puppy developing the condition is one in thirty! The probability of a puppy having hip dysplasia is much reduced if both parents and all four grandparents have been x-rayed and certified clear of the condition by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. | ||
| If the seller is not willing to provide a written health | |
| guarantee, be cautious. Most ethical breeders do provide written guarantees that cover genetic conditions like the dermoid sinus, hip dysplasia, etc. There are enough reputable breeders that you can certainly find a guaranteed puppy, so there is no need to take one with no strings attached and then find in a year that you have a $300 vet bill to remove a dermoid. | ||
| If the seller tells you that the puppy "doesn't have a | |
| ridge yet, but it will come in later," beware. A certain number of Ridgebacks are born without ridges. This is due to a genetic fault and reputable breeders are trying to eliminate this characteristic from the breed gene pool. You should know that the ridge is fully visible, in its complete form, at birth. A puppy that does not have a ridge will never have a ridge. | ||
| If the seller tells you that he/she "doesn't make a | |
| distinction between show-quality and pet-quality puppies," beware. The purpose of dog shows is to obtain independent judgment from a number of qualified judges that a dog is a good representative of the breed, as measured by the written breed standard. Breeders who are sincerely trying to improve the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed want to have their very best puppies exhibited in dog shows, and hope that their best animals will achieve American Kennel Club championships. Back yard breeders often tell potential customers that "show dogs" are inbred and have genetic problems that will result in poor health. The truth is exactly the opposite. When you buy a dog whose sire and dam are AKC champions (as evidenced by "Ch" before the name on their names on the registration application), you know that at least three different judges (and usually many more) have measured these animals against the breed standard and awarded championship credit. There is something else to remember here. You must inform your breeder what you are honestly going to do with your dog. It is vital that you have a well put together dog (more expensive) for hiking and running, however, if you are just going to sit on the couch then a less perfect dog will be just right for you. |
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