Rhodesian Ridgeback

Gentle and relatively calm within the family, the Rhodesian Ridgeback possesses a balanced personality. He is openly affectionate towards his kin and needs affection in return to feel good, even if he can tolerate loneliness and give space when needed.

This dog has a playful streak, especially with children, if the latter are respectful of him. But, as in the case of most dogs, it is not advised to leave the children unattended with him.

Although he is very athletic and dynamic by nature, the Rhodesian Ridgeback also values his downtime at home- why not take a load off on the couch, if he can take advantage of the comforts his home provides?

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a perfect example of versatility, revealing his vast intelligence and endless capacity to adapt. He can be an excellent companion dog as well as the ideal hunter or watchdog.

More often in a group than alone, this dog was originally a feline hunter and more specifically lion hunter, which is where he gets his ‘Lion Hound’ alias from. Very brave and particularly determined, he had a very agile way of cornering the lion in anticipation of his master’s arrival.

Never one to be nervous or aggressive, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is, however, very weary of people he does not know. He needs a lot of time to start trusting, and to start seeing someone as a familiar face rather than a stranger.

Even if he is quite individual and can sometimes do as he pleases, this native of Rhodesia is, despite his appearances, very sensitive, and often absorbs and reflects his own social group’s state of mind. 

His behaviour can thus considerably change depending on the general mood dominating at any given moment. This is why, sometimes you cannot consider this dog to be a particularly independant canine as he looks up towards his owners quite a bit.

His small capacity for independence does allow this hunting dog to accept his master’s absences, especially if he has been used to being left alone. 

However, the Rhodesian Ridgeback will not tolerate being completely excluded from his adoptive family. And even if, physically speaking, he can sleep outside without a problem, he cannot stand being typecast as a watchdog only, or having to spend all of his days and nights outside in the garden. 

If left alone for too long, the African Lion Hound, can quickly spin out of control and lose his peaceful equilibrium.

The African Lion Hound, as he is also commonly called, is not easy to educate, because his intelligence is both his biggest quality and vice. Nothing escapes him and he will sniff out his master’s slightest weakness or incoherence and use it against him. 

What’s more- since he attains maturity relatively late (at around 2 years of age)- consistency, patience, diligence and perseverance are of utmost importance. 

To obtain optimal results, training must be initiated very early on with the Rhodesian Ridgeback pup, and be continuous throughout his life: with a dog of this mould, nothing is ever completely mastered. 

Foolproof complicity between master and dog is necessary to achieve a good cooperation, and violence or brutality will not be accepted in any shape or form by this sensitive dog.

Although an excellent watchdog, the Rhodesian Ridgeback remains a discrete dog that doesn’t start barking at any mere movement. He can, however, be a strong deterrent if he needs to be.

Being the good hunting dog that he is, and if his home grounds’ perimeter is not secured well enough by way of a foolproof fence, the African Lion Hound could easily take off as soon as an interesting trail beckons to him.

Loneliness could quickly affect him if it is persistent- in fact, whether he is inside or in the garden, this dog will quickly occupy himself with what would simply be considered as mischief by his owners.

This dog will never refuse a meal, but be careful not to overfeed him, and to meet his nutritional needs efficiently.

Very good-willed towards his adoptive family, the Rhodesian Ridgeback takes it to heart to protect them and keep a watchful eye over them. Without ever necessarily resorting to aggressivity, he will be a deterrent by virtue of his appearance alone. Conceived as a lion hunter, he will not get scared easily by a mere ill-intentioned intruder.

This dog requires experienced dog-owners, as it is only with discipline and strict boundaries that he can become the ideal, well-rounded companion.

Even if he is not completely hostile to an urban environment and cosy flat, the African Lion Hound does, all things considered, prefer a rural setting- the countryside, in a house with a garden, for instance. 

The most vital thing for this particularly intelligent dog is to have a daily routine that includes considerable outdoor time, and which would allow him to express his full, physical, mental and scenthound potential! 

If he lives in the country, he should not simply be left outside for hours on end- to ensure his full happiness, he should be allowed to take advantage of all the comforts of indoor living, by his owners’ side.

With being a family dog, companion dog to children, excellent athlete, hunter and watchdog- the Rhodesian Ridgeback requires a lot of stimulation to feel fully content. 

Quick runs to just ‘take care of business’ will not be enough for him, and whether he lives in the city or in the countryside, he will need several outings a day to keep his physical and mental balance in check. 

Be mindful, however, not to burden his joints too much - as with all dogs of this size, it is not wise to have him perform too intensely either.

A dog of this size is not easy to transport, especially since he needs to have been very well trained for travel to take place without any complications.

Even if this dog was not bred to hunt small animals, he could still confuse a cat for potential prey. It will therefore be necessary for him to grow up amidst cats to consider them as part of his social group.

When on the hunt, the Lion Dog, as he has also come to be known, readily accepts the presence of fellow canines in order to better accomplish his mission. Outside of this setting however, he can tend to be uncompromising with his peers- this is why it is so important to socialise the Rhodesian Ridgeback pup from his first months.

Extremely caring towards children, he very much enjoys playing with them, which is his way of keeping an eye on them too. Be careful about the very young ones, however, as they could inadvertently become too careless with him.

His enormous need for exercise is not compatible with a sedentary life. The Rhodesian Ridgeback requires a very active owner above all else, fit enough to meet his many physical, mental, and olfactory needs.