All puppies are cuddly and adorable whether a responsible private breeder or a puppy mill produces them. So why should one purchase that new member of the family from a private breeder rather than a pet shop that gets their merchandise from puppy mills? The most important reason is love of the breed and the knowledge the responsible breeder has acquired and can share with you the puppy buyer. A responsible breeder does not produce a litter just to have pups to sell or because a bitch just happens to come into season. She produces a litter only after careful consideration of the physical qualities and temperament of the proposed parents, how their pedigrees relate and what the proposed breeding will contribute to the improvement of the breed.

In order to make the decision to breed the responsible breeder has devoted many hours to learning as much as she can about her breed by studying the breed standard, individual dogs, canine health, behavior and training, attending dog events and becoming involved in dog clubs. When the prospective puppy buyer contacts a responsible breeder they can expect to be provided with detailed information about Ridgebacks and have their questions answered candidly. This information will also include any negative aspects about Ridgebacks so that the buyer can be sure this is the breed for them. In turn the buyer can expect to be questioned by the breeder. She will want to know about your family situation, household schedule, previous dog owning experience, why the buyer is interested in Ridgebacks, etc. She may even want to visit your home. This interrogation helps the breeder get to know you in order to match you with the puppy "most likely to succeed" in your individual situation.

Health and temperament of her dogs is of utmost importance to the responsible breeder. She makes use of genetic tests that screen for a variety of hereditary flaws. Minimum should include hips and elbows x-rayed for dysplasia and thyroid screening for hypothyroidism. In addition many breeders have eyes CERFED and get a cardiac screening. The results of these tests, which can be registered with OFA and CHIC, help the breeder make important decisions about prospective breeding stock with the intent to reduce the incidence of genetic problems in the planned litter. Fortunately our parent club RRCUS is very proactive with regards to the health of the Ridgeback in general. The launching of the Health & Genetics Committee website has provided an invaluable tool for researching the various studies involving our breed and is available to breeders and prospective puppy owners alike.

The puppies from the litter produced by a responsible breeder will come with a guarantee something pet shop puppies don’t have. This guarantee will include a health warranty and some type of refund or exchange option should the buyer’s situation change or the pup just doesn’t work out. The private breeder makes a commitment to the well being of her puppies for the duration of their lives, therefore the buyer has the right to expect the breeder to provide advice on health issues or behavior problems should they arise and to assist in re-homing the dog if needed.

For further information on pure bred dogs visit the American Kennel Club website. The best place to find responsible Ridgeback breeders is through our national parent club The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the US or through local regional breed clubs such as The Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Club. Check the Breeder’s Directory and follow the links for lots of good information and fun pictures. For additional doggie related info click on the link below to Next Day Pets. If we currently have a litter we will be happy to hear from you.

Catherine and Jay Schock

5424 Berryhill Dr

Yorba Linda CA

schockers@dslextreme.com