RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE ISSUE 5/2020 by RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK MAGAZINE

DEAR READERS

can´t believe it! Another year is almost behind us. A year which we will never forget in many ways, but as the famous writer William Shakespeare said „There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.“

So, maybe it is time to turn the page and try to find something positive in this all. Maybe when our social life stopped for a while for all of us, we might have had time to rethink and go deep into our minds and ask ourselves if we are really living the life we like? Are the people we have around really those we want to have around us? Do we really take the time for our family and for the people we love, or are we living a life in chaos with no sleep, just to earn more money for living? Well, when is the best time to relax a bit and think about it? Yes, I have heard you. It is Christmas time! So thank you for being with us in good times and in bad times. We wish you a pleasant Christmas holiday, without stress and hassle. Enjoy the time with your family, and the peace , and start the New Year 2021 with a positive mind. Merry Christmas!

Your editor Alena Kadlecová (Jílková)

R H O D E S I A N R I D G E B A C K E U M A G A Z I N E ISSUE 5 / NOVEMBER 2020

CONTENTS R H O D E S I A N

M A G A Z I N E

10 — LTV

— OSTEOPATHY

— FIRST AID

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E U

— BECOMING AN AUTHOR

— MOHAGET’S BREEDER

— NOSEWORK WORK

R I D G E B A C K

— STEFFEN SCHOCK AN INTERVIEW

— LISA REID AN INTERVIEW

— ARESVUMA BREEDER

— KANI AKILAH BREEDER

— HORSE AND RIDGEBACK

— SLEDDOG SPORT WORK

106 — ARCHI OLDY

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— B.A.R.F. NUTRITION

EDITOR ALENA KADLECOVÁ (JÍLKOVÁ) (CZECH REPUBLIC) RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK LOVER AND R R O W N E R , N U T R I T I O N A N D H E A LT H SPECIALIST

AS S O C I AT E / T RA N S L AT I O N S AS S I S TA N T E D I TO R A N D T RA N S L ATO R TIMMY U. RALFE (SOUTH AFRICA) JUDGE AND AUTHOR.

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— HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

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— HOLIDAYS WITH MERINA

L AYO U T D E S I G N & G R A P H I C S S N E Ž K A K U R A LT S TA R R D E S I G N ( S L O V E N I A )

SALES & PR Z H A N N A G O DJA J E VA ( L AT V I A ) AN ACTIVE STUD RR OWNER WHO LOVES TRAVELLING AROUND THE EUROPE SHOWING RR.

Teo’s

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— TEO’S COOKING ADVENTURES

OFFICIAL DESIGNERS S N E Ž K A K U R A LT - S TA R R D E S I G N ( S LOV E N I A ) FC I J U D G E S P EC I A L I S T,

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— SEE THROUGH CAMERA LENS.....

RR OWNER, GRAPHIC DESIGNER EWA LARSSON (UK) KC JUDGE, BULLDOG OWNER, GRAPHIC DESIGNER

LICENCE OWNER EWA LARSSON S N E Ž K A K U R A LT

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RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / NOVEMBER 2020

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The Rhodesian Ridgeback Standard explained and exemplified

by Timmy U. Ralfe

ver the years, when I have finished judging at a show, owners/handlers have at times come up to me to ask what the critique actually means. This is more often than not because one or several of the terms I have used in referring to the dog’s construction, are not known to the laymen, and particularly not if the critique is in English or German, and therefore very possibly not in their mother tongue. And so they wished to learn, to find out more, and to better understand. Now, in the actual show ring there is always limited time, with another dog or another class waiting to be judged, so I would often end up handing them my card, and asking them to send me an e-mail. That way we could discuss things later, when I was back home. Over the years I’ve also held numerous Breed Clinics and Seminars, and then the participants would often contact me a few days later, with ponderings and questions around what had been discussed in the Clinic/Seminar. And this was, and still is so rewarding. To meet with ‘hungry minds” and to feel that I can help, and make a difference. What a privilege. Now, these e-mail communications often developed into some very interesting and lively discussions and explanations. Some days I had people from several countries writing to me, in German and in English, and eventually it got to a point where I no longer had the time to write it all, over and over again. And so, I “cheated” a little bit and simply copied a text I had previously written, which explained the shape and the function of the particular part of a dog’s body that they were asking about. Pretty soon, I had my own little library of my own texts on body-parts, explaining what the standard asks for, and with photographs to illustrate the various points, both in German and in English. By then I had also been told so many times, and by so many people, that it would be great if all this

information could be made available to everybody, and not just to the people I was corresponding with. And then, one day, I realised that I had a lot of what would be required for the compilation and publishing of a book, already saved on my PC, and so I decided to do just that! I asked some of my friends if they would do the proof-reading for me, and I also asked some to supply lots of photographs, to supplement and complement what I already had. My sister in Germany found a printer who would print in relatively small quantities, and still at a reasonable price ... et voila! It still took me just over a year to write both the English and the German books, but they were based on 40 years of gathering and assimilating all of that knowledge and information. It was an incredible thrill to actually hold that first book in my hands, in December 2018, indescribable! And I thought that was that. A few months after the first book was sold, I received an e-mail from Russia, asking if they might have my permission and cooperation in translating my book. I was thrilled. Yes, of course, please go ahead! The first Russian edition was printed in June 2019. Next, I was approached by a well-known breeder from Poland. Again, I gladly agreed, and the first run of the Polish edition was printed in July 2020. Very soon (still in 2020) my book will also be translated into and printed in Italian. And as I write this it is also being translated into French, Norwegian and Czech, and these will be available sometime in early 2021. EIGHT languages! And all of this in just over 2 years. Oh wow! I am really happy about this, humbled by all the positive feedback and wonderful photos I get from the readers. What an incredible adventure.

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ABOUT BECOMING AN AUTHOR

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LTV Transitional lumbosacral v e r t e b r a ( LT V ) i n R h o d e s i a n Ridgebacks Written by

Nina Lindqvist

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his article is based on the LTV in Finnish Rhodesian Ridgeback population. It is notable, that the Finnish Rhodesian Ridgeback population consists quite evenly of dogs from all over the world. Therefore, it is likely that the numbers are more or less the same all around the world. Before I started my little research, I contacted clubs in Slovakia, Czech, Austria and Germany, asking if they would share their LTV statistics for comparison. None replied. This was rather disappointing. I think that we all should be able to work together for the common cause; the health of our beloved breed. Firstly, it is important to understand that the lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV) isn’t necessarily a disease with clinical signs of illness but a structure of bone which a dog is born with. Most Ridgebacks live a completely normal life despite having a lumbosacral transitional vertebra. The unlucky ones may show various symptoms, i.e. lameness and unwillingness to jump. Today screening for the LTV is performed at least in Finland, Germany, Austria, Czech and Slovakia. The scoring in the countries mentioned is not equal and as far as I’m concerned the Finnish Kennel Club has the only fully open health database. The prevalence of the LTV in dog breeds ranges from 0% to 40%. The highest prevalence 40% is found in German Shepherds (Lappalainen A. 2013). Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not that far behind; in the Finnish Kennel Club’s database the prevalence is 35,6% (Oct 2020). The numbers are likely high compared to other countries due to the differences in scaling. In the study of the LTV in Parson Russell terriers (Järvinen P. 2019) the prevalence was 30%. In this study it was found

that dogs with any grade of the LTV are also more prone to vertebral anomaly (VA). Therefore, it’s suggested that all anomalies in spinal area should be payed attention in its entirety.

GIRAFFES ARE BEAUTIFUL WILD ANIMALS WITH A VERY LONG NECK. BUT HOW MANY CERVICAL VERTEBRAS DO THEY HAVE? I often hear people saying that “my dog is so long bodied that he must have an extra vertebra”. To determinate if a dog has or has not the LTV it needs to be radiographed. The body length, angle of pelvis, hock angulation or something else in dog’s presence does not give any indication of how the sacrum is formed. Even a dog with 8 lumbosacral vertebras has exactly the same total amount of vertebras as a dog with 7 lumbosacral vertebras. It’s just that one lumbosacral vertebra has taken the form from another vertebra! And back to the giraffe. The majority of mammals, including giraffes, have 7 cervical vertebras, just like dogs. The length of neck is not affected by the number of the cervical vertebras but of the size of them! “LTV predisposes to premature degeneration of the lumbosacral junction, is a frequent cause of cauda equina syndrome, especially in German Shepherd dogs and is thought to be hereditary.” (Lappalainen A., Salomaa R. et al 2012)

LTV SCORING IN FINLAND

NORMAL SPINE A normal canine spine consists of 7 cervical (C17), 13 thoracic (T1-13), 7 lumbar (L1-7) and 3 sacral vertebras (S1-3) resulting the total of 30 vertebras. Calculation starts from first thoracic vertebra (T1). The number of caudal vertebras (CD) vary.

http://www.akcchf.org/research/ research-portfolio/02606.html

Sacrum connects the lumbar spine to pelvis. It is a part of the pelvis and it lies between the lumbar spine and tail. The Sacrum is strong, triangular in shape and it sits between the hip bones. Normal sacrum consists of three fused vertebral segments; S1, S2 and S3.

https://veteriankey.com/canine-anatomy/

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By radiographing the cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbosacral spine and sacrum it is possible to get grading for the LTV, spondylosis (SP) and vertebral anomaly (VA). In Finland for the LTV and VA scoring the dog must be at least 12 months old and 24 months old for the spondylosis.

“Dogs of medium and large size of breed can suffer from a condition called lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LTV), which means that the dog has a malformed vertebra in the caudal end of the spinal cord. Different types of LTV exist and radiographic screening is used to determine the form of LTV in dogs. The disorder can be seen right after birth and it is hereditary.”

THE LTV SCORING BY THE FINNISH KENNEL CLUB 13+7 = Normal 13+8 = LTV4 (lumbarization) 13+6 = LTV4 (sacralization) 12+8 = LTV0 + VA1 (transitional T13)

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14+6 = LTV0, VA1 (transitional L1)

LTV0

LTV1, divided median crest

LTV2, symmetrical LTV

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LTV3, asymmetrical LTV

LTV4; 8 lumbosacral vertebras. L8 shaped like a lumbosacral vertebra and it has complete spinous process

CLINICAL RELEVANCE The LTV predisposes i.e. to early disc degeneration, disc protrusion and cauda equina syndrome. We are lacking knowledge of for instance Ridgebacks with cauda equina; have these dogs had some form of the LTV? Based on my personal experience Ridgebacks rarely show symptoms due to the LTV but there are individuals with clinical signs of illness too. Some, luckily very few, have had such severe symptoms that putting the dog down has been the only reasonable choice. There is very little literature existing but divided median crest (LTV1) is supposed to be completely harmless for the dog. 6/8 lumbar vertebras is argued to have a clinically irrelevant nature in some sources while some see it as a risk for early degeneration of the lumbosacral junction.

The asymmetrical form, LTV3, seems to be a bit more trouble than the other forms. In some cases asymmetrical form comes with rotated pelvis, which might lead to unilateral development in hips. This is actually very logical; when the pelvis is not straight and in balance there will be uneven bearing of weight between the hips. In the long term this uneven state might cause the worse hip wear sooner than the better hip and lameness and osteoarthritis may occur. In the Finnish Kennel Club’s database 38,9% of Ridgebacks with LTV3 have one hip scored 1-2 degrees lower than the other one, i.e. A/C (Oct 2020). The score doesn’t tell if the dog’s pelvis is straight or rotated. “Asymmetrical LTV favours pelvic rotation over its long axis, resulting in inadequate femoral head coverage by the acetabulum on one side. Inadequate coverage of the femoral head favours subluxation, malformation of the hip joint, and secondary osteoarthritis. Asymmetrical hip conformation may therefore be the sequela of a LTV and mask or aggravate genetically induced canine hip dysplasia.” (Flückiger M., Frank Steffen F. et al 2017)

INHERITANCE

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So far there is no study of the LTV in Rhodesian Ridgebacks and there seem to be differences between breeds. Some studies about the LTV in German Shepherds exist, and it is known that the LTV is hereditary. The genetic pattern is not known yet but there is an ongoing study in Finland (koirangeenit.fi) trying to identify the risk loci. The gene pool is globally small, and it’s probable that the situation is the same globally considering the spine health. The material in Finland represents lines around the world and “I don’t have it in my lines” definitely doesn’t suit here. If you haven’t screened, you don’t know if your dog has it or not.

BREEDING RECOMMENDATIONS In Finland all Rhodesian Ridgebacks that are used in breeding must be radiographed for LTV and spondylosis. There are no limitations based on scoring, but it is recommended not to combine 2 individuals with any spine issues (LTV, SP, VA). Any dog with clinical signs must always be closed out from breeding. In a situation where about one third of the population has some grade of the LTV it is not even possible to close out all dogs with the LTV. What can be done is to radiograph all breeding material and avoid combining 2 individuals with spine anomaly. Wisdom is to breed with knowledge, not with assumptions!

THE LTV IN FINNISH RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK POPULATION Finnish Kennel Club has offered the LTV scoring from 2013, and since 2018 it has been mandatory to examine all Rhodesian Ridgebacks used in breeding. In October 2020 there were 306 Rhodesian Ridgebacks with a LTV scoring in Finland. The estimated size of the breed is 861 (2019) dogs which means that 30% of the Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a LTV score. 35,9% had some grade of the LTV (LTV1-LTV4). 6 or 8 lumbosacral vertebras is not scored as the LTV in any other country but Finland. The prevalence of the LTV1-LTV3 is 27,5%.

The second largest score 22,9% is LTV4 (6 or 8 lumbosacral vertebras). Most of these dogs have 8 lumbosacral vertebras (lumbarization). LTV3 was found in 16,5% and LTV2 in 11%.

SUMMARY The prevalence of the LTV varies between the breeds and so does LTV’s clinical significance. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are for sure as yet less clinically affected than i.e. German Shepherds are due to the LTV. More information is needed to make conclusions. It is already known that the LTV and other vertebral anomalies are inherited. To secure Rhodesian Ridgebacks’ future as an agile, capable and versatile dog for various sports it is my recommendation to take the spine radiographing as a standard procedure and as a part of breeding recommendations in all countries. If the LTV scoring is not available in your country it is possible to have the official scoring from The Finnish Kennel Club. Don’t be afraid of getting your dog screened, it’s a step towards a healthier future!

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49,5% of the LTVs is scored as LTV1, which is divided median crest (s1-s2) or other mildly abnormal structure. This mildest form of the LTV is supposed to be completely harmless for the individual, but yet something to think about when breeding. Other mildly abnormal structure is i.e. 1st caudal vertebra attached to S3.

To discover the possible correlation between the LTV and cauda equina syndrome and other related conditions in Rhodesian Ridgebacks there will be an inquiry launched in January 2021. THANK YOU My sincerest thanks to all Rhodesian Ridgeback

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A Finnish dog enthusiastic and a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder (Lumottu) in her Fab Forty Something. A keen citizen scientist always up to something related to health, temperament or structure. Sharing a life with 4 crazy Ridgebacks. Active in showing, blood tracking and nose work.

owners, who shared information about their dog’s health and radiographies!

REFERENCES AND MUST READ: http://www.akcchf.org/research/research-portfolio/02606.html https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/303809/Pilvi%20J%c3%a4rvinen%20Lisensiaatintutkielma.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y https://www.koirangeenit.fi/english/projects/ongoing-research-projects/bone-diseases/lumbosacral-transitional-vertebr/ https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/39292/dissertation_lappalainen.pdf?sequence=1 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ad22/73c9eb3fe12ad0d56e76104c971e205224fc.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3403972/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822375/

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Angela van der Hoorn, Kennel Of Sabi Sands Photo by S i m o n e K a r i s

Wri tte n by

or quite some years now osteopathy is an accepted treatment for ailments in humans and horses. But only recently there has been a powerful development when treating dogs. I would like to use this space to tell you a few things how osteopathy can be used to support our favourite breed, the Rhodesian Ridgebacks. But first allow me to introduce myself. I am Angela van der Hoorn. My Husband Hans, and I, we live in Woubrugge, a small town in the western part of the Netherlands, not very far from Amsterdam. We are the proud owners of kennel of Sabi Sands and occasionally we breed a litter of puppies. In 2004 we fell in love with the breed of Rhodesian Ridgebacks and bought our first one. It became a hobby that soon got out of hand. As I write we have four of these wonderful creatures in our home. They each have their own character and pecularities and give us a warm feeling of wealth. We enjoy taking the four of them out into the woods or to the beach for a long stroll or alternatively use a bicycle or kickbike. But let us not forget how fine it feels to sense the weight of a couple of dogs against you when, on a lazy afternoon with foul weather outside, you watch a netflix episode from your couch or when lost in a gripping novel. Originally I was into horses and was trained in that direction. I also had some experience with general animal care. I worked at a vet where I learned a lot and though I liked the work, I discovered that I did not like to work for a boss. So I ended up being a self employed horse riding trainer. This job has given me a lot of pleasure for some 15 years now but recently I started to wonder whether I would still like to do this 20 years from now, being subject to harsh weather conditions at any time of the day or night. Last year, when talking to the osteopath about my horse I heard that he was about to teach a course of osteopathy focussing on dogs and he asked me if this might be interesting to me. I was convinced immediately, registered and completed my first year. And now I am well into my second year. Gradually my own practice took shape and my client base is starting to develop.

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OSTEOPATHY AND THE RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK

BUT WHAT IS OSTEOPATHY? Osteopathy entails isolating problems focussing on movement restrictions and signs of pain and then doing something about it. It is a common knowledge in the world of horses that a horse will only be seen to walk cripple after all available compensations have failed. This is no different in the world of dogs. All small physical inconveniences will not each show a problem by itself, but jointly the problems can result in movement restrictions or the dog being visibly uneasy. So it all boils down to diminishing pain and increasing mobility by removing these types of discomfort. This can be done in three different ways. The first is parietal. This involves all moving joints, including bones, muscles, tendons and all tissues surrounding them. There could be blocks that we might remove using a host of different techniques.

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The second way is visceral. With this term we refer to all the organs in the abdominal and chest cavity including again all connecting tissues. Upon the development of the embryo each organ was given its own peculiar movement. Various factors could impede these movements. Causes might be illness, medication, stress or toxins. Taking into account that all organs are connected to the skeleton by means of their tissues, the disfunctions might also spread to the parietal system. So a kidney problem might be apparent in the spine. From an osteopathic point of view it makes sense to find out what the primary problem is, that needs to be fixed first. The third and last way is cranio sacral. This term refers to the connection between the head and the sacrum by means of the aitchbone (meninges) and the brain fluids. Its interests lies in the fact that it can help us to pinpoint the problems. From this we conclude that the body should be seen as a whole entity in which everything is connected to everything and has influence on everything. So an ostheopath does not only take the symptoms into account but also tries to locate the source of problems. We speak of primary and secondary injuries, with a focus on locating the primary trauma. But what can osteopathy contribute with to our favorite breed? From the viewpoint of an osteopath there is not much wrong with a Rhodesian Ridgeback. In comparison to other breeds there aren’t many physical problems. For instance: Bulldogs walk with their shoulders raised to increase the space available to their heart and lungs, the Dachshund has an elongated back, the German Shepherd’s pelvis is too low and the Toy breeds are characterized by heads that are too small and look at us with bulging eyes. Our own favorite breed does not have this kind of general problem. But even so an osteopath can be of help. It is important to understand the nature of the Ridge-

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back. Going back to the primary elements, there are two basically different types of Ridgebacks: the wood type and the fire type. The wood type is brave, decisive, hard working and impulsive. Call him the original lion hunter. Their hearts and lungs are prone to problems as they keep on going without stopping and can hurt themselves in their wild enthusiasm. Here a good osteopath can play a supportive part. If the fire type Ridgeback is well balanced it will also be a confident and enthusiastic dog, but this can quickly turn to uncertainty. Adrenaline content is high here and problems with kidneys, liver and bladder might easily develop. A good osteopath can help to channel this into the right direction resulting in a relaxed animal with a low stress level. But we all also know that our favorite dogs can be couch potatoes when in the house, but change into what I would term as running demolition balls when they run free outdoors. So it would not be all that strange for them to hurt themselves with a terrible slide or viscious bump into a tree or into another dog. A blockage might result. Investigation by a regular vet might not turn up anything but the problems might not go away. Problems such as stiffness or pain when getting up or lying down, walking crookedly or even a loss of appetite and sometimes becoming apathetic. In these cases I would advise anyone to seek the aid of a good osteopath. But beware!! Acute traumas always need the immediate attention of a vet. The elderly dog. The age expectancy of the Rhodesian Ridgeback is quite high for a breed of this size. But age also comes with discomforts. Their gait becomes stiff and also internal disfunctions with bladder or kidney can become apparent. Each phenemenon taken separately will not be a problem but jointly they can result in a high degree of discomfort. Especially for older dogs we should address these problems to ensure that they can enjoy their old age. What else can we do? Apart from what I just have mentioned, a dog might also be supported after having undergone an opera-

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tion. A dog cannot understand the concept ‘operation’ and its implications and will remember this as a near death experience with all of the stress involved. Apart from this a vet might administer anesthetics and antibiotics which tend to be a great strain for the liver and intestines. We can support the immediate drainage of body wastes so that the patient can regain its balance. This we could already do when a pup is operated for a DS (dermoid sinus) but also after an operation to the cruciate ligaments or sterilisation or castration. An osteopath can also bring relief in cases of epilepsy. As testing for JME (juvenile myoclonic epilepsy) is widespread nowadays, this does not occur very often, but of course there are quite a number of other forms of epilepsy. Some of these are caused by hormones or by a disfunction in the liver in the processing of waste materials. This invariably will result in the use of medicines which give stress to the liver function. During an epileptic attack a dog’s body is under great strain and this can result in serious disturbances. Then an osteopath’s support is desirable and may even help to decrease the frequency of the attacks. Of course there are a number of other ailments where we might play a role, such as allergies and issues with the digestive tract. If your dog has a lingering and persisting problem, I would certainly advise contacting an osteopath and ask for the possibilities.

Assisting breeders. This is also an angle for the osteopath and from my point of view it is certainly one worth considering in greater detail. It might be in the form of a simple check up of a bitch before her mating or insemination. Pregnancy is hard on a dog’s body so an optimal start cannot be but positive. Or conversely applying the treatments after the birth to help with the mother’s recovery. It is not unlikely that giving birth itself has harmed the pelvis or that the pregnancy has subjected various organs of the mother to harmful pressures. This in turn might have disturbed movements in the organs which can cause discomfort. But it is not only the mother that deserves our attention. We can also focus on the puppies, helping them on their life’s way after a strenuous birth. One can easily imagine the power of the forces that these frail bodies are subjected to during strong contractions. Even young flexible puppies might experience blockings that can cause a number of problems. Clear indications of problems are restless puppies that cry a lot or have a poor sucking reflex. So it is not a bad idea at all to have your fresh litter of pups checked out by an osteopath. But even when your puppies are a few weeks old an osteopath can still be of value. Sometimes a testicle will not drop into place (cryptorg) or the pup seems to develop an under or overbite. Do

In short, in addition to a regular vet, an osteopath can be quite useful. In some cases an annual check is sufficient but when dogs show chronic complaints it is certainly worthwhile to pay a visit to find out if osteopathy can offer fresh possibilities for man’s best friend.

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not hesitate to ask an osteopath for a help. In many cases we can support the development in a positive way.

WRI T T E N BY AL E NA KA D L ECOVÁ ( J Í L KOVÁ ) PHOTO BY MARKÉTA NOVÁKOVÁ, MN FOTOGRAFIE

DOG OWNER'S ADVISOR Illness means that life processes in the body or in individual organs are disrupted and physical or mental changes occur. As a responsible dog owner, you will certainly provide your dog with the necessary care to be as well protected as possible from diseases. If the animal still gets sick, you must take the necessary measures to heal it. On the following pages you will learn some tips and tricks how to do it.

With some diseases, the dog clearly tells its owner that he has certain problems and where.

In most breeds, the dog usually has its tail hanging down (in some breeds, such as the terrier, the tail is raised straight up). If your dog holds his tail horizontally, pulled away from the anus and also walks stiffly or clumsily, you should pay attention.

You should not ignore these obvious behaviors, as you could cause the disease to worsen. However, with the right and fast treatment, you can prevent the developing of serious health problems.

At the same time, you may notice that the animal sometimes spins in a circle to catch its own tail, or bites into it. A prominent protruding tail can indicate prostate disease, such as inflammation.

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HOW DO YOU FIND OUT IF A DOG IS SICK?

BADLY HELD TAIL

FIRST

OBLIQUE HEAD POSTURE

STOOL SHAPE Narrow stool, which with its consistency appears normal, firm but very narrow in shape, like a pencil. The reason for this noticeable symptom may be an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland presses on the intestines. However, the cause of pencil stools may be narrowing of the intestines due to a tumor or changes in the intestinal mucosa. The normal, typical stool shape resembles a “sausage”.

FIRST MEASURES IN CASE OF ILLNESS AND INJURY WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF ILLNESS Changes in your dog’s behavior can often be the first signs of an incipient disease. Therefore, monitor your dog closely, only in time you will recognize deviations from normal behavior. Make a note of these changes. They can be important sources of information in making a diagnosis if you need to visit a veterinarian. As a first step, you should take your dog’s temperature and heart rate to see if a disease is really starting.

CARPET LICKING If your dog has a habit of constantly licking carpets and carpet floors, this may be a signal an over-acidification of the digestive tract. This can occur as a result of an unbalanced diet.

UNUSUAL TASTE Did your dog have an interest in eating mud? Excrements? Does he eat the wall? These may be signs of deficiencies in the metabolism of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. It occurs mainly in older dogs. If it is not a bad habit of the animal and the dog starts eating unusual substances, bad nutrition may be to blame.

AID

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The animal suddenly holds its head obliquely to one side. This is often a sign of the presence of a foreign object in the ear or an inflammation in one of the ears.

TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT Use only a digital thermometer to measure the temperature, which beeps to indicate when the measurement process is complete. With conventional thermometers, there is a risk that the animal will break the thermometer during the measurement and the content (alcohol or toxic fluid) will leak out of control. In addition, you can injure the dog with sharp edges of shards. Turn on the digital thermometer and apply a little Vaseline to the tip of the thermometer. It will slide better and the animal will not be hurt, because the thermometer will not unpleasantly irritate the mucous membrane of the anus. Then insert the thermometer into the rectum about 2 cm deep and wait for the sound signal. You can then read the current body temperature. • Normal body temperature in dogs is between 38.6 oC and 38.8 oC. In some small and exotic breeds of dogs, the normal temperature may be slightly lower.

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• Elevated temperature starts at 39 oC. Values above 39 oC are referred to as fever and require examination by a veterinarian. Elevated temperatures are a sign of ongoing inflammation in the body. The body with an elevated temperature prevents germs from trying to kill them in this way. However, an increase in body temperature can also occur after vaccination, cancer, overactive thyroid gland or during an ongoing infection, when foreign protein structures enter the body. • Decreased temperature starts at values below 38 oC, it may be a sign of a purulent deposit in the body, decreased thyroid function, poisoning of the body or a brain tumor.

PULSE MEASUREMENT Pulse changes mainly indicate heart and circulatory diseases. You can feel the pulse on the inside of the thigh area. Place the tips of your fingers in these places and you will feel the pulsation of the femoral artery. Calculate the number of beats per minute. The normal pulse varies between 70 and 100 beats per minute - depending on the size of the animal. This means that in large dogs the heart rate is lower than in small breeds. An accelerated pulse starts at values above 120 beats per minute, a slow pulse is considered to be 60 beats per minute or less. Measure your dog’s pulse several times, when he is healthy, so that you know his normal pulse as a reference value.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF INJURY What a dog’s life would be without injury! You can deal with minor injuries by following the procedures below. If your dog was involved in a car accident, you should definitely go to a veterinarian to make sure that the animal has not suffered any internal injuries.

WOUND TREATMENT Inspect your dog for any open wounds. Carefully trim the hair around the injured area. Beware of possible swelling. • Clean the small wound with the diluted essence of marigold. After drying, spray with a healing balm, or you can use ointment with Aloe for disinfection or use liquid silver. • All bleeding wounds should be bandaged after cleaning. Apply a mull square to the wound, fasten it with a ear bandage so that the binding faces “To the heart”: make sure that the bandage is not too tight and does not impede blood flow. • Open wounds must be sutured by a veterinarian.

STOPPING HEAVY BLEEDING

When there is a serious injury to a foot or tail, causing severe bleeding, apply a tourniquet above the wound, high enough so that no pressure is exerted on the open wound itself. If the journey to the veterinarian is longer, loosen the tourniquet for a moment in order to avoid interrupting the blood supply for too long, then tighten it again if it is still bleeding profusely. Abdominal injuries: Press a sterile square on the wound until the bleeding stops. If blood leaks, place another on top of the first square and keep pressing. When the bleeding has stopped, wrap a gauze bandage around the torso so that the squares cannot slip.

BITE If your dog has been bitten by another dog, you should check his injury immediately. With a laceration, bacteria can enter the body from the teeth of another animal and cause an infection or abscess. Always consult a veterinarian after a fight, as not all injuries may be visible to the eye.

BURNS First, cool the affected part of the body with cold water, or crush ice cubes and pour them into a wet washcloth or scarf.

References:

1) Petra Stein; [Přírodní léčba psa]; ISBN: 978-80-7236-602-6 2) First aid for dog; [How to help a bleeding dog]; https://firstaidforpets.net/bleeding/

TIP: You can give Bach’s Rescue Remedy as homeopathic first aid for all types of injuries. This will help the dog to overcome any shock.

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Applying a pressure bandage: If blood sprays from the wound, it is a sign of an artery injury. You must stop excessive of bleeding by applying a pressure bandage. Press a clean, folded scarf several times on the wound and fasten it with strips of cloth or a solid bandage. The pressure on the injured vessel must be strong enough so that the blood no longer leaks. Take the animal to a veterinarian immediately.

APPLYING A TOURNIQUET

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AN INTERVIEW WITH A BREEDER AND A JUDGE Greetings from Germany

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR KENNEL TO OUR READERS My name is Steffen Schock. I am married and I have two grown up children. My wife Juliane and I, are medical doctors. We live on the outskirts of Halle/Saale in the centre of Germany. I have been the president of the regional VDH branch of Sachsen-Anhalt for many years. I became a breed judge for several breeds 21 years ago and I am the show manager of the biggest outdoor CACIB breed show „Rassehundemeeting Schloss Meisdorf“ here in Sachsen-Anhalt. The passion for our four-legged friends has by now reached the fourth generation. My grandmother owned, back in 1917, the first Borzoi in our region. In 1975 I got my first own dog, a wirehaired Dachshund. I bought this dog without the approval of my parents, although I ordered it from the breeder „on their behalf“. From then onwards, we always kept dogs of various breeds, trained them, exhibited them locally and internationally, and bred them. In 1996 I met the Grand Dame of the Rhodesian Ridgeback world, Mrs. Rosy Brook-Risse. She introduced me to this wonderful breed. Over the years this developed not only into a close friendship with Rosy, but it also started our passion and fascination with this amazing breed. Johokwe is a mountain in Simbabwe. Rosy registered her kennel Johokwe in 1952. It is one of the oldest kennels in Germany and Europe. Johokwe-blood is present in many pedigrees around the world. Therefore, we were not surprised that Rosy wished that this kennel name would continue to exist after she passed. In 2006 she specifically asked us to carry on her legacy and kennel name after her death. It was and is a great honour for us and also a duty to do so in her memory, to follow her vision and goals. This includes of course

the many excellent, valuable contacts worldwide with Rhodesian Ridgeback breeders and owners, with whom we are still in close contact. From time to time we have a litter of puppies, which are placed in carefully selected homes. We only keep a very limited number of dogs, so that each of them gets the necessary individual attention.

HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED TO THIS BREED? Many years ago, I attended a VDH judge’s education course in Dortmund with my judge colleague Helga Jürgens (Makaranga Kennel). From our conversations, I became curious about the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed. After that course I attended a RR Club show near Kassel. That is where my wife and I met Rosy Brook-Risse and her faithful companion Christel Heller. This grew into great friendship and it was the start of our life-long passion for the breed.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A DOG BREEDER? I became a breeder firstly, because I love dogs very much. From early childhood I was familiar with all aspects of dog breeding – matings, whelpings, raising puppies. This caused me to have the wish to one day establish a breeding programme of my own. A long-time breeder friend was an essential part in making this wish a reality. I will tell you about that later. There were and are years during which I have to take a step back from my dog activities, owing to family, studies and work. But I am always happy to return to my passion and plan another litter. To watch a healthy litter of puppies being born, raise them, shape them, to watch each little character develop... that is one of the ultimate highlights of my life, what could be better?

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STEFFEN SCHOCK

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PAST AND PRESENT DOGS. From childhood, I owned lovely dogs of different breeds. Starting with the unforgettable wirehaired Dachshund Gauner, with whom I passed the „Bauhundpruefung“. My Giant Schnauzer Cito was with me for 15 years, a handsome dog with whom I did protection and tracking work, he passed all of the appropriate tests. And my wonderful Hunter, an Airdale Terrier. He had the most perfectly shaped head, which I recognised many years later in France in one of his great-grandsons. For me as a breeder and judge that was a truly memorable moment! With regards to Rhodesian Ridgebacks it is of course my Venda, which I bought in 2004 from Susanne Ubel of the Mavungela kennel in Austria. Venda was a typical Ridgeback bitch with all her quirks. From Venda’s litters there are several descendants in the showring and are being bred from. Some of the dogs we bred are working as hunting assistants. It is a great thrill to hear from the owners that their dog has very strong instincts and masters his duties with ease. Ch. Johokwe Obama, owned and exhibited by Frau Dr. Angelika Ernst Plöer is a successful stud dog with super temperament. He has sired several promising litters.

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Sadly, every breeder also suffers setbacks. This year I lost 2 of my beloved dogs very tragically. My precious stud dog Ch. Johokwe Pilgrim Proud of Afrika, as well as my female Johokwe Omara. Omara was seriously injured in a clash with a wild boar out in the woods. She was deeply gored in the chest cavity, but she survived that incident. Those are moments which become more difficult to cope with over the years. My future hopes and plans now are with our 2 year old Greta Garbo, a female full of temperament and type, from the Ave Caesar kennel. We shall see how she develops in future.

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO YOU WANT TO BRING TO THE BREED WITH YOUR BREEDING PROGRAMME? Breeding means first and foremost to select the best dogs and to continue with them. My top priorities for me as a breeder are health and functionality of the breed, whilst maintaining their unique personality. It is important to me that the pups are placed with families who wholeheartedly welcome them, where they can live a long and happy life. If it should turn out that this dog is suitable for competing in the showring, then we will of course support the owners in every possible way.

WHICH DOG/S DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR BREEDING PROGRAMME? The foundation of our breeding, after we took over the Johokwe kennels from Rosy, was our bitch Venda. Followed by her offspring Johokwe Ch. Pilgrim Proud of Africa and Johokwe Ch. Obama, both produced some promising puppies with super temperaments.

DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE RR OF TODAY, COMPARED TO THE RR OF 10 YEARS AGO? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES YOU SEE? I think that the type of the Rhodesian Ridgeback has become a lot more uniform in recent years. 10 years ago, one would still see very differing types in the ring, whilst today we see numerically much higher entries, and the classes are more homogenous. Only a few dogs will be of a less desirable type. Also, the differences in height at the withers is not as drastic as it was 10 years ago.

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WHAT IN YOUR OPINION MAKES A PERFECT DOG? There is no such thing as a perfect dog. Of course, there are some dogs that are very close to meeting all the requirements of the breed standard. Those dogs are then often used for breeding and because of that they make a huge impact on the breed. Breeders and judges have an enormous responsibility in this regard. Also, newcomers are often inspired by one of those „grand“ dogs to get involved with the breed, to show and perhaps later even become a breeder. I place much value on the pedigree of a dog. Are there litter mates which also did well in the showring? How was the dog raised and trained? The early shaping and socialising of each Ridgeback puppy is one of the most important duties of the breeder.

WHAT IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE BREED THAT YOU HAVE BRED TILL NOW? I think we have produced a good few excellent dogs during the many years in which we have been active in the breed. As mentioned before, my pride and joy were/are the two stud dogs Ch. Pilgrim and Ch. Obama and their offspring.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT AS A BREEDER? WHAT IS THE BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR CAREER AS A BREEDER? My greatest success as a breeder are not the dogs which win at exhibitions, but first and foremost the happy families who love our puppies, puppies who live a long and healthy life with them. We keep in touch with them for many years.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCE OR INSPIRATION AS A BREEDER AND IN WHAT WAY? My mentor and long-time breeder-friend, world-renowned Terrier breeder Edith Henze. Her kennel „Von der Fasanerie“ was established in 1924. Edith taught me everything, absolutely everything, about dog breeding, ownership, training, exhibitions and evaluating from the ground up. It was Edith who supported and advised me,

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and later motivated me to start with my judge’s education. Of course, I started out with Terriers. Over time, other breeds were added to expand my portfolio. In the early 90s, Edith and I went to many shows all over Europe, even to Crufts in the UK, and the Montgomery show in the USA. In Germany, we attended Bundessieger shows, Europasieger shows, as well as Weltsieger shows. Those trips were unforgettable, the precious, valuable conversations, and her unique sense of humour. Edith taught me to handle failures and defeats in dogdom, and to see them as an incentive for exploring different paths. Helga Jürgens also shared her enormous knowledge of the breed with me, she gave me much advice, from which I greatly benefitted both as a breeder and as a judge. Claudia Körner of Ndoki kennels is a very dear friend, we often take the time to discuss dogs, their strong points and those less desirable, and our vision as breeders. The litter sister of her incredibly successful World-Winner Vuana was our foundation bitch Venda, from Susi Ubel in Austria. Claudia is currently one of the most successful breeders in Germany, she is truly a remarkable and very special person. She is a role model for us, and I believe young breeders would do well to take her as a role model. It is always a pleasure to meet up with Claudia at exhibitions both locally and abroad. Her excellent Ridgeback book is part of our „Puppy Pack“ which is given to every person who gets one of our puppies. It is compulsory reading.

IS THERE SOMETHING WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IN THE BREED?

I don’t think a breeder has the right to change any aspect of the breed, which is clearly defined in the standard. The breed standard must guide every breeder towards his goals.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BECOME A BREEDER?

Dog breeding should never be seen as a source of income, the only reason for breeding dogs should be the love for the breed. The passion and understanding for this wonderful but time-consuming hobby should be shared by the entire family. Breeding dogs is a 24 hour per day job, that has to be understood and accepted by all. There has to be sufficient space in house and garden, and you need a good support system which also assists with all the visits from prospective puppy people. Those visits often take hours. Every beginner should be able to rely on an experienced breeder, also to learn how to cope with setbacks. A good knowledge of human nature is important, because we have to hand our precious puppies to strangers who should be chosen very carefully.

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Envy and jealousy have to be handled, which often comes from „doggy friends“ who have not achieved much in their field. It is a hard pill to swallow, but over the years one learns to accept all that with composure. Real breeder colleagues will however support each other as much as possible, which may well result in life-long friendships.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A GOOD REPUTATION AS A BREEDER (BESIDES THE DOGS)? A good breeder should be loyal, should have a decent character, love for the animals is essential. He should always be willing to expand his horizon, learn more. Those are the basic requirements to later become a respectable and renowned breeder. He should look at his own dogs very critically and compare them without prejudice with those dogs of other breeders, locally and internationally. You have to be prepared to make certain sacrifices. Never lose sight of what is important in your breed. It is of importance to always remember

that a healthy breed type and valuable characteristics are retained. He should be happy to pass on his own experiences on to younger breeders. It is important to maintain contacts and friendships with other breeders around the world.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR JUDGING CAREER. WHEN DID YOU START TO JUDGE AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A JUDGE? I have been interested in dog shows since early childhood. The incredible atmosphere at such events fascinated me even back then, and I sometimes travelled long distances by train, just to be at a dog show. In my youth I worked as a ring steward or ring secretary at our Terrier exhibitions. Later on, I became a breed warden for all Terrier breeds, and I am now also a breed warden for several other breeds. Encouraged by more senior judge colleagues, I was inspired to begin my education to become a

breed judge. First for the Terrier club, where I did the basic training and passed my exams more than 20 years ago. Over the years quite a lot of other breeds were added.

er as well, he is to me most valuable as he is very aware of the advantages and problems of the various points, the resulting problems and their importance from a breeder’s point of view.

DID YOU EVER HAVE A MENTOR? ARE YOU MENTORING NEWCOMERS?

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE OTHER JUDGES OF THE BREED TO BE AWARE OF?

Again, my dear friend and colleague Edith Henze should be mentioned first. She trained me to truly *see* the dogs, she patiently honed my skills across many years, lovingly but very strictly.

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My mentors for becoming a specialty breed judge for Rhodesian Ridgebacks were experienced judges like Liz Megginson, Helga Jürgens, Jan Coppens as well as my dear friend, the Swiss Allbreed judge Lisbeth Mach, from whom I received valuable advice, tips and ideas which I gladly employ when I officiate in the ring. I also had the pleasure to meet Sammy Wallace at an exhibition many years ago. Our conversation and many of his valuable memories about the Ridgeback influenced me a lot. As I now educate and test junior judges for several breeds, I am happy to pass on my knowledge to judge colleagues.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE TYPE? Type is the whole of what the breed standard of a breed calls for, which will tell you what this breed should look like. Type is created by the specific points in each breed, which makes it unique, different from other breeds. Judges have a big responsibility as they can influence the direction of a trend. Unfortunately, judges often misinterpret certain points, or they are simply overlooked. In this regard I would like to express the importance of breed specialist judges. If this judge is a breed-

First, I would tell him that the Rhodesian Ridgeback has a character with all its own whims and his functionality makes it a very special breed. A judge should be able to recognise at first glance the correct type of the Ridgeback (for instance: above medium size, rectangular, well-defined forechest, good bone, very good line of neck, levels of skull and muzzle must be parallel, etc.) There must be a healthy balance between the judge’s description and the awarded grading. These are important things to adhere to, especially if you are not a breed specialist.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU ADMIRE MOST IN A JUDGE? A judge must have a good character as well as common sense. He must be courteous and honest, in control and confident in the ring. He must have a good eye for details of the standard. His judgement must be independent and he should be willing to continuously learn, even after many years of ring experience. In addition, he should be affable with exhibitors and gentle when handling the exhibits. Knowledge of anatomy and breed standard are a given. Of course, he should know the breed well.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS A JUDGE. PLEASE

All my invitations to judge worldwide have given me wonderful impressions. I would not want to mention any one show in particular, but I must admit that I really like judging in Scandinavia. Their shows are always very well prepared, you have a super competent ring team, the quality of exhibits is very high and the exhibitors are very accepting of one’s decisions. A particularly thrilling experience was an appointment for me was the Ukraine, where an exhibitor had travelled for an entire week by train from Siberia, just to show me her dogs! Unbelievable! The warm-hearted welcome and enthusiasm of the organisers was incredible and will never be forgotten. Two years later there was a war in that country and I could not help but worry about those wonderful people. I also love to think back to the Rhodesian Ridgeback Jubilee show in Moscow, where I had a huge number of entries. Most were excellent exhibits, handled very professionally. France, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Luxemburg and every other country - every exhibition has its special charm and feel, the meeting of like-minded people and catching up with old friends make each judging assignment an unforgettable experience.

WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE DOG SCENE OVER THE LAST DECADES? The sense of community and fairness in our dog sport often fades into the background. Good advice from experienced breeders and owners is very often ignored. The need of an individual to stand in the limelight often shapes the club life. The sport of dogs should, in my opinion, not be a platform for unfulfilled career dreams. Commer-

cial success is often a priority – this does not serve the breed, nor the purpose of the club. Recognition of appropriate competence and breeding successes should be the basis. Professional handling in the ring has widely become the norm. And with that, the striving for perfection. And so it happens that many exhibitors are not even pleased when their dog receives the grading „very good“. I think that is a very sad state of affairs.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? We should all be aware that we are involved in a truly exceptional hobby, and that our Rhodesian Ridgebacks are an enrichment in our lives. We meet wonderful people because of it. Our dogs can also be such great support when we are sad. We should be more appreciative and more tolerant with our fellow exhibitors, breeders and colleagues. I would love to see all Rhodesian Ridgeback clubs worldwide to merge to one World-Organisation, like the Dalmatians and Boxers have done. That would help with the cooperation on an international basis for all breeders. Also, it would be great to have a bigger annual Rhodesian Ridgeback Specialty show in Europe, which could be held in a different country every year. Finally, I would like to invite you all to come to my annual CACIB show „Rassehund Meeting Schloss Meisdorf. It takes place every year on the first weekend in July in Sachsen-Anhalt. This is a two day outdoor event, and has been part of the dog show calendar for 26 years already. Not just for Rhodesian Ridgebacks, but for all breeds. Every year we invite an interesting international panel of judges for this show and we enjoy a marvellous weekend with everybody: judges, exhibitors and visitors. A truly joyful event. That is how I envision cynology.

INFO Name

Steffen Schock

Country Germany Affix

Johokwe

www

www.johokwe.de

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TELL US ABOUT SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH A JUDGE Greetings from Scotland, UK

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of Scotland, which has become all the more important during lockdown as we have wonderful walks for the dogs on our doorstep. I’m 39 years old, was known as Lisa Aitken until Iain and I got married 2 years ago and I’m now known as Lisa Reid. Born in the West of Scotland, I now live on the East coast near to the City of Edinburgh. I work full time as a Cloud Telephony Account Manager to fund my Ridgeback addiction and to keep my dogs in the manner to which they have become accustomed.

HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED TO THIS BREED? I grew up with small family dogs – all terriers, which I loved as they had lots of character, but I always planned on having a large breed dog when I had my own house and circumstances allowed it. At that time, I hadn’t even met a Ridgeback! In the mid 90’s, my husband, who was then serving in the British Army, had a friend and colleague who had 2 male Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Cody and Kai. Iain was so taken by their presence, and how they carried themselves that it was love at first sight. They were great family dogs who looked after his friends’ wife and family when he was away with work but accepted new people as their humans welcomed them into their home. Iain decided that RRs were the breed for him and he’d get one as soon as he was able to. We didn’t know each other then, little did I know that my future breed had already been mapped out!

WHEN DID YOUR LOVE OF DOGS BEGIN? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PAST AND PRESENT DOGS. We always had a dog in our household growing up. Butch, a Jack Russell terrier was already living with my family when I was born. He taught me at a young age to respect dog’s space as he had a vile temperament – even my Mother, who fed him, had to touch him on his terms or he would bite! I still loved him and would work out ways to get his co-operation, you guessed it – through sharing my food with him! He was succeeded by Senga, my Grandmother’s Yorkshire terrier who joined our family when my Grandparents could no longer keep her due to their ill health. She was such a sweetheart and it was back in the days when dog groomers were not widely used, so I learned some scissor skills with home hair cuts on her beautiful grey and blonde locks. We then had 2 more Jack Russell terriers – Molly, who was a large girl who came from a rescue and had a lovely temperament. Wilma who was tiny, was my sister’s dog and joined us as my sister moved abroad and at the time we’d lost Molly. Wilma had more of the typical JRT tenacity with a huge personality despite her tiny stature. When I left home, and Iain and I had our first home together we started looking for a dog – by this time I too had decided firmly on a Ridgeback after researching the breed and we started looking at rescue as well as puppies available. We found the RR Club of Scotland’s website and were thrilled to see they had a summer fun day planned. We went along and met around 30 RR’s from different families but there was one who stood out. A beautiful male with such presence, he was only 18 months old but had such a calm,

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LISA REID

confident manner who welcomed us and we instantly fell in love. We had a lovely chat with his owners and enquired about his breeding and found he was Sonstraal Christmas Cracker, bred by Sharon Rossiter who had hosted the fun day. We then met his parents and fell in love with his sire – Ch Chilolo Someday Sam (Imp Aus) bred by Rosemary Green. We then joined Sharon’s waiting list and waited just over 2 years for our own Sam puppy. In September 2007 we had the call that Sharon had a puppy for us, and we opted for a male. We went to see the litter when they were only a week old – like tiny moles. Someday Sam was the sire as we’d hoped, and Dam was the beautiful Sonstraal Miss Marple who had a mix of African and European bloodlines with her Sire being Rex Ventors Beks at Nyassa.

Ch Sonstraal Chocolate Storm ShCM aka Elvis

There were 2 correct boys in the litter, but pick had been promised to a show family abroad. We didn’t care, Iain wanted a correct ridge but other than that I’d have taken any puppy, we were not set on showing at that point but said we’d try it as I’d grown up showing horses and figured dog showing couldn’t be too different!

He had his Sire’s wonderful temperament and loved everyone and everything. He was the best introduction to the breed that anyone could have wished for. For me, he had wonderful breed type, he was a rich red wheaten with tiny spots of white on his toes and chest that you’d barely see without looking hard, had the most handsome head with kind, round eyes and ears perfectly framing his face. He didn’t have a black mask, instead was self-coloured with a little shading and black eye definition. He had a good length of body which is lacking in some dogs, the most amazing ribbing and rock solid topline which gave him his fabulous body shape. Shoulders placed ideally, he had enough forechest, but was not overdone. He had good bone and excellent feet. He had a good strong rear, with movement that was both ground covering and straight and true – he could trot all day and also keep up with the young ones at full speed! We enjoyed him for almost 12 wonderful years and miss him every day. We kept a puppy in partnership from Elvis’ first litter – Sonstraal Dream the Dream at Saadani JW aka Sookie, and also a son from the same pedigree combination – Gabisa Spotted Dick, our Fonz. Both carried so many of their Dad’s quali-

Claire and I collecting baby Phoenix

Photo by Lena Piehl

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In November, Elvis aka Ch Sonstraal Chocolate Storm ShCM joined our family and instantly became our number one son. We tried showing and he qualified for Crufts at his first show, we tried some more and he consistently won his way through the classes – gaining his first CC at 2 years old and winning his 16th CC at age 10 with a Championship show group placing, and a whole lot of fabulous memories in between. He was a very successful show man, who loved being in the ring but that was a small part of his life.

Elvis winning Group 4 Southern Counties Ch show 2013

Sookie is a beautiful light wheaten bitch with white toes and white on her chest who is fit as a fiddle at 9 years old. She is out of Sonstraal Gabby’s Dream ShCM, who was mainly Rex Ventors lines – her Dam was Ch Rex Ventors Gabriza, sire Ch Sonstraal Baron Samedi who’s sire was Ch Rex Ventors Beks at Nyassa. Sookie retired from the show ring early for maternity duties, having only one litter to Chilolo Shha Shoot for the Moon (AI) (Aus Imp) where we kept Red aka Sonstraal Blood Red Baron of Saadani in partnership. Red is a liver nose male who can really cover the ground and has a wonderful temperament like both his parents. Elvis winning his 16th CC May 2018

Gabisa Spotted Dick aka Fonz

Iain with Elvis and Fonz

Sadly we lost Fonz earlier this year to cancer just before his 8th Birthday. Fonz had exceptional conformation with angulation that is not that commonly seen. He was neutered young due to health reasons, so we never had the opportunity to breed on from him. He had such character, was so vocal and loved to hunt. Unlike his father he was aloof and had limited friends who he loved with his whole being, everyone else was accepted but he never got excited about them. I imported a lovely bitch from Sweden in collaboration with the Sonstraal kennel who went on to be the start of the Saadani line – Rex Ventors Uptown Girl at Saadani. ‘Minx’ was a pretty, wheaten bitch with a dark mask. She was full of character but really did not enjoy the show ring so was retired early, preferring the sofa instead. She brought with her some lovely dogs in her pedigree with her grand Dam being from the fabulous Rex Ventors ‘F’ litter, going back to Multi Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow, one of 2 foundation bitches in the Rex Ventors kennel, who was exported from Australia. Minx had 2 litters, both to an Australian import Chilolo Shha Shoot for the Moon (AI) owned by the Sonstraal and Gabisa kennels. ‘Brad’ had a lovely pedigree, his sire being the amazing liver nose male Wyndrunhr Sun Hawk Of Course – a beautiful dog with movement to match. Brad, like Sam before him, who also came from Rosemary Green in Australia, had a wonderful temperament and has passed this on to his offspring along with many other qualities. We kept a dog and bitch from this combination in collaboration with the Sonstraal kennel – Saadani Stormy Stella, a shapely livernose bitch and Saadani Eye of the Storm, ‘Sylvester’ who reminded me of Elvis as a baby when he was in the whelping box – hence his kennel name is a nod to Chocolate Storm. Both are slow maturing which is lucky given that there are no shows here in the UK for the foreseeable thanks to COVID. Both did well as puppies, holding their own at both open and championship shows, and we are looking forward to getting them back out one day! We had the opportunity to import a male puppy from Belgium from the Villagedogs kennel –

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ties and did well in the ring with limited showing – gaining their stud book numbers and qualifying for Crufts for life.

Me and the boys Elvis and Fonz

a repeat mating of Multi Ch Villagedogs O’ Red October who Sharon loved when she had the opportunity to judge him. Phoenix ‘Villagedogs Rise of Phoenix at Saadani’ joined us in 2018 and is owned in partnership with Sharon and my friend Claire Muir who also has one of our pups – Nevis ‘Saadani Show Off’, both are shown and have done really well to date with Nevis having 1 CC and 2 RCC’s and Phoenix 2 RCC’s.

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Phoenix is a strong boy who is well off for bone and moves so correctly. A rich red wheaten with a liver nose he is well constructed and has an amazing temperament, his best friend is his human sister Charlotte who is only 2 years old. He is such a funny boy who loves to play, make noise and chase anything that runs!

My 1st set of UK CCs

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR JUDGING CAREER. WHEN DID YOU START TO JUDGE AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A JUDGE? I spent most of my time growing up on my Aunt’s horse farm and was lucky enough to compete in conformation showing as well as dressage. We often had yearlings that we would bring on, show in-hand and back for riding when the time was right. This gave me a good understanding of conformation and how it affected movement at a young age and helped me train my eye for good structure and movement. Through showing the horses I learned how to produce an animal for the show ring and how to show it off to its best.

Nevis and Phoenix

Saadani Show Off aka Nevis

I loved studying the horses in the different breed classes at shows – each one bred for their own different purpose, with their differing characteristics and type. I was fascinated watching the judges and would try and work out the placings ahead of the judge – and would discuss why they’d been placed in such a way with my peers. I loved to compete and really missed it when I gave it up to go to University. There’s no doubt my early horse experience attracted me back into the show ring and to start judging, had I stayed in the horse world I would have followed a similar path there.

Sonstraal Blood Red Baron of Saadani

I first judged Ridgebacks in 2010 at an Open show, in the UK you only needed the support of the breed club and a general interest in the breed at the time to apply for the breed club’s ‘C’ list of judges, which is what I did to get started. At that time, I felt that I had a good understanding of what the breed should be in terms of type, temperament, construction and especially movement and I wanted to learn more. There is no substitution for hands on experience and it’s the best way to learn. There are many ringside critics in our sport, and I think everyone should judge at least once to put yourself in the judges’ position and see things from their point of view. Over the years that followed I judged at small Open and Limited shows in the UK and attended seminars, both run by the breed and by the Kennel Club in various different areas. I also attended educational seminars in other Hound breeds and judged other Groups at Open shows. In 2014 I judged the RR Club of Scotland Open show, which was a lovely entry with great quality dogs and a great experience for me.

Sookie aka Sonstraal Dream the Dream at Saadani JW

In May 2017 I judged the Scottish Kennel Club’s Championship Show and awarded my first set of UK CC’s which was an exciting milestone to have reached after 7 years judging in the breed. I had some beautiful dogs to judge and was incredibly happy with my class and principle winners. In June 2019 I was lucky enough to be invited to Judge the Czech RR Club’s show alongside my

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Saadani Stormy Stella

Sylvester aka Saadani Eye of the Storm stacked

Sylvester aka Saadani Eye of the Storm

friend and mentor, Sharon Rossiter of the Sonstraal kennel. We had fabulous entries over the 2 day show and both really enjoyed the whole experience. Such friendly people, great hospitality and such quality in the exhibits – it was a real joy!

and I feel it’s so important to keep encouraging new blood for the breeds long term success. We have younger members of our show team who I help and encourage and enjoy their success as well as our own!

DID YOU EVER HAVE A MENTOR? ARE YOU MENTORING NEWCOMERS?

HOW DO YOU DEFINE TYPE?

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Having got my first dog from Sharon Rossiter of Sonstraal we remained firm friends and she naturally became my mentor for the breed. We have a similar type preference as you might imagine, and I’ve learned so much from Sharon over the years. If we hadn’t been fortunate enough to have Elvis from Sharon as our first Ridgeback my path could have been very different, and I owe it all to her. I also follow and admire other breeders’ work and enjoying learning from that too, especially those whose lines we have in our dogs. Veronica Thoren of Rex Ventors kennel is an incredibly talented breeder who I’ve also learned a lot from. Bringing lines together from outcrosses and line breeding back to foundation lines, its really interesting! Rosemary Green of Chilolo Ridgebacks in Australia has been in RRs for decades and continues to produce beautiful dogs with movement and temperaments to match. A UK breeder who I’ve long since admired is Sue Simper of the Matabelle kennel. Sue has bred consistent quality and type through the decades and looking at Sue’s early Champions they would hold their own in the ring today. I’m a member of the RR Club of Scotland committee and always available to help others in the interest of the breed, I especially try and help the younger members of the breed as they’re not always made to feel the most welcome by everyone

To me type is simple – the dog must look like a Ridgeback. If you were driving along a road and glanced at a dog walking along, would you identify it as the correct breed? Presence, head type, expression, colouring, bone, proportions, angulation, movement – all things considered does the dog look like it could do the job of a Ridgeback? If yes, then it has good breed type in my opinion.

IS THERE SOMETHING WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IN THE BREED? Not so much change as pay attention to head type. I’m seeing more dogs lacking underjaw and losing the depth and width of muzzle which is so important in our hounds. These dogs have a snipey, pointed nose appearance and I’d be concerned about their bites. Also heads that lack stop seem to be creeping in, lack of stop affects the shape of the dogs’ eye and contributes to loss of breed type in my opinion.

EVERY BREED HAS SOME PROBLEMS. WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM IN RR? I love a good front and in previous years I’d have chosen this as the area that needs the most improvement but feel this is much better now than it has been for years.

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Phoenix and Charlotte

What I feel is common now is poor rear movement. There seems to be quite a few exhibits recently who are very close behind on the move, and lacking drive. I feel this needs some attention in our breed as the rear is where the power comes from, a weak rear will throw the dog onto their forehand and out of balance.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE OTHER

JUDGES OF THE BREED TO BE AWARE OF? Movement – if the dog is made well then it will move well. A clever handler can hide a multitude of things on a stack, but movement will show up faults if you know where to look. Our breed is a large free moving dog, we need plenty of time to show them on the move in the ring, so I’d ask Judges to incorporate plenty of movement in their examinations. When moving away and back the dog should be

more judges from abroad which I particularly enjoy watching how they rate our dogs compared to what they’re used to in their own countries.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS A JUDGE. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS. Villagedogs Rise of Phoenix at Saadani

straight and true, you shouldn’t be able to see it moving on multiple tracks – if you can then it is crabbing and probably lacks length of body. In profile the dog should be reaching with its front and driving from the rear with maximum ground coverage for minimal effort – it should look like it could go all day! The dog shouldn’t be overreaching as that is wasted effort and again likely indicates a shorter body than ideal, nor should it be running up or downhill, it should have a level topline throughout that barely moves, that is doesn’t move up and down as the dog trots but remains parallel to the ground. I like to see dogs moving at the pace they’re most comfortable in. Not too slow, and not a flying trot either – they’re an endurance hound so in horse terms a nice working trot for me is best to show them off.

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WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU ADMIRE MOST IN A JUDGE? WHICH CHARACTERISTICS MAKE A GOOD JUDGE IN YOUR OPINION? A judge who is kind to the dogs and treats all exhibitors fairly, with each given the same amount of time as the other. Everyone pays their entries and is entitled to thorough consideration and kindness from the judge. Especially with novice exhibitors and young puppies, I feel it is so important to be kind as the wrong approach can put both off for life. I’ve had judges be heavy handed and spook my dogs with their handling of them and it’s not acceptable.

WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU SEE IN THE JUDGES TODAY AS OPPOSED TO THOSE IN THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER? We are seeing younger judges in the ring today as opposed to years ago, which I think is a good thing to have a broad spectrum of age & experience in the ring. With international travel being so easy, pre COVID of course, we are also seeing

When I awarded my first set of CC’s in 2017 I had the pleasure of evaluating a bitch who is currently our UK Breed Record holder – Ch Kinabula Bin There Done That. She did not disappoint, a beautifully put together specimen who is not exaggerated in any way and foot perfect on the move. I must also mention the Czech RR club show that is memorable for the breadth of quality in the entry, especially the bitches. It was an absolute pleasure, with many hard decisions.

WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE DOG SCENE OVER THE LAST DECADES? For me, the most positive change has been the increase in health testing and sharing of results. Even 10 years ago this was not as common, but now you can apply more science to breeding through the tests that are available and make informed decisions based on the results. Europe are still ahead of the UK in the number of tests carried out, but we are closing the gap. Another change has been the increase in imports/ exports – this has improved the gene pool in each country in a positive way, although will have had an effect on type as different lines mix. I can’t leave out the explosion in popularity of Social Media over recent years, this has been largely a positive addition to the scene allowing like-minded individuals to connect from all over the globe and share photos, videos and information on themselves and their dogs.

DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN RR OF TODAY COMPARED TO RR OF 10 OR MORE YEARS AGO? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES YOU SEE? I feel the breed is getting larger in size, certainly in the UK. Given that the RR shares more ancestry with the Great Dane than any other breed this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but I do worry about the corresponding life expectancy and this needs to be kept an eye on as the size creeps up.

Becoming too popular. Breeds such a French Bulldogs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers have exploded in popularity in the UK and I personally would hate that to happen to our breed. Ridgebacks are an amazing breed as your readers will know, but they are not for everyone and over popularity attracts people to the breed for the wrong reasons and they end up in the wrong hands.

IT IS INEVITABLE THAT BREEDS WILL EVOLVE AND CHANGE SOMEWHAT AS NEW GENERATIONS OF BREEDERS TAKE CHARGE. HOW CAN THE ESSENCE OR TRUE BREED TYPE - BE MAINTAINED?

Name

Meet the dogs in the flesh that you intend on adding to your breeding programme. Photos do not tell the full story and there is no substitute for having your hands on a dog and evaluating its construction and its temperament. For me, temperament is of utmost importance as most of our dogs go on to be loving pets and never see a show ring. They need the right attitude and outlook for a busy family life. Epigenetics shows us that temperament travels down the lines so do your upmost to include the best ones in your combinations.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING?

I feel as current guardians of the breed it is our duty to keep records up to date for the next generations. Especially photos, pedigree and health information from past dogs as a record of what they contributed to the breed. Having a reference available for new breeders to study and research is so important to allow them to make informed breeding decisions. Frozen semen is already playing a part in allowing breeders to go back into old lines and strengthen breed type and I think this will only become more popular with time.

INFO

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO ALL SERIOUS YOUNG BREEDERS?

I would like to thank you for inviting me to contribute to your magazine. I feel it is an exciting time to be in the breed with more collaboration between breeders and more knowledge and information available to us than ever before. We are seeing quality improve across the board and become consistent across many countries and I am looking forward to seeing what else lies in store for our beloved breed.

Lisa Reid (was Aitken)

Country Scotland,

Affix

Saadani

www

www.saadani.co.uk

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WHAT IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE BREED TODAY?

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MOHAGET’S BREEDER

Breed for improvement

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- not for winners

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p in the north of Europe, in Sweden, not far from Uppsala, close to a small town called Alunda, and again beyond, at the edge of the forest in a typical Swedish red wooden house, Johanna Segerlund is living her RR dream with her family and her pack… And that is exactly the place where all Mohaget’s dogs come from. Although she partly spends her days at work, her days begin and end with her beloved Ridgebacks Mandy, Masai, Lee, Senna, Ellie and Themba... These days the gang is even bigger because Johanna is taking care of a few weeks old litter she got after her bitch Senna. Ridgebacks have been her passion since she was 10 years old. She remembers how it all has started: „I’ve been living with the dogs practically since my birth, more precisely since 1986, when our first Ridgeback male arrived to our home. He was just a pet because of his overbite, but he was so special that it didn’t take us long to fall in love with the breed, so we decided to get another show quality dog who came one year later. At that time, I participated in dog shows and Swedish junior handling competitions.

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Unfortunately, in Sweden we do not have so many shows like in other European countries, and distances between places are great, so I am trying to do my best to show my dogs whenever I can and to the judges whose opinion and evaluation I’m curious about.“ With their first litter in 1993, Johanna and her mum started the breeding in Mohaget’s Kennel. And while Johanna’s mum dealt with serious things - finances, stud researches and pedigrees, Johanna was doing the hard part of the job; she was doing everything around the dogs and she believes that this is exactly what made her develop and grow as a breeder and as a person. She has learned a lot, and developed strong empathy for people and animals. During her teen age she was also working as a ‘Kennel Girl’, helping out other breeders with their litters and puppies upon request. She is always happy to help her breeder friends if they seek her advice or ask her to check their litters because of her huge experience in early detecting of DS, kinked tails or other issues that might come in any litter. „ I was born with it. I was, and still am, in love with this breed and I will always do my best to breed true Ridgebacks - in standard, in work, hunting instincts and guarding…. I do not want to lose what the real Ridgeback is. Our first male was a good example of a breed; maybe a bit less bones and substance, still, when I look back, he was a real Mohaget’s type. Thanks to my mum, who influenced my vision on what Ridgebacks should look like and who has taught me about the lines, pedigrees and pairings, I gained a great knowledge and experience and started to breed by myself following my own dream, my vi-

sion. I knew what I would love Ridgeback to look like and I have set up my own goals… Mohaget’s dogs are distinctive; when ‘ridgeback people’ meet my dogs somewhere or see them on photos, they can immediately recognize my line, and their first question is usually ‘Is this a Mohaget’s dog?’ ‘Breeding means continuously improving’, Johanna says. Her breeding programme is based on many parameters like construction, character, balance, hunting instinct and movement. She finds character and movement extremely important. „Most of the dogs look good in a stack, but when they start to move, all faults immediately jump out. If the dog doesn’t have a good construction, there is a big loss of energy while trotting and that dog cannot fulfil its purpose – endurance at long hunting distances. Movement is about reach and drive, super straight top-line, and about covering the ground. Nowadays, I see people get super excited about the photos on the social media of a flying dogs whose legs kick high in the air. This is not the way Ridgeback should move. The movement should be straight forward with lots of strength, power and ease without energy loss. I get really excited when I see a good mover in the ring. Mohaget’s dogs are true Ridgebacks; selfwilled, intelligent, wise, self-confident, territorial and arrogant, but not in a bad way. They will respect you and work with you - only on a ‘partner level’, but will always test you and try to get what they want. If you will try to get something by force or if they conclude your command has no sense, they will show you the finger. They will respect you only as a leader of the pack; that’s why I am always happy to have puppy buyers who are experienced with the dogs. If I would see that a male is scared of an angry bitch while mating, I would immediately exclude this dog from the breeding. Also, I am absolutely happy when I see my bitch in her first litter showing a strong maternity instinct. In Sweden, we have mental tests for the dogs and for me this is a ‘must’. All of my dogs have been mentally tested and I recommend it to all my puppy buyers even if they are getting a pet quality dog. Ridgebacks are big and powerful dogs and we should always be aware and ready for any possible reaction caused by their mental setup. It is very important to know how to ‘read’ a dog. If you want to be a pack leader, you always have to be two steps ahead and ‘read’ your dogs, understand their body language knowing exactly what they are intent to do. When you live with a pack of dogs, the work is even harder. You have to know the character of every single dog, and how to manage them all together. I always let them communicate within the pack and observe everything from the

I was always very interested in dog psychology. I have done an extensive course for a dog trainer and passed the exam. This helped me expand my knowledge and currently I am one step away to become a Mentality judge. Through this experience I became a member of a Mental Committee at the RR club of Sweden and was active there for a several years. ‘Dogs from my lines are excellent Blood Trackers. I never miss tracking trainings with my dogs; they really have a strong hunting instinct which I find to be one of the greatest features of this breed. I also do ‘The Bear Test’ with my dogs, where they get exposed to the stuffed bear in order to see how the dog is going to work.’

MOHAGET´S MISTER MASAI

After her mother passed away, Johanna decided that Mohaget’s Kennel has to continue with the breeding, but she decided to make a sort of a new beginning. Everything started long time ago, while Johanna was a little girl, with the bitch named SEUCh NOUCh Djungelkattens Big Box Babette-CV. This bitch was a foundation of a breeding programme in the Mohaget’s Kennel.

MOHAGET´S MISS MANDY

‘When my mum passed away, I decided to find my own path and breading line, so I started to breed with Roseridge Red Rosetta. Even though this was a new start, Rosetta had our foundation bitch in her pedigree. From Rosetta, I got offspring Masai, Mandy and Milo Ross who have proved themselves also as great show and breeding dogs. They totally embody the image of a Ridgeback that I have in my head and in my heart. I am happy and satisfied with all the dogs born at Mohaget’s Kennel and I am glad that I can present here the best examples of my breeding: C.I.B NORDUCh SEUCh DKUCh FIUCh SEVCh MBISS Mohaget´s Mister Masai, CV is amazing stud dog who has more than twenty-five Champion descendants. His sister SEVCh Mohaget’s Miss Mandy who I find maybe even more precious than Masai. The judges might find her too masculine, but she was a perfect brood bitch who had three litters, and now is enjoying her ‘retirement’ still being, together with Masai, a true leader of the pack. The brightest star of all of her offspring is C.I.B. MCh MGCh BIS3 Mohaget’s Major Maddox. At the peak of the other line from SEVCh Roseridge Red Rosetta, CV is C.I.B NORDUCh SEVV-19 SEUCh DKUCh FIUCh SEVCh Mohaget´s Meus Milo, CV. One of the greatest satisfactions for Johanna as a breeder is to have a special bond with her puppy buyers who always prove to take great care about

MOHAGET´S MEUS MILO

the dogs. She is always available to help them in challenging situations, and to drink prosecco and celebrate good things as well! Her goal is to sell the puppies to good and responsible owners and she gets super happy when these owners become active members of RR community through dog shows, work or other activities. There are so many amazing dogs who live in the shadow because they have not been promoted, and some of them could help the breeding so much. But it is not all about shows. ‘The dog has to be a dog’, she says, ‘and the most important is that the dog is loved and has a great life. ‘ Comparing the previous Ridgebacks to today’s generations Johanna is very sad to say that so many traits are lost or are in the process of being lost.

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distance. We should not always get in between. But, if you see that there will be a pack break or a fight, you have to act fast, and properly!

‘I see that dogs are losing the RR character. They are becoming more like robots. I miss that self-willed sparkle in the eye. There’s none of their own will. Also, they are losing their strong bones, becoming over-angulated and overdone in the fore-chest so everything is falling apart while they move (luckily, most of those overdone forechests disappear when dogs become adults). ‘

MY FIRST PACK

‘I notice also that muzzles are not deep, long and strong as it used to be before, pasterns are getting stiffer and colours are getting darker. Here in Sweden we have a beautiful range of standard colours, but in other parts of Europe darker dog with a big fault will win over better lighter dog even if this dark dog is out of standard in colour. It is extremely important that judges read and understand the description of a breed standard, otherwise they will do a lot of damage to this beautiful breed by awarding the dogs that are literally out of standard. As she mentioned the judges, we asked Johanna what qualities in a judge she admires the most…

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‘I admire when the judge sees the whole dog. It is really important for a judge to understand and see the harmony, not just isolated parts of the dog. I also admire when the judge judges the dog, not the handler. It is great to have dog well handled, but handling and handlers should not be more important than the dog. The judge has to be objective.’

CHRISTMAS 1988

Everyone, including Johanna, will agree that no dog is perfect, but if you ask her what the perfect dog means for her, she’ll say: ‘For me, perfect a dog is a dog with a great character. I can tolerate some faults if a dog has a really nice personality. Also, I find the dog is perfect if, while I’m watching it for the first time, my eyes don’t stop anywhere…. from the nose to the tail. My gaze just has to flow. And if there is a harmony within exterior and the temperament, then I say ‘This is a perfect dog“. But I want to add that super show dogs are not necessarily super stud dogs as well.

YEAR 1986

For me, it’s important to track the offspring and see if they get the qualities I want from the stud. Offspring are the main indicator of a quality of a stud dog; not the titles and the promotion. If you choose a wrong male as a

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MOHAGET´S BREEDERGROUP

sire, you are doing a step backward and you will need years to fix the mistakes you have done with the wrong choice.’ Breeders usually say „Showing is a game, breeding is an art.’ And it really is. It takes courage and passion to go into breeding, and when we asked Johanna what she would recommend to beginners, she didn’t think long to answer: ‘Be openminded, follow your feelings, be kind, be aware of any faults of your dogs, be patient and humble, do not judge others, follow your dreams, give a chance to everybody, do not breed with sick dogs. Choose the male who is the best for your bitch, not the one who is popular. Do not choose the stud who you did not meet ‘in person’; go and see, meet the dog. The dog is so much more than photos and videos. Do the research of a pedigree and ancestors…. Breed because of your passion, not for money. And finally, you will need some luck. Genes can sometimes play a game you cannot predict “.

MOHAGET´S MEUS MILO

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MOHAGET´S MISS MANDY

MOHAGET´S MAJOR MONIQUE & MOHAGET´S MISS MANDY & ROSERIDGE RED ROSETTA

MOHAGET´S MEUS MILO

MOHAGET´S MAJOR MADDOX

MOHAGET´S MISTER MASAI

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MOHAGET´S MAJOR MADDOX

MOHAGET´S MISTER MASAI

MOHAGET´S MAJOR MADDOX

INFO Name Johanna

Segerlund

Country Sweden Affix MOHAGET’S www

KENNEL

www.mohagets.se

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ARESVUMA BREEDER

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Rhodesian ridgebacks planet

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My name is Svetlana Malinnikova. I am the breeder of ARESVUMA Rhodesian Ridgeback kennel In 2000 my husband Sergey and I, bought our first Ridgeback. Vincent was by Saimon x A’Tzhina, breeder V.Mukoseev. He was Russian bred and we got him as a family member. Until he was 9 months old we did not think that he was anything more than a dog. But one day we met Vincent’s father Saimon and his human family, and our lives changed. We started showing Vincent and we got to know the very special and very new world of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Two years later I realized that I want Ridgebacks to live with me forever and that I want to be a breeder. So I got some education in cynology and started to search for my first female. And of course I started thinking about my own kennel name. It must sound “African”, one word with a special meaning. I decided to create that word by myself. At that time I got acquainted with the breeders of my future first female Rens Trappel and Mariette Van Der Veer. Those people opened the wide world of Ridgebacks for me and very soon the decision was made: I must mention all those people and dogs who weighed on my decision to become a breeder. ARESVUMA is an abbreviation: A – Africa, motherland of the breed RE – Rens Trappel S – Saimon VU – Vumba MA – Mariette Van Der Veer

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ARESVUMA kennel was registered with FCI on 29 October 2003, Reg. № 5655.

My first female was Vizara Iringa Aresvuma (CH Shangani Panza-Dafina x CH Vizara Dazi Yardena). I asked Rens and Mariette to give my girl my kennel name. My second female was Harmakhis Wisdom Daksha of Aresvuma (CH Pronkberg Makari x CH Maya Delle Cime Bianche) Breeder S.Venturelli, imported from Italy. The intention of my breeding was to get healthy Ridgebacks, whose appearance and temperament was as close as possible to the breed standard: balanced, strong, muscular, agile and active dogs, full of dignity and intelligence. The first litter with ARESVUMA kennel name was born on 17.03.2004. The mother of the litter was a rental female CH Viola (CH Sabu Alexander x Arabella, breeder I. Tolmachev). In addition to my own females Iringa and Daksha, imported from Holland and Italy, in the breeding program of the kennel I used 2 rental females who combined the blood lines of well-known kennels from South Africa, USA, Sweden, Holland: CH Bara (CH Mister. Bari Hild x Zvezda Novgorodskaya, breeder O. Lobanova) and CH Gumi Gamba (CH Vincent + Zvezda Novgorodskaya, breeder O. Lobanova), and also some daughters of those dams. In 2013 I imported from Germany a male Hawkinsara Boo For Aresvuma (CH Zuritamu Yadi x Clachan Shashi, breeder Monika Kolb). So, Vincent, Iringa, Daksha and Boo are in the pedigrees of all ARESVUMA dogs. Time passed and more and more ARESVUMA dogs began to participate in dog shows. The first Champions appeared in the kennel. The first Interchampion with ARESVUMA kennel name became a male who lived in the Netherlands, named Aresvuma Vivijo Makini (CH Vincent x CH

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Vizara Iringa Aresvuma, owner E.Veldman). After individual wins there also came victories in kennel competitions. An important achievement in the breeders competition was our performance at the double international show “Eurasia-2008”. In strong competition on both days the best was “ARESVUMA”. But the most successful year for the kennel was 2009. We won the titles “Best Rhodesian Ridgeback Kennel of the National Breed Club of Russia”, “Reserve Best Kennel of the Special show of group VI in Latvia”, “Reserve Best Kennel of Rhodesian Ridgebacks World Winner Specialty”. And the dogs born in the kennel – male Aresvuma Zulu Zuka (CH Tarujen Penzi x CH Aresvuma Bara Etana, owners Svetlana Nikitina & Sergey Gnilyakov, handler Anastasia Kharitonova) and female Aresvuma Desta Diara (CH Blomsterangens Charm By Merten x CH Harmakhis Wisdom Daksha of Aresvuma, owner Elena Dmitrik, handler Anastasia Kharitonova) – became

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World Winners!!! Truly – this is the result that any breeder wants to achieve: in one World Championship, in the second largest breed entry (286 dogs in the catalogue), under different judges for males and females - to win Best Male, Best Female and Best Of Breed!!! Also in 2009, our kennel took part in official RKF Kennels Top rating and entered the Top Ten (7th place) among kennels of all breeds in Russia!!! Later ARESVUMA was in RKF Top Ten 2 times more (in 2010 and 2014). Till now, no single Rhodesian Ridgeback kennel in Russia was included even once in RKF Top Ten Kennels. 2010 was marked by new great victories. For the first time in the history of Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Russia, a Russian-bred dog won CRUFTS: Aresvuma Zulu Zuka (CH Tarujen Penzi x CH Aresvuma Bara Etana, owners Svetlana Nikitina & Sergey Gnilyakov, handler Karina Grigoryan) – Best Of Breed & BIG-IV Hound Group. And 2 weeks later, Aresvuma Zan Zait (CH Tarujen Penzi x CH Aresvuma Bara Etana, owners Tatiana Kuznetsova & Victor Tyushev, handler Anastasia Kharitonova) became Best Of Breed & Best in Group VI FCI at the biggest International show in Russia “Eurasia”. Also in 2010 we got our first Junior World Winner – Aresvuma Olana Red (CH Heshima Ya Kimba Fuku Shabalala x CH Vizara Iringa Aresvuma, owner Elena Kamle, handler Karina Grigoryan), first Junior Euro Winner – Aresvuma Pachanga Fotina (CH Shangani Umvutcha Lonzo x CH Harmakhis Wisdom Daksha of Aresvuma, owner Svetlana Malinnikova, handler Anastasia Kharitonova), first

Euro Winner (BOB) - Aresvuma Zulu Zuka (CH Tarujen Penzi x CH Aresvuma Bara Etana, owners Svetlana Nikitina & Sergey Gnilyakov, handler Maria Gvozdeva). Aresvuma Olana Red also became adult World Winner in 2013. In 2018 we got our first home bred Veteran Euro Winner – Aresvuma Sauda Areta (CH Tarujen Penzi x CH Vizara Iringa Aresvuma, owner/handler Svetlana Malinnikova). By the end of 2020 we bred/owned: • 3 World Winners, 1 Junior World Winner, 1 Veteran World Winner • 1 Euro Winner, 1 Junior Euro Winner, 4 Veteran Euro Winners • CRUFTS Winner (BOB&BIG-IV) • BISS in Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia • BIS&R.BIS in Russia, Estonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Ukraine • 2 Centenary Winners (in Germany & Belgium) • 2 Eurasia Winners (BOB&BIG) • 3 Winners of show “Golden Collar – Dog of a Year” in Russia • Top-Dogs in Russia, Italy, Spain • 22 Interchampions • Champions of Russia, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Moldova, Montenegro, Macedonia,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

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Our young generation continues to win in the rings. In 2020 Aresvuma Jangala Zuna (CH Ndoki German Red Grafano x CH Aresvuma Fuata Fumba, owner/handler Svetlana Malinnikova) got 2 x Best-In-Show Puppy, Res.Best-In-Show Junior; Aresvuma Duana Kali (CH Red Hunter Munash Ngozi x CH Aresvuma Baidhati Bikira, owner/handler Julia Dmitrik) - Best-In-Show Puppy, Best-InShow Junior, Res. Best-In-Show Junior.

ARESVUMA dogs live in 32 countries on 4 continents. My big thanks first of all to my breeders: Rens Trappel, Mariette van der Veer, Sara Venturelli, Monika Kolb – thank you for trusting me, for your help, for your wonderful dogs!!! Also big thanks to all owners of ARESVUMAS – thank you for the love and care you give them every day!!! I love you! I’m proud of you!

I am happy that ARESVUMA dogs became very successful not only in the rings but also as a stud dogs. Some of them became foundation dogs of Champion lines all over the world: • In Russia: Aresvuma Olana Red (kennel “Jelani Red”, breeder Elena Kamle) produced Junior World Winner Jelani Red Jimbo Farey, Euro Winner Jelani Red Djastin Dimond Fransois Jene; Aresvuma Pori Djikoni (kennel “Red Hunter”, breeder Valentina Alexeeva) produced Junior World Winner Red Hunter Munash Ngozi • In Italy: Aresvuma Kabiri Nguvu (kennel “Harmakhis Wisdom”, breeder Sara Venturelli) produced World Winner Harmakhis Wisdom Sissi, Junior World Winner Harmakhis Wisdom Ariel Bikila • In Spain: Aresvuma Ha-Shah (kennel “La Muela De Cortes”, Breeder Juan Antonio Ballesteros) produced World Winner Gloria De Kenya De La Muela De Cortes

INFO Name

Svetlana Malinnikova

Country Russia,

Moscow

Affix ARESVUMA www www.aresvuma.ru

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KANI AKILAH BREEDER

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From Netherlands with love

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PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR KENNEL TO OUR READERS. I’m 41 years old and since 2003 I am a RR owner, I’m married to Olaf who is 42 years old. Together we have two Daughters aged 8 and 10. We live in the Netherlands and we currently own two Ridgebacks, Daka and Nya, they are our 4th and 5th Ridgeback. I grew up with Golden Retrievers and Labradors, and I always wanted to do more with dogs. I trained our second Golden Retriever when I was about sixteen years old and it was bad, really bad. He was not the easiest dog to train and it cost me a lot of sweat and tears to get him to listen. He ran through gardens, took a swim in their ponds, ran away and followed females in heat. I learned a lot from that dog and he was a great companion once his puberty was over and when he was neutered. When I was twenty-four I bought my first two Ridgebacks Vai and Ghalu. My kennel name Kani Akilah was established in 2005 and I had my first litter in 2007. My kennel name has a meaning, Kani stands for strength and energy and Akilah stands for intelligence, two strong characteristics that, in my eyes, belong to the Ridgeback.

Kani Akilah Aketi Azuma

Kani Akilah Balondemu Azkanyo

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In total I had six litters with four females during nine years, 1 stillborn and sixty three live puppies. My last litter was born in 2016 and who knows what future will bring for us. Joke Geurtsen was added to my kennel in 2015 and we now both breed under the same kennel name. Joke has had three litters with two females and a total of fourteen puppies. Her last litter was born in July this year.

HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED TO THIS BREED? A friend of my mother visited us often and he sometimes brought his dog with him. I think it was around 1995. The female dog was always sleeping on his coat, all curled up. She was very lazy in the house but always by his side and very relaxed and just beautiful. Strong female with a lovely brown color and she had a black mask. Outside she had a lot of energy, but not when it was raining, sounds very familiar now we own Ridgebacks. I immediately loved the look and character of this dog and searched for more information. I visited dog shows, called breeders and visited them. It was love at first sight and I decided a Ridgeback would be my future dog and I was placed on the waiting list at kennel Kuona Fahari. It took me eight years to become a Ridgeback owner, timing had to be perfect. And I even got two at the same time.

Kani Akilah Binti Azuma Kimani

Kani Akilah Ekundayo Madiba Daka

I have always loved dogs and I was very active with our dogs. I liked to train with them and I also followed show training and after that I started visiting dog shows. I followed some courses in breeding, anatomy, behavior. When we bought our first two Ridgebacks, I did not have the intention to breed but I simply fell in love with the breed. The right path for me to follow was to fulfill the requirements for breeding of our kennel club, the RRCN (www.rrcn.nl). So, I started with dog shows, health screenings, gaining knowledge and I started my kennel name. When the timing was right, I planned my first litter with our Vai, she was three and a half years old when she had her first and only litter.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PAST AND PRESENT DOGS. Kani Akilah Chitonga Utani

Kani Akilah Elewa Jayla Edjin

We started off with two Ridgebacks, Kuona Fahari Gimbya Gasir Vai and Kuona Fahari Gamba Ghalu Ghalu, from kennel Kuona Fahari in the Netherlands, born on the 25 of September 2003. We took them home when they were eight weeks old and although we had two puppies, they were very different from each other, and it was not hard to raise them at all. We expected a very hard time but the Golden Retriever I trained was much more difficult. I started to work part time and we planned a lot of time for socializing, training, individual attention and learning to stay home alone. Later I also started to go to dog shows with them. Vai loved it, she loved the attention and being in the ring (especially when Ilse took over). Ghalu hated it, he was a lovely dog to see but in the ring he was insecure and not feeling well. In the daily routine Vai was the easy one and Ghalu was a bit uncertain. So the decision not to breed him was easily made although we did have some requests for him. When Vai was over two and a half years old we started searching for a stud dog and I found him in the Czech Republic. His name was Hasani of Ka-Ul-Li’s Ridges. I was in love when we visited him for the first time and I still was when we traveled to him for a mating. What a dog, what a character! The mating was a funny story since I was way too early for a mating so Ilse and I spent a week in a hotel, above a bowling area, we had so much fun. We started with snow and ended up in the mud with the mating. But the happy outcome was the birth of twelve puppies on the 1st of April 2007, two males (one livernose) and ten females (four livernose) and we kept a blacknose, ”off-set” girl who I fell in love with the moment she was born, her name was Kani Akilah Aketi Azuma.

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WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A DOG BREEDER?

She is now also the logo of my kennel. Azuma brought me and my friend Ilse Hulsebos (Kuanzia Kani) to dog shows all around Europe. We spend hours and hours in the car, at hotels and at dog shows. I think we should not even try to count how much money we spent. But we had so much fun and great adventures. Many of the dogs we met at shows and in private are now ancestors of our dogs. It was a great opportunity to be able to travel around and learn a lot. We (Ilse also showed my Azuma) showed in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden and even Finland and I might even forget some places. Together with her male Malozi Jamboni “Kani” we showed almost everywhere and he and our Azuma did so well. They loved each other so much and we decided to breed the two of them together, it resulted in thirteen (one stillborn) puppies born on the 21st of October 2009 from which we kept a blacknose girl Kani Akilah Binti Azuma Kimani (loved by Ingrid and Ingmar) and a livernose male Kani Akilah Balondemu Azkanyo (loved by Ria, Ilse’s mother) in co-ownership. We repeated that mating in 2011, resulting in 11 puppies.

Kani Akilah Eno

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When Kimani was over three years old, she had a litter with a male I fell in love with at the WDS 2008 in Sweden, African Hunters Amazing Baskervil from Annika Karlsson. They had thirteen puppies (born 12-12-2012) and I could not resist keeping a male in co-ownership with Leonie Huitema. His name is Kani Akilah Dahabu Bentley and he gave us four international litters (Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic and Great Brittain). One of those love stories resulted in a Swedish import male called Powerofgrace Awesome Bentley Blower, bred by Ulrika Källse and loved and co-owned by Chantal (sister to Leonie who has Bentley) and Paul. In February 2016 Ilse had a litter with her Lana (Red Pack’s Addicted to my way) and Maiden’s Kalahari Kandy. I had the perfect co-own home for a female puppy, so Kuanzia Kani Abeni Jali was added to our kennel. She lives with Ijda, close to me and she had one litter with our own Daka. A few weeks later (03-04-2016) I had my E-litter with the Scottish male Mwenga Hasani for Jengachenga (Kate Lowson). I kept a male called Kani Akilah Ekundayo Madiba Daka. His brother Kani Akilah Encane Hasani for Jengachenga went to live with his dad and a sister Kani Akilah Elewa Jayla Edjin was added to our kennel later when Joke Geurtsen and I started to breed together under my kennelname. Our Scottish boy “Ukkie” had a lovely litter at kennel Mirengo’s (John and Ann Woodrow) from which we were very happy to import a girl called Mirengo’s Musikani for Jengachenga. She lives with us but unfortunately in February this year she started symptoms of SLO, therefore we will not breed her. We are waiting for a new puppy to add to our family to maybe start breeding again in the future. For now, some

Kani Akilah Furaha Ya Moyo

Kani Akilah Goema Jabari

of the boys I bred are used in breeding, I am very proud of them.

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO YOU WANT TO BRING TO THE BREED WITH YOUR BREEDING PROGRAMME?

Kuona Fahari Gimbya Gasir Vai

I think our breed needs to be and stay moderate, good and easy on the move with a good filled chest for endurance, stable in character, good in color (not mahogany) and strong in head, bone and feet, but is that not the case in almost any breed? I think I speak for a lot of breeders when I say we need to improve on the front angulation and that is very hard to improve and takes a few generations. The back angulation is much easier to improve, but also easily gets lost again. Our breed does not need too much angulation, the effortless movement is lost when front and back are not balanced or when the feet or back are not strong enough. So, my goal in breeding is to preserve our breed, to improve on the parents I use and to breed balanced and stable characters. We live in a small country and for me it is important a dog feels well under all circumstances. I don’t breed a lot and most of my females were used just once. We have to keep as much different genetics as we can, using carriers wisely instead of avoiding them. You can never find a perfect dog, they do not exist and as a breeder you must always be able to see the faults in your own dogs.

WHICH DOG/S DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR BREEDING PROGRAMME? Although I bred my first litter with Kuona Fahari Gimbya Gasir Vai and she was the mom of our lovely Kani Akilah Aketi Azuma, I think the real foundation started with Azuma. She gave us some wonderful and successful offspring, inside and outside. I think I could not have started without both ladies and their daughters. But I also would like to say that it takes two to tango, without a good male you cannot breed nice dogs.

Mirengo’s Musikani

DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE RR

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Ghalu left us when he was ten years and eight months old, Vai followed a few years later at the age of almost thirteen and Azuma left us when she was twelve years and one month old. We now own Daka and Nya. And Joke owns three ladies, Kani Akilah Dunawa Ijaba from my D-litter, Kani Akilah Elewa Edjin from my E litter and Kani Akilah Imena Jayla from a singleton litter with Edjin and the lovely livernose Rawridge Indigenous Warrin.

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Powerofgrace Awesome Bentley Blower

OF TODAY, COMPARED TO THE RR OF 10 YEARS AGO? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES YOU SEE?

I think soundness for me is the meaning of a perfect dog. Sound in body, movement, character. A perfect dog does not exist, there is always something that we breeders like less about a dog but it is an art to find a combination that works really well. And when we breed one or two dogs in a litter that are better than the mother and father, then it is my opinion you did a very good job! For me it is not about breeding a perfect show dog or a champion, but a perfect family dog that looks and behaves like a Ridgeback. The best dogs are at home, never used for breeding, which can be a sad thing.

You can find a lot of difference, not just in type, but also in character. The characters have changed in a positive way for me. I think over the years we can say the character of the European dogs have been getting softer, easier and more balanced. Maybe not what is common for our breed but we do not use our Ridgebacks as protection here in Europe, most Ridgebacks are family dogs. I also see a difference in the show ring, still a lot of variety in colors and bone but new since a few years also in body structure. In my opinion the body structure does not always go into a good direction. We need our breed to be moderate and balanced, not over angulated or movement with huge stride. It looks good in a (big) ring but it us useless for endurance and costs too much energy, but that is just my personal opinion. I saw a very moderately angulated dog at a dog show in Germany around ten years ago moving his socks off, flying around the ring. I realized then a dog does not need perfect angulations, but they need balance. He was noticed that day, but nowadays he would not stand a change I think.

WHAT IN YOUR OPINION MAKES A PERFECT DOG?

WHAT IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE BREED THAT YOU HAVE BRED TILL NOW? I have not bred a perfect dog, but I did breed some dogs that I like very much and are close to perfect for me. Some of them were shown but most of them are lovely family dogs. One example is a lovely blacknosed male, lovely balanced but he did not have a ridge. I bred more Ridgebacks, black- and livernoses that made me proud than just naming one. I can’t just name one in particular.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT AS A BREEDER? WHAT IS THE

When I started, I thought it was great being successful at dog shows. I bred a few champions and that felt great. The best show result for me was Azuma, showed by Ilse, winning the Veteran winner title but also second-best female at the Amsterdam Winner show when she was almost eleven years old. She absolutely loved being in the showring and knew exactly what she needed to do. But to be honest I think my biggest highlight is owners still updating me and keeping me updated about their dogs at any age. Owners telling me their dog is becoming protective and that I could congratulate them with becoming a parent (happened more than once….:-)). Offspring doing well at dog shows and getting compliments about their behavior means more to me than getting an Excellent. Owners enjoying their dogs is my highlight and that is was hopefully keeps me breeding in the future, happy families, happy dogs. We recently had to say goodbye to some of my offspring (some too young) and that hurts, so that is my absolute lowlight.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BECOME A BREEDER? Read, learn, listen, you can never have too much information and get well informed and follow the code of ethics of our breed club. Don’t let experienced breeders tell you how to do it but follow your own path with the help of those experienced breeders.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A GOOD REPUTATION AS A BREEDER (BESIDES THE DOGS)? That is also a hard and personal question. For me a good breeder takes time to get to know the future puppy owners. Always be there when needed. The breeder has to be honest, and makes the best effort to breed healthy and quality Ridgebacks.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING?

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCE OR INSPIRATION AS A BREEDER AND IN WHAT WAY? Way too many to name them with the risk of forgetting someone and that would be unfair. Breeders, owners, stud dog owners, my besties in breeding, they know who they are.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU ADMIRE MOST IN A JUDGE? For me a good judge sees the quality in the dog and not the handler that shows them, treating the dog with patience and respect. Sometimes judges need to judge outside the box, a perfect ridge does not make it a perfect Ridgeback and a perfect Ridgeback does not need a perfect ridge. But again, that is just my opinion and thankfully we do have some really good and nice judges.

What I want to add is that we should keep our breed healthy and fit for function. Let’s think more outside the box and use that carrier, or one that carries ridgeless or maybe even breed that ridgeless or 3 crowned, lovely and well-built and healthy dog in the future. Champions do not make champions and it takes two to tango. You cannot always agree with other breeders, breed the best or you cannot always win a dog show. Let’s just be nice to each other and keep our breed healthy. Pictures by Leonie Huitema, Jenny Jurnelius, Ilse Hulsebos, Anita van der Palen and Kevin van den Hoven

INFO Name Esther

Kappert-Jonker

Country Netherlands Affix Kani

Akilah

www www.kani-akilah.nl

/ kani.akilah@gmail.com

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BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR CAREER AS A BREEDER?

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Nida and Bora Photo by Diana Petniunaite

NOSEWORK

W RI T T E N BY P I A H A K K A R A I N E N , D O G E N T H U S I A S T, K U O P I O F I N L A N D

osework was developed in 2008 in the USA as a hobby for dogs. The original intention was to use it to activate rescue dogs. Soon it became a hobby for all dog owners when it was discovered how sniffing and using nose did good for all dogs.

One of the basic ideas of Nosework is - and this is especially emphasized in the sport - that the sport should be nice to do and fun for both humans and dogs. A dog gets an inspiring experience when it gets to do meaningful work and is rewarded with treats and huge praise from its handler. Practicing nasal work allows dogs to express its natural behavior and make independent decisions. Natural behavior and active self-choices are important to a dog’s well-being. Nosework also does good for the instructor’s well-being. In exercises and trials, waiting time for your turn provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with other participants. And there’s enough to discuss in nosework. How did the dog behave and for what reason? How did the odour in space and airflows behave? What mistakes did the instructor make? Perhaps the best thing about Nosework is that it is suitable for all dogs and handlers. The dog can be small or large, brave or timid, tripod, deaf or blind. The instructor may also be limited to other sports, but nosework may also include an assistant. Nosework does not require special skills from the dog or handler, basic management is sufficient. The Nosework is also suitable for less social dogs as dogs do not need to be in close contact with each other. The hobby is not necessarily expensive and can be started very simply. You can search for basically anything.

HOW TO START? Usually in training - and always in trials - hydrolat (aqueous liquid from the production of essential oils) are used as a source of odour. These can be easily purchased even from the online store. All that is needed for one odour cache is a drop of hydrolat, which is absorbed into, for example, gauze, the end of a cotton swab, felt stickers, etc. In addition, unused clean glass or steel jars are needed. The hobby starts with teaching the target smell to the dog. The easiest way to do this is to put the smell on the bottom of the jar, click to refine the timely performance when the dog goes to the jar Photo by Salla Kosunen

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LET´S SNIFF!

and praise and reward the dog, then gradually add more empty jars. Once the dog has learned to recognize the target odour, search exercises can begin. The dog, together with the handler, must learn the expression (sitting, going to the ground, staying in place, or staring at the odour concealer) with which the handler knows the hide has been found. The discovery is always rewarded with rich praise and delicacies.

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NOSEWORK AS A FORM OF COMPETITION Nosework came to Finland via Sweden. The Finnish “pioneers” who practiced the sport in Finland went to compete in Sweden, where the sport was adopted as the competition form of the Kennel Club in 2018. In the autumn of 2020, the Finnish Kennel Club adopted the sport as a competition form. The first official trials under the Finnish Kennel Club were held in September 2020. Prior to that, the trial activities were carried out by Nosework Finland, which was established in 2015 to promote the sport and created the rules and instructions used in the trial operations in Finland. There are different forms of Nosework in Europe. In some countries, the odours sought are different, the composition of the fragrance is different and the forms of search variate.

IN A NUTSHELL NOSEWORK IN TRIALS The competition is called a Trial. There is a limited search area in trials defined by the judge and the test committee. The time limit used for the search will be determined by the judge, using the “zero dog” who is not participating in the trial. Generally, the time spent searching is between 1.5 and 3 minutes. The timer starts when the dog crosses the marked starting point. The dog may leave the confined area when locating

the odour, but for the handler it is not allowed. The dog reports his discovery in a free style, the handler must interpret the expression and report the discovery of the odour by raising his hand and saying “Alert”. The judge will announce the correctness of the finding and the timing will be stopped. The odours in trials in class 1 are for eucalyptus, in class 2 for eucalyptus, bay leaf and their mixture, and in class 3 for eucalyptus, bay leaf, lavender and their mixture. The dog will work in the test usually on a leash, but the judge may sometimes, if he deems it necessary, give permission to work the area unleashed. With the test categories, the height of the hides increases (120 cm, 160 cm, 180 cm) and there may be more than one hiding place. In addition, there are also inaccessible hides that the dog cannot reach, but it must indicate the location of the hide to the handler so that the handler can show it to the judge. There can also be odours of distractions in the search area. In upper class-

Photo by Birgit Halkio

Photo by Minna Sirviö

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Error points are awarded for an error, touching the search area, if the dog, for example, licks or breaks objects used in the search, scratches something in the search area, if something falls from the handler to the search area or the dog otherwise affects the search area. In equal points, the rankings of the trial are based on error points and time spent.

TRIAL ELEMENTS 1. Trial for all elements: interior building search, exterior area search, vehicle search and container search

SINGLE-SECTION TRIAL 2. Interior building search: four different interior searches (odour hidden in the room wall, furniture, ornaments, etc.)

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3. Container search: four different container searches (there are boxes or objects of this type on the ground from which the dog marks the right source of odour)

Photo by Salla Kosunen

es with more than one hide, the handler must finally indicate with the word “finish” that all the hides have been found. In addition, in category 3, the number of hides is not reported. There are no points when the time is exceeded in the trial, but the dog is always given a chance to find the hide. This is helped by demarcating the search area and, if necessary, guiding the dog towards the odour.

NOSEWORK

4. Exterior area search: four different outdoor searches (odour is hidden outdoors, e.g. on walls, columns, structures)

ant in the early stages of the hobby. This way the dog learned more quickly what the sport was all about.

5. Vehicle search: four different vehicle searches (the source of the odour is hidden, for example, in a car or trailer, wheel, wheelbarrow, work machine, etc., which may be more than one and the dog searches for odour on the outside of the vehicle)

The first nosework odour test was held in Kuopio in 2018, which was then a requirement for participating in trials. Evert passed the test at the time and we got permission to register for trials. With Evert we have competed in three official races and a few unofficial races, but we have not yet achieved the results needed for the promotion. Our younger Ridgeback Kratos (Maanhaar Primo-Creatus Diamond Limited Edition) started nosework with my sister Liisu Hakkarainen about a year ago and has participated in two unofficial races with good success. As the number of participants of the sport grows rapidly, it is really difficult to fit into official trials, so Kratos has not yet been able to take part. We hope that more trials will be held in the future so that everyone who is willing to participate can get involved. Informal competitions are also welcome, because although nosework is a hobby for all types of dogs, the Kennel Club has the same doping rules for all activities. Because of this doping rule, many active dogs are excluded from trials, even if the choice of hobby was based in part on the dog’s ability to practice the sport, even under the necessary medication.

Each test format has three different categories: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Three approved (100 points) performances are required for promotion. All test forms proceed independently. That is, three times with 100 points in the interior building search, you will advance to the next category in the interior building search trial.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE I found nosework in 2017 when we went with our Rhodesian Ridgeback Evert (Fikisha Dhoruba Wa Azizi) for a physics training in my hometown Kuopio. Entrepreneur Anita Pesola told us that nosework is also coming to their range of sports and told us about the sport. We went along to try and got excited about the sport. Initially, the exercises were really short in duration, lasting only a few sniffs, and it was really hard to see for yourself the dog’s reaction to the right jar. I found that the guidance of a professional trainer was import-

Evert and Kratos are both already quite skilled seekers. We compete in 1st class. Success has not yet come – partly because of lack of trials this year

Photo by Salla Kosunen

- but for us, the journey is more important than the goal. Evert has a calm but confident style for searching. Time sometimes comes to an end as Evert enjoys his work in the search area. Sometimes cramped search areas are challenging for a large-sized boy who likes to avoid cramped places. However, the cautious Evert has gained the courage through the hobby to go to very low and cramped places as well as to climb to seek even high hides. Kratos is a faster and more straightforward searcher, and bolder to explore even more challenging search areas. Kratos is an avid sniffer by nature, but amidst other interesting odours, it is sometimes difficult for him to focus on finding odours relevant to the search and staying in the search area. It is very interesting to follow the work of these two very different types of seekers. It’s amazing how a dog finds and locates a smell that you can’t smell even up close, sometimes even from a large search area and in the middle of all the distractions. And it’s inspiring to see the enthusiasm that a dog has for searching naturally, and the joy, for both the dog and the handler, that follows the discovery. We attend coach-led workouts every two weeks. In addition, we sometimes train at home and attend courses with visiting coaches. Different coaches give you different views on training, different tips on how you can work better as an instructor, and variation on training anyway. If you

think of nosework as a form of competition, I recommend training right from the start with a professional trainer who knows how to choose the right expression styles and search methods for your dog. It is difficult to start moving off the ways found later to be wrong. I find it particularly good in nosework that it is suitable for all dogs regardless of breed, age and size. Nosework develops cooperation between the dog and the handler, which I have also noticed a closer contact with my dog. Nosework is a low-threshold hobby. It doesn’t require very much equipment and can be practiced at home and almost anywhere and anytime. On the same principle as nosework a dog can be taught other odours, for example mushrooms. In Finland, dogs have now also been trained to recognize the coronavirus from air passengers. At Helsinki Airport, this testing form has already been used and the dogs have been more reliable in identifying the virus than the common tests. Sniffing-based activities promote the well-being of dogs because they allow the dog to perform its natural behavior of sniffing and the treats are guaranteed relatively easily. The dogs really enjoy nosework and when we train at home, we have a positive competition about which dog to search first. Evert is about to literally burst through the front door while impatiently waiting his own turn. Nosework is just great fun!

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I S J U S T G R E AT F U N !

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W R I T T E N B Y H Á F R A B E ÁTA

NURU’S JOURNEY HORSE AND RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK

e are happy to be in the lucky position to have besides our dogs, our horse Nyuszi in the family. This way it comes naturaly to raise our dogs next to her. there are many activities including her and our dogs together. Nuru the RR was 4 months old when she became part of our family. We immediately took her to get to know Nyuszi and the environment around her in the stable. Firstly of course we had Nuru on a leash and my daughter was riding the horse. Nuru and I were walking next to Nyuszi. We usually went to the nearest forest or a field to walk. Nuru learned quickly that she cant go under the horse, because she might step on her. In addition Nuru learned to respect the other riders as well. Our horse Nyuszi has a good, calm personality. She doesnt hurt dogs, in fact she is careful around then.

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PHOTO BY HÁFRA BEÁTA

We went for many walks like I said, until I tried to go out with Nuru and Nyuszi alone without a leash. It worked wonderfully. Nuru is 100% disciplined and can be called to me. In our region there is many deer and mouflon. We meet some of them almost always. it’s very important that she is obedient, responds and returns back to me on command. After Nuru got comfortable around horses and riders we had to teach her the behavior around the horse track. I was teaching her together with my daughter this time as well. We taught Nuru that only when we call her, then she could step on the track, but she had to go next to Nyuszi and dont leave until we said so. We had to teach her that when she isnt called she had to wait next to the track. Sometimes we had to use a leash, but not for long.

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Nowadays Nuru is 18 months old. Very clever, receptive and has an excellent nature. She is totally compatible with horses and with other animals too, for example chickens and cats. She is the best dog on the planet and a super guide dog for horse riding. I cant wish for a better dog than Nuru.

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SLEDDOG SPORT

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WITH RHODESIAN RIDGEBACKS

Written by Laura Anttila PHOTO BY ANNI SALMINEN

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got a great opportunity to tell you about our sleddog sport hobby with my two Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

I think that I’m still a new face with Rhodesian Ridgebacks because I have only about a six years of experience with this breed. I have a passion for the dog sports and Rhodesian Ridgebacks have taken my heart completely. I am very grateful to Lari-Matti Kurkisuo (Riziki) that I got my first ridgeback Riziki Karamel Sutra “Zero” from him. As you might guess, the breed took me with it completely and nowadays I also have my second Ridgeback Kizimbi Muhimu Tofaa “Max”. I’m grateful to Ursula Limnell (Kizimbi) that she trusted me and gave Max to me. Without these breeders I wouldn’t be in this situation where I am now: I have two of the world’s most beloved family members and hobby buddies.

SLEDDOG SPORTS IN GENERAL Sleddog sports can be divided to winter and dry land sports. We are focusing more on dry land sports but dog skiing is an alternative training method for us during the winter season. I like to train with my dogs in as many ways as possible, but canicross and bikejoring are our favorite sports.

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The purpose of canicross is that the owner and the dog run as a team on the track according to the pace the owner is able to run. A runner in good condition can run marathon with a pace of 3:30 minutes per kilometer, a good sleddog can run the same distance at a pace of less than two minutes per kilometer. Because of this canicross requires a very strong work motivation from the dog that the dog would pull the owner during the whole race. However, starting canicross is very easy and it is a fun hobby to do with the dog. Canicross can be trained even if there is no intention to compete. To get started only running shoes, a running belt, a traction line and a traction harness for the dog are required. I use CaniX Belt myself and we have a two meter long Bungee leash. In bikejorin we have a longer 2,8 meter line.

A HARNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT IS SLEDDOG SPORTS The most important thing of all is to remember that the dog can’t choose its own harness. It is important to find the right one for it. If the harness feels uncomfortable the dog can stop pulling or it can pull in the wrong way. An uncomfortable harness could also cause pain and injuries to the dog. It is important to take the time to find the right harness. There are many harness brands like NonStop, Zero DC, ManMat etc. With my own dogs I use harnesses from Zero DC Cross and Non-Stop.

The key for the fitting of a harness is to pay attention to following three things: 1. Neckline This is the most important section of the harness. If neckline is too large the harness drops too low over the shoulder blades which restrains the movement of the dog. Too tight neckline presses the neck of the dog and complicates the dog’s breathing. The top of the breastbone should be about at the same level with the lower edge of the harnesses neckline. When looking from above the harness should not fall on top of the shoulder blades. 2. Breast section Breast section should be long enough that the harness wouldn’t bend upwards too early after the armpits. If the breast section is too short the

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harness could abrade the skin of the dog’s armpits and restrain its movement. There are variations between the length of the back section of the harnesses. The end of the harness should be located around the starting point of the dog’s tail. If the back section is too long the harness would be located on top of the dog stomach when looking from the side of the dog. Too short back section will press the dog downwards and the dog is then not able to use its whole body for pulling.

STARTING THE SLEDDOG SPORT TRAINING Because Rhodesian Ridgebacks are large and the breed is slow developers the pulling exercis-

Training a dog for sleddog sports should be progressive. Training sessions, training time and repetitions should increase systematically in small steps. Exercises are designed to maximize the

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3. Back section

es should not be started until the dog has grown and is developed enough. It could be a good idea to wait for the starting of the more intense training until your dog is over 1,5 years old but the right age to start is obviously dog-specific. Because the owner is working with the dog as a team the owner should take care that he or she won’t start hard pulling training too early. The physical condition of the dog is built during several years of training in canicross and bike joring. Good sleddogs are usually in the best condition when they are 3-5 years old. The lactic acid threshold of dogs increases with aerobic training so the better aerobic condition is built for the dog the longer it will be able to run hard below the anaerobic threshold.

dog’s muscles performance. Owner’s goals and the type of the sleddog sport affect the exercises. The emphasis of the exercises goes according to which sport is being trained: whether an explosive strength, endurance or speed are targeted. Well-designed training prevents injuries and develops the dog’s physical performance. It is important to remember that the work is done as a team. The dog must never be taken to its limits when training because it can easily lose the confidence in its owner and may begin to spare itself during the exercises. A simple and easy way to monitor the dog during the exercises is to follow the dog’s desire to run. It usually shows well if the exercise was successful.

DIFFERENT TRAINING METHODS Versatile exercises keep the motivation of the dog and the owner on a high level. Versatile exercises also enhance the coordination and different physical abilities of both of the dog and the owner. Different exercise types which are applied to improve the physical performance of the dog are basic aerobic condition exercises, endurance exercises, strength exercises, speed exercises and support exercises to improve dogs core muscles. Basic aerobic condition exercises are 1-1,5 hours long aerobic exercise and can be for example:

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• • • • •

power walk or trot cycling running skiing swamp walking

It is important in basic aerobic condition exercises to remember to keep the pace slow enough. There should be 3-5 basic aerobic condition exercises per week. Young and unexperienced dogs should start with 45min long exercises.

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Strength exercises are supportive exercises which are included to training during the whole year. Examples of strength exercises are: • high speed running • weight pulling • water running Speed exercises enhance the maximum speed, acceleration and explosiveness of the dog. Speed exercises are short 5080 m long running exercises and they are done with maximum speed. Speed exercises can also be done in uphill to get more drag for the dog. Recovery between the sprints should be active which means that the dog is moving all the time. Training of canicross is a combination of several different training methods and exercises. Pulling training should be started with short sprints. The light of few hundred meters is a good starting point for the sprints. In training it is very useful to have a friend to help with rewarding the dog at the finish line. When training alone owner can throw a toy or a treat in front of the dog to end the sprint and to reward the dog. If the purpose of the training is to head for the competitions it is very important to teach the dog that with the harness the goal is to pull all the way. That’s why it is good to keep the sprints short at the beginning to guarantee that the dog has the motivation to pull the owner during the whole sprint. It is also important to remember that pulling exercises should always be fun for the dog to maintain its pulling motivation. If the owner has a bad day, it is best to move the exercise to other day. Dogs can easily sense the mood of the owner and connect it to the exercise. Good warm up and cool down are important parts of the exercises because they help to avoid strain injuries. Warm up lasts 15-30 minutes and contains walking, running and short stretches. During warm up it could be good to use coats if the weather is cold. Cool down is as long as warm-up and the idea is to stabilize the breathing and heart rate of the dog by letting it walk without drag with straight back line.

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Endurance exercises are applicable if the purpose is to compete with the dog in sports where the races are very long in distance. Endurance exercises are quite similar than basic aerobic condition exercises but the length of the exercises are 2-2,5 hours. Endurance exercises should be done only when the dog is fully recovered because they are so heavy for the dog

“IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT DOG TRAINING. IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE TRAINING TOO.”

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– LEILA GRANDEMANGE

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Correct hydration and feeding of the dog are important aspects in training. Even minor dehydration of the dog can affect the performance of the dog a lot. In feeding it is important to make sure that the dog gets enough protein and fat from its food. Also, vitamins E and B are important for the dogs which are training hard. Owners should also monitor the dog’s appearance and weight and balance the feeding based on those. Before races I don’t feed the dog for 20 hours to make sure that its digestion system is empty so that stomach issues won’t affect him during the race. Last hydration is given to the dog about 2-3 hours before the race. I have professionals helping me with the feeding to guarantee the best possible outcome. I think that one of the key things in training is to make plans. The goals for the sport affect a lot for the way the training should be planned and executed. Clear goals for the training should be set and the training plan developed based on those goals. Also, the unique needs of each dog should be taken into account when training.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE DOG SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN SLEDDOG SPORTS There are lots of differences between the characteristics of the dogs which means that some of the dogs are more suitable for sleddog sports than others. Strong self-confidence for running is required from a sleddog. I think that it is possible to train and improve the self-confidence of the dog with right and positive training. Sleddogs should also be able to stand the uncomfortable feeling when the lactic acid level rises. Dog must be willing to run forward within the track despite the weight of the owner it has to pull. It also has to be able to leave the other dogs alone when overtaking and to focus on its own race. With this I mean that many dogs run well until they have to overtake someone. It is usual that the dog starts to look behind after overtaking and its focus for the race disappears. It is also very important that dogs can overtake other dogs without any signs of aggression. My younger dog Kizimbi Muhimu Tofaa “Max” is almost made for this sport. Max is my first sleddog but despite his young age he has shown his talent in physical and mental ways. This season we

competed in hobby series to get the experience for the dog and the owner. Next year’s goals for us are national championships of canicross and bikejoring. My older dog Riziki Karamel Sutra “Zero” does sleddogs sports just for fun. Zeros strengths are within short sprints where he can run very fast. Even with the experience of only two dogs I can say that it is important to recognize the different characters of the dogs and modify the training and handling of the dog based on those. With our boys the maximum speeds in bikejoring have been close to 50 km/h, so this sport gives a lots of adrenaline spikes. However, it is important to build a good basic aerobic condition for the dog and teach the direction commands before trying bikejoring. When I got my first Rhodesian Ridgeback I never thought that I would be competing in sleddog sports. I think that the size, endurance and physical features of the Rhodesian Ridgeback are well suited for sleddog sports. When the dog is motivated in the right way it will work for the owner from its heart. We are training and competing as a team with my dogs and both of us can affect the result which is the reason why this sport has taken me completely. I think that canicross and bikejoring are super addictive because you can never be completely ready and you can always learn something new. I am always truly touched every time I see a Rhodesian Ridgeback doing canicross, bikejoring or other sleddogsports in social media. I hope that we will get many awesome Rhodesian Ridgebacks to selddog sports in future.

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In addition to exercises it is important to look after the recovery of the dog. There should be at least one recovery day every week without any exercises. The development of the dog stops if it doesn’t have a chance to recover from the training. Symptoms of overstress of the dog are exhaustion, lack of appetite, over active dog, stiffness and point tenderness in the feet of the dog. Recovery from the exercises can be enhanced with a recovering walk later after the exercise. Also, recovery drinks can be given to dogs to enhance the recovery if needed.

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IN V LI I CH AR

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ARCHI

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OUR OLDY

P E T R A

G Á L I K O V Á

OLDY ARCHI

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rchi Livingston Rodhesian was born on July 14, 2004 in Košice, Slovakia. Mrs. Kolcunová owned a kennel and had 6 puppies for sale. They all jumped and ran except for one who slept innocently, curled up like a donut. “This one will be ours!”. We all agreed on that sweet, calm and obedient puppy. On the way home, we noticed that he’s probably not always a sweet little sleeper. The first few nights were hard. We had never had a dog and suddenly there was one who kept asking for some attention from us all the time. After a few days, we realized that his obedience on the day of our meeting was just a big coincidence and that this little one would change our lives. A few weeks passed and Archi had his first health problems. Our vet have found him to have Demodex. Every day we cleaned the wounds on his skin, which brought tears to my eyes, because he always groaned and started whining. We lived in an apartment, so we went for a walk with him every possible moment, which was always a game of which family member would take him. His strength, his desire to go crazy, and his sharp teeth like little needles, ended in the same shouts in the streets.

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“Archi, stop it, no, stop, don’t run!

When he was about 4 years old, something happened that no one would ever have expected. He had a dream in which he barked, and in one bark (he still was asleep) unfortunately he bit me in my head so unhappily that I had to go to the Emergency room. He felt very guilty. But he was not always so empathetic. One day the whole family came on New Year’s Eve, we all went to watch the fireworks, except for Archinka. Meanwhile, he ate a huge bowl of potato salad brought by his aunt as a midnight main course. When we went back downstairs, we found an overturned empty bowl, a dirty table, and one Ridgeback, back turned, pretending not to be in the room, saw nothing, and heard nothing. A bit of carrot on the nose, full mouth of lettuce, but he did not do it : D When he was 6 years old, his health problems started again, but this time it was much more serious. He began to lose weight very quickly and his cervical glands were enlarged. The verdict was clear - leukemia. My world collapsed, they gave him about 4 months to live. We started giving him prednisone to alleviate his condition. After 4

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When he was about half a year old, we moved into our house, where after a very short time we received a request from the post office to relocate the mailbox, because the postman is afraid to approach our gate. Our walks were literally a long-distance run, my arms are a little longer since then :-D A few times we let him go with good intentions, so that the boy could have a good run. Unfortunately, deer, bunnies and birds were more attractive than our offerings, so he had to go back on the leash.

months we came back to the vet and he couldn’t believe his eyes. Archi began to gain weight! After months of worrying and weekly blood draws to Medirex, they discovered that Archi was suffering from an autoimmune disease. They gave him high doses of prednisone, which he eventually took for 6 long years. We started with a pill every day and ended at ¼ a day, until we completely stopped. As a puppy, my vet didn’t like his heart, and over time we found out that he has a double-sided murmur, so they put him on a blocker medication. At the age of 10, his pancreatic results began to deteriorate, so we castrated him. There were problems after his castration because blood was accumulating in his scrotum. We did not want to have him neutered, but his health condition required it. However, we are glad that he became the sire of three beautiful healthy litters. Age cannot be fooled, and Archila has been diagnosed with some health problems which many aged dogs have. Kidney deterioration is the most serious problem, so we changed his diet, stopped serving him meat and he started eating a kidney diet. Nothing salty and minimal protein content. He started taking medication for his kidneys, initial incontinence, heart and joints.

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I have not yet understood how it is possible, but on 15 December 2016 I had an operation, doctors took my spleen and last year we were shocked. Archi had surgery on December 13, 2019 and they also

took his spleen and found a tumor on his spleen. The tumor was so big that without an operation the vet gave him chances to live for no more than another month. But what were we supposed to do? He was 15 years old, with kidney and heart problems. We saw it as hopeless. Well, in the end we decided to fight, we found blood donors for him and a week later he was lying on the operating table. The operation turned out well, but he had an anaphylactic shock, which meant another day worrying if his body could handle it. Two weeks later, he had a stroke. Thankfully, this turned out well. We regularly go for check-ups when he is supposed to have compulsory vaccination, and we always have him dewormed and vaccinated. We have been holding on ever since, although he has a significant problem with walking, his legs no longer listen to him, but he has not lost the sparkle in his eyes, even though we celebrated a beautiful 16th birthday in the summer. My family and I love him very much. We adapted our entire lives to him. We create the best conditions for him every day. We make him special food, massage his legs and paws and prepare clean, fragrant harnesses for him. You can see in his eyes that he wants to stay with us for the longest time possible. Once he leaves, it will be a huge loss for us, but for now we are looking forward to every single day. We love you Archinka.

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B.A.R.F. RECIPES PART 3 KATEŘINA NOVOSÁDOVÁ, 2020, MANWË KENNEL, WWW.MANWE.EU

Pumpkin

SHOPPING LIST • • • • •

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BALLS

DIRECTIONS Boil potatoes in their skins and let them cool down. Grind chicken meat (preferably breast fillets) and chilled potatoes on a meat grinder. Grate the pumpkin finely or grind it. Add eggs and oatmeal and knead the dough. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. From the mass form balls and bake on baking paper in an oven preheated to 200 ° C for about 20-30 minutes.

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Biscuits are soft, intended for fast consumption.

20 - 30 MINUTES

150g oatmeal 100g chicken meat 100g Hokkaido pumpkin 100 g of boiled potatoes 1 egg

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CAKE

DIRECTIONS form: a small cake Prepare half a liter of cake gelatin according to the instructions on the package or use premade pork gelatin from pork legs. Cook the rice in water, bone broth or vegetable broth. Cut the ham into cubes.

20 - 30 MINUTES

• 500g ham from the bone • 500ml of gelatin • 400g boiled rice • ground walnuts or herbs for dogs • linseed

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Rice

SHOPPING LIST

B.A.R.F. RECIPES PART 3 KATEŘINA NOVOSÁDOVÁ, 2020, MANWË KENNEL, WWW.MANWE.EU

Tuna

SHOPPING LIST • • • • •

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BISCUITS DIRECTIONS Finely grate carrots, add the tuna with oil, eggs, seeds, flour and make a dough. Roll out the dough to about 0.3 cm, cut out any shapes you like and bake in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for about 20 minutes. Biscuits are hard and last a long time.

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MINUTES

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300g rye bread flour 150g crushed tuna in oil 1 large carrot 1 egg 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

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WRITTEN BY JAN KADLEC ENGINEER OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, GENETIC ENGINEERING AND MICROBIOLOGY PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK

HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR FURRED RR FRIEND

n the last issue a list of dangerous food was put together, so let´s take a closer look at the beneficial foods which you can easily put your hands on and which will have a positive impact on your dog´s diet and overall health. I will try to explain in an understandable manner why and what is the science behind of it – hope I won´t scare you off by too much “chemistry”. Some of these are already included in some of the brands of mass produced foods, but even if you add on top of it, it won´t cause any harm to your RR, so no worries here. Fish oils – are great way how to improve your dog´s diet since fish oils are great sources of omega 3 fatty acids – particularly important are two which are fancy named: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6). One of the reasons is that omegas 3 have anti-inflammatory properties, so their effect in body metabolism is positive towards holding inflammation processes in tissues in check. Second reason is that they do have a positive impact on skin and coat, so if added in the diet you can expect improvement in the shine of the coat. In general, if omega 3 fatty acids are not present in diet from any source, you can expect lower reproductive abilities, slower pace of healing, too much scaly skin, less glossy hair and maybe troubles with ears infection or some lesion. Why EPA and DHA – well, the metabolism of dogs cannot basically synthetize the so called essential compounds, so if not provided in food intake, no chance. DHA is present in cell membranes of brain and heart cells, so it is also recommended to have some presence in the diet for older dog to improve their cognitive behavior and heart health. The connec-

tion in here with reproduction is that also membranes of reproductive cells contain a very high levels of those so, if not provided in the diet there can be some problems with fertility. Usually you can buy mixed fish oils, salmon oil, herring oil or cod liver oil. Just keep one thing in mind: fish do not produce omega 3 fatty acids and they have to get them from sea by eating micro-algae (primary producers) so any fresh-water fish oil won´t do the job! Just keep in mind reasonable addition in diet, if you pour too much of the oil over the food of your dog, you can expect pretty soon some digestive issues, and/or like with any other fats/oils some weight gain. Linseed oil – is also source of omega 3 fatty acid, but major source of this oil is ALA (alpha linolenic acid, 18:3), this oil doesn´t contain any DHA o EPA. As described above this one is essential omega 3 fatty acid and has impact on skin and coat support, transformation of ALA to DHA is basically zero in dog´s metabolism. Source of ALA is not just linseed oil, but also hemp oil is source of it, but level content of ALA is approximately ½ one in linseed oil. Be aware of one thing: linseed oil is kind of prone do going rancid and if so, ALA is gone, so buy and store in dark colored bottles only. Coconut oil – gains popularity nowadays. On contrast to two above mentioned, coconut oil doesn´t contain any polyunsaturated fatty acids, but just saturated ones – mainly one which is named lauric acid. Since lauric influences levels of cholesterol in bloodstream – but towards HLD / the good one, some articles describe it´s positive influence on cholesterol ratio in bloodstream.

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WITH MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.

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I would advise to use coconut oil in moderate inclusion in diet of your RR, since it doesn´t reach positive properties of linseed, fish or hemp oil. Kelp – is in general any type of brown seaweed. The reason why kelp gained some notice is for its properties due to content of prebiotics compounds – alginates, laminarans and fucans. The interesting part is, that your RR is unable to digest them and use them in any way, but in its intestine beneficial microorganism can – they will use it for their growth and thus overgrow in numbers any harmful bacteria there, which leads to stable environment and your dog has happier “tummy”, stable form of stool, less bloating and etc. Next interesting part is also that fucans have anti-inflammatory properties, so again some additional benefit for your RR. You can probably find on shelves dried powdered kelp from species Ascophyllum nodosum or Laminaria digitata, both will do the job. Last interesting fact about kelp is that it helps to prevent build-up of tartar, since enzymes contained in kelp prevent tooth plaque formation and therefore you can notice over the time some benefit in the mouth of your dog. Algae – and here I mean micro-algae and not macro ones like in case of kelp. Those guys are single cell organisms which can produce some really interesting compounds, due to their metabolism. Sea microalgae are primary producents of DHA / EPA as I mentioned above, so you can notice that some producers of pet-food already use them in their formulas to reach higher levels of DHA in fi-

nal formulation. On the shelf you can easily put your hand on Chlorella, which is a broad genus of algae – main part is benefit for your RR: Chlorella contains broad spectra of vitamins and aminoacids and it is sometimes put into the box of so called “superfoods”. Since it´s greenish color, it has high level of chlorophyll which alleviates bad mouth odor due to elimination of bacteria and their metabolic waste. Same way acts Spirulina (cyanobacteria, not algae), but it will be probably less expensive. Yucca Mojave – is nowadays widely spread raw material for it´s well know benefits (sometimes declared as Yucca schidigera). But you can buy it directly and add it into the bowl of your RR without checking labels of petfood. What is then the fuss about yucca? Yucca is by origin from southern part of USA / northern part of Mexico. Main compounds responsible for its benefits are called saponines – those are glycosides which works in a way of bounding NH3 (ammonia) and once bounded in digestive tract, it will lose its harmful and smell properties (that is what you usually notice on sofa next to your beloved RR) and passes out through digestive tract. Where does NH3 come from anyway? Overload of protein decomposition in bowls by bacteria and as a waste of dog metabolism in liver. Smell limitation is just a pleasant side effect for us owners, since NH3 is toxic and causes irritation of intestine and liver and therefore destabilizes intestinal environment. If yucca is added to the diet, you will eliminate

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smell of stool plus odour of flatulence but mainly you will help to stabilize the intestinal environment of your RR plus as a side effect you´ll help detoxification of the liver. Brewer´s yeast – is widely known as a source of vitamins Bx line but main the benefit lays in their cell wall. Once Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast used for beer or any other production, they are separated from stream and dried and ready for next use. Cell wall of the yeast contains compounds names mannan-oligosaccharides and those work as a binding substrate for harmful bacteria (mainly Salmonella, Escherichia coli), thus once mannan-oligosaccharides stuck to the cell wall of such bacteria – it cannot act and attach itself onto intestinal surface and therefore is expelled with stool from the body of your RR and they cannot cause any harm. Bright side is again that positive acting bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria) use mannan-oligosaccharides as substrate they can live on, and you will shift intestinal environment towards more stable situation. Chicory root – should be mentioned, in correlation of yeast since it contains compounds like yeast with almost similar prebiotic effect. Chicory root is very rich source of inulin, which is composed from fructo-oligosaccharides. Fructo-oligosaccharides passes through dog´s digestive tract without being digested and act like prebiotic substrate for positive acting bacteria like Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, Eubacteria and thus fructo-oligosaccharides improves balance

in intestinal environment, overall fructo-oligosaccharides are more effective as substrate than mannan-oligosaccharides. Milk thistle seed – is a source of compounds (sylimarin) which acts in favour of liver support. The liver is the place where waste from all body is taken care of in the sense of metabolism, thus the liver is getting some heavy weight due to it. Milk thistle seed can be bought as whole or crushed, but I would recommend you to buy the fine powder form, since if powder used you can be sure those active substances won´t go to waste since dog can absorb some (seed is very firm and won´t be digested and just pass through the dog). Sylimarin is a member of flavonoid type of antioxidants and therefore can protect the liver tissue from damage by oxidative stress, also it has anti-inflammatory properties. Milk thistle seed is well tolerated so don´t be afraid to use it if you want to improve your dog’s diet.

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Psyllium – is a great source of soluble fibre which eases passing of chyme through the digestive tract of the dog. If your dog has some digestive issues, it´s a nice way to improve his life. Also it is suitable to use if the dog suffers from excessive weight, so you can achieve reduction of weight, by reducing the amount of regular food

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Collagen – you won´t cause any harm if you provide collagen to your RR. Collagen can be easily got hold of but just keep in mind you´re after the hydrolysed one. Collagen has many types and if you manage to get collagen type I. – this one has a positive impact on movement of the dog, speeding up process of healing, regeneration of skin etc. Why is collagen improving movement: well, collagen is naturally present in extra-cellular matrix of joints and it has one purpose – to limit shear and impact force when dog is moving around. Once your RR is getting to the senior age or you do any sports with him, it is good to provide him with this support to limit any possible problems in future.

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when psyllium is fed. If too much psyllium is in the diet it can lead to diarrhea, be cautious with amount served – so therefore pour water over it first and then mix with petfood, otherwise you can “mess up” and psyllium will increase its volume in the stomach of dog by absorbing water there which could do some harm to your RR.

11.00€

10.00€

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13.00€

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Ridgeback COOKIE CUTTERS WEBSHOP : www.starr-shop.com

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Ph oto by Izabela Dera

OUR HOLIDAYS WITH RODESIAN RIDGEBACK

MERINA

e always go on vacation with our dog, mostly to Croatia or Montenegro. This year we decided to only go in September. Our girl Merina, who is 8 years old, has already been on such holidays 5 times, the last two years due to family reasons we could not go on holiday. We always take her with us, but now our trip was doubtful, because in the meantime my father had passed away and left us with his two Huskies. We managed to find a caregiver for them and for our cats and we went. We travel by car, Merinka sleeps on the back seat. She generally likes to travel, she has no problems with the long route. A few breaks for a walk, and there is enough food to endure these 10 hours to Croatia without any difficulties. We usually arrive in the morning, Merina knows the owner and his dog. Most apartment owners in Croatia, when they hear that the dog is a Rodesian Ridgeback, agree to accept the booking without further arrangements. Once, when her mother Roxi was alive, we went with the two of them, and stayed in an elegant, tastefully furnished apartment. The owner was very impressed with the calmness of these dogs. In Croatia you can find places on the beach where you can stay with your dog. On public city beaches it is forbidden to let the dogs swim, but now, after the season, no one paid attention to us, we could sit wherever we wanted. Croats are very friendly towards dogs. You can sit in any cafe or pizzeria at tables outside with your dog. Nobody demanded that our dog should wear a muzzle. We take our little girl with us everywhere, we go sightseeing together as much as possible. Sometimes one of us goes sightseeing, and the other goes for a walk with our dog, but most often we choose the way of spending time so that she is satisfied. We always carry drinking water and a vessel for her. In Croatia, even in September, the temperature was 30-32 degrees Celsius. We often looked for shady places. While visiting Zadar, we also found a shady forest in which Merina could feel at home - tall trees and grass, like in Poland.

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Written by Izabela Dera

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Croatian beaches are rocky, in Rażanac, where we were now, they are covered with small, rather sharp pebbles (stones). It was definitely inconvenient for her, she found walls and paths to avoid walking on stones. In town, be careful about the sidewalks your dog walks on, and choose the shady side when it’s hot so your dog doesn’t burn its paws. Merina is an adult dog with habits. When she doesn’t want to go somewhere, she can demonstrate it: she stands and stubbornly pulls me towards her. This was the case in the Old Town of Zadar when she did not want to see the ancient ruins, but then she caught the good smell of a pet shop with dog food and treats, and dragged me to it by force. It wasn’t very educational, but we bought her something delicious :-) We spent the last two days on our way home in Austria. It was a very good idea, we planned to visit the castle in Riegersburg and the Zotter Chocolate Factory. The weather had changed dramatically. Austria welcomed us with rain and 9 degrees Celsius, and you know that most Rodesian Ridgback do not like rain and moisture. Therefore, walks under the umbrella were brief. The Zotter Chocolate Factory has a place to leave the dogs, it’s very nice that they cater for the dogs that way. There is a large poster in the car park informing you that under no circumstances should dogs be left in the car. However, our little girl couldn’t be left alone in a new place on the factory premises. Since she lost her mother, she hates being in a new unknown

place very much. However, in the car on our blanket and pillow ... we did it, we left her for 40 minutes in the car. It was a downpour, it was cold and she was sleeping warm and comfortably. We visited the Zotter factory very quickly because due to the tightened regulations during the Covid19 epidemic, it was not possible to taste the chocolate flavors during the tour. We stayed for the night in a nice Austrian inn Gasthof Gruber. We informed the reception that a dog was traveling with us. What breed? Rodesian Ridgeback? Okay, she can be with you for dinner, here in the bar by the fireplace, but in the morning for breakfast, leave her in the room, because we serve breakfast in the restaurant room, we have a Swedish buffet, there are many guests in the room. We did. She could accompany us to dinner. However, during our breakfast, Merinka was happy to stay in the car again, and our car was literally in front of the windows of the breakfast room where we ate. She slept peacefully all the time, because she had already had her breakfast and a walk. On the second day in Austria, we visited the Riegiensburg Castle. Fantastic place, you can walk there or take the glass elevator while admiring the views. As we did not have a muzzle for a dog, the ticket attendant asked us to go on our own with the dog. No difficulties, no reproaches, she kindly did the job. The facility is beautiful, you can also visit the museum rooms inside the castle. The weather was

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good for us, a beautiful sunny day had started, so we decided to focus on visiting the very extensive park area on the castle hill. Beautiful old trees, well-kept grass, vineyards by the castle, and above all, beautiful views from the castle hill. Views even of the Alps and their snow-capped peaks. Surrounding farmland, cows, sheep and goats grazing in the meadows.

We met other visitors with their dogs. Austrians are also very accommodating to tourists traveling with dogs. Next to the restaurant on the castle hill there is a dog food and water snack bar. After visiting the castle, we returned home. Merinka quietly slept through the journey in the car. I think if I were to give any advice people who

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want to travel with their dogs it would be similar to advice for traveling with children: try to raise your dog to be friendly with people, socialized, not noisy and obedient as much as possible. It is obvious to owners of Rodesian Ridgebacks that these dogs are sympathetic and admired for their wise, dignified behavior.

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s ’ o Te Carrot cookies RECIPE

YOU NEED

150g o f mas hed carro t ( ice co ld ) 220g sp e lt flo ur 50g butter ( ice co ld ) 1 egg yo lk 2 tab lespo o ns o f o live o il

B aking pap er and co o kie cutter.

Share w ith us p ictures o f t he result and the bes t o f them w ill be pub lis hed in up co mming is sue. email rr.eu.magazine@gmail.com E Teo´s cooking adventurres, Q teoscookingadventurres

Let´s get started Boil carrots in their skins, mash them into a paste, and let them cool down and put in a fridge. Add egg yolk, spelt flour and butter, then drizzle olive oil. Using your hands quickly make a dough. Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Roll the dough on a baking sheet, using a little sprinkle of flour, to about 5mm thin. Smear the surface of the dough with olive oil, use a cookie cutter you like and bake on baking paper in an oven preheated to 170 ° C for about 15-20 minutes. NOTE:

Biscuits

are

semi-moist,

should be served during 3 days maximum.

Bon

Appétit!

We have asked some of our favourite photographers some question in regards to their work, read their stories.

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S EE THROU G H CAMERA LE NS.....

We are thrilled to introduce to you three brilliant photographers, they all have one thing in common....they see your dogs through their camera lens.

A “S

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OUR GOLDIES

LIVANICH LIV AN INTERVIEW

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Ivan Kuznetsov І Russia І http://livanich.ru

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT BEING A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? I have been working as a photographer for 12 years. From this time, I have been photographing dogs for 9 years.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS? I I have always been interested in photographing animals and I have long dreamed about it. And then there was a series of happy circumstances.

WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS AND WHY? My camera is a Canon 1dx mark2 and 5d mark4.

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Lenses 85mm f1,2 70-200 f 2.8 . These are my favorite parameters for good quality and the least distortion of the exterior of animals.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? My work is my greatest inspiration. Each dog is unique in its own way. Every shoot is always special. It is always interesting.

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB? HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? This is a normal job, just like any other. Of course, sometimes there are difficulties, a heavy schedule, and a heavy load. But it’s still my favorite job. There are all sorts of secrets in working with an animal. A lot depends on the curator. But even in the most difficult cases, I know what to do.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? The most difficult thing is that our work depends on many factors. Weather, light, mood of animals and curator, place, time are important. But all this

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DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE BEHIND THE CAMERA? A typical and best session is the right time and place. First, I find out the customer’s wishes and start working. I think about what kind of picture will turn out in the end. I think about what I want to get. I think about the customer’s requests. I think about the animals themselves.

WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC? I see beauty in all breeds. I don’t have any favorites.

ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES?

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can be handled. And the best thing is the received emotions and great opportunities for communication and travel.

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There are a lot of strong specialists in our field. I can’t tell you one name. We learn from each other. We learn from experience.

Of course, self-development and training are important. It is important to be able to process photos, see the exterior, and listen to the client.

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS OF YOUR OWN? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL?

The most important thing is to love what you do.

We don’t have a dog at home at the moment. But I love dogs very much and I like all breeds.

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MARTINA TRÁVNÍČKOVÁ AN INTERVIEW

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Martina Trávníčková І The Czech Republic І www.martinatravnickova.cz

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT BEING A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? I don’t consider myself a dog photographer, even though dogs are closest to me. I like all nature and fauna in general. My opinion is that everyone sees things through their own eyes. I definitely know for myself that I would never be a good photographer of people, nor is it natural for me to take pictures of unnatural things. The charm of dogs is that they are absolutely natural, just like small children. Then it’s all about knowing what you want to take a picture of.

HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD? DID YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING?

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER? As a girl, I devoted myself to drawing, as a child I spent most of my time over paper with a pencil or pen ... I got into photography only in high school. I studied printing (at that time there was no digital camera) as well as computer graphics. At school, we retouched the negatives for printing by hand, and in practice we had a great teacher who gave us extracurricular photographic exercises. At that time, I became a little interested in photography, but not in the sense that it would be my life purpose. Just a great hobby and fun.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS? After school, I started working as a graphic designer, and a few years later, thanks to my passion

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And what I required shots to show was for example, the breed in the best quality, which was the desire to create and be able to take pictures of what I wanted. I went to dog shows a lot, took photos of top and average animals, studied them, started to orientate myself in breeds and their typical features, what is standard, what less. Sometimes I think that I am such a rather precise-standard photographer.

WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS AND WHY? Today, I take photos with a Nikon digital SLR camera with several lenses, I change them according to the need and type of photography. I like to take photos in a natural outdoor environment, but I also have a lot of studio photos behind me. Such photography is always more demanding, there is a significant need for cooperation with the owner, who, on the contrary, is usually more a disruptive element than a helper. I don’t use much retouching and program filters, as is normal today, I’m such a classic old school.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? My inspiration is always the object or the wishes of the owner, the intention for what purpose we take photos, for what purpose the photos will be used. I’m not the type to take a picture of a model, and in the final part, no one really recognizes it. I like natural and undistorted things. That’s why I also know that I could never take pictures of people or even weddings ...: -)

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB? HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? Most of all, I don’t consider it a job, it’s my big hobby, which I enjoy. I enjoy working with dogs, they are natural, they don’t play anything, they don’t need makeup, their eyes and expression reveal everything. Even working with them is easy if they have a natural communication with their masters or with someone who can do it. I have a friend, an excellent dog handler, who often helps me. We have grown to know each other so well over the years that I know that the photographed animals can rely on her 100% and she can naturally manipulate them, she knows me and understands when I am still dissatisfied with the shot.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? The best part for me is the part where I sit anywhere with the camera and try to take pictures of even the impossible, special poses, but to

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for animals, I became the editor-in-chief of an animal magazine. And that was my step in my life into my photographic world. I had a vision of what the magazine should look like, but the quality of photos from others did not always suit me. Digital photography at that time was still in its beginning and photographing animals on film was not as easy as it is today. So many people didn’t take pictures either. Today, everyone has a digital camera at their disposal.

make everything natural. The most challenging part is then to choose the best or required pictures.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE BEHIND THE CAMERA? I enjoy all the photography, I turn off my brain and it’s a great relaxation for me, never any stress. Usually I don’t even notice what’s going on around me, I focus only on what I’m photographing, what I see in the viewfinder, what exactly I want to photograph.

WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC?

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All breeds are photogenic, especially when they are a puppy or a teenager. They are the most natural, the cutest and the best to handle. They are like children. Carefree, without pretence, without some reason to look unnatural or react frightened, or be influenced in their behaviour by the owner.

ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES? I admire every photographer who has a feeling for taking photos and working with animals. I’m not specifically inspired by anyone in particular.

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? From my own experience, I know that in every photo it is known if the photographer has

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DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS OF YOUR OWN? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL? Yes, I have been accompanied by dogs all my life and I have White Swiss Shepherds at home. But I like all animals. I love nature and photography in it also has its charm. Thanks to my work in the magazine, I had the opportunity not only to take photos, but also to get a lot of information about the behaviour and life of animals both in the wild and even behind the scenes of zoos, veterinary workplaces or rescue stations, where only very few people can go.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? Thank you for this interview, I remembered my beginnings and I believe that classic photography will never die out and the art of photography will always be art and not just computer graphics.

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a relationship and knowledge of what he is photographing. Some take perfect photos of dogs, some cats, others horses and some others food. If I don’t know the behaviour of dogs, I will never photograph them as someone who knows almost everything about them. Here I see the important basis of everything.

KLÁRA OLIVOVÁ AN INTERVIEW

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Klára Olivová І The Czech Republic

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT BEING A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? Hello, my name is Klára Olivová, 37 years old, originally from Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, now living in Tábor with my two daughters and two Rhodesian Ridgeback boys called Abuya Okavango KwaNyoni and Giacobbe Akono from the kennel Z Valdštejnských lip. I have been doing photography for almost 10 years, precisely since the time I bought my first Rhodesian Ridgeback Abuya. This breed is so beautiful, reverend and majestic that when you walk them down the street, they will attract many looks and I was so proud of my puppy that I would run after it with my cell phone trying to shoot as many photos possible. Pretty soon I realized that I will not be able to capture everything I see with my eye using just the phone, so the first SLR (singlelens reflex) camera had to be bought. And that is how my journey began. Nothing planned, I just

wanted to be able to take nice pictures of my dog. At that time, we met the owner of my pup’s sibling, we went on trips together and took pictures of our dogs, became good friends and we were gradually joined by other owners of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. I was taking pictures all the time. Then little by little I worked my way up and the photos started to be seen.

HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD? DID YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER? At that time, I received a voucher with my first SLR camera as a gift from the company. The voucher was for a course on how to handle the SLR camera and how to properly set the camera up, I remember that the course lasted only one afternoon, so you just leave with basic knowledge on how to turn the camera on and off and that there is something called shutter priority, aperture priority and the ISO. There are a lot of great

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dog photographers who offer their courses, but I never got around to taking one. I think it is very important to take pictures and take pictures again, try and fail, be interested and, last but not least, the enthusiasm and joy of each photo that comes out slightly better than the previous one. Now that I think about it, it was sometime in early 2015, a year after I started taking pictures as a professional photographer. I remember it like it was yesterday when the breeder arrived with nine

puppies, with the mother and also the father of the litter. My first puppy photo shoot took place in my humble photo studio, when I write this, I have to laugh. It was beautiful chaos but we handled it well in those combat conditions. I think this photo shoot was breakthrough, after the publication of the photos, other kennels called, then my breeding dog grew up and had its offspring of which I took hundreds of pictures, and this is how the dog carousel started. Gradual-

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ly, I moved to other breeds such as the Hungarian Pointer, Weimaraner, American Cocker Spaniel, Lagotto Romagnolo, Golden Retriever and others. Hungarian pointers are also very close to my heart, thanks to this breed I have established a lot of cherished relationships. It’s been 4 years since a breeder of Vizslas called me because another photographer told her at the last minute that they weren´t able to come. She was asking whether I had the time to come to Prague and do a puppy photo shoot for her. I remember that I was quite overwhelmed at the time, but I managed to reschedule another photo shoot and quickly went to Prague. The photo shoot went well, this year we took a picture of the fifth litter but what is beautiful about it, is that I meet a lot of puppies as a dog photographer regularly and together we can document their success in the field of work or exhibition and with owners who want just a nice family photo with their dog, too.

At that moment, you feel that you are part of a large family. Imagine that you take a picture of a puppy in a kennel, after a few months you will hear from the owner telling you they already have a dog teenager at home so you go to take pictures of a teenager, in a year you take pictures of the owners´ wedding and in order to live up to the status of a dog photographer, the ceremony must, of course, include the dogs. In the meantime, you visit the puppy´s sibling owner to take pregnancy photos of the mother (dog included), followed by a photo shoot with a baby, but how could the dog not be there too? And then you are slowly preparing for another pregnancy photo shoot. It’s nice to share these important moments in life and know that you have their trust. I love you Bertoni Prague.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS?

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My dog made me take pictures of dogs at the beginning, he was the beginning of everything, how I loved the way he looks, how proud I was that I had my Rhodesian Ridgeback, for me the most beautiful, perfect dog of all. I wanted to show it off and let the world see so I started taking pictures. And as we gradually began to get to know our canine family and then get to know the other Ridgebacks, I took pictures more and more, so of course my neighbourhood, the people I gradually got to know, influenced it. After a few years of spending my days at work and evenings staring

into the computer, because my friends were really eager to see new photos we made together, my then husband came up with the idea of whether I wanted to try to devote myself only to taking pictures of dogs, that I should try it and do what I really enjoy. I knew I had the support at home, that he trusted me, and that he would help me... Without his support, I certainly wouldn’t be taking pictures right now, because I would have lacked the courage to start when I was not sure it would work out. My husband and I are no longer together but I know he still trusts me and I want to thank

him for the support he has given me in the past.

WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS AND WHY? I used to shoot with the Canon EOS 70D camera for a long time it was the camera with which I learned a lot, at the same time with this camera I had to do with a lens with a fixed focus of Canon 50mm 1:1.4. Later, however, I started taking photos of dog shows, unfortunately, you can’t do much with a portrait lens, I had a Tamron SP 70-300 F/45.6 USD lens as a backup, but it was insufficient due to its poorer luminosity, so I decided to acquire new Full Frame SLR camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III and lens Canon 70-200mm 1:2.8 L which suits me in all aspects, when shooting exhibitions, portraits and dogs in motion. It is funny that the first photo I took with this camera was a photo of my dog sitting, which eventually became a model for a beautiful logo created by Mrs Snezka Kuralt. In the Czech Republic, a lot of beautiful things are created with this logo, such as labels for wines, diaries, lanterns, towels and much more, and by buying these items you will not only make yourself happy but you will also contribute to help Rhodesian Ridgebacks in need. And I have the photo forever tattooed on my right calf.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION?

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I don´t have to look for inspiration, the ideas usually come naturally. Quite often during an ordinary walk, when I see an interesting tree trunk, nice nook, tree lane, colourful bush, trees reflected in the surface of the pond, but it is not that convenient when you find these places while on the road, 200km far from the place of residence. Of course, it is not just nature, on the contrary, I like

photos taken in the city centre, a photo of a dog in an empty square is much more interesting to me than a photo of a dog in the forest. When you go through professional dog photos, 80% of them are from nature, (if we don´t take photos from exhibition halls into account). Yes, the dog belongs in nature and is usually happier there. But we are discussing photography, why not take pictures in a different way? But of course, I do meet the requirements and wishes of my clients and most of the photos I take are situated in nature but even a photo shoot in nature can be quite an adrenaline experience. I recall one such time with a puppy of a hunting breed. It was on January 2nd so the weather was not pleasant. I came up with a photo shoot for us in a castle park, we went for a walk with the dog running all around, and decided to take a few pictures at a man-made pond. After a question directed to the owner, whether there is a risk the puppy would jump into the pond and the owner answering that it should not happen, after taking exactly two photos the puppy jumped into the pond of course because it saw a duck, and since it did not have the strength to come out, I quickly took off my jacket and began trying to get it safely out of the water. The rescue mission was successful but I more or less survived the whole shoot in my underwear and jacket only, after all, I drove 100km for this photo shoot and so I didn´t want to give up. So, if people think that by taking pictures in nature away from people everything will go just fine, this may not always be the case.

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB? HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? Every photo shoot is different, sometimes it can

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WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? I probably can’t answer this question too clearly. The best part of my work is actually when we finish the photo shoot, it’s not because the work is done, but all my customers know that our photo shoot ends when we all know that we have taken the right photos, exactly the way we have imagined it. During the photo shoot, I look at the photos with the clients and discuss whether it is the way we both imagine it. Of course, this can take an hour, but also 5 hours. Naturally, we do not bother

the dogs for 5 hours by constantly making them be in specific positions, or shout orders like maniacs, that would certainly not help and it would only demotivate the dog. Some dogs are full of energy, they do not stay in one place and need to get a little tired before we can work with them. Which I think means I answered both questions. The most demanding part is taking photos when the dog does not cooperate and the best part is when we finally succeed and leave with the feeling that yes, we have got what we needed.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE BEHIND THE CAMERA? We start at a place we agreed on beforehand when discussing the plans with the customer, here we take into account whether the customer just wants to take a picture of the dog or whether they have other wishes, such as photos of the dog in a special position and we choose the most suitable place. If the owner wants to take a picture of an exhibition position, we look for a place with flatness so the dog would not stand downhill or uphill, it´s best if such a dog is photographed on roads, stairs or sidewalks so that the paws are seen perfectly and the photo could be easily edited, for example, to be on a mating flyer. And in these cases, it is up to the owner to get the dog in a proper position they want. I can only offer advice from my point of view. When we take pictures of the dog’s head, we try to attract their attention using already mentioned stimuli such as treats, voice intonation, etc. A couple of times I also used the method when we let the dog sit and the owner walked far away.

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

obviously be difficult, I try to make the dog always look interested, noble and important. It’s probably caused by those exhibition shows I have undertaken, after all, the fact that I spent almost ten years doing that is at least a bit reflected in my work. Most of my customers are breeders or owners of show dogs and breeding dogs, I want to present photos of dogs or kennels the best I can and the photos should show that. Sometimes it takes us a long time to attract the dog´s attention and it is more demanding and another time the dog comes, gets up, gazes at us and it’s done. When we´re arranging a photo shoot, I communicate with the owner, some dogs respond to treats, others to a change in voice intonation, when I know that even this will not interest the dog, I do the shoots in places where you can meet people or other dogs, this also applies to the forest. The dog can smell something and right here we have a perfect picture, but quite often it is important to cooperate with the owners, whether luring the dog for a treat or when ordering the dog not to run after another dog or animals in the woods.

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The dog was carefully watching the owner and I could get a perfect photo. A large number of the owners likes photos where the dog directly faces the camera, but I prefer side portraits, where you can see, for example, how long the dog´s muzzle is. The basis is prick ears, the ears complete the dog´s unique expression. If we take pictures of a dog sitting down, I always make sure that the dog has its front legs together, and for the chest to stand out, it is better to take photos slightly from the side. If a customer who doesn’t need exhibition photos comes to the photo shoot and just wants to have his pet photographed nicely, I usually follow the flow and just let things happen. In warm weather, however, I always try to take a picture of the

head first, because the dog sooner or later sticks their tongue out to cool down, which makes taking pictures more difficult. When taking photos, I mainly think of fulfilling the ideas and wishes of the owners, so if the dog comes show-wise, I try to make the dog look elegant and noble. If you take pictures of a pet, people will appreciate the funny moments and cute expression of their dog. Lately, I’ve been taking photos of a lot of dogs at work. Recently I took part in a weekend training of hunting breeds, where I photographed dogs in action. There is a necessity to know whether what you are photographing is done correctly and it is very important to keep that in mind. You always learn something new about the world of dogs doing their job.

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WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC?

ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES? I like to peek at the work of other photographers, but I never do so thinking „Oh, this is nice, that´s what I´ll try to do too.“ I don’t even go to a photo shoot with a picture in my head of how we should go about taking the photos, I come up with compositions on the spot, depending on what catches my eye, the way the light shines and what is available in that place. Picture yourself preparing to take photos of puppies, the photos are supposed to be taken outside, specifically in the garden (because you can’t take 10 puppies somewhere in the woods in the summer) and you come and there is a construction site, an ugly wire fence and only a field behind the fence… Naturally, you don’t want to have the puppies photographed on a construction site and have an ugly fence behind them. My regular customers already know that preparing anything in advance is not actually worth it, they let me walk through the garden and come up with something and in this case, we found an old, grey table, we placed it 7 meters from the house, which had a new light grey facade with blue windows and behind the table, we put a tussock from a field nearby, and we finally created nice photos in Provence style. I try to make the photos for each kennel a little different and it’s not always easy, there are plenty of photo shoots in gardens. Once we were shooting photos in a nice garden for a long time, it was summer, green grass, green trees, nothing special and then I noticed some branches by the house that a son of the owner put there. So, we built a small house for the puppies in the grass so that it would make the photo shoot a little different.

My advice to an aspiring photographer is to persevere and try to learn new things, a lot of people buy a good camera, a lot of people I meet have better photography equipment than me, but they lack the experience and they don´t know how to work with all the tools properly. They think basic settings and setting up aperture priority is just enough. When taking pictures, you should already exactly know how you want the photo to look and be able to adjust the camera accordingly in manual mode. It just takes practice and the desire to learn and improve.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS OF YOUR OWN? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL? Yes, as I have mentioned above, I have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Abuya is 9.5 years old and Kubi 7.5 years old. I remember the first time I saw a Rhodesian Ridgeback, it was pictured in a book, I told my husband at the time that we just had to have this dog and he replied that, by coincidence, his classmate he studied with years ago, has a kennel, so we went to visit the other side of the Republic, we spent a nice afternoon in the kennel, we got a lot of information and valuable advice and this is how my journey with RR began. I wanted to get a non-standard little girl, but since no female puppy was born for me in the litter, I ended up taking home a standard boy. And since two Ridgebacks are better than one, two years later we got him a friend Kubí and that was an amazing decision. The boys are just wonderful, used to each other, they love each other very much, they are a great pair of dog friends. I thank both kennels from which my two dog boys come, that they have accompanied me all these years and are always helpful in every way. And my favourite animal? I’ve always loved horses, they’re beautiful animals, but since I grew up in a city, I’ve never gotten closer to them, and to this day I have great respect for them, but I got lucky and recently had the opportunity to ride a horse, but I’d say it was more of a recreational walk. When I was a kid, my parents only allowed me a pet parrot and a dog, a Briard, he had such a long and thick fur that I could comb it instead of combing dolls.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? Finally, I would like to thank Rhodesian Ridgeback EU Magazine for reaching out with this interview and wish everyone a lot of health at this difficult time.

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

I don’t think that some breeds are more and some less photogenic, there are times when some dogs are well photographed and their pictures are successful and in demand. It also depends on whom you want to impress with the photo, if the photo is viewed by the breeder, they will probably be interested in photos of the dog in a position with great posture, if it is an inexperienced person in this regard, the same photo will not be interesting enough for him. But I can say that I always have a good laugh when taking pictures of Weimaraners. This breed has a special talent for looking very funny, they smile, twist their noses and can roll their eyes as if they were communicating with grimaces and when you try to get their attention by changing the voice intonation, they look at you like you were completely crazy. I always have fun with them, first outside and then the second time when I work with the photos, it’s a very funny breed. The puppies of the golden retriever are very popular, they look like tiny adorable polar bears, but to be fair all puppies are adorable and photogenic.

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER?

dog Highway To Hell Slunce Zambezi

health Titles (short)

C.I.B., Ch. SK, Jch. CZ, ClubCh., MultiJBOB, JBIS

Pedigree Name

Highway To Hell Slunce Zambezi

Nickname

Teo

Date of birth

26.2.2016

Height

66,5 cm

Weight

42 kg

Teeth

Full dentition, scissor bite

Hip dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia

Osteochondrosis

Negative

Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebra

0, L7

Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy

CLEAR (not carrier)

Spondylosis deformans

Negative

Degenerative myelopathy

N/N (not carrier)

D-locus (color locus)

D/d (carrier of dilution mutation)

B-locus (livernose gen)

B/B (non-carrier)

Malignant hyperthermia

CLEAR

Hemophilia (factor IX)

CLEAR

DNA

Complete genetic profile

Early Onset Adult Deafness

High confidence CLEAR

pedigree

titles

First generation

INTERCHAMPION C.I.B.

Highway To Hell Slunce Zambezi S I R E

CHAMPION OF SLOVAKIA JUNIORCHAMPION OF CZECH REPUBLIC WDS 2018 AMSTERDAM res. CLASS WINNER CLUB CHAMPION OF ČKRR CLUB CHAMPION OF KCHRR BEST DOG OF ČKRR 2017 BEST IN SHOW JUNIOR (2017 lDS, Czech. Rep.) MULTIPLE JUNIOR BOB WINNER

D A M Second generation

D A M

S I R E

D A M

Rex Ventors Trinity

S I R E

Amber Grand Star Qwandoya

Emma True Angel Slunce Zambezi

A’Hill Mozambique Star

Mkai Leoridge

Bahati Slunce Zambezi

Third generation

Candidate for: CHAMPION OF CZECH REPUBLIC

CHAMPION OF POLAND CHAMPION OF AUSTRIA SIRE

DAM

SIRE

DAM

SIRE

DAM

Rex Ventors Iving

DAM

Tolasana’s Sitanka

CHAMPION OF SLOVENIA SIRE

A FEW WORDS

ABOUT TEO

Bayo Kabo Slunce Zambezi

Heshima Ya Kimba Grand Aquarius

Assa Pretoria Rose

Karoskloof TT Simply Red

Rouxridge Nala Of Leoridge

Rhodys Pride Leoridge Mufasa

Fourth generation

contact

A unique dog, balanced in body and soul. A kind character, braveheart, always in good mood and loves to steal food.

This is Teo.

Alena Kadlecová facebook-square alena.jilkova

INSTAGRAM-SQUARE Lalajilkovic  j.alena.jilkova@seznam.cz

www.ridgeback-star.webnode.cz

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F L A S H

N Y A N G A N I

O P I Y O

OUR COVER D OG

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CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR COVER DOG FOR OUR READERS?

It was Silvio who chose Flash for us. It should be this little guy which suits us best. We could get the little puppy on the condition that we visit dog shows and, if possible, try to get the breeding license. And what should we say, Flash is a totally relaxed representative of his breed who knows exactly how to wrap people around his paw, with the right dose of charm. At home he is very calm and adapts well to all situations. So, it is possible for us to take him with us anytime and anywhere. Flash is great and confident at exhibitions. He stays very calm in every situation. During our long walks through woods, fields and meadows, he shows what he is made of. Flash is open-minded and friendly with children and strangers. His hunting behavior is not pronounced, and he is perfectly accessible in every situation.

WHAT IS HIS/HER BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT? In fact, every qualification and title we have won is a success for us. But what makes us very proud is that we were able to meet all the requirements for the title of International Champion (C.I.B.). As absolute newbies in this area, we would never have thought of achieving this title.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SHOWING? First of all, when we decided on a Ridgeback, our intention was never to go to dog shows. We just wanted a balanced family dog. But as already mentioned above, we were more or less thrown into the deep end. The first exhibitions were really tough and disappointing. As a complete beginner, it was not easy to understand how it all works and what is expected at an exhibition. Thanks to many exhibitors who saw the potential in Flash, we were encouraged to keep on going. After a few attempts, it worked better and better. The first successes were collected and our fire and ambition had been awakened. What is really fun regarding the shows is the collaboration between humans and dogs, too. The relationship and the absolute trust. In addition, it is always nice to meet friends, get to know new people, discover new corners of the earth, and the excitement in the ring makes the whole package perfect for us.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? Corona caused our plans to be messed up and made planning difficult. One of our greatest wishes for the future, however, is to have a Flash offspring in our pack at some point. We hope that this pandemic will end soon and that everyone will stay healthy so that we can exhibit together again.

FACTSHEET Name C.I.B. Multi Ch. Nyangani Opiyo • Parents: Ch. Ricvive Vignon Rouge x Ch. Harmakhis Wisdom Osha • Contact: www.opiyo.de, Instagram nyangani_opiyo_ridgeback

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

Many years ago, we fell in love with the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed. However, we still had a male Labrador at that time. When we had to let it go over the rainbow bridge some years later, at the age of 15, it was somehow clear that the successor should be a Ridgeback. We couldn’t stand it for a long time without a dog and started looking for a breeder who attaches great importance to health, puppy socializing and rare old bloodlines. This is how we found Silvio Böhmer from “Nyangani Ridgebacks” and a few weeks later we met our little one for the first time ...