RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE ISSUE 3/2019 by RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK MAGAZINE

DEAR READERS

hether online, or printed, you are reading the third issue of Rhodesian Ridgeback EU Magazine, thanks to you is gaining popularity.

First of all I would like to introduce myself as a new magazine editor and would like to present my ideas and goals, which I would like to realize with you. Since I am aware that a substantial part of the richness of each magazine is its content quality, I would like to present to you, our readers, articles that bring new, original insight on breeding and owning Ridgebacks. I would like our magazine to become a place where we will meet and face each others opinions, approaches, and experiences in an effort to enrich each other and thus, directly and indirectly, affect the quality of life of our dog friends. Contributing to this goal is the fact that the magazine is free online to read for all of us around the world, allowing us to ignore time and space, get to know each other and, above all, gain access to the same information. I want the magazine to become a space for everyone who wants to be part of this joint effort. So let us be opponents and be inspired by each other at the same time. I hope that reading wonderful articles will bring a few positive emotions during the current situation in the world which surely hit us all. Enjoy the magazine and see you soon!

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 3

/ MARCH 2020

CONTENTS R H O D E S I A N

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E U

M A G A Z I N E

— RIDGEBACK REVEALED

INTE RNATIONAL RIDGE BACK

— MILADA KRCHŇAVÁ AN INTERVIEW

— REX VENTORS BREEDER

— RIDGEBACK - A THERAPIST WORK

R I D G E B A C K

— THE TRULY

18 — DLE

— LUANDA AN INTERVIEW

— NDOKI AN INTERVIEW

— TEMPERAMENT EVALUATION

— CANISTHERAPY WORK

102

— (RESCUE) DOG TRAINING WORK

— RESCUE TEST WORK

106

112

— ATILLA RESCUE

— B.A.R.F. NUTRITION

118

126

— DRY PET-FOOD NUTRITION

— RIDGE FAMILY LIFE

Merry Christmas Teo’s

130

— TEO’S COOKING ADVENTURES

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.

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.

OFFICIAL DESIGNERS S N E Ž K A K U R A LT

132

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

— SEE THROUGH CAMERA LENS.....

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

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE ISSUE 3 / MARCH 2020

ABOUT THE BOOK

he book, comprising over 150 pages, was written for the purpose of helping beginners and those somewhat advanced

to understand what the Breed Standard of the Rhodesian Ridgeback is asking for, what it means and its purpose. It will hopefully also help you understand how the various body parts interact with one another. I have been assured that the book will also be helpful to more advanced owners and even to learner judges. It used to be that people bought puppies from well-established, knowledgeable breeders. Many of those breeders would take the time to educate their puppy buyers, or at least those who showed a genuine interest in showing and breeding with the intention of nurturing and promoting the next generation of knowledgeable breeders. All too often these days, all you get is a puppy and a Diet sheet - and that’s pretty much your lot! RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

The rest you have to figure out for yourself. I am hoping to fill in some of that information gap with this book. I trust that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this book. Should you still have questions after reading it, I would be glad to answer them – either in the blog or by email. Please write to me at ridgebackrevealed@gmail. com and I will reply soonest. I don’t claim to have an answer to every question. I do however have a great circle of friends together with whom I am confident we can provide solid and factual

replies.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Standard explained and exemplified

EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK by Timmy U. Ralfe

REVEALED

This book was written for the purpose of helping the reader understand what the Rhodesian Ridgeback Breed Standard means, what it calls for. It is for people who show their dog, but who don’t really understand why they are placed f irst, third or last. Perhaps, after reading all this, they will be able to look at their dog (and the competition) with a new understanding.

HINDQUARTERS Let’s start at the top of the hindquarters. It starts with the pelvis. The pelvic bone structure, together with the muscles and tail set, are called the croup. The croup is not actually mentioned as such in the Standard. However, it does say the tail should not be inserted too high or too low, and that tells us what we need to know. With a steep croup, the tail would be set rather low, and with a flat croup the tail would be set too high. So, without actually saying so, the Standard asks for a croup of medium length, nicely sloped.

Above is a very steep croup with very low tail set, very straight stifle and no angulation in the hock either (Fig. 85). The upper thigh is too narrow, and the hock is pulled out a little bit to the rear in the hope of making it look like there is some angulation in the hindquarters, but there is none.

Fig. 85 Steep croup

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RIDGEBACK

If the pelvis is steep, the upper thigh will be rather “stringy”, meaning

that

the

muscles

will appear thin and the entire upper thigh and second thigh will be rather narrow. The tail will be set on quite low; it may look as if he is permanently tucking in his tail, when he is really just holding it naturally. To a certain degree, the lay of the croup dictates, where the tail is set. The croup should be of fair length, and sit at an angle. (Fig. 86) The pelvis is also “muscle city”,

and

many

those

muscles in the back legs start up there. The pelvis is nicely

Fig. 86 Correct croup

sloped, so that the tail is set neither high nor low.

A dog with a short flat pelvis will have a rather high tail-set, and he is very likely to carry the tail high on the move as well. Fig. 87 has a short, flat croup. Note how high the tail is set. The dog is also lacking angulation,

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especially in the hock joint. The muscle looks lumpy, the buttock is quite flat. A short pelvis will provide less space for those big thigh muscles to “anchor” up top, and that shows further down, on the thighs. (Fig. 87) Bunched and lumpy thigh muscles will tell you that the pelvis is not quite at the angle or of the length it Fig. 87 Flat croup

should be.

Compare the width across the upper thighs of Fig. 85, 86 and Fig. 87. Note the difference in muscle! Well developed muscle is what the dog needs to propel his body forward with minimal effort over a long period of time. The lay of the croup also dictates the actual length of stride each back leg is capable of taking, both the forward part

of the stride, and the length of follow through towards the rear. We will talk about that later under “Movement”.

It is important to understand that it is not just a case of ONE specific croup that is correct, and all others are wrong. It is more a spectrum “from about this to about RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

that”. The two croups below are somewhat outside that spectrum on either end (Fig. 88, 89)

Fig. 88 Very flat croup

You

might

have

heard

Fig. 89 Very steep croup

people

saying things like “he has excellent hindquarter

angulation”

“he

is rather straight in the rear”. Or “such a lovely turn of stifle”. What are they talking about? It is the angle at which the upper thigh and the second thigh meet. It can be almost straight, close to 180°. Vertical upper thigh, knee, vertical second thigh, and all but vertical bones in the hock. That would be pretty much a disaster, because one of the functions of angulation is to absorb the impact of each step. If the jolt of impact goes into the hock, knee and hip without absorbing

Fig. 90 Poor

Fig. 91 Good

Fig. 92 Excellent

and softening some that landing blow (as it would in Fig. 90), heaven knows how long those joints will remain undamaged.

The upper thigh and the second thigh should be roughly of the same length (Fig. 91). Usually, the second thigh is marginally longer than the upper thigh (Fig. 92). The hock should be “well let down”, meaning that it should be fairly short, the hock joint should be low to the ground. (Fig. 92).

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ABOUT THE AUTHOUR

1970s when I moved from Germany to South Africa. A German Shepherd Dog

and Great Danes at first, then Irish Wolfhounds joined the family. In the year 2000, two American Staffordshire Terriers were added to the pack, quite a challenge… but also a breath of fresh air. Since 2014 two medium sized mixed breeds have taken over our lives. I began to judge in the mid 1980s, and I am now a senior international judge for 4 groups (Gundogs, Herding, Hounds, Working). I have judged in America, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Croatia, Namibia, Zambia, as well as in South Africa of course. Although I have neither owned nor bred Rhodesian Ridgebacks, I have judged the breed all over the world. I think for the purpose of writing this book, not being a breeder is actually an advantage, since my vision of the breed is not clouded by loyalties to certain bloodlines or by dislikes of certain competitors.

From May 2020 these books will also be available in Italian and in Polish!

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y journey in dogs started in the early

ABOUT THE AUTHOUR

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Denise Flaim of Revodana Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Sea Cliff, New York, is an AKC-licensed judge of various breeds in FCI Groups 2, 4, 5, 6 and 10 who has been privileged to judge large entries of Ridgebacks multiple times in Italy and Germany, as well as most recently in Denmark. The former publisher of the Ridgeback Register magazine, she is the author of “Your Rhodesian Ridgeback Puppy: The Ultimate Guide to Finding, Rearing and Appreciating the Best Companion Dog in the World.” She welcomes questions and comments at denise@ revodanapublishing.com.

We h a v e m o r e i n common than you might think Written by

Denise Flaim

t first glance, it might seem that the Rhodesian Ridgeback has evolved quite differently in various parts of the world. After all, we have English style and American style, Australian style and Scandinavian style, and on and on. And just like the global situation we find ourselves in today, it’s easy to retreat into our respective “bubbles,” focused on only the dogs that surround us, and with which we are most familiar. There’s good reason it’s called a comfort zone, as there no one challenges our preconceived notions. My own bubble burst several years ago, when I began to be invited to judge at club and all-breed shows in Europe. At almost all of those shows, I found dogs that I would have happily taken home, if only I could have. The one thing I did bring back with me – not in my suitcase, but in my heart – was the growing realization that our global community’s vision of the ideal Rhodesian Ridgeback is more consistent than most might think. First of all, consider that the world’s Ridgeback standards are all quite similar. Except for some cosmetic points – such as the width of the ridge and the degree of tolerance for black hairs in the coat – they all describe the same dog, one that must achieve a difficult balancing act: He must have power with elegance, strength with speed. Sometimes it is helpful to think of these opposing forces in the Ridgeback as tension between two kinds of dogs that went into its development: the early Sighthounds, like Greyhounds and Deerhounds, that contributed speed, and the later working dogs, including Bullmastiffs and Great Danes, that added size and substance. A correct Ridgeback balances all these opposing forces, resulting in a successful hunter that is fast

enough to catch his prey, but strong enough to finish the job once he arrives. As Ridgeback breeders know all too well, arriving at this elusive balance is frustratingly difficult. For whatever reason – perhaps its relative youth compared to more established breeds – the Ridgeback resists the middle ground, in the whelping box as much as the show ring. Add to that the drift from our different cultural currents. Many American breeders prefer a more Sighthoundy-looking Ridgeback, up on leg, with a lot of angle behind, and this should not be too surprising: As the skyline of Manhattan attests, the American idiom is about verticality and, often, excess. The European sensibility is quite different, more restrained and, as in its architecture, more grounded. Is it any wonder our dogs reflect these different cultural contexts? But occasionally, we do produce these magnificently balanced creatures, and when we do, they can win anywhere in the world. This, I think, is the solid ground on which all Ridgeback fanciers can meet: When we have a dog that represents that perfect balance of all the opposing forces that come together to create the perfect Ridgeback, we are in agreement. In other words, we often agree on the perfect Ridgeback. Where we disagree is on the imperfect one – the one that is out of balance in terms of type, tending toward either too refined or too coarse. This same concept of perfect versus imperfect can be applied to movement. When we see a beautifully balanced Ridgeback moving with complete ease and effortlessness, as if it could trot all day without tiring, we are in agreement. But when

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THE TRULY INTERNATIONAL RIDGEBACK

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British Ch. Mirengo’s Matobo

we have a dog who is not perfectly constructed, who lacks, for example, a correctly angled front, we disagree about how to present that dog: Generally speaking, the European exhibitor prefers to let the dog’s head drop, so it can reach forward with the limited angulation it has. The American exhibitor instead tightens the lead and forces the dog to move with its head up like a periscope, causing the dog to shorten its step. Again, in this example, we disagree on how we prefer to express imperfection in our Ridgebacks. But generally, we agree on perfection when we see it. The breed itself contributes to this dichotomy. Being a relatively recent canine creation, the Ridgeback is not yet fully standardized. We still have a great deal of variety in our dogs – no “cookie cutters” here. No matter where you live in the world, chances are that in the whelping box you have dogs that fall on both sides of the ideal – those lighter-boned, racier dogs; and those heavier-boned, more ponderous dogs. Our own aesthetics prompt us to choose one way or the other, but the reality is that both extremes are present in the breed. And arguably, we need both of them, to help us regain that elusive center. The danger comes when we breed only for one extreme or the other, abandoning the middle ground. In 2015, at the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States national specialty, I devised an ed-

ucational activity for breeders. Attendees had to choose a stud dog for a long-ago Ridgeback bitch – Judy of Gazeley, who was whelped in 1953. The breeders had four choices for this imaginary breeding, all very different in style: Ch. Rutan Mpenzi Rafiki of Gera, a very popular stud dog from the 1970s who personified the word “elegant”; Ch. Kwetu Patriot Baby, or “PB,” a much more moderate dog; Ch. Gitano of Raintree, a rather extreme dog for his time, with a great deal of rear angulation, and Ch. Mirengo’s Matobo, a top British winner who was the only non-American dog of the bunch. It might surprise you to know that overwhelmingly, the American breeders chose that very moderate British dog as their stud dog. When that same exercise was repeated a year later at the Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress in Sweden, the international participants also chose Matobo, hands down. The lesson I took from that? When you have a well-constructed, typey Ridgeback, the majority of us can appreciate his correctness, regardless of what “style” he is. After my first judging assignment in Europe, a curious breeder asked me why I had not given a clearly “American style” dog a better placement. My answer, I think, surprised her: My job as a judge is to find the best Ridgeback, regardless of

Slovak and Czech Ch. Dreamed Yman by Luanda

Multi-Ch Farmers Guardian African Akono

Our breed is not all that complicated: There is no dramatic coat or specialized structure. It is a basic dog. In such a utilitarian hound, I want a clean neck melding seamlessly into a welllaid-back shoulder; a correctly angled and long upper arm that reveals good prosternum; a deep and long ribcage that reaches to the elbow and makes up most of the dog’s length of body; a short, strong loin; a wide second thigh; a low and strong hock; rear angulation that is in balance with the front, neither stick straight nor extending into the next county; a tail that is set on just below the level of the topline, trailing elegantly behind the dog on the move, not curled like a scorpion or straight up like an exclamation point; strong, well-knuckled feet; a correct ridge; a smooth outline that is slightly longer than tall; and good bone and substance without coarseness. If all that is topped off with a beautiful head that has a strong underjaw, parallel planes and a gorgeous round, dark eye that gives the breed its look of intelligence – so much the better! The dog that best satisfies that long list of qualities – and no one can satisfy them all – is my winner, no matter its “style,” as long as it falls within the very generous parameters of type outlined by the standard. As one of my first mentors taught me, the words “I prefer” have no place when you are a judge; when you are deciding on who to point to in the show ring, only the standard matters. As our world grows smaller and our breed becomes more international, I think breeders are recognizing the strengths that Ridgebacks from far-off places can contribute. And if we all continue to focus on what we agree on rather than our regional and national differences, the Rhodesian Ridgeback will be far richer for it.

MBISS Ch. Kimani’s Blue Chip Image, JC

Thank you for reading.

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

style. And the best Ridgeback is the most functional one, built to trot all day, with agility and stamina.

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A DISEASE CALLED CANINE DISCOID LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS Wri tte n by Photo by

Alena Kadlecová (Jílková) Alena Kadlecová (Jílková)

Simply put the discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) in Dogs is an autoimmune disease. It is a disease in which a dog’s immune system begins to attack its own tissues and it is reflected on the surface of the skin.

pecifically, this immune attack kills a layer of cells in the skin and causing the skin surface to narrow. DLE usually begins very slowly with small signs, for example, the depigmentation of the skin. From most of the cases, you can see signs around the muzzle or upper lip. You can see crusting and scabbing of the skin developing, most commonly starting around the nose, as well as a loss of skin pigmentation in the affected area. In connection with these small changes, like changes in the color (depigmentation), during this time you can start to observe also changes its structure of affected areas because the attack kills a layer of cells within the skin, causing the surface of the skin to narrow. The color usually changes to pink or gray. Gradually erosions, ulcers, and scabs develop in depigmented areas. Occasionally there may be cracked skin and bleeding of varying magnitude. Severe cases are complicated by bacterial infections which have to be treated with antibiotics. Lesions may spread to the feathered part of the nose, around the eyes, or even to the ear lobe or to the groin (genital area). The disease worsens every summer when exposed to sunlight. According to existing studies, this condition is very rare in cats.

HOW IS DLE DISEASE DIAGNOSED? As I mentioned, severe cases are complicated by bacterial infections which have to be treated with antibiotics therapy before performing a skin biopsy, in order to minimize the chances of an infection interfering with obtaining accurate results. So the diagnosis of DLE requires a skin biopsy, the laboratory needs to obtain a small sample from a skin lesion. To take a sample of skin will probably require general anesthesia for a dog or

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DLE

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

Healthy nose

DLE nose

heavy sedation for this procedure because the skin on the face and muzzle is very sensitive. After removal, the skin sample will be sent to a pathologist for analysis. By processing the skin sample and examining it under a microscope, the pathologist will be able to determine whether your dog has DLE.

WHAT CAUSES DLE? It is not fully understood what causes lupus, but scientists agree that it is likely to be the result of a combination of factors, including genetic, hormonal, and environmental. Lupus is much more common in females than males, a difference that has been shown to be related, at least in part, to the female hormone estrogen.

It has been noted that ultraviolet (UV) light appears to worsen DLE and the condition is more common in sunny climates. Inflammation triggered by UV radiation is thought to contribute to this condition. The exact cause of DLE is unknown. Individuals with discoid lupus erythematosus should not be used in breeding. While there is no study which would prove that DLE is inherited directly (in the same way as other genetic diseases that are passed from ancestors to offspring) there might be a slight chance that the existence of certain genes that run in some family trees affect how the immune system works, which puts some dogs at an increased risk of discoid lupus erythematosus.

HOW IS DLE TREATED?

The regular addition of vitamin E or omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids into the food was found to have some positive effects during therapy.

PROGNOSIS If DLE is treated, the prognosis for dogs affected by DLE is often good. If DLE is untreated, in dogs can develop a type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma.

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Discoid lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease. Therefore treatment is often life-long, but there is a good prognosis for long-term remission. Therefore, treatment requires the suppression of the immune system. Typical treatment includes corticosteroid use for their anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and antiallergic effects. Various forms of corticoids do not cure the underlying cause of the disease but are mainly used to suppress the immune system and block severe autoimmune reactions. Dogs differ in their response to treatment, so a trial-and-error approach is often needed to determine the best medication or combination of medications for each patient.

As was mentioned above since discoid lupus erythematosus worsens by seasonal UV radiation, it is recommended that certain measures are taken, such as limiting exposure to the sun or avoiding UV radiation completely. It is really important to keep in mind that UV light is a known contributing factor in cases of DLE. Dogs with DLE should have their sun exposure minimized as much as possible. For dogs living indoors should be easier to keep indoors as much as possible during daylight hours, walk the dog in the early morning or late evening hours. If a dog is living constantly outdoors, it is important that the dog will have shelter fully shaded.

References 1. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus in dogs: a comprehensive review <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5907183/> 2. DISKOIDNÝ LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (DLE) U PSOV MVDr. Pavol Zubrický (Veterinárna poliklinika ALTHEA) <https://veterinanitra.sk/collie-nose-diskoidny-lupus-erythematosus-dle-u-psov/> 3. By Catherine Barnette, DVM. ( Medical Conditions, Pet Services) Discoid (Cutaneous) Lupus Erythematosus <https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/discoid-cutaneous-lupus-erythematosus> 4. Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) in Dogs Wendy Brooks, DVM, DABVP <https://veterinarypartner.vin. com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952581>

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AN INTERVIEW WITH A JUDGE Rhodesian Ridgebacks breeder since 2002

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS. I am Milada Krchňavá, I live in the western side of Slovakia near the town of Trnava. My family always lived out of town, loving the freedom of the fields and small forests. I have the need for this freedom from my childhood and therefore, my husband and I have found a quiet place situated in a village on a small street for our family life, which ends at the fields. It is a perfect place for our 2 children and of course for our Rhodesians. Earlier, my core-business was photography, professional graphic designer and web creator, today I work as a business and advertising manager in a company I co-own with my husband. However, my heart-business are my 7 year old twins and our 3 RR girls. My life mission and goal are to be the best mum that I can be, as well as a breeder, dog owner and judge, with recognizable contributions to RR breeding. Since 2002 I have been the owner of 6 Rhodesian Ridgeback females, and with each of them life has given me many lessons and education. During past 18 years (since 2002 till 2020) with Ridgies I have bred only 9 litters (72 puppies). 28 of those puppies lived with their owners, who entered Luanda Ridgebacks in shows. 21 of them finished their adult championship titles in many countries all over the world. We have multi champions in EU countries, also UK champion, USA, Canadian champions. Among Luanda Ridgebacks we have the highest titles such as: World Winner 2017, European Junior Winner 2016, European Winner 2008, European res BIS puppy 2008. 10 International champions, 20 Multi-Champions, and also some amazing Best in Specialty Show Winners under respected breed specialist judges. Our present pack consists of three Rhodesian Ridgebacks females, two of them are of veteran age and one will be 3 y.o. in April 2020. Our Ridgies always live with us in the house.

There is a big project I am currently working on. I and my colleague RNDr. I. Režuchová PhD. Have worked intensively on the BIG project for our Slovakian club of RR breeders (SKCHR) for the past two years, which we named ELBREED (ELectronic BREEDing system). According to our knowledge ELBREED is the first fully electronic system for the management of dog breeding in Slovakia. ELBREED legally collects, stores and sorts information on individual ridgebacks that are involved in breeding and are the result of breeding under breeding rules of SKCHR. The ELBREED allows users, the dog owner or breeders, to keep and processed all information and documents related to their breeding/owning (dogs, litters, offspring, offspring after stud dogs, and all applications related to registered breeding under SKCHR) in one place, on their personal ELBREED profile. All this information can then be used in very simple and intuitive forms to communicate with an administrator (Main breed advisor) in submitting all requests and reports related to breeding: from requesting an X-ray evaluation form to a breeding approval test, registering the birth of puppies. Stored dog information is automatically loaded into forms. The user will have an overview of all his / her submitted applications, the status of their processing and the response (in case of club forms) also in electronic form. ELBREED users will not only save much precious time in today’s busy times, but it will also be ecological, ie. they will use less paper. Concurrently, ELBREED will represent the unique information treasure for SKCHR and all Slovakian breeders. We are very much looking forward to finishing our project and introduce it to the breeders soon.

WHEN DID YOUR LOVE OF DOGS BEGIN? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PAST AND PRESENT DOGS. In my childhood my family has always had Rough Collie -tricolor. My sister and I grew up with a male named “Gin”. He was a gorgeous representative of

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MILADA KRCHŇAVÁ

My BOB - CACIB Nitra, 07-12.2019- LYONNESE TARISIRO

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his breed, had an amazing quality coat of correct colour, he was always around when we played. When he passed away, we had again the same type of collie because my mum has always been so in love with this breed and another male, a cross between a Poodle and a German Wolfspitz. My first Rhodesian Ridgeback was a female imported from the Czech Republic. With her I became addicted to the breed and told myself if I want to be a breeder I must start to educate myself as much as I can to breed quality litters. We imported another RR female with African and Australian bloodlines, which were very interesting in 2003. Unfortunately, when she was 11 months old, a car accident stopped all our plans with her. My husband and I decided to give ourselves one last try. SHE was born on 16. September 2005, really one in a million for us, a gorgeous female with a brown nose, beautiful expression, elegant and harmonious in every way, amazing shining honey red color, and when she trotted, no one could stop watching her. Her qualities were seen by many specialist judges and judges who rewarded her with highest awards. She was the foundation bitch of Luanda kennel, and we still have at home her two daughters and a granddaughter.

HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED TO THIS BREED? First, I saw Rhodesian in the book ”Atlas of the dogs”. I was in love with: Great Danes, Siberian

Huskies, Saluki, Azawakh. I loved Poodles too, but the Rhodesian caught my eye. First time I spotted a Rhodesian Ridgeback was at the dog show in 2001.

WHEN DID YOU START WITH YOUR JUDGING CAREER AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A JUDGE? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR JUDGING CAREER AND YOUR HIGHLIGHTS. After 10 years in RR world, I have had some education in anatomy, function, behavior of the dogs. I felt there is another level of educating myself and I decided to do some steps to forward becoming a judge. I have educated myself more in anatomy, genetic, health, behavior of dogs, and practice in the show rings under some wonderful judges. It is a big difference to watch the dogs behind line, or to examine them as a judge. It was a long way but on April 2018 I finished the judge exam under the strict but very educational examining committee and I became a FCI National judge for Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Since then I have been honored to judge at: Specialty Club Show of RR Club ELSA in Germany 09-2018, International Dog Show in Bratislava

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10-2018, Spring Club Show RR in Denmark 032019, Slovakian Specialty RR Show – 05-2019, International dog show Nitra 12-2019. It was a big honor for me when I was asked along with other respected judges to judge Club specialties overseas. Unfortunately, as I am not an international judge yet, I do not meet the strict requirements to judge overseas. At the moment I am in the process of expanding my judge approbation also on other breeds of FCI Group 6 and on my way to becoming an international judge.

In our country I have always tried to initiate a wider breeding discussion, the aim of which is to jointly adopt the best rules and compromises to maintain our beautiful breed in good health and with quality exterior. Therefore, in addition to the normal duties, I regularly organize meetings of the Breeding Board and research in SKCHR, where we discuss current breeding problems, breeding recommendations, breed health, and suggestions for the improvement of breeding management for our breeder’s RR club.

Before my official judge career, I first gained experience with show judging in 2008, at the RR Sport Club Show (CZ) with the point system (as a no FCI judge). In 2015, I was invited by RR Union Moscow to judge their IV. RR Specialty show (with no FCI titles) - entry 86 RR. It was really beautifully organized occasion surrounded by very nice and friendly people. I will never forget amazing Moscow and all the wonderful people I met there.

Since 2002, I am a member of the SKCHR. In 2003, I began with my active work at our club, writing many articles about exterior, health, work with ridgebacks. Until today I have written more than 40 articles concerning the health and rearing of dogs, exhibitions and activities with dogs, published in club and canine media in the Slovak Republic. My “paw print” is also in some European publications - “The European Ridgeback” or in America - “The Ridgeback Register” magazine.

DID YOU EVER HAVE A MENTOR? ARE YOU MENTORING NEWCOMERS? In the beginning I was in closer contact with the breeders of my dogs to share experience and to ask their opinion. It has been very important for me to get different points of view on our breed from longtime breeders who were so kind to share their valuable knowledge.

Since 2006, I was the “Main breeding advisor” of SKCHR until end of 2009, when the head of the club deleted this function. I belonged to the Breeding board in our club. I am involved in the breeding approval exam committee for the SKCHR. I also act as a breeding controller (in our club we check all litters before 8th weeks, to record breed statistics and take notes on quality). The year 2015 brought some changes in our club and members gave me their trust by voting for me to be back into the function as “Main breeding advisor”.

I think the breeders who do not educate themselves and who are not interest in the current problems of breeding, can hardly meet the demands of the required quality, balanced exterior and health of the dogs. That is why I am very keen to create the conditions for the education of all those interested. I have been lecturing and organizing seminars for breeders in Slovakia, for example: • 2007 – I lectured “RR Anatomy and Function” in a seminar organized by RR Sport Club CZ • 2008 – I lectured “Mating, Gravidity, Delivery” on SKCHR breeders meeting • 2008 – I lectured “Disorders and fertility in dogs” on SKCHR breeders meeting

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• 2017 – I organized and lectured “Planning of breeding, stud dog, determination of optimal day for mating, mating, pregnancy, preparation for puppy delivery, birth of the puppies, mother and puppy care, litter control” in a seminar for breeders (SKCHR) • 2018 – I organized and lectured „Standard vs. Anatomy and Movement of RR, Breeding Goal, Reading Pedigrees” and “Stud Dog Last year” in a seminar for breeders (SKCHR) • 2019– I organized a seminar for breeders (SKCHR) with two themes: “Reproduction”, which was lectured by expert on reproduction, MVDr. Enrico Stefanizzi, and “Genetics”, which was lectured by genetic specialist and member of SKCHR Breeding Board, RNDr. Ingeborg Režuchová, PhD.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE TYPE? In my opinion in breeding and judging, the breed standard is

The movement should be spacious, free and energetic. Thus, the body structure corresponding to the description in the standard, the temperament of the dog as well as the overall impression are of great importance to me in the assessment of RR.

IS THERE SOMETHING WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IN THE BREED? The breed does not change by itself. It is the breeders who are responsible for how the breed is developing. I wish that breeders would educate themselves much more to understand the breed standard, body anatomy, function and how to lead their dogs. Some owners and breeders are affected by kennel blindness. They will not acknowledge their failure when they fall short of their objective, and in an effort to convince others of the perfection of their dogs, they convince usually only themselves. The key to improving our breed is education and more knowledge. Just keep in mind that education starts with yourself.

EVERY BREED HAS SOME COMMON PROBLEMS. WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM IN RR? I would like to see less massive ridgebacks. I miss the elegance, correctly inserted neck to the body, well set shoulders (placement of the scapula). Shorter upper arms should be also fixed. In movement many dogs lack the front leg extension and soundness. The fronts are a bit better in last few years, but this still needs to be worked on. A good front once lost, could take generations to recover. With a well-balanced body the dog can meet his function, for which he was meant to be used. The standard says: the emphasis is on agility, elegance, soundness with no tendency toward massiveness.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF

WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE A JUDGE OF THE BREED TO BE AWARE? To know Ridgeback standard and for what RR was breed. The Rhodesian Ridgeback should represent a well-balanced, strong, muscular, agile and active dog, symmetrical in outline, and capable of great endurance with a fair amount of speed. The movement should cover maximum amount of ground with the least amount of effort, expressing a perfect balance between power and elegance. The RR should not be massive.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU ADMIRE MOST IN A JUDGE? I admire when judge is able to say what he likes about the dog, but also at the same time what could be improved. I like judges who give the dog a bit more time, to let the judge touch him. A judge should give the space for it, as according to the standard the RR is aloof with strangers. When puppies enter the ring the judge should make them feel it is enjoyable and fine, together with his owner.

WHAT CHARACTERISTICS MAKE A GOOD JUDGE IN YOUR OPINION? Polite behavior, kind and gentle to the dogs, honesty … A good sense of humor would be also a nice. A judge who understands anatomy, functionality and movement. Judges who never stop educating themselves. Judges who always judge the dog, not the other end of the leash.

WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU SEE IN THE JUDGES TODAY AS OPPOSED TO THOSE IN THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER? At the moment I would say no differences.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS A JUDGE? It is always a big pleasure for me, when the longtime experienced judge/breeder share tips, or experiences I did not know before.

HOW HAS THE DOG SCENE

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alpha and omega. The close connection between the dog’s anatomy and its functionality is “encoded” in its movement and in the following words of the RR standard (FCI No.146): overall appearance - “The Rhodesian Ridgeback should represent a well-balanced, strong, muscular, agile and active dog, symmetrical in outline, and capable of great endurance with a fair amount of speed. The emphasis is on agility, elegance and soundness with no tendency towards massiveness.”

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CHANGED OVER THE LAST DECADES?

BIGGEST DIFFERENCES YOU SEE?

The internet and social media have influenced the dog world in two ways: positive and negative. On positive side you can get more information about the breed, health, about other breeders’ dogs and successes.

Previously, the SARRC and KUSA have been in discussion about the breeding/showing of ridgeless Ridgebacks. KUSA in turn have been in discussion with the FCI. KUSA forwarded to the SARRC the proposed changes to the breed standard, but with “overly shy dogs” as a disqualification. The SARRC felt that some young dogs are nervous and shy on entering the showring for the first time and asked that “overly shy dogs” should be changed to a fault rather than a disqualification. This was amended and at KUSA’s June Federal Council meeting, the proposed changes as below were unanimously accepted. These will come into effect on 1.1.2020.

Thanks to the internet is possible to find many amazing long-time breeders, beautiful dogs, lots of education not only about the RR world but also from other breeds. Thanks to the online world learning is easier. On the other hand there is also a negative side of the internet. People have problems with communication. Sometimes the newcomers have the feeling that they know it all … some of them find out how wrong they were, time will show them. But some never get it….

HAVE BREED STANDARDS CHANGED VERY MUCH SINCE YOU BEGAN YOUR JUDGING CAREER? DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN RR OF TODAY COMPARED TO RR OF 10 YEARS AGO? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE

Amendments to the KUSA/Zimbabwe Breed Standard/Hound Group/Rhodesian Ridgeback/ Breed Standard: FAULTS: • Overly shy dogs • Incorrect crowns on ridge DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: • Aggressive behaviour • Dogs without ridge Any dog showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified This amendment by the country of origin would

WHAT IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO RR TODAY? Breeders who do not educate themselves and are producing lots of puppies of medium or poor quality. Kennel blindness breeders /owners. Matadors in the breed. The titles do not mean that the stud dog is the best suitable one for your bitch. There are too many unsuccessful people mentoring fledgling breeders. Learn from the masters I was told, not necessarily within your breed!

IT’S 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?

INFO

By education of the newcomer breeders and always keeping in mind the standard.

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO ALL SERIOUS YOUNG BREEDERS? Study the breed standard, anatomy, health, genetics. Learn from the long-time experienced successful breeders, it does not have to be only from Ridgeback breeders. Before breeding: plan carefully and do an analysis. You need to know what you want to achieve! In serious breeding you cannot just go: “let’s try - let’s see!”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? Whenever you lose, you win if you remember the lesson. And - you never know enough!

Name Milada

Krchňavá

Country Slovakia Affix LUANDA www www.lady-ridgeback.sk

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hopefully avert further discussion on the possibility of recognising the ridgeless Rhodesian Ridgeback as a variety of the Breed.

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LUANDA BREEDER

My perfect picture of Ridgeback has got to be a powerful, smooth-muscled athletic and elegant dog, whose strength does not compromise his silhouette. The elegance goes hand in hand with the

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graceful neck curve, which it derives from a properly constructed front.

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t all started in 2001, when I searched in the book “Atlas of the dog” and found an interesting breed, the “African Lion dog” Rhodesian Ridgeback. Although I liked other breeds such as Saluki, Azawakh, Siberian huskies or Great Danes, I could not stop thinking about Ridgebacks and decided to go to the dog show to see this breed. And when I saw them, I knew that’s my breed. My next steps were to search through all available information about Rhodesian Ridgebacks. At that time the online world did not work as it does today, so I mostly read books, and magazines.

Female Hillvalleys Angel for Luanda

6 months later I found an advertisement in a Dog Magazine of available puppies at CZ. In 2002 I brought home my first Ridgeback girl – Denny Saranga. Her pedigree was based on the first imports to CZ. We called her Lady. She always stays in my heart as my first. I was so impatient to go with Lady to our first show which was on 06.06.2002. I was never in the show ring before, but I did my best to prepare my “Lady” and myself. She presented perfectly for a 6 months old puppy, standing in front of the judge like a statue, even the judge Mrs Libuše Ubrová (CZ) appreciated her showing skills very much.

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I was so proud of her, and I remember that day very clearly. Some months later we went to another show and the judge placed her worst due the missing teeth. Afterwards I found out that the Slovakian breeders’ club had a strict breeding rule, that dogs missing 1 or more teeth are not suitable for breeding. I said OK, I respect the rules, and I started to think about another RR female. I contacted overseas breeders, and educated myself to bring the best I could. At the end of November a litter was born from an import from South Africa - Terrouges Thembi and Australian import Ozrhode Dia Hot Prospect at Nyathi kennel - breeder was Petra Krejči - Ain´t She Beautiful Nyathi. We named her Becky. Lady and Becky had a very nice relationship and they both had amazing hunting skills. We went very often for coursing with them. Both girls are amongst the first Ridgebacks with a coursing license in Slovakia. Becky was wonderful in each way for us, healthy, developing into a beauty, with a full set of teeth. Unfortunately, almost one year later when Becky chased a rabbit, she was hit by a car, which blew away all our plans and dreams; our hearts were broken. My husband and I decided to give it one last try. Once again, I researched pedigrees, contacted some breeders, collected health info, and then found the one. “Hillvalley´s Angel for Luanda” was born in Germany 16. September 2005, in a litter of 10 puppies, 7 of them were liver-nose. We did not plan to have a liver-nose, but her breeder Kathrin Sonnenberg evaluated her as the best of girls for us. Ani´s mother was Ozrhode Dia Hot

Female Dreamed Yman by Luanda

Female Fatal Beauty by Luanda

Female Hennessey Sunrise by Luanda

Female Alexis Femme Fatale Luanda

Ani had a wonderful character, with a sense of humor, she always knew what I wanted from her, and I knew how she felt, we had a very close connection. I trained obedience with her, and she also excelled at doing agility. I never trained coursing with her, although she had the hunting instincts. Ani had some strong instincts connected to us. Every (irregular) time we went out of the house, 5 minutes before we should arrive, she went from her dog bed to the hall, close to the front door and waited for us. I haven’t heard if other RR owners have similar experiences, maybe in some other ways. She was very gentle to other animals and children. Although we had some experiences with some judges, who did not know that the liver (brown) nose is correct in the breed, Ani was awarded highly by many breed specialists judges and allround judges too, she also won European Winner title, International champion, Multi Ch., Grand Ch. and Club Ch.

Female Desiree Dea of Luanda

On Ani´s 2nd birthday the CZ RR club organized club and specialty shows with an entry of 184 RR. They invited respected breed specialist judge Alicia Hanna Mohr (Kimani kennel) and Frank de Paulo (Tahari kennel) both from USA. I was so curious how they would judge our Ani. That show weekend ended up so unexpectedly for us and many others. Ani was awarded BISS and 1st place in best movement and best head competitions. After the show I had the pleasure of spending a little time with the judges and also with their friend Theresa M. Lyons, who was the editor of the magazine Ridgeback Register. Since then, I have had each Ridgeback Register for a number of years, to know what’s new overseas.

Female Empress Zoë by Luanda

The reflections in the Ridgeback Register from the judges about Ani: - Alicia Hanna: The BISS liver bitch for the Club Specialty was outstanding in her type. She had an exceptional thorax “deep and capacious” which is so very necessary for the great endurance required for the breed. I noted her rarely seen low hock. I found her wonderful in all aspects, and her owner will be hard pressed to find stud dog worthy of her. - Frank de Paulo: the first day I was scheduled to judge bitches, and I came upon absolutely stunning liver bitch. I knew from the moment that she walked in the ring that she was the one who would garner the win. The reason why I mention this Specialty show is, that in 2000-2010 the judges did not like the livers, or placed them behind the black noses, or some judges had no knowledge that liver-nosed ridgeback is acceptable in the standard. It took exceptional judges who have appreciation for outstanding type. What´s next? Education, planning and breeding.

Female Follow my Heart by Luanda

As Ani passed all health test with wonderful

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Prospect (import Australia) and father an impressive liver-nosed male Cheyenne of Ka-Ul-Lis Ridges, from Ulrike Lichtenauer’s breeding.

results, after some careful planning we decided to breed her. After in-depth evaluation and pedigree analysis I choose Ani´s first “boyfriend”, who was from Emoyeni´s kennel in Sweden, from Susan and Peter Falk. Lex - Emoyeni´s Grand Zuberi had Australian-Swedish bloodlines. He was from a litter of 10 correct puppies, with no DS, no kinked tails, and when they were adults, all siblings got wonderful health test results. Lex was trained in obedience, field tracking, lure coursing and along with his wonderful health tests he was also a liver gene carrier. His owner Tina Gavling showed him often, and he was awarded many titles. Later on 2008 he won the highest title: World Winner 2008. On 18. March 2008, we welcomed to the world 14 beautiful puppies 5 boys (2 livers) 9 girls (3 livers) 13 with standard ridges, 1x multicrown, no other faults.

Male Awesome Enzo by Luanda

It was very interesting and educational to evaluate the litter. Some of the puppies were like their sire, some had the body construction similar to Ani and some were mix of both parents, and I would say some grandparents also had influence.

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Of course I had to keep one of Ani´s puppies, this time a black nose, of medium bone. Alexis Femme Fatale Luanda, who rocked at shows like her mum. I admit that Lexi is much more like her daddy, than mum Ani, and the difference taught me to understand more about rather different body construction. Counting show awards, this litter has produced the most champions, it also produced the record holder of finished adult champion titles – 19 champion titles with Awesome Enzo by Luanda. From our 1st litter we exported 1 liver-nose girl to Asta Palmer USA. We had many long conversations about RRs in USA and EU. Because of the online world, the “communication barrier” disappeared, I had in my head a big crazy plan about our next breeding. I knew what I wanted to keep in my breeding, and what I wanted to improve. I started to search for the next sire, in USA. In the Ridgeback Register magazine I saw some outstanding RRs. The one who stole my eye was Durban – Kimani´s Lasting Impression (Kimani Flexible Flyer x Kimani´s Wilds of Africa) – from Alicia Hanna Mohr breeding, and ”Spirit” - Adili´s American Idol (Kimani´s Gazeley of Tahari x Adili´s Serengeti StarLight) breed by Tammy Lynch. I admire these 2 representatives of the breed; they are of the level that I prefer most. But back to my breeding plan: There were some difficulties to bring the frozen sperm from USA to Slovakia. I had some priorities according to what I was looking for, not only the perfect body construction, nicely arched neck, well set shoulders, nice fore chest and spacious movement, but also

Male Diego el Primo by Luanda

Male Fadil Nallah by Luanda for Tukela

the size of the male should be medium, as Ani was on the highest side of the standard (66cm for the bitch). One of requirements was also full dentition (and the same with parents) as our Slovakian breeders’ club still had the strict rule in 2008: using RR only with full set of teeth in breed-

Male Got The Soul by Luanda

From the litter Lexi x Akala we have 2 Champions of Canada and USA – Canadian Boy Roy Luanda and Clayton my Hero by Luanda (liver). Lupita is the call name of Claire de Luxe by Luanda who finished the title Champion of Italy and multiple best female winner of Italian club shows. Mr. Filiberto Arniella was the judge of Club of Italy´s 18th annual show on 16-17 June 2012. In the Ridgeback Register 08-2012 he reported about Lupita: I was especially thrilled by my Best Female, which came from the Intermediate class. She is extremely good, very elegant, the right balance and moderate in every way but moving, where she shows such drive, extension and power. I kept from D-litter (Ani x Akala) a very elegant liver nosed girl today known also as Veteran Ch. Ch. Multiple best movement winner and best ridge winner Dreamed Yman by Luanda, and I co-own the liver nosed male: Multi Ch. Ch. Diego el Primo by Luanda. C.I.B. Since 2012 I did not enter the shows that often because of my children (our twins were born in March 2012), but I am very proud of Yman´s wins especially under the well-known and respected breed specialist Elizabeth Megginson (JAR). Dreamed Yman by Luanda from the Intermediate class was awarded Best Bitch and Club Winner at the CZ Club show in September 2012. Her brother Diego el Primo by Luanda had also finished his Champion titles. He sired some litters not only in EU, but also in USA. C.I.B. Multi Ch Desiree Dea of Luanda who was the black nosed girl from that litter was exported to Lithuania and has many titles to her name.

Male Hot´N Wild by Luanda

ing. My friend Asta the owner of Meile (the liver nosed girl after Ani exported to USA) pointed to the Canadian male Thornberry Akala. Importing the frozen sperm from Canada was an expensive thing, as at that time I had to buy also the sperm container. At the end of December 2009 our plans come to reality by Transcervical Insemination. On 3. March 2009 only 1 beautiful healthy girl was born. There was just one thing - I could not keep her for breeding plans, she had an extra crown in her ridge. No luck this time. But

Since then we breed only 5 litters with no big number of the puppies, but healthy and the ones who entered the showrings did amazing. From E-litter (Lexi x Eddie) I have to mention our beautiful BISS. C.I.B:, Multi Ch. Multi Winner Empress Zoë by Luanda (export SWE) whose wonderful owners are Tina Gavling (the owner of our first stud dog Lex) and Marianne Mölstam. C.I.B, Multi Ch Escape to Heart by Luanda “Sunny” was exported to Italy and did a great job for her owner Elena Marini. I was really proud to read the report by honourable judge Denise Flaim (Revodana kennel - USA) about the female CAC (only 1 CAC for all classes in Italy) during the 24th club show of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club d’Italia: “She had the smooth silhouette and clean

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because I am the one who “tries her best” I asked Akala’s owner Gayle Clarkson if I could “borrow” Akala for some period for natural matings. The following year we welcomed two litters after Akala from my two girls Ani and Lexi, as they were in their prime at that time, when Akala was with us. It was a “crazy” breeder adventure. Today I know that having 21 puppies in the house from 2 litters during the winter time is not going to happen again.

movement I would expect from the Slovakian kennel whose names she bears”. From F-litter I must mention outstanding elegant BIS, res BIS, UK Champion Fadil Nallah by Luanda for Tukela (export UK) owned by Carina Dunn , C.I.B, Multi Grand, Multi Ch Follow my Heart by Luanda and my Ch. Best Junior bitch Fatal Beauty by Luanda – who I lost so unexpectedly in her 18th months. Flaming Ace by Luanda was exported to South Africa and sired some beautiful puppies for Ingrid Botha Joubert - Shumtani kennel. Our World Winner 2017 and European Junior Winner 2016, C.I.B. Multi Ch – Got the Soul by Luanda is from our G-litter (Alexis Femme fatale Luanda x Kadamo It´s Now or Never). Hennessey Sunrise by Luanda and Hot´N Wild by Luanda are the last Grand. Ch. and Multi Champions (Dreamed Yman by Luanda x Jelany Red Djimbo Farey). I am thankful that the owners show our puppies, and very pleased they are in contact with me and write nice messages about their wonderful temperament, and also inform me about our babies’ health. I always try to do my best if they need advice or help.

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Beside the fact that I am a breeder, dog owner, and handler of my dogs I have some duties as a “Main breeding advisor” at our RR breeders’ Club Slovakia -SKCHR. If we talk about the exterior I chose the stud dogs not because of their titles, but according to what the standard says, always with the aim to improve or reinforce things towards my perfect picture of the Ridgeback. Health tests must be done on both sides of the planned pair with the best possible results. My perfect Ridgeback has got to be a powerful, smooth-muscled athletic and elegant dog, whose strength does not compromise his silhouette. The elegance goes hand in hand with the graceful neck curve, which it derives from a properly constructed front. I always judge like a breeder because that’s how I think. When I look at dogs, I am looking at breeding stock, and that should be applied to every breed. As a breeder who has had some experiences in breeding and evaluating my adults and puppies with a very critical eye, I know it is not possible to improve everything at once. There is always lots of time needed, there are always some happy, and some sad days when you hear that a puppy from your breeding is not ok, or has died. I must also admit that the work with some newbie owners of puppies is sometimes hard. I think all breeders would agree that the work with some people is not always easy.

My advice for newcomers is: find a mentor who knows what he or she is doing – if someone has been in the breed for a long time, and has been successful, there is a reason for that. And then the hardest part: Listen very carefully. The success is only the small visible tip of a huge iceberg above the water, just look more closely at what is underneath. Or, if you don’t have a mentor, try to be in touch with the best breeders, and learn from them the best you can. And don’t forget to be polite and respect each other. Sometimes we want to judge the behavior of others. “How can he do this” – “I’d never” - “Why

doesn’t he do it this way”. And yet we know nothing about the motives that lead them to do so. RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

We do not know what situation they are in and how much power and energy it took them to do / not to do what we see. Each of us has different gifts. Different people have different abilities, different conditions, different talents, and different limitations. We can’t all be the same – and we’re not! We should all remember that the breed cannot improve by itself, it is the responsibility of the breeders. Self-education, openness, hard work, honesty, is the key to success. The more we learn from each other, we understand, compete and respect, the better our chances of finding happiness in the breeding of the dogs we all love.

Female BISS Hillvalley´s Angel for Luanda

INFO Name Milada

Krchňavá

Country Slovakia Affix LUANDA www www.lady-ridgeback.sk

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NDOKI BREEDER

”Our main breeding goal not only includes raising typical dogs of good character; we also focus on

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health and functionality.”

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Photo by Sabine Stuewer

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From my earliest childhood I was interested in animals. Dogs and horses were my favourites, a pony and an own dog have always been the number one on my wish list. Until that day, I enjoyed taking other people’s dogs for walks. When I turned 15, I finally got my own dog: a brindle Great Dane called Anja. She was successful at dog shows, a wonderful companion and I bred two litters from her. When my second Great Dane died at only 8 years old, I started looking for a short haired breed as a family dog and companion for horse riding. In the Eighties my husband and I trained and rode long distances with Purebred Arabian horses and some Ridgebacks caught my attention when I saw them at a horse competition. In my veterinary office I met the first Ridgebacks around the same time and I was fascinated with the breed. So we started to look for a puppy which was in those days not all that easy. With the lovely support of the LÖWENHUNDVEREIN DEUTSCHLAND (later renamed into CLUB ELSA) we finally found our first Ridgeback puppy, called Lea (Theya Della Cime Bianche x Makaranga Halwa) Lea was a fairly small, strong, typical female with a wonderfully friendly and self-confident character. She was by my side for 14 years and we were privileged to experience the A-litter with her in 1996, the foundation year of our Ndoki Kennel. In 2004 I searched for another puppy as compan-

ion for my 12 years old Lea and looked around at dog shows and I visited several breeders. When I saw Ngai Zamu Of Ginba`s Hero, aka Dodge, from Katja Mateboer, I totally fell in love and I was then looking for an upcoming litter sired by this impressive male! I found it in Austria at the Mavunguela`s of Susi Ubl. Susi`s Champion bitch Mavunguela’s Savimbi, aka Amber, expected puppies from Dodge! After endless phone calls I could persuade Susi to give one of her puppies to me. During my first visit the puppies were six weeks old and I could decide between six females. Vuana captured my heart immediately and two weeks later I could bring her home by plane. She was completely quiet as she sat in my lap and waited for me to feed her. She weighed only eight kilograms when she climbed out of her box waiting for water and food. She was such a good puppy, she even waited do her business until we arrived home! Raising her was more than easy; my Vuni was one of the most loyal dogs, and wonderfully uncomplicated! When she was six months old, I exhibited her for the first time under Hans Müller and again under Jochen Eberhardt. Both judges selected Vuana as Best Puppy and started her great and successful show career. Vuni won many prizes and was often awarded Best of Breed. Even in the Veteran Class she was highly motivated and she delighted at any time in every show. At the World Winner Show 2006 - located in Poznań, Poland – she won the Open Class with an entry of 66 females. She competed with ease against the Champion bitch and winner of Intermediate bitch class and was

Photo by Daniela Juwan

Photo by Michael Bossard

Vuana then became the foundation for the next 3 litters in the Ndoki kennel; she became the mother in the B-, C- and E-litters. I kept Bahari, who also became a Multichampion, as co-owner and I could raise the D-litter from her. From the D-Litter I kept Tarou (Ndoki Djangana Tarou), she gave me my beautiful F-litter. From the E-litter I kept Kiruna (Ndoki Etara Kiruna) , my best buddy and soulmate! She became a really successful Multi champion and a great companion. She had everything I was looking for in a good bitch for breeding: wonderful construction, outstanding movement, a happy and friendly character and she was an unbelievably good mother. Kiruna is the mother of the Ndoki G- and H-litters. (15 and 18 puppies!) From the H-litter we kept my sunshine Ndoki Hilda Takes It All, a middle-sized, always happy and very successful Champion! She is naturally balanced, has a great construction and wonderful movement! She is an easy-going and always charming girl. Hilda is the mother of the Ndoki I-litter in 2019 and I am looking forward to seeing what future will bring.

Photo by Sabine Stuewer

MY BREEDING GOALS Our main breeding goal not only includes raising typical dogs of good character; we also focus on health and functionality. For us it is both the inside and outside of a dog that counts! We only breed from bitches that have a sound and friendly character and show maternal instincts! For us it is also very important that all our stud dogs are confident and have trustworthy characters! In Germany, as in many other European countries, the dogs you breed with must be given

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nominated as World Winner and BOS by honourable judge and former FCI President Rafael de Santiago.

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Of course comfort with gunfire and loud noises is also part of our breeding goal. This is a necessity to become a breeding animal. And this does not necessarily have something to do with the fact that these dogs should be used for hunting. In everyday life there are so many situations in which it is important that dogs need to tolerate loud noises and not cause problems when startled: New Year’s Eve, a bursting balloon, a thunderstorm, a car misfiring, or a window that suddenly slams shut – that all can lead to shock and extreme reactions. As a veterinarian I am used to these kinds of stories. Therefore I would like to emphasize that gunshot tolerance is partly instinct und not just learned. A responsible breeder should keep this in mind. Protectiveness and territorial behaviours are also a typical characteristic of a Ridgeback. Whoever wants to use that in everyday life should be able to manage it. My dogs protect other dogs and also people who are part of their pack. This is typical for a Ridgeback and I do not want to underemphasize that. But again it is important for the dog owner to take care of that with proper training: the owner should always be able to manage it.

Photo by Sabine Stuewer

breeding permission, where they are tested for their behaviour and tendencies in everyday situations. We do not ignore traits that are typical for the Rhodesian Ridgeback, such as the hunting instinct. That is very typical for the breed and it is, in my opinion, an important characteristic. It is possible to reinforce the hunting instinct with good education and to use it for other purposes. Meaning that not everyone can or has to use these dogs for hunting; but that instinct should be available and present, as it is an important part of the breed. Dogs without it are often unmotivated or stubborn. The hunting instinct is often related to other characteristics such as self-esteem, willingness to please and joy of work. Offering Ridgebacks without hunting instinct should be reconsidered.

Sexual and reproductive instincts, as well as caring for their brood, should be present. This is important and also necessary for further breeding. Many females refuse to mate. Often artificial insemination is the only alternative. If a female gives birth naturally she nowadays is described as “instinctive”. I do not think this is a good development for this breed. I know that many instincts only play a minor role nowadays; but sexual and reproductive instincts as well as breed maintenance should remain an important priority and therefore should be considered to be essential. Meanwhile the Ridgeback is a very popular breed in Europe and especially in Germany and a lot of people avoid the VDHClubs or cannot satisfy the conditions with their dogs and breed in special “Clubs” with no VDH-FCI regulations. The quality of the dogs and their health is doubtful and many money-makers breed at the expense of the dogs!

Photo by Vasily Plotnikov

HEALTH Only healthy dogs should be used for breeding – I cannot emphasize enough how important health is, as it is passed on from generation to generation. Our dogs are free of HD, ED, OCD and heart problems; their genetic diseases are also tested and they do not have thyroid or eye diseases. Healthy skin is also important to me and an intensive check-up by a veterinarian must of course be done before any mating. We always ensure that the appearance of our dogs corre-

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Social compatibility and friendliness towards people and other dogs is very important and should be encouraged from a young age in everyday situations. Ridgebacks have the tendency to act dominantly towards other breeds. Smart training is a good preparation against this behaviour. That also allows a healthy play instinct. Our dogs are independent with other dogs and are not aggressive.

sponds with the breed standard. My personal breeding ideal is a dog with strong bone for best running dog abilities and an expressive head. The back should be strong and the movement light-footed. All in all, the dog and the breeding partner should also convince me with their charisma. I need to feel that a male dog is a good match for the specific female and that they could have the type of offspring I am looking for.

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It is a really critical challenge to find “Mr. Right”, the stud dog to sire your next litter! Sometimes I think every serious breeder is looking for the same needle in the haystack! The question is outcross or line breeding - you should know some genetic fundamentals and also the risks of both of them! Of course an exclusive pedigree is wanted. The dog should not have many common ancestors. And the ancestors in general should be the right ones – healthy and beautiful. Character, health, appearance and motion are also important. For every type of female there is a matching male that would complement her own characteristics. But it is not always that easy in practice and sometimes you have to compromise. By now I have the ability to see which type of male would be a good fit and I know what kind of dog I would like to breed from. In big litters puppies are often heterogeneous and you can find different types in them. These types go back to their grandparents or even more generations before. Whoever wants to breed successfully has to take some risks in my opinion. You also have to work without popular sires. Maybe they turn out to be popular after the next litter! Some attributes such as the male dog’s personality or important health issues as a breeding consequence would minimise the genetic pool even more. In the end there is no secret recipe for successful breeding. Intuition and knowing the mother’s ancestors are a big advantage. And, of course, luck and taking chances!

WHAT POTENTIAL PUPPY BUYERS SHOULD BE LIKE I receive many requests and I feel more than lucky that I can decide and choose the perfect families for my puppies. Even on the phone, let’s call this the first round, I decide who I would like to invite and get to know better. People need to have time to care for a Rhodesian Ridgeback and to treat it appropriately for its needs. I look for families who see a little Ndoki as a family member and can offer an exciting life for them – and that could mean many things. I do not want to breed dogs that are only used for breeding or for going to shows and could be given away or replaced as a result of possible disappointments. Dogs that are bred for commercial reasons or are marketed in other ways make me sad. That really is an awful tendency in the Ridgeback scene. For my dogs I would like to find people who can offer an adventurous life to a puppy. A life that takes their breath away, increases their adrenaline and that brings happiness, a piece of freedom and also a little piece

of Africa for a small Ridgeback. Saying that, I am not talking about leopard prints on a designer pillow. I would like to find people who would turn their Ndoki puppy into a friendly and socially integrated, muscular, happy representative of the breed. I look for people who can offer a balance between show ring and nature; who treat the dog in an appropriate way and include it into their lives. Seeing happy and proud people with good representatives of the breed – that would make me truly happy. I have always appreciated people who want to work with their dogs, Man-trailing, Obedience, Hunting, Water rescue, Assistant Dogs but also people who love their dogs as real companions sharing a fascinating life! I hate the thought of Ridgebacks spending most of their time in home kennels!

HOW OUR PUPPIES GROW UP Our Ndokis are born in our living room, where all members of the pack live and all females tolerate each other. We have a big whelping box and we, of course, make sure that they are happy and have a good formative experience from the very first weeks. Here we watch all progress and also take notes. During this time we begin with house training. To achieve this, we open the whelping box from the second week to ensure that the puppies can do their business away from their sleeping area. After 4.5 weeks we move them to the puppy house to allow them to explore the outdoor area. The puppies then get to know their environment and start playing with toys, tools, and learning equipment. For us it is important that they can walk around in nature and are able to find quiet and safe areas to rest and sleep at any time. This also indirectly helps them to become house-trained as they are always able to do their business outside. Our puppies are together with people every day; also with children and other dogs. From their 6th week we take all of them on car rides and drive to a meadow next to a forest and allow our puppies to explore the area. Next to their mother’s milk we feed them Bio goat milk; fresh meat and high quality dry food. Our nutrition plan for the first year will be given to the new owner. We always remain in touch with the new owners. Once a puppy leaves us, we are available at any time for questions about nutrition, training and development. Also we offer puppy meetings including many young dogs for collective walks. For interested exhibitors we arrange training weekends and give much detailed assistance. I wrote two books about the breed but just for beginners. They are very popular here in Germany and many breeders use them for giving them to puppy buyers. I am a President of the breeding commission of the DZRR and since 2019

We are happy and proud about continuing results, successes and titles! Our dogs are not one-hit wonders, over all litters we have outstanding wins and placements. Many of them have national or international titles and championships, we have been awarded 4 Vice World Junior Winners and finally Ndoki Highlander became the World Junior Winner in 2017 and at the same show the Ndokis were awarded Best Breeding group at the World Dog Show in Leipzig!

Photo by Sabine Stuewer

Our dogs also became European Junior Winner, Reserve Winner and many times Bundessieger in Germany and Austria! And of course Vuana was World Winner 2006! At the World Dog Show in Bratislava the Ndoki Breeders Group was awarded second place in the Breeding Group of all breeds! In 2017 our team won best Ridgeback Breeding Group out of 4. We are proud about many National titles and awards and many times our dogs won BOB and got group placements, Group wins and Best In Show competitions! And of course all of them are the best cuddle-champions for their families! :-)

Photo by Daniela Juwan

We are happy and thankful to have such wonderful families who train and show their dogs with so much passion! Breeding is the one side, but you also need active and dedicated people to have success at shows! We are proud of all our dogs and always try to breed carefully and with love and respect for the breed. Breeding means to me an affair of the heart and I am excited and curious to see what future will bring! In March 2020 the dream of every breeder came true and made the icing on the cake of

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SOME OF NDOKI`S ACHIEVEMENTS

And George`s very promising son SABAKU INUS MAKOA OF GEORGE won the Puppy Class! What a great success and a hopeful start in a great show career!

Photo by Michael Bossard

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And of course all of them are the best cuddle-champions for their families! :-)

Photo by Michael Bossard

my breeding! Ndoki Highlander won at the most spectacular show of the world: CRUFTS! And he became Best of Breed over about 250 entered Ridgebacks and got a fantastic second place in the large Hound Group! My big congratulations and compliments go to Sonny`s owner Stefanie Radke, who presented him in a free and perfect way! And another fantastic result we took home from this CRUFTS : beautiful Gentle George, excellently shown by Petra Bossard from Switzerland, was just beaten by a hair´s breadth and became second best male , and Res. CC! I cannot even say, how proud I am and how thankful to Stefi and Petra for these great awards and all the work they do with their boys!

Photo by Simone Luca

Photo by Michael Bossard

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Photo by Tommaso Urciuolo

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

Congratulations to Stefanie and her beautiful Sonny - team magazine

Photo by Lena Piehl

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INFO

Name Claudia

Körner

Country Germany Affix Ndoki www www.ndoki.de

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

57 RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

REX VENTORS BREEDER

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

AN INTERVIEW WITH A BREEDER

59 RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

YESTERDAY “Dear Veronica, Well, I hope your little future champion Bearstar Diamond Willow has arrived to you safe and well. She’s put on 2 kilos in the last two weeks but all seems to have gone into her legs. She seems to be developing her father’s body and her mother’s vitality. Your little Diamond is a very smart, biddable dog who listens and concentrates. She’s got nerves of steel and will run to a loud noise to check it out rather than run away. I feel I should be sending you the, as yet nonexistent, perfect dog. Maybe you’ll be the one to breed the closest to perfect from your Diamond. I’m sure you’ll make the most out of her qualities.” (Excerpt from a handwritten letter from 1996, to me from breeder Suzy Ryan of Bearstar kennels, Australia.)

I already had two Ridgebacks in my home. The first one had joined the family in 1993 and was the boisterous young male Isak. Ch Djungelkattens Imbue Ridged Isak was bred by one of Sweden’s most prominent breeders at the time and was the product of nice mix of British and Australian bloodlines. His breeder had generously shared her knowledge of breeding and bloodlines and I was becoming increasingly interested. I also had the young girl Ch Ökensandens Savanah af Djungelkatten, who was the daughter of Australian import Bowbridge Ndoto Mukundi (sired by BISS Ch Marsabit M’Fumo). Demi, Isak and Savanah were the base on which Rex Ventors kennel was built and luckily their bloodlines mixed very well. As it turned out, Demi seemed to be just different enough to catch the judges’ attention in the show rings. Her first major win was when she, from intermediate class, took out Best in Specialty Show at the Norwegian National Specialty in 1997. This was a highly unexpected win as it was a big entry and Norway had some really nice dogs. After that, Demi carried on her winning ways but more importantly turned out to be an exceptional brood bitch with no less than 18 champion offspring, including World Winner and World Veteran Winner. Demi’s exceptional dam BIS Aust Grand Champion Bearstar Chilean Willow and her handsome and top producing sire BISS RuBISS Aust Gr Ch Bearstar Ko (still Australia’s most successful sire) most certainly contributed with some amazing genes.

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The year was 1996 and I had just welcomed my first import, Bearstar Diamond Willow ”Demi”, from Australia. She was the most amazing puppy. So confident and laid back and so very different from most of the dogs seen in the Scandinavian show rings at the time. I honestly didn’t know if she would do well or just stick out too much but I adored her character from the moment I met her. I always said about Demi that her motto was ”wherever I lay my hat, is my home”. She was independent, yet sociable and affectionate. She didn’t need anyone and yet everyone who met her fell in love.

Internation Nordic Champion Swedish Winner -97 Norwegian Winner -98 Finnish Winner -98 -99 -00 Bearstar Diamond Willow (MBISS RuBISS Aust Gr Ch Bearstar Ko C.D x MBIS RuBIS RuBISS Aust Gr Ch Bearstar Chilean Willow)

Demi’s first big win going Best in Show at the Norwegian Specialty 1997.

The first Rex Ventors litter saw the light of day in 1998. Demi was the dam and the litter was sired by our handsome Isak, who had already proven to be an exceptional stud dog (eventually siring 20 champions in Europe, Australia and Canada). The litter included World Winner-02 European Veteran Winner -06 World Veteran Winner -08 RuBISS International Champion Rex Ventors Akeron - who also managed a DogCC-win at Crufts. The litter produced five conformation champions so Rex Ventors was certainly off to a good start. In later litters, Demi produced some outstanding get including top winning liver nose BISS International Ch Rex Ventors Farenya, dual Crufts-BOB S GB Ch Rex Ventors Farrah at Nyassa, BISS Nordic Ch Rex Ventors Dakowo to Evergrace and the stunning sisters BISS International Champion Rex Ventors Iving and BISS International Champion Rex Ventors Isola. I was also able to import semen from Demi’s sire Australian Grand Ch Bearstar Ko and from him and my girl Savanah, I got the beautiful BISS International Champion Rex Ventors Cetinja - who amazingly was among Sweden’s top winning Ridgebacks for eight years running. In all Rex Ventors so far has produced 46 Champions.

Top winning Ridgeback in Sweden 2002 BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Farenya (Ch Tatoo’s Rhuben van Rooyen x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow)

2 x Crufts Best of breed-winner S GB Ch Rex Ventors Farrah at Nyassa pictured as a young girl taking out top honors at her first Crufts, handled by an extremely proud breeder (Ch Tatoo’s Rhuben van Rooyen x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow)

One of my personal favorites BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Iving, also the dam of my T-litter (Ch Masithela’s Famous Akinzo by Woody x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow)

Int Ch Rex Ventors Isola (Ch Masithela’s Famous Akinzo by Woody x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow)

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Aust Grand Champion Bearstar Chilean Willow

Ch Rex Ventors Pegasus (Ch Rex Ventors Hero to Evergrace x Ch Rex Ventors Kayenne)

Ch Rex Ventors Artreyus (Ch Djungelkattens Imbue Ridged Isak x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow)

Ch Rex Ventors Rizla (Ch Rex Ventors Limited Edition x Ch African Hunter’s Amazing Baskervill)

Ch Rex Ventors Pilgrim (Ch Rex Ventors Hero to Evergrace x Ch Rex Ventors Kayenne)

Akeron winning the prestigious Veteran of Veterans competition 2008

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RuBISS WW-02 EuW-06 WVW-08 Int Ch Rex Ventors Akeron (Ch Djungelkattens Imbue Ridged Isak x BISS Int Ch Bearstar Diamond Willow) and BISS Veteran World Winner -08 Int Ch Rex Ventors Cetinja (Aust Gr Ch Bearstar Ko x Ökensandens Savanah af Djungelkatten)

Best in Show-winning breeder’s group consisting of Rex Ventors Noelle, BISS Multi Ch Rex Ventors Helinn, Ch Rex Ventors Kayenne and BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Isola.

BISS Int Nord Ch Swedish Winner -05 European Winner -05, -06 Norwegian Winner -06 Rex Ventors Helinn, photographed winning the group at the European Winner show 2006.

Apart from the individual achievements of Rex Ventors dogs in the show rings, I was very fortunate to have puppy families who were willing to compete with their dogs in progeny and breeder’s classes. The competition for top breeder all breeds in Sweden is based on competing with groups of 4 in the breed ring, with the BOB-winning group meeting all other breeds in the finals. To say that the competition is fierce is an understatement. I was incredibly proud of the success we had in this competition and for many years we were placed on the top breeder lists. In 2007, Rex Ventors was presented with an award by the Stockholm kennel club for top kennel in the region.

Demi winning BISS progeny group with World Winner RuBISS Multi Ch Rex Ventors Akeron, BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Iving, BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Isola and BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Farenya.

BOB-winning breeder’s group with Ch Rex Ventors Okalani, BISS Multi Ch Rex Ventors Helinn, Ch Rex Ventors Pilgrim and Ch Rex Ventors Orlando.

2010 saw the birth of the last Rex Ventors litter before a long break. At that time, I was a divorced mum with two little girls aged 5 and 7. I was working full time and building a career in finance and trying to manage dogs and children. It seemed like a natural thing to do, to leave the dog scene. As my doggy girls got older and passed away, I started a new life without dogs in the family. Luckily, my dear friend Maria Kierkegaard Lundström, was just starting her breeding career as I put mine on hold. This meant that I still got to have lovely dogs around me and also had the privilege to be involved in breeding as a mentor. Maria has used some lovely dogs in breeding including two boys I bred, GB Ch Rex Ventors Beks at Nyassa and Ch Rex Ventors Taz. I’m very grateful that the Rex Ventors legacy has been carried on by Maria and other breeders, which means that today there are still related dogs available for breeding.

TODAY Apart from being lovely companions and successful show dogs, the Rex Ventors dogs have also proven to be outstanding producers. I’ve been so honoured to follow all the successful dogs who are children or grandchildren of dogs I’ve bred.

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Even though Demi might not have produced that perfect Ridgeback, I’m pretty sure that some will argue that her granddaughter came quite close. The gorgeous Multi BISS International Champion Rex Ventors Helinn managed European Winner 2005 and 2006 and was Sweden’s top winning Ridgeback for three years.

Often when I find a dog I like, when examining the pedigree, I find there is Rex Ventors somewhere in it. Considering that I haven’t bred a litter for ten years, it’s quite amazing to just sit back and relax while receiving show reports from near and far that make me both proud and happy. I’ve attempted to assemble some of the winners and producers of today that my breeding has contributed to.

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My M-litter (Ch Rex Ventors Jabailey x BISS Multi Ch European Winner 2005 & 2006 Rex Ventors Helinn) saw several exports. One of the boys, Multi Ch Rex Ventors Moscow Majesty was exported to Russia and another boy moved to Canada but later relocated with his owner to Australia. This boy, Rex Ventors Ridishia Maverick, sired the handsome Ch Mazumazahn First Mission ”Cruise” and his sister, one of my all time favorite bitches MBISS RuBISS Aust Ch Macumazahn First Edition ”Splash”. This stunning girl has from limited showing been awarded BISS and RuBISS. From Splash’s second litter a handsome boy was exported to the Czech Republic, C.I.B Ch Macumazahn Qwandoyas Top Gun “Maverick”. He is a champion in many countries and was BISS at the RRCO Specialty 2016. He was top RR in the Czech Republic in 2015 and 2016. Maverick to date has sired 15 champions himself, of which I’ve had the privilege to enjoy live his three gorgeous offspring at kennel Red Hot Line in Ukraine.

Ch Rex Ventors Jabailey (UK import Ch Ozubi’s Royal Gala x UK import Nyassa Legacy)

MBISS RuBISS Aust Ch Macumazahn First Edition (Rex Ventors Ridishia Maverick x Ch Macumazahn Dream Weaver R.O.M.)

BISS Int Nord Ch Swedish Winner -05 European Winner -05, -06 Norwegian Winner -06 Rex Ventors Helinn (Ch Chipangali’s Kadani x Nord Ch Rex Ventors Daquila)

BISS RuBISS Multi Ch Mazumazahn Qwandoyas Top Gun

From my O-litter (Kinyemi Fora C’Huluku x Ch Rex Ventors Iyeliz) several dogs have proven to be great producers. Ch Rex Ventors Orlando produced some lovely babies in Sweden of whom several gained their champion titles. Ch Rex Ventors Okalani had a litter to Ch Myöllnir Kyala and from this litter two dogs have been awarded top honours. Remaining in Sweden, C.I.B Ch Ohgami Loves Brielle has done a fair share of winning as well as producing lovely puppies at Ridgebow kennels. Living in Russia, the handsome Chase - BIS C.I.B Ch Ohgami Loves Breaking News has done a great deal of winning with an impressive number of champion titles to his name as well as an all-breed Best in show. Chase is also siring some very successful progeny in Europe. Okalani’s sister BISS Rex Ventors Oona was exported to the Czech Republic and had one litter there, by American import Multi Ch Kennebec’s Final Answer. From this litter the handsome BISS Multi Ch

Aust Grand Ch Rex Ventors Rare Edition ET ”Ruger” is sired by Ch African Hunter’s Amazing Baskervill (grandson of Ch Rex Ventors Akeron) and out of Ch Rex Ventors Limited Edition. He was exported to Australia where he is co-owned by Kenjala, Riginal and Taiping kennels. Ruger has done his fair share of winning in Australia including BISS. From fairly limited stud, Ruger has produced nine Champions of which two are Grand Champions. Three of them are also BISS-winners; BISS Aust Ch Almazart Captive Fyre “Flare”, BISS Aust Grand Champion Riginal Turn The Page “Seger” and BISS Aust Ch Kushika Snö Way To Behave “Nia”. When Nia won BISS at the Australian National, her half-sister Aust Grand Champion Taiping Take A Chance ”Asia” took out Reserve Bitch CC.

BISS Rex Ventors Oona (Kinyemi Fora C’Huluku x Nord Ch Rex Ventors Iyeliz)

Aust export Aust Grand Champion Rex Ventors Rare Edition ET (Ch Rex Ventors Limited Edition x Ch African Hunter’s Amazing Baskervill) BISS Multi Champion B’Lower Leo of Tailor Made (BISS Rex Ventors Oona x Multi Ch Kennebec’s Final Answer)

BIS C.I.B Ch Ohgami Loves Breaking News

BISS Aust Ch Kushika Snö Way To Behave (Aust Gr Ch Rex Ventors Rare Edition ET x Ch Kushika Tirari Sapphire ET)

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B’Lower Leo of Tailor Made “Byron” has had loads of success in the show rings. He was Top Czech RR in 2018 and has won several Best in Specialty Show. As icing on the cake, Byron took out Best of Breed at prestigious Crufts 2019.

BISS Aust Grand Ch Riginal Turn The Page (Aust Gr Ch Rex Ventors Rare Edition x Ch Riginal SV Harley N Rose ET)

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BISS Aust Ch Almazart Captive Fyre (Aust Gr Ch Rex Ventors Rare Edition ET x Ch Almazart Bright Shadow)

My lovely T-litter (Ch Tolasana’s Sitanka x BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Iving) produced several exports including Int Ch Rex Ventors Talulah K (Top Danish RR 2013/14), Rex Ventors Tamika and Int Ch Rex Ventors Trinity. In the Czech Republic Trinity’s offspring have had great success including her two daughters Int Ch Gateway to Success Slunce Zambezi “Suki” and BISS RuBISS and Junior World Winner 2013 Int Multi Ch Emma True Angle Slunce Zambezi “Ambi”. In Norway, lovely Tamika produced RuBISS-winner Ch Ridgedog’s Glorious Akinzo.

Int Multi Ch Rex Ventors Trinity with four of her offspring (Ch Tolasana’s Sitanka x BISS Int Ch Rex Ventors Iving)

Int Ch Gateway to Success Slunce Zambezi

BISS RuBISS Jun WW-13 Int Multi Ch Emma True Angel Slunce Zambezi)

Ch Ridgedog’s Glorious Akinzo

One boy that I’ve had the privilege of seeing in the ring is C.I.B Champion Dream Come True Qwandoya ”Derek”. Apart from being a champion in many countries, he also has the titles Finnish Winner 2016 and Latvian Winner 2017. Derek is consistently placed in the breed and in groups. Derek is sired by handsome Ch Hamnudden’s Heskey “Cyrille”, who in turn, is out of Multi Ch Rex Ventors Isola and by my first Ridgeback Ch Djungelkattens Imbue Ridged Isak. So he is very closely related to the first Rex Ventors litter which was sired by Isak out of Isola’s dam Demi.

Ch Hamnudden’s Heskey Photo: Jenny Jurnelius (Ch Djungelkattens Imbue Ridged Isak x Multi Ch Rex Ventors Isola)

Nord Ch Norwegian Winner -03 Rex Ventors Iyeliz

Ch Evergrace’s Reliable Radya

Photo by Monika Pehr

Another ”grand-kid” that I’ve been excited to watch, is Swedish bred MBISS C.I.B Evergrace’s League of Legends Jax ”Buks”. Evergraces kennel has owned several Rex Ventors dogs and have remained loyal to the bloodline for many years. The dam of handsome Buks is liver nosed Ch Evergraces Reliable Radya, who in turn is out of Nord Ch Rex Ventors Iyeliz and by Ch Rex Ventors Hero to Evergrace. Buks has proven to carry on the legacy of producing quality and had six champions from his first litter. MBISS C.I.B Evergrace’s League of Legends Jax

TOMORROW

Ch Swedish Winner -06 Rex Ventors Hero to Evergrace

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C.I.B Champion Dream Come True Qwandoya

Over the last few years things have calmed down on a personal lavel. I’ve changed jobs and the girls have gotten so big and responsible. And they adore dogs! It would still be hard to fit a dog into our every day lives which is why we are so incredibly grateful to be able to co-own several lovely dogs. This way we get to be weekend-family to some awesome dogs as well as be out and about in the show rings. Over the last two years four new dogs have joined the Rex Ventors family, of which three are imports.

The only girl in the bunch is Helia - SEJW-19 NordW-19 RidgeRules RV Next Move. This girl has a pedigree that consists of loads of lovely dogs whom I’ve known the majority of personally. Helia has certainly made my return to the showrings a comeback with a bang. Not yet two years old, she managed an astonishing top female in Sweden for 2019 in incredibly stiff competition. We couldn’t be prouder! We are planning to have a litter from this kissable little show girl in 2021.

As the opportunity has opened up to breed once again, Maria Kierkegaard Lundström and I have made a couple of strategic imports of potential stud dogs. We find that all too often the really nice dogs are used quite extensively and neither of us feel comfortable using a striking dog who in a few years may be in just about every pedigree. In owning a few of the dogs we would like to use, we can decide how much they are used and what bitches they would go over, which will be beneficial to our breeding. Our older import is Rubicon Red Golden Buddha (Ch Kitoko Auksinis Feniskas x Rubicon Red Brilliant Red Ruby), born in February 2018. He is the sweetest, most laid back boy and his conformation is turning out to be above and beyond any hope and exceptions we might have had. Both of Buddha’s parents are lovely Ridgebacks of excellent type. On top of everything he is clear on hips and elbows and clear by parentage in all the fancy DNA-testing that’s done these days (which has taken some getting used to, I must admit). Buddha had a streak of bad luck in 2019, managing to fracture his toe not once, but twice. In spite of missing parts of the show season, he finished very nicely no 5 top male in Sweden 2019.

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NordW-19 SwJW-19 RidgeRules RV Next Move, bred by Maria Kierkegaard Lundström.

Helia’s sire Multi Ch RidgeRules Ifa My Treasure, bred by Maria Kierkegaard Lundström and owned by Emelie Pisano.

Helia’s dam Multi Ch RidgeRules Tell Hera You Love Her, bred and owned by Maria Kierkegaard Lundström

Rubicon Red Golden Buddha, breeder Michaela & Björn Jakobi. Co-owned with Maria Kierkegaard Lundström.

Buddha’s sire Ch Kitoko Auksinis Feniskas, owned and bred by Sarune Kairyte

Before we imported Buddha, we had met a beautiful liver nosed girl at a show in England and both Maria and I fell head over heels. The bitch was Brazilian import Xalon of Malabo APD ”Rio”. We immediately asked if we could get on a waiting list for one of her puppies and were happy to learn that she would be mated to Ch Diamondridge Da Vinci ”Baccus” who both has Ch Rex Ventors Farrah at Nyassa and the sire of my T litter in his pedigree. It took a while before this dream came true but a year or so later, the most beautiful liver nosed little Boris moved to Sweden. We are thrilled to bits with his completely level headed character and charming personality but also the way he looks and moves. He has some maturing to do still but we’re very hopeful for the future. He is very similar to his grandfather Westminster BOB-winner Gr Ch Am Ch Robert Redford of Malabo APD. If all goes well, he will certainly make a very welcome addition to our future breeding.

Diamondridge Rio de Janeiro, breeder Lindsey & Kalvin Barnes. Co-owned with Maria Kierkegaard Lundström

Boris’ dam Brazilian import Xalon of Malabo APD, bred by Ana Paola Diniz, owned by Lindsey & Kalvin Barnes

Boris’ sire Ch Diamondridge Da Vinci JW, owned and bred by Lindsey & Kalvin Barnes

Apart from these boys, I also made an impulse buy along with an old friend and previously one of my puppy owners, as I saw the puppy stacks of the lovely Pato. Hunting Prides RV Pendjari Pato is sired by Ch Evergrace’s Reliable Rudo who in turn is the son of Ch Rex Ventors Hero to Evergrace and Ch Rex Ventors Iyeliz. So how could I resist?!

Hunting Pride RV Pendjari Pato, bred by Kamilla Lysaker. Co-owned with Ulrika Holm.

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Buddha’s dam Rubicon Red Brilliant Red Ruby, owned and bred by Michaela & Björn Jakobi

Pato’s sire Ch Evergraces Reliable Rudo, bred by Ewa Haglund & Jenny Giannoglou, owned by Åsa Norberg. Photo: Chris von Baillou

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As I thought I was slowly preparing for a return to breeding Ridgebacks in 2021, I was given an opportunity I just couldn’t refuse. I was offered to have a litter from the beautiful RidgeRules Quickstep ”Aska” who is a daughter of Ch Rex Ventors Taz. My girls said YES! My mum said YES! So we’re making it an all girls family effort to raise the first Rex Ventors litter in ten years. Aska was mated to a handsome dog with plenty of my old stuff in the pedigree so that I may have a solid base of my preferred type to breed on from. As I write, I have just welcomed into the world six beautiful babies, line bred to my fabulous Demi, to whom I owe so much.

Ch Rex Ventors Taz

As I look to the future, I remember the past and in the years to come I will aim at maintaining the shape and character that has always defined a Rex Ventors Rhodesian Ridgeback.

INFO Name Veronica

Country Sweden Affix

Rex Ventors

www

Thorén

RidgeRules Quickstep

www.rexventors.com

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Nida and Bora Photo by Diana Petniunaite

EVALUATION IN FINLAND

What is MH Characteristics? W RI T T E N BY U R S U L A L I M N E L L PHOTO BY SATU LAAKSO SOURCE OF INFORMATION: FINNISH KENNEL CLUB PAGE

he purpose of MH characterization is to collect data on the dog’s behavior in the situations as specified by the guide. By combining the results of the characterisation, breed by breed, you get information about the breed’s typical character. An individual dog’s MH thus describes the characteristics of the dog, both as an individual and as compared to the breed typical and ideal character. In MH characterization, the dog goes through ten different evaluation sections that describe the 31 different behavioral reactions of the dog. During character photography, two photographers look at the dog’s character traits such as playfulness, fear, prey and sociality. Each irritation is started in the same way for all dogs. When a dog shows little or no interest, the section will not be made different or more interesting to activate the dog. The dog’s handling and irritation situations are the same in every intensity and arrangement. The sections are decided so that the dog does not experience any new irritation. Time is of the utmost importance for the dog’s recovery and therefore, different procedures are performed at certain intervals. The dog will be given sufficient time to recover. Some dogs cope with the various situations from afar. If the dog hesitates, the introduction will continue. With timid dogs, time limits may have to be exceeded. Interpretation of MH character description sections

1. CONTACTS (1A, 1B, 1C) The contact greeting section (1a) describes the dog’s ability to make contact with and respond to contact with strangers. Collaboration (1b) evaluates whether and how the dog goes according to the test handler. The treatment (1c) describes whether the dog is allowed to act independently and how it behaves in the particular situation.

2. PLAY 1 (2A, 2B, 2C) The play describes the dog’s inclination to play with the object and to interact with the test handler. The play inclination (2a) evaluates whether the dog is playing, and whether it is keen and active. Gripping (2b) evaluates if and how the dog will grip the object. Play and grab sections are performed twice, and each will be described more fully on the form. The bite and the will

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TEMPERAMENT

to interact (2c, a combat play with a test handler) assesses if the dog grabs the item, and if so how.

3. CHASING (3A, 3B, 3A, 3B) The chase aims to determine the dog’s willingness to chase, and to catch and grab (3b) the target that it is chasing after (3a). The chase situation is executed twice, both of which are described on the form.

4. ACTIVITY The dog’s reactions are described for three minutes in a situation where the handler is completely inactive. The activity provides an opportunity to get some insights into the dog’s neutral and independent attitude.

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5. REMOTE PLAY (5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E) Remote play describes a dog’s ability to cooperate with a stranger, at a distance from its handler. This section describes whether the dog is interested in a stranger, at first a somewhat distant, but later on inviting person. The level of interest describes whether and how the dog is interested in remote play (5a). The Threat / Aggression section (5b) evaluates whether the dog shows aggression towards a stranger. Curiosity (5c) describes whether and how the dog responds to the assessor. A toy will be used for part 5d. Here, we test how the dog responds to the toy, whether he will take it, or if he will retreat. In (5e) all the dog’s reactions with the testing assistant will be evaluated.

6. SURPRISE (6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E) Surprise (the overalls) describes the dog’s readiness to act in an unexpected situation. The Fear section (6a) describes whether the dog stops, evades, or runs away. The threat / aggression section (6b) evaluates whether the dog is showing aggres-

sion or attacks. Curiosity (6c) describes the point at which the dog goes to the overalls. Residual fear (6d) evaluates whether the dog’s movements are variable or evasive, and likewise residual interest (6e) indicates whether the dog shows interest in the overalls.

7. SOUND SENSITIVITY (7A, 7B, 7D, 7C) Sound sensitivity describes a dog’s reactions to an unexpected sound. The Fear section (7a) describes how a dog acts when it hears a sound - whether it stops, evades, or runs away. The curiosity section (7b) describes whether the dog goes to the device and when. Residual Fear (7c) evaluates whether the dog’s velocity of movement is varied or evaded, and Residual Interest (7d), respectively, assesses the dog’s interest in the sound and what type of device was used.

8. GHOSTS (8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E) In the ghosts, the dog’s reactions are described as threatening moving objects, unknown to the dog, slowly approach the dog from the front. In the ghost section, two white ”ghosts”, 25 meters apart and 20 meters from the dog, move in turn towards the dog. When the ghosts are about 4 meters from the dog (if the dog is in front of the handler or on the side), or from the handler (the dog behind the handler), they stop and turn around, lowering their hands so that the dog can see the hands. At this point, the handler releases his grip on the dog’s leash. If necessary, the dog will be provided with support, so that the handler moves closer to the ghost as instructed and eventually the white hood is removed from the ghost’s head so that the dog can see the person under the hood. The Threat / Aggression (8a) section evaluates whether the dog is showing aggression. Attention (8b) describes how the dog observes ghosts. The Fear section (8c) evaluates whether the dog is afraid and where it stands. Curiosity (8d) describes how and

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when the dog approaches either of the ”ghosts”. Contact taking (8e) describes how the dog makes contact with the ghost.

SOURCE FINNISH KENNEL CLUB

9. PLAY 2 (9A, 9B)

I have evaluated six dogs with the MH “test”. First four dogs the evaluations were not official in Finland, nowadays results are official and public. The evaluation was a little different then, but most parts of the evaluation are still same. Earlier MH evaluation judge was Barbo Börjesson from Sweden, who has long experience evaluating Rhodesian Ridgebacks. The Finnish Ridgeback Club organizes an MH evaluation event once a year. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are given a preferential lower price. The Finnish Ridgeback Club recommends that the MH evaluation or character test be performed on all breeding dogs. If the dog responds strongly/is affraid of shots, it should not be used for breeding. The evaluation is a good tool for breeding.

The dog’s ability to play with the object is described, and a comparison is made of whether the reactions have changed since the first play section. Changing reactions may indicate that the dog has not recovered properly from the various sections, or the dog may have had a lot of fun once all the excitement has subsided. The second play is similar to the first, except that it is done only once and no longer involves a dog and test handler play-fighting.

10. SHOOTING It is the handler’s decision whether or not the firing of a shot from a small hand-gun is appropriate for his/her dog. This section describes the dog’s reaction to the shot, and how he behaves when he hears the shot. The dog’s reactions are described as both active (dog playing or running) and passive. In this section you can use your dog’s own toy. Estimating your dog’s behavior during shots describes the dog’s reactions, not the amount of dog’s fear - only point 5 reflects the dog’s fear.

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FEEDBACK TO THE HANDLER At the end of the description, the dog handler will be given oral feedback, in addition to the written completed form, explaining how the dog responds to the different sections. To summarize the results of the shot section, observations of the dog’s sociability, curiosity, fears, aggression, remaining reactions, play (beginning / end), how the dog grabbed the object and how the dog responded to the shot.

I have been able to evaluate my own dogs under these test situations. One was very independent, and the same independence was evident in normal life. Evaluation day is interesting, and at the same time you get to know your dog more deeply. The dog may exhibit traits that you were not aware of. It is also instructive to follow the behaviour of other dogs. You can find detailed statistics on the behavior and results of Finnish dogs in this on the Finnish Ridgeback Club website. It is interesting to look at the results of your own dogs as compared to other Ridgebacks. My dogs have had the biggest differences in sharpness, lure coursing and softness of character. The MH evaluation is not the whole truth about the dog’s temperament or character, but provides strong indications. It brings out the good and strong qualities of the dog. It also highlights the dog’s weaknesses. Even for the ordinary dog owner, it provides tools to enhance your dog’s good qualities.

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W R I T T E N B Y K AT E Ř I N A Š T Ý B R O VÁ PHOTO BY KATEŘINA PREUSSLEROVÁ

CANISTHERAPY OUR JOURNEY

INTRODUCTION In my life, a dog has always been a part of the family, but I must admit that Easy (Easily Excellent Qwandoya) is my first Ridgeback. Before I took him I knew that we will spend active time together. I was wondering which activities would suit us, and at the same time I had played with the idea of canistherapy from the beginning, but the first choice was for rescue training. Easy and I, we enjoyed these workouts at our training sessions very much. We have been searching for people in the countryside and in the rubble. Unfortunately, training started to be too time-consuming for us, with regard to my job and my family, so I started to look for other activities. Since we were working on obedience from the beginning, we began to focus more on that aspect. Until now, we have achieved in sport cynology 3 trials. Nowadays we train for nosework, from which we have 4 completed exams. We train canicross, dogtreking, as well hoopers and agility. Easy is doing everything with great passion and complete concentration. But the most important thing for me is that he is a family member. Why am I talking about all this in connection with canistherapy? I realized that now is the right time for us to start with it and become a canistherapy team. Finally I can tell we have begun to be a super team, thanks to all of the activities we have been doing together. We understand each other, we have good knowledge in our background, socialization, skills and mutual harmony which will

be applied to canistherapy. Our way did not lead to canistherapy lead directly, but with a slight detour. I should add that the Rhodesian Ridgeback is not a typical candidate for canistherapy dog, but in the Czech Republic several dogs of this breed work actively in canistherapy. The basis for all canistherapy is that dogs should be in excellent health, well-balanced, calm and friendly, obedient, have a certain interaction with their handlers and be well socialized. In the Czech Republic there are no unified rules for passing the canistherapy exams or a course as such. There are many companies that set their own rules and requirements for the dog and handler, during the course and the exams themselves. I chose the company Animal Therapy and under the guidance of lecturer Kateřina Preusslerová we attended a course that was divided into 7 individual training hours (one hour per week). There were 7 beginners in the course. The first lesson was purely theoretical, the participants are introduced to zootherapy in general, they learn about the requirements for the owner and animal, and they also learn about the theory, types and methodologies of canistherapy, etc. From the second lesson it was all about practical exercises. As I mentioned before, the basis is an obedience trained dog. Respectively, he must be very manageable, properly socialized and team-

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TRANSLATED BY ALENA JÍLKOVÁ

work with the handler is a requirement. We practiced for example, walking on a leash, recalling a dog in difficult situations, such as when the trainer has a treat or toy or behavior in a group of dogs. The lecturer stroked dogs during exercises, unexpectedly and came to them from different sides, watching their reactions. When stroking the dog the lecturer also unexpectedly cried, screamed, threw a chair, or made other unexpected noises etc.

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During the course there were figurants and dogs, so we had a chance to see how our dogs behave in a noisy group of people. We practiced leaving the dog with a reclining client, the dog’s reaction to crutches being discarded, opening an umbrella, walking next to a wheelchair, a helper with crutches or walking on an unpleasant surface (such as bags full of empty tins). Depending on the requirements, this exercise was performed either indoors or outdoors. Some dogs did these things better than others, but the important aspect was that the trainer always managed to recognize where the dog has deficiencies or strengths and advises the handler on what to do, and how to address any problem. It was interesting to see how handlers cooperated with their dogs and how the dogs improved in their responses to simulated but expected real situations. The sympathetic and objective approach of the lecturer convinced me that a true canistherapy dog may not be and should not be indifferent to anything, it should not be a dog that will like everything. The dog is an assistant to the handler in the canistherapy practice, it is not a toy, but a helper for his handler. The success of the team depends primarily on how the handler can work with the nature of his dog and how teamwork turns it into a meaningful activity. Canistherapy covers a very wide field, where there is a large range of clients with different needs (children, physically and mentally handicapped clients, seniors) and therefore there will be a use for a very lively dog as well as for a very calm dog. We had dogs of different temperaments and personalities. For example, we had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who has an incredibly lively temperament with a desire to cuddle constantly. Great emphasis is placed on the welfare of the dogs, taking care of the dog’s comfort, mental and physical well-being, from the prepared bowl of water to monitoring its level of fatigue and the timely termination of work. I think that during the course we have trained and practiced together with all requirements and situations which will await us at the exams. The exams were attended by course lecturers, referees and helper assistants, including a lady in a wheelchair. It is necessary to say that dogs are able to sense whether the helper is healthy and the situation simulated; whether or not the person is affected (whether physically or mentally).

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FINAL EXAMINATION The tests were carried out in such a way that each of the ten disciplines was completed by all handlers individually (first one discipline - all in sequence, then the second discipline - all in sequence ...) All disciplines were scored from 0 to 10 points. Disciplines namely: 1. Re-call the dog and re-call under difficult conditions - this is a normal re-call when you give the dog „off the leash“ and then re-call him; in a difficult re-call, when you give the dog „off the leash“, dog will be re-called by the helper and he offers treats or a toy and you subsequently re-call the dog. 2. Manageability on a leash - the dog does not have to go strictly next to the handler like a command „heel“ is (we are not in sport cynology), but the dog cannot cross in front of handler or in any other way interfere with handler, dog must follow handler calmly. The speed of walking, change of direction is alternated, passing through the door and walking across different surfaces are also monitored.

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3. Inspection of the dog - a stranger touches the dog, caresses, looks at the teeth, in the ears, etc. 4. Behavior of the dog in a group of people the handler walks with the dog around a noisy group of people and then enters the center of the group, where the dog stops. People from the group stroke the dog, helper opens an umbrella, helper makes noises or drops a backpack to the ground, etc. The dog should behave calmly and evenly. Penalties would be given if the dog makes an effort to escape from the group, if too much restraint is necessary and failure for this exercise is, of course, any sign of aggression. 5. Serving the treat - the helper tries to give the treat to the dog in several different ways: from the open and closed palms and between the fingers. 6. Behavior of the dog among playing children - children try to behave naturally, play, laugh, group around the dog and stroke him. 7. Behavior of the dog towards a reclining person - the handler puts (by hand or command) the dog to the lying person, while the helper moves his hand or foot over the dog, speaks to the dog and strokes him. 8. Contact of the dog with a disabled person - a wheelchair, a person with crutches or a walker. These are people who move according to their capabilities around the dog, the dog accompanies one of these persons with the handler. The aim is, of

course, friendly and calm dog behavior towards the disabled person.

10. The calmness of the dog in the event of impact sounds and disturbances - the helper creates a noisy group, banging drums or buckets, throwing chairs, moving with a cart, making noises with keys, kicking empty tins, etc. In this case the dog must not behave fearfully or aggressively. 11. The last point of the examination is the theoretical demonstration of the knowledge of the handler from a predetermined text on zootherapy. We have obtained 97 out of 100 points from all these disciplines. After the exams we received a certificate of completion of the course and a certificate that we passed the Canistherapy exam. All these disciplines were simulated in the course and from my own experience I can say that these are things that can be trained and developed and improved by subsequent practice.

A LESSON IN PRAXIS: The first lesson took a place under the supervision of a teacher/lecturer from the canistherapy course and we attended the lesson with another three beginners. The visit took place in a home for people with intellectual disabilities. According to the lecturer and according to my own feeling of this lesson, I can objectively say that Easy managed the first hour really well. Our visit started with an active part in the gym. With the participation of 14 clients, 2 staff members, 4 beginner canistherapy teams and lecturers, we were welcomed and introduced. Several activities were prepared, which we performed together with dogs. For example, a slalom between the cones, when the client got a leash that was clipped to the dog collar (harness) and together we walked around the cones. Clients were also given the task to stroke dogs first right hand, then left, then both. They also got puzzles on their tables, which they composed

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9. Leaving the dog with strangers - the handler leaves the dog with a group of people and leaves for a specified distance of about 5 meters, people can talk to the dog, stroke him and give him treats.

Of course, during the course and tests, all helpers must be gentle with the dogs. These disciplines may vary, according to companies that set their own rules, but the essence of both course and examinations is always similar.

and we supervised the dogs. In a prepared box with straw, clients had the task to hide the biscuits, which the dog searched and then ate. Then we moved among the less mobile clients to the rooms and common rooms. Here you could, according to your wish pet the dog, or let the dog to climb next to the client onto the couch or directly into bed. This first experience was for me, in a word, amazing. For me it’s a meaningful fulfillment of my work with Easy. Although this activity is in a way exhausting, especially mentally, on the other hand, it is tremendous that you bring to the people a bit of joy, fun, activity. The feedback was indescribable. What awaits us further? On the basis of our first Canistherapy lesson for people with intellectual disabilities, I have decided to take care of these clients in our Canistherapy practice. By chance, I first discovered a specialized place where they were very interested in us, we have signed a contract and from January 2020 we have started to work there. What to say at the end? Canistherapy should be satisfying for all sides. The client and the handler and especially his dog. Only a happy dog can bring joy. As I said, we are at the beginning of our canistherapy trip. Now we are both learning something new and gaining new experience.

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Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

Photo by Aneta Jungerová

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WORKING WITH A HEART RIDGEBACK - A THERAPIST

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WHEN A LITTLE HELP CAN MEAN SO MUCH TO SOMEONE

Written by Anna Vlčková (Anima Animal kennel)

Ph oto by Klára Olivová

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ike every year, I wanted to participate in the project Santa’s Grandchildren (fulfillment of wishes from seniors’ homes all over the Czech Republic) last Christmas. So far I have only contributed financially, but this year I wanted to participate differently - I wanted to buy a gift and personally go and hand it over. I wanted to see the joy and happiness in their eyes, to be able to give a smile, a gentle word and a piece of positive energy in addition to a gift, and to have an even better feeling of gifting something.

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In retirement homes, you not only meet the smiling and happy elderly but often you get to meet the ones that do not have their own families and friends. Nobody comes to visit them, except for caregivers, nobody comes for a little chat or to bring them something sweet to have with their coffee, or even a little surprise for pleasure. I think it is very sad especially during Christmas; we should not be forgetting about these people. You could find all sorts of wishes on the website of Santa’s Grandchildren, everything from a small thing like chocolate, a book, to an electric chair or a new TV set. Reading through the wishes I had tears in my eyes, especially looking at some of the most humble wishes. It is almost unbelievable how modest these people are and how even very small things can make them happy. I searched the website for wishes under category „experience” where you could find wishes such as balloon flights, concerts, meeting a famous person and visits to various events. There was one wish that touched me and that was the wish from Mr. Pavel. His wish was to see and cuddle a big dog once more. I remembered the time when my oldest bitch and I regularly went to the hospital to meet old people and make their stay after surgery easier or to give them positive energy to fight their illnesses. I quickly booked this wish and waited for them to contact me and see how we can organize the meeting. Soon afterwards, we went to this home for the elderly (Senecura Senior Center) in Prague with my Ridgeback girls Kačka (almost 13 years) and Keira (8.5 years). I was also enthusiastically joined by my friend Tereza and her RR boy Garri (11 years). We went to meet Mr. Pavel as a priority, to whom we wanted to grant his wish. Mr. Pavel is practically immobile and cannot talk very much, but even so, in his eyes and expression, we could see that we made him happy. The dogs were enjoying it, getting treats and being stroked. They seemed to clearly understand how important this visit was, and it felt as if they had rehearsed it many times. It wasn’t difficult for them at all. Our presence stirred up some fuss in the corridor. Even though it wasn’t planned, we stayed almost all morning and greeted residents in the hallway, common rooms and visited a few other rooms, where some people wanted to see and cuddle the dogs. In the end we left satisfied, knowing that we have fulfilled Mr. Pavel’s wish more than 100 %).

We agreed with the senior center to cooperate and we planned the next visit in the following week. I took the opportunity to take my partner with me and with his help I could bring our whole pack. Kačka and Keira were joined by our other two girls Roxy (6,5 years) and Friday (5 months). The plan for this time was to meet with all the interested residents in the dining room. I was prepared to say something about the dogs and was ready to answer any questions. And there were so

many questions! Everyone enjoyed their morning with us and our girls enjoyed it too. Little Friday was amazing and crawled on people’s lap. This way the less mobile clients had the opportunity to touch Friday’s lovely coat :) We all left home very tired but pleasantly charged with positive energy, knowing we had made their day a little better. Our four red-haired girls have lots of fun working with the elderly. They are real sweethearts,

running outdoors. It is obvious that they are fully involved and try to give these people more than just their presence. They crawl into their beds upon their return home and one must persuade them to even get up for dinner. It is interesting to see a Ridgeback as a canis-therapeutic dog because of its size and majestic looks. It may seem almost impossible that this breed can be so well behaved :) I understand that its

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who will do whatever they see in our eyes just so that we are happy. During the visits they run happily among people, wagging their tails, getting stroked, getting scratched and cuddled and when they feel like it (ridgeback owners understand this :)), they will show some tricks too - sit, give paw, bark. Friday also brings toys with her and she amuses the people by playing with them and of course the dogs get rewards for their work. I like how they sense exactly who would like to cuddle them, to whom to snuggle and when to use their puppy eyes to get a reward. They do not greet anyone too wildly, they can spread their attention among everyone and help to make everyone’s day a little bit more pleasant. I’d say it is far more exhausting for them than walking and

size makes people step back sometimes, but it also brings tons of positive energy that these people need so desperately! You can see by looking at the clients that our visits leave them smiling. Many of the clients say goodbye thanking us and awaiting our next visit. This is the biggest reward for us. I was contacted by my friend Jana just before the last visit prior to Christmas. She wanted to know whether I would like to bring more than just dogs this time and so we organized a charity event. I am so glad that we managed to put together a lot of gifts. All this was done within the limited time that we had. All the donations were amazing, thanks to all the kind hearted people who donated those items. We look forward to further cooperation and we promise that we will continue to visit and help regularly. What Pavlína, an activist worker at the senior center, says about our visits: “The visit of Ridgebacks in Senecura Štěrboholy always brings great joy. Since you can find many dog owners among our clients, the visits evoke positive memories.

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It is obvious that every dog visit is a happy event for clients and the dogs. I am so glad to meet Anna and others with their dogs. On her last visit, Anna brought lots of gifts and Christmas cookies. All has been conducted in cooperation

with people who have their heart in the right place. It’s a very beautiful cooperation that we enjoy.” Pavlína and Mrs. R. always go to Zoopark and buy dog treats before the dog visit (I refused any financial reward and thus I suggested buying some dog treats instead). Mrs. R. does not hesitate to spend her own money. She says dogs are better than humans because they love faithfully even though they do not speak. Mrs. V. and her thoughts about the visits: “The animals are bringing positive energy. It has a beneficial effect on us whenever we have daily contact with nature and animals. I hope for further cooperation and I look forward to future visits.” Mrs. S. says: “I always liked dogs and cats. The dog is a good friend of man and senses who loves him. He can sense human mood and help with feelings.” Thank you very much and we look forward to our next visit in the magical year 2020. Finally, I would like to thank RR Eu magazine for the chance to write this article and bring forth the opportunity to other Ridgeback owners throughout the RR world to help and do great things and good deeds. It is a small help that doesn’t cost much but will mean the world. If you have a dog that is very friendly, loves human contact and will do anything for a treat then you might want to try

Thank you to Tereza Rajdlová for accompanying me to the Senior home and a big thank you goes to photographer Klára Olivová for the beautiful photographs.

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and help this way too. You will see what an amazing feeling it is to help and you will feel so proud of your dog as well. An animal soul can truly heal.

(RESCUE) DOG TRAINING

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AN INTERVIEW WITH A TRAINER

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PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. My name is Kristýna Sedláková and I have been around dogs all my life. I now have my third dog. I have worked as a trainer for the last 6-7 years. I have already trained, during dog training lessons, almost 500 dogs (all breeds). My hobby is Rescue Dog Training and with my last dog I won the FCI world championship twice.

WHAT WAS IT THAT DREW YOU TO DOG TRAINING? My parents trained their rescue dogs, also my grandfather trained his rescue dog. When I was born, our puppies were born at the same time. I grew up in a “dog family”. My father and my grandfather are international judges for Rescue Dog competitions. So I observed how to train a dog to become the best obedience dog.

DO YOU OWN A DOG? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PAST AND PRESENT DOGS.

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Yes, I do. She is an Australian cattle dog. She has been awarded first, second or third place a lot of times. Last summer we travelled to Beijing, China to their big Championship of Rescue Dogs. She can also do a lot of tricks of dog dancing, so she was in some videos like a dog actor. Sometimes I take her to dog lessons, to help me with problematic dogs. Before her I had a somewhat smaller dog (mixed breed) from the shelter. He was a very clever and grateful dog. He went on real rescue

dog missions with German Shepherds, Boxers and Labradors. And before him I had an old Boxer lady with whom I won my first dog trophy for kids when I was 10 years old.

WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY? As Cesar Milan said “Exercise, discipline, affection”. You can’t train the powerful dog just with love. The most important thing is a good relationship with your dog so that your dog trusts you, loves you and lets you lead.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE KEYS TO A DOG TRAINER’S SUCCESS? The trainer must have owned and trained at least 2 dogs. And he has to have passed a lot of exams with both of them, must have had success and won trophies at championships. Because only at the biggest trophy shows/championships can you discover if you have a perfect relationship with your dog, so then perhaps you understand the dogs. Of course, the trainer has to work with a lot of different kinds of breeds.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON REASONS DOG OWNERS COME TO YOU? The most common problem is that the owner did not read about the breed before he bought the dog. After that, other common problems are sep-

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aration anxiety, aggression towards other dogs and pulling on the leash.

WHAT MISTAKE DO YOU SEE OWNERS COMMONLY MAKE? The biggest problem is in people’s minds. They let their dogs do whatever they want, more than their children. They don’t have a good relationship with their dogs, so the dogs do what they want to do and ignore their owners.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MISTAKES EXPERIENCED HANDLERS/ DOG OWNERS MAKE? They give their dog a command and wait for the dog to obey. If it does not obey, they will repeat the command 10 times, instead of doing it with the dog. Of course, next time the dog will not obey a command and only do it when you have repeated it 10 times.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER? Half of the trainers work is to be very good in negotiating with dog owners (to be a good teacher who can explain exactly WHAT to do and WHY to

do it). And the second half of the work is with the dogs. As I said: own more dogs, not necessarily at the same time, participate in competitions, pass dog exams and work with different breeds.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR RELAXATION, WHAT PASTIMES DO YOU ENJOY? I love swimming in nature with my dog, go on long tracks with the dogs in deep nature and sleep there just in a tent. I enjoy spending time, just me and my dog following me everywhere.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? Fascination about rescue. A Rescue dog can find lost people in different environments. The handler should strive for his dog to be versatile, so that he can search in rubble, avalanches, in the forests, in water, and follow tracks. In some countries, including the Czech Republic, some dogs are also trained as Cadaver dogs, where the dog can find dead persons. Rescue dog training often continues throughout the dog’s entire life. I think that training a perfect rescue dog is one of the hardest dog sports. The dog must be able to work independently, but he must also be manageable, he must be able to work in stressful situations, be active, fast, a strong wish to work, confident, not afraid of darkness, heights, tolerant of unpleasant materials, sharp noises, etc. He should like people, trust them, not be aggressive with other dogs and ignore other dogs or other animals. For some other sports, we can predict which breed is best suited. Any dog can become an excellent rescue dog, purebred or crossbreed.

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Only a few people with their dogs reach the top and participate in practical missions. At first you and your dog learn the basics about training rescue dog with the rescue dog organization and pass the basic exams, then the next higher level exams. After passing the highest level exams, you can apply for attestations. You can also participate in various competitions and World Championships. Only after the completion of national or international attestations can the Chief Rescue Organization trainer send you on real mission. The training is also for the handler, who should be able to provide first aid to both man and dog, manage GPS work and orientation in nature, and pass psychology tests. As I mentioned, the training of a dog usually continues for the dog’s entire lifetime. Why? For example, in agility or dog dancing you have a few of the same obstacles or exercises on a similar training ground. Rescue dogs must be able to work with the smell, which differs each time differently. It depends on the weather, pressure, premises, wind. I will explain. The handler sends the dog to search the terrain. The dog sniffs, runs and searches. If he finds a person’s smell, he has to examine it and get the source from where the smell flows. When the dog reaches the place where the smell is strongest, he must mark it (most commonly with barking). If the person is only hidden for a few minutes, the smell is not widespread. The dog must be most careful to find the person. The longer the person is hidden, the better the dog should find him. But if a person is hidden

for several days, weeks or even months, the odor centre may move elsewhere due to weather and wind. Then the handler must, thanks to his experience and knowledge of smell spread, tell where the person is hidden. It happened, for example, in a practical intervention in search of a lost elderly man, that the dog in the forest barked at a tree at a brook. The terrain had to be searched again by a second dog. Even the second dog barked at the tree. The experienced handler walked a few metres upstream to find the dead man halfway in the stream. Since the tree was in a bend of the brook, the smell of the person was accumulating there. And since the person had been missing for days, the smell center had moved to the nearest turn in the stream. There are a lot of interesting stories.

INFO Name Kristýna Country Czech

Sedláková

Republic

Email psikouc@gmail.com www www.psikouc.cz

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WRITTEN BY KRISTÝNA SEDLÁKOVÁ PHOTO BY LUCIE ČEŇKOVÁ

THE RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK COMPETING IN NATIONAL RESCUE TEST You can compete in rescue in several different ways: • searching in rubble; • avalanche or areal search (searching in the forest); • tracking • water rescue

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In these sectors, you can take exams according to national or international order. Every test includes obedience. I would like to describe to you the most difficult National test (emergency unit test). It aims to test the dog, to determine its readiness for practical performance and therefore to qualify it after completion with the handler to work with the emergency unit. For these reasons, a terrain which is very similar to a real life scenario must be used. It can contain not only destroyed buildings but also ravines, gorges and cellars. You can only pass this exam at the National Championship. The starting field consists of 8 competitors from the previous year plus the top 8 competitors from the selection results (Czech Cup ZZP3), achieved from the highest debris/rubble test scores. Therefore, just to qualify to start at the National championship should be considered a success. The Czech Republic Championship always takes place on the first weekend of October. On the Friday a classic veterinary check is performed, attendance, opening ceremony and numbers are drawn to de-

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The handler will determine the search tactics based on wind and pressure. As soon as the handler sends the dog to

Photo by Boris A. Glukharev

When entering the area, the handler will announce to the judge the number which he drew on the previous day. The handler will introduce his dog and he will tell how the dog will indicate the person found (the most common and practical is barking). The handler must wear a uniform, firm ankle boots, gloves, a helmet, a flashlight and a backpack with a drink for the dog and a medicine chest for man and dog. Then the judge will inform him about the terrain and the plan of the area on which the zones are marked, which the handler and the dog should avoid, due to impending danger.

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termine the order of starting. Throughout the Saturday the competition takes place. You start to search the first terrain, then a 30 minute break to rest and then you search the second terrain. Both are 100x200m in size, there are various disturbing stimuli like fire burning and disturbing objects (food, stuffed clothes, smells of animals, especialy game) and during the search echoing crash noises, which aim to test the handler and the dog in psychological resistance. The search time limit is only 30 minutes. The dog must search briskly, but at the same time carefully, thoroughly. In both terrains the dog must find a total of 3 living persons and 3 dead persons (using special cadaver tablets, which mimic the smell of a dead person). However, the competitor does not know in which proportion the persons are in those two terrains, so only after the end of the second terrain search he will know whether he has found all persons or not. But sometimes it is not enough to “just” find all people. The dog handler must achieve at least 70 % points for successful completion. Referees evaluate: eagerness and effort to find a person, the intensity of marking the shelter (regular long barking) and the accuracy of the marking of the shelter.

search, the countdown begins. Usually, the handler may only move on the edge of the terrain to test the independence and manageability of the dog. The dog must be able to run on command in different directions, so that the handler can safely guide the dog to unexplored parts of the terrain from a greater distance. Once the dog begins to mark the person, the handler raises his hand and reports it to the judge. After permission, the judge walks with the handler to the dog, who must constantly mark the person. Often the handler can not even see the person. Then the handler according to the dog’s behavior must determine exactly where the person is and whether he is alive or dead. Only after the approval of the judge can the handler praise the dog (it is permissiable to praise the dog only verbally or pat the dogtreats or toys are prohibited in tests or competitions).

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Then the handler can send the dog again to the field to find another victim and must immediately return to the safe zone the edge of the terrain. At the end of the search, the handler

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The test is usually completed by only 1-3 competitors. I think it is now quite clear why I believe becoming a top rescue dog is much harder than agility or dog dancing.

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must log off and summarize the condition of the searched terrain, including the findings. Between searching the first and second terrain the dog and handler have a 30-minute break. After the second terrain has been searched, they will have another 30 minute pause to rest and then immediately the obedience section commences, which consists of commands and heel work (walking next to the handler‘s leg) and various obstacles simulating the uneven surface which the dog can encounter in the rubble - narrow beam at height, passage of the pipe, crawling, climbing up the ladder, high and long jump, movable board on barrels, folding board in swing style. In this exam of obedience a gun will be fired twice, to test the fearlessness of the dog.

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KA I N RO E V

ATILLA

FA M

IL Y

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OUR RESCUE

V E R O N I K A

H O R I N K O V Á

A N D

H E R

RESCUE

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ATILLA

ur first RR was Wooddy. He was adopted at 4.5 years of age from Slovakia. He was a beautiful dog with pedigree, nice nature, good with people and children. Unfortunately, he had bad luck with his first owners. After straying for a short while, he got to us and has been with us until 22.10.2019, when unfortunately, after long health problems he went to the rainbow bridge. His loss was very sad for us and especially for our other dog Emička. We still have Emička at home and she’s already a 9-year-old lady, but the loss of Wooddy hit her very hard. We knew we wanted another dog/friend/member of the family, so we immediately called Mrs. Hanka Švarcová at the RR SOS organization and waited for our new buddy to come into our lives. Two weeks later Hanka called to let us know that she had a dog for us. It lifted us up and put a sparkle back into our eyes. The dog was with Mrs. Jana Grusova, who helps to save RR from all over Czech Republic.

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D DAY On a Saturday we started to drive to see Atilla in Moravia (a part of Czech Republic). Our journey from Dobříš went well and we arrived at Jana’s place at noon. Atilla was just returning from a

F A M I L Y

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Atilla’s previous owner probably liked him very much, but unfortunately something happened in the family and Atilla was handed from one home to the next, simply whoever would take him. We already knew that Atilla had major health problems at that time and the former owner did not manage to solve them. Hanka had contacted him, wanting to help him, but it seems that the owner probably didn’t want any help ... In the end, Jana managed to get Atilla from the previous owner and that was actually the beginning for us. Atilla is a wonderful, sweet dog who loves the whole family and we love him. Unfortunately there are some problems. Atilla has health problems that cannot be cured. When Jana rescued Atilla, it was basically at the very last minute. He was unable to urinate and had a huge inflammation in the bladder, his prostate was very enlarged and he had terrible health problems associated with all of that. We took him for many examinations, he has been castrated, he is on long-term medication. His condition has improved since Atilla lives with us. Unfortunately we still have not won. Atilla has problems with incontinence and his condition is probably irreversible. At home, he has to wear diapers. We’ll see over time if he ever gets better, we have some appointments ahead and time will show more.

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walk, and the moment we saw him, we knew he will be our new partner in life. Atilla welcomed us very warmly and we spent a bit of the afternoon at Jane´s place. We talked about Atilla. He came home with us on that same day, and he managed the journey very well.

In clonclusion: we have a beautiful dog at home and our whole family would give their lives for him. He is a loyal and wonderful dog, like his friend Emička. Despite the problems with his condition, we would not change anything and for every minute they are here, I am very grateful. I would like to tell everyone please do not be afraid of adopting a dog, they will return your love a million times more.

HANA ŠVARCOVÁ – FOUDER OF RR SOS RIDGEBACK SOS – THE CZECH ORGANIZATION FOR RIDGEBACKS RESCUE

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Ridgeback SOS is an association which helps abandoned and found Ridgebacks and RR crossbreeds. We will never accept the cruelty of some people who can completely destroy this sensitive and loving breed and any other animal. Rescued dogs are accommodated in families of volunteers (temporary homes), where they live in a home environment. They are surrounded by family whilst they are waiting there for a new chance, until we find them new better home. One of the recent stories hurt us a lot, perhaps even more than usual because he is such a good and patient dog. We can say he is uncomplaining, he seemed to understand that we came to help him. His name is Atilla, he is 6 years old and now he lives in his new family. The whole story had begun with a request for help

related to the owner, who lost housing and lived with Atila for some time in the woods. The dog was sick, leaked urine and had pain when urinating. The previous owner did not find veterinary help for him, although we contacted him and offered to pay for everything. Finally, he handed the dog to his friend and Atilla soon began to live in a shelter. Upon further requests from relatives, we finally got the owner to agree the give a dog to our organization. Once we saw Atilla, it was clear that the first road would lead to the emergency room. Today we can say that an angel was guarding over Atilla, because the vet said that it was a matter of minutes which decided wether Alita would survive. The dog was too skinny, he had a huge bloated belly, his kidney were full of urine caused by the fact he could not urinate. After the examination, it turned out that he had several litres of rotting urine in him, which was immediately taken out and he got strong antibiotics for severe inflammation. He was at risk of bladder rupture and poisoning by the rotting urine. He was moaning a lot catheterization, but he was lying and holding still until the vet had done his job, it was incredible. He remained catheterized for another few days before slowly starting to urinate on his own. It has now been about 3 months since treatment began. He empties himself, but the bladder muscles do not work as well as they should and Atila needs to wear diapers to the end of his life. It is so sad, but still we are happy we could help him, especially as we know that he is living such a happy life now in his new home. He is playful, he has a four legged friend, he has a loving family and a warm bed.

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PHOTO BY KATEŘINA NOVOSÁDOVA TRANSLATED BY ALENA KADLECOVÁ (JÍLKOVÁ)

B.A.R.F.

FEEDING THE DOG WITH A NATURAL DIET PART 1 B. A .R.F. is an abbreviation that can be interpreted in many ways: Bones and Raw Food / Born Again Raw Feeders / Biologisch Artgerechte Rohe Futerung. But the meaning is still the same. It is a method of nourishing carnivorous domestic animals in a natural way - raw meat, bones, vegetables and f ruits and more.

This method of feeding transfers responsibility for the balance of feeding to the owner and therefore a lot of breeders and dog owners are afraid of it. At the first sight, it seems more complicated than it actually is, and perhaps because of this, is the subject of frequent disputes between owners, breeders of dogs and veterinarians. So why do many of us feed our dogs natural food? Because chemistry does not belong into the dog’s diet and only a well-fed dog can be a healthy dog. A one-sided diet is far away from the natural pattern, and although it may seem that today’s dog, today’s Ridgeback, does not resemble a wolf, it is not true. Visually yes, but they still have the same nutritional needs and digestion. The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiraris) was domesticated around 15000 years ago as a subspecies of the wolf (Canis lupus). The wolf mainly feeds on small rodents, wild rabbits, hares and game. They eat whole prey of small rodents, from larger catches eat everything except large bones, skin and hair. The wolf doesn´t eat only meat. The menu is enriched with fruits, herbs, grasses, roots and insects. With this food mix, they get everything they need - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fibre. In a similar way, including plant residues from human kitchens, dogs were fed until industrially produced feed was introduced to the market. And with them came a lot of digestive and health problems. The digestion of any of the organism cannot be adapted within a few years. The dog is still a carnivore!

THE DOG IS A CARNIVORE Looking at the dog’s dentition, we can see very well that the dog is a carnivore. Front incisors are used to grab prey, canines to tear meat, and large molars to crush large pieces of meat and bones. Unlike herbivores, the dog has no digestive enzymes in his saliva. The dog’s saliva is only used to cover food while eating and to move easily into the digestive tract. The stomach of the dog is quite large and is able to suddenly take a large amount of food and then gradually digest. The entire digestive tract of the dog is very short, and this increases the quality and digestibility requirements of the food. With optimal composition the dog digests the food within a maximum of 24 hours. The stomach acids of a dog fed with raw meat diet contain many times more sodium acid compared with the stomach of a human or a dog fed exclusively on poor quality industrially produced feed. The human’s gastric environment in the presence of food has a pH 4-5, while the dog has a pH of 0.5-1. Such an environment ensures reliable digestion of large pieces of meat and bones, as well as the destruction of possible germs of parasites, bacteria, fungi, etc. The production of digestive enzymes in the dog is activated by the intake of fresh food - meat. The high proportion of plant ingredients in the feed causes a number of problems. In the absence of a stimulus for the production of diges-

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WRITTEN BY K AT E Ř I N A N O V O S Á D O VA M A N W Ë K E N N E L , W W W. M A N W E . E U

tive enzymes, an insufficient amount of gastric juice is produced, resulting in imperfect digestion of food. The gastric pH changes, the pancreas is overloaded, digestion time is prolonged, bacteria are formed, large waste is generated and causes insufficient absorption of nutrients. Even from this brief comparison of the digestive tract of herbivores, humans and carnivores (dogs), it clearly follows that the dog has completely different digestion. Although it is not an exclusive carnivore, such as a cat, it cannot be assumed that it should have predominantly the plant’s food composition in the diet. Advantages and disadvantages of feeding the dog with a natural diet Each way of feeding has its advantages and disadvantages, so let’s take a look of them:

B.A.R.F. FACTS • We always know what we put into the bowl. • Fresh meat does not contain any additives, preservatives, dyes, etc. • Food is always fresh • We see the quality of food at first sight. • Tartar - By chewing and biting bones, the dog naturally brushes teeth from plaque and stone • Health - The dog can use nutrients coming from fresh food much better

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• Parasites- Proper digestion gives more resistance against an attack by internal parasites. • Waste - With the right food composition, digestion is almost perfect and waste is minimal • Possibility of immediate change - We can immediately respond to different needs of the dog during periods of rest or training, illness, pregnancy, anorexia, etc. • Palatability - The majority of dogs receive fresh food with enthusiasm. • Time demands - Preparing fresh food takes more time • Knowledge - It is our responsibility to balance the food, we have to think about what we put into the dog’s bowl • Purchase of food - Fresh food sources may be limited or less readily available

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• Storage - Storing fresh food is space and energy consuming. • Travel - Storage and transportation is more difficult when traveling

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Unfortunately, nowadays in advanced time we encounter many myths and prejudices about feeding dogs with raw food. Breeders are often afraid to feed raw meat because of unsubstantiated statements and nonsensical myths, which have been traded since the days of our great-grandmothers and, on the other hand, very easily subject to the trends of the time and consider them the truth. Is it really so? • A dog that tastes blood will be aggressive/ dangerous Probably the most common myth that circulates about feeding raw food. Such behaviour has never been proven in relation to the feeding of raw food. • Raw meat is dangerous - diseases, parasites You can carefully control the quality and sources of meat and minimize these risks. As said before, the dog has a digestion adapted to the minor problems that may be encountered. • Bones are dangerous When feeding bones we have to follow certain rules and think about it. Incorrect feeding of bones can be dangerous for the dog. • Puppy will grow on dairy products Because dairy products contain a lot of calcium, many people think the puppy will grow. Dairy products contain a lot of calcium, but they also contain large amounts of phosphorus. And because the metabolism of calcium in the body is controlled by hormones, it takes only as much as it needs. Height is given mainly genetically and with such a diet can influence it only minimally. • Diet balance Can we make “a balanced daily portion” at home? Well we can’t. Because it is nonsense. Every dog is different and needs something different every day. We talk about a kind of balance over a period of weeks. Just feed the dog quality and variety and he takes from the food offered everything he needs.

NUTRIENTS IN THE DIET Proteins - are the basic building blocks of all cells in the body. They are essential for the growth and proper functioning of all body organs. Important for the dog are animal proteins, whose main source is meat, eggs and dairy products. Plant proteins do not play a significant role in dog´s nutrition. They cannot digest them perfectly and thus burden their organism/digestion. Therefore, plant ingredients make up only a very small portion of a dog’s feed. Fats - are an important source of energy for carnivores, they allow the use of fat-soluble vitamins (A,

D, E and K). Fats containing unsaturated fatty acids are very important for the functioning of living organisms because they affect the digestive processes in the body. Intake of excessive amounts of fat, especially with saturated fatty acids, harms the organism and causes obesity. Carbohydrates - they are also a source of energy for the dog, but play not as important and usable role as fats do. Carbohydrates are not as important in the nutrition of carnivorous animals as for humans or omnivores in general. Therefore, their income requirements are not high. Conversely, a large amount of carbohydrates in a carnivore diet is rather harmful.

MEAT In the volume of all portions, meat makes up 50-60% Meat together with bones makes up the largest part of the raw diet and is the main source of nutrients for the dog - especially proteins and fats. Meat means muscle, offals, tendons, fat and skin. The ratio of muscle to offals in the ration is about 70% meat + 30% offals. Excessive feeding with offals is not appropriate for dogs and often leads to mineral imbalance and digestive problems. Basically, we can feed any kind of meat we have - beef, pork, lamb, veal, mutton, venison, goat, rabbit, poultry (turkey, chicken, duck, goose), fish (freshwater and seafood), horse meat, reindeer meat, elk, kangaroo, ostrich. From offals we usually feed the liver, kidneys, spleen, heart, tongue, unwashed green tripe, stomachs, udder, glands, lungs and cerebellum. Blood is a very valuable ingredient containing quality proteins, fats and minerals. Therefore, it is better to feed blood rich meat, meat that is not rinsed off.

BONES In the volume of all portions, bones make up 20-30% Bones are a very important part of the dog’s diet. Up to 65% of the weight of the bone consists of mineral constituents. Minerals contained in the bones are very useful for the dog, and therefore the bones in the dog’s diet cannot be fully replaced. Bones are always fed raw, never cooked. Heat-treated bones can be dangerous for a dog. Such a bone hardens, becomes brittle and can break into very sharp pieces. Also, it is very difficult for a dog to digest, unlike raw bones. Always feed fleshy bones = bones coated with meat. This is due to the activation of digestive enzymes that start proper digestion. For common feeding we use poultry bones - chicken, turkey or duck wings, necks, skeletons, rabbit bones and others. For chewing we can offer the dog large

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MYTHS ABOUT FEEDING DOGS WITH RAW FOOD

bones of beef, pork or game. We give such bones with joints and shreds of meat. It is a very good way to entertain the dog and, in addition, it exercises the chewing muscles and cleans teeth from plaque. Never leave the dog alone with the bone! When feeding bones, it is important to correctly determine the amount. Some dog can eat a large amount of bones, others do not and may have digestive problems (constipation). Therefore, we must always take into account the needs of a particular individual. Even 10% of the bones in the total ration safely cover the nutritional needs of an adult dog.

Needle reflex

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It is the defensive reflex of the dog’s stomach and intestines, which helps to deal with sharp objects that get into the stomach and intestines. And it is not only bones, but also various foreign objects. When the sharp end is touched, the intestinal wall bows, embraces the object from the side, and rotates it with the blunt end forward. If both ends are sharp, the object will turn around again and again until it passes the entire digestive tract. Every dog is equipped with this reflex from birth, but if it is not used, it disappears over time. It takes only two years for this reflex to disappear. This happens in dogs that are fed predominantly industrially produced mashed food (granules, canned food).

vegetables - leafy vegetables (lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, rucola, spinach, Chinese cabbage and others), carrots, parsley, celery, beets, peppers (red, orange, yellow), tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, cooked potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes and more fruits - apples, pears, bananas, peaches, apricots, plums, pineapples and more

SIDE DISHES

cereal and other side dishes - pasta, rice, oatmeal, buckwheat, groats, cous-cous, millet and others

In the volume of all portions, side dishes make up 20-30% of all batches Side dishes are mainly vegetables and fruits, a smaller part is made of cereal. Although the dog is a carnivore, it is not an exclusive carnivore, such as a cat, so part of its diet is part of the plant diet. Vegetable food is less digestible for the dog, so it is preferable to serve such food cooked, steamed or frozen. This will increase its digestibility. Supplements are a source of fiber for the dog and also vitamins and minerals, but only marginally. If our dog refuses vegetables, never mind. The fiber may be added to the diet by means of cereal supplements or various dried mixtures, which are intended as an attachment to B.A.R.F. diet.

DAIRY PRODUCTS Dairy products are not necessary in the dog’s diet and not all dogs tolerate them well. For those who like them, however, it can be beneficial to diversify the menu. Milk and dairy products contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, which is very absorbable. But beware, milk and dairy products also contain a relatively large amount of phosphorus, so they cannot be taken as a source of calcium as well as bones. In

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goat’s milk and products thereof, sheep’s milk and products thereof, acidophilic milk, kefir milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, fresh cheese Dairy products can be combined with various fruits (banana, pineapple, kiwi) or with oats or corn flakes, honey, egg, etc.

the ration, milk and dairy products are included in the volume of meat, not bones. Cow’s milk contains a large amount of milk sugar that most adult mammals, including dogs, are unable to digest. Therefore, it is not recommended to feed fresh cow’s milk to puppies or adult dogs. Goat or sheep milk does not cause digestion problems and therefore we can offer them fresh even to very small puppies. Fermented products from both cow’s and goat’s or sheep’s

milk can be added in the menu 2-3 times a week in adult dogs, in puppies more often.

EGG Chicken, quail or other eggs are a welcome diversification for most dogs. They contain a large amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals. The eggs are fed whole, boiled or raw. An adult large breed dog can eat about 5 eggs per a week. Dietary Supplements For food supplements, especially mineral supplements, less is sometimes more. There is really no need to add large amounts of food supplements. A healthy, adult dog with varied diet, basically does not need any food supplements. The need for supplements should be evaluated according to the health, condition and daily activity of the dog. Usually it is sufficient to give a complete mineral supplement to B.A.R.F. diet, or joint nutrition in some individuals. In puppies and growing young dogs joint nutrition should be a matter of course, it is suitable complete mineral supplement designed for puppies and young dogs in growth. In case of any health problems, it is advisable to consult with your veterinarian or an experienced retailer about the suitability of particular supplements. Coming soon in the next ISSUE… B.A.R.F. in praxis

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WRITTEN BY JAN KADLEC ENGINEER OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, GENETIC ENGINEERING AND MICROBIOLOGY P HOTO BY LUKÁŠ SKA L ICKÝ

DRY PET-FOOD

HOW TO CHOOSE A DECENT QUALITY FOOD FOR YOUR RR If you turn over any bag of dry dog food, you will always find information which is compulsory according EU law and thus you as a customer have the opportunity to compare those products and make the right decision as to which product to buy for your RR fur friend. What you will find are the basic analytical constituents like – crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, crude fiber and others like calcium, phosphorus and sodium. The composition determines from which raw materials the product is manufactured, and you will also find nutritional additives which are used to fortify the product with some vitamins, minerals or amino acids. Now, we have a basic knowledge of the vocabulary and we can proceed further down to the road.

STEP ONE – COMPARISON BASED ON ANALYTICAL VALUES: There are a few rules of thumb which can be used to determine what type of product your RR appreciates in its bowl. So, let´s take a look at them: The more ash / calcium / phosphorus you will find in the product, the more bone material was used in the production of this particular food. It can therefore give you an idea if the product is made from too much bone which is not absolutely necessary, as it doesn´t have any additional value for your dog. Level of protein – this can be a tricky part. Level of protein is influenced on the basis of recipe and thus it can be from plant or animal source. Dogs are by taxonomy omnivorous, but I bet we do somehow feel that more animal source of protein in the diet is better, right? Well, some brands do state on their product how much of the protein from total content of stated protein is actually of

animal origin – this may ease your decision on which way to go. Level of fat – this should influence your decision mainly if you go for dry product with higher level of fat: you would probably go for higher fat content if your dog is very active, or modest levels of fat if you just walk around the neighborhood with your RR for half an hour a day. The most important part is that the fat has to be stable and must not go rancid, otherwise your RR won´t eat it or it can even get sick because of it: throwing up the kibble could happen, nothing worse. So a quality check of fat plays a role and if you can notice the smell of rancidity you should mention it to the shopkeeper. Avoid buying the product just before expiration date or from behind the shop window, where temperatures can rise pretty high in summer. Choose to go with products which have no artificial antioxidants stated on the label go with preferably natural ones, or with them – it is your decision. I guess you follow what your gut feeling says, right? Level of fiber – this part will be mainly in your viewfinder if you want to limit weight gain of your RR or if he´s getting on in age. Higher fiber levels influence satiety of your RR and thus you can give him the same amount with less calorie intake with higher fiber level, he / she won´t be hungry and you won´t feel guilty for keeping your RR hungry. Of course it has to be combined with decent fat levels, otherwise your effort goes down the drain.

STEP TWO – COMPARISON BASED ON NUTRITIONAL ADDITIVES: Every dry dog food has to have at least minimal levels of some additives, otherwise it won´t

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WITH MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.

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meet the nutritional profile of the animal. You can compare this on basis of those levels pretty easily. Rule of thumb would be – the less vitamin/ mineral values stated on the bag, the cheaper product you´re about to buy. Makes sense right, since those raw materials aren´t especially cheap and therefore the impact on cost to the producer plays a role. You can compare vitamin A, D3, E, C levels or levels of minerals like zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, iodine or amino acids and taurine etc. – this would give you a clear idea.

STEP THREE – COMPARISON BASED ON COMPOSITION: Here you will notice two things, if you´re about to buy a product with general description or with definitive one. Distinguishing between those two is quite easy – first look at e.g. “cereals” – not letting you know which mixtures or combinations are used or “by-product of animal origin” – again not letting you know which have actually been used. Usually the first option of declaration is used in products in low price segment, decision is yours of course – if 10 kg bag is sold for 10-14 Euros, quality expectations cannot be high. Your next step will be to make a decision on your preference to provide your RR cereals over legumes or if you prefer to provide fish over poultry or any other combinations. Since there are so many combinations of raw materials in products, which you can find on shelves of pet-shops, this article could be pretty long...

Let´s take a look and try to sort it out: Cereal vs. grain free products: in recent years a line has been drawn between those two. Of course your decision depends on your personal view; whether you prefer e.g. rice over corn or sweet potatoes over peas and etc. A major part of that decision would depend on your dog. If your RR cannot eat certain grains because of some health issues, that would surely be the deal-breaker. Dehydrated proteins vs. fresh meat: another line can be drawn between usage of dehydrated proteins and fresh meat addition in the product. If any of these are used in proper quality by the producer you won´t make a mistake to go for either option or combination of both. This is all based on your view what you perceive as good option for your dog. Of course the fresh meat inclusion products are the most expensive ones and therefore financial point of view might have to be considered. Concrete protein sources: if your dog likes fish that is a good option too. The high content of fish / fish oil, has a strong fishy smell which will be noticeable. The benefit here is higher levels omega fatty acids, very good for the skin and coat condition of your RR. I’m sure in the show ring this would be appreciated. But as we humans sometimes do not like the smell of fish, some dogs are the same. In that case you can go for lamb which is perceived as a protein source limiting allergies, or you can even go for exotic protein sources like kangaroo, ostrich or even protein sources such as camel, or you can stick with general ones like chicken.

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Additional value raw materials: here, we can find numerous examples. Usually different types of fruit, vegetables of pro/pre-biotics are stated with determined statements as to which raw material supports this and that claim. You can find many combinations and it is just up to you which brand catches your eye with a particular combination. E.g. prebiotics supports intestinal health, so you won´t make a mistake to go for them, your RRs digestion will be supported. Since RR is a large breed, we should definitively keep in mind the state of their joints over the course of their life, so my recommendation would be to keep with brands which do have in their composition chondroprotectives like: glucosamine, chondroitine sulphate, MSM or green lipped mussels. Those will be good for your dog.

STEP FOUR – DECISION BASED ON AGE OF RR: In this column we have to distinguish age related options. Usually the rule of thumb in this situation is, that a Puppy product with high protein/ fat level should be fed until 3 months for RR, then we should switch to a product with more moderate levels of protein/fat to regulate the growth and prevent issues in an adult. Such a product is usually named Junior Large Breed and can be fed till 18 or 24 months of age. Those two usually have higher levels of vitamins/minerals than the Adult versions. Adult versions can be fed from 18-24 months of age until approximately 7 years of age, then we should go for Senior products to limit the intake of calories, so we can prevent possible

weight gain, since lower activity levels are to be expected at this age. Of course, if your RR is in need of higher calorie intake because of sport, we can go for “Sport” formulas, but keep in mind that this selected food should not be fed more than twice a day to prevent diarrhea, because of the high fat content in such products. On the other side of scale, there are products which aim at overweight issues – such products have higher values of fibers and lower amounts of fat.

FINALLY

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Very important is also the palatability of the product you´re about to buy. If your RR doesn´t appreciate your choice even after you invested some time to make a good, informed choice for your dog – you will have to keep on trying. If you are not sure about your choice, you can always buy a smaller package like 1 or 3 kg. See if his appetite will be satisfied or not, that’s better than to invest in a 12 or 15 kg bag which turns out to be rejected. One of the big advantages of dry products is that all nutrients are included and you don´t have to study hard to figure out how much nutrients you should provide. You just scoop the required amount out and that´s it, because they did this job for you at producer’s facility. Safety of product can be also be perceived as benefit: no germs, so you do not have to worry about microbes when you have the product in the kitchen or in the pantry, even if a family member should accidently eat it, because the manufacturing process got rid of all the germs. I wish you a good hand in your choice!

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Ph oto by Susann e de Haan

A RICH RIDGE FAMILY LIFE

hen Martijn, my husband, told me one day that he wanted a Rhodesian Ridgeback, I looked at him in surprise. I thought: He wants a what....? You want a Rhodesian Ridgeback? We both grew up with dogs, but I never saw him as a dog-lover! It took me a while to get used to the idea. He made me read all kinds of books and watch movies. The more I got used to the idea, the more I fell in love with this special breed. It was like expecting a baby. Everything we could find out about the pros and cons of the RR was devoured. Our evenings consisted of cuddling up to each other with a cup of tea in one hand and the remote control in the other. Scouring the Internet for more information. I don’t think there is a single YouTube movie we haven’t seen. Because if we wanted a dog, there would be certain conditions: can this dog be around children? How much time and energy should we put into this? Do we want a male or a female? What kind of care does this breed require? Hundreds of questions were racing through my head. It wasn’t just books and the Internet. In order to answer all my questions, I needed to meet this dog in person. So I made appointments with breeders and people who had Ridgebacks. To learn and experience for myself whether the RR would suit us. Everyone who has a family knows that not everything is always harmonious, and that the hectic life with children around, requires a certain amount of organisation. Would this breed fit in with our lifestyle? We went on walks with others who own this breed. With my husband in front and our daughters, then 2 and 8 years behind, we walked along on the beach and bombarded the owners with hundreds of questions. We became more and more enchanted with this beautiful breed, and the desire to own a Ridgeback grew from day to day. The RR has distinctive characteristics, it is a sporty dog, with lots of energy, this turns out to be an exact match for our family. We could not have predicted how our dog, Gunner, would become so indispensable two years later. This beautiful male, whom we got from a very fine breeder, has complemented our life in a way that I can hardly put into words. We chose his name “Gunner” because it also carries the meaning of the last male in the patrol. He watches your back, and that’s how it really feels.

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Written by Susanne de Haan

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Gunner is not an easy dog. By that I mean that it requires something of us as a family, in order to be in harmony with each other. Gunner is a dog that has an enormous drive and focus, especially outside, he needs to run! Something that totally fits his character. We have noticed that he thinks for himself and is not a dog that plays “fetch” constantly. He needs to be challenged. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a dog that was originally used as a guard dog and they were also used to support lion hunting. The breed originates from Africa and this former function is really reflected in their character. The RR is a special breed where with the right upbringing you will have a friendly and sociable dog. It is important that you are consistent, especially with children around, who in our case also had to learn that the dog has its own place in our pack. Which means that they have to treat him with respect. What we notice is that we have to approach him with respect, in a calm and consistent way. A hard approach is counterproductive. With this calm, consistent and respectful way we achieve more with Gunner. It is a breed that needs time to develop. He is a dog with a strong will, determination and self-esteem. For a long time we had a crate in our house for Gunner, especially because of our children, we thought it was very important that the dog should have his own „safe place”. This place was only for him and gave him the necessary rest at the appropriate moments. Most of the time the crate door was open, so he could get in and out whenever he wanted. It was so beautiful to see our children grow up around Gunner. Especially DJ our youngest, she was 2 years old when Gunner joined us. It was around this time when DJ spontaneously had seizures, it was a very difficult time for us. DJ has a form of epilepsy that is quite inexplicable. At the time I am writing this, she hasn’t had any seizures for over a year.

Gunner was still very young when one day DJ had 11 seizures in a row, but no matter how young he was, he lay very calmly against her. He wouldn’t leave her side, as if he felt it coming. It was so special to experience how sensitive these dogs are. We are a family that loves to keep busy, in and outdoors, we throughly enjoy it! It seems to be that our dog has the same idea. He joins us with almost everything: from children’s parties to chores in the barn. He can be so clumsy sometimes, but as long as we are clear and consistent, it actually goes very well. Of course there are times when we look at each other and think „Fingers crossed - I hope this this works out alright!“ I remember a children’s party with 10 girls in the garden and there he was lying quietly under the table, among all screaming teenagers!! Life with a Ridgeback and children is not necessarily harmonious, sometimes he steals their Lego and runs away with it in his mouth, the children then run after him, screaming and laughing. Those are the best moments for him I believe. A little humor helps to put things into perspective. Life with a Ridgeback isn’t always sunshine and roses. To be sure that playtime goes well, we chose to keep children‘s toys out of his reach, especially when he was a puppy. He had his toys and the kids had their toys, all neatly tidied up in boxes. But of course, once in a while, the kids would take their toys into the living room which was very interesting for Gunner, but in order for this to go well we were always clear and consistent to him. We will sometimes separate them, so that it remains fun for all. You just stay busy with kids and an RR in the house! With the arrival of Gunner I learned that dogs, just like horses, can give people something special. I learned that in practice we call that “mirroring”. He showed me so much about my own behaviour, that he became my reason to start my own “mirror coaching practice”.

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About two years ago I was not always able to take Gunner out for walks because I had a hernia. Fortunately I had help from my lovely friends who wanted to walk with me and Gunner. What struck me is that he showed different behaviour towards different people and that got me thinking. We had conversations about what we saw, how he took the lead, or totally did his own thing. The conversations became stories and it was so nice to see that as soon as people became aware of it, the story changed. Because the moment you change something in the here and now, you will get back different behaviour from the dog. And because of these beautiful insights, I knew what to do and thats how my company “Coaching with a tail” came into existence. I had the privilege of working with different kinds of people with their dog or with mine. I have worked with students, who continued their search for themselves, with Gunner at their side. He was a support they had never experienced before in coaching. The dog responded, without

judgement, confrontation, but purely with love. It not only opened my eyes, but theirs as well. I turn around and look into the living room. There he is, lying on the couch, something we said in the beginning we would not allow, but oh well.... It’s so wonderful to cuddle up together. Gunner in the middle, my husband on one side, me on the other side and our kids on top of of him. It’s all possible, as long as we are respectful towards each other. I look at him with pride, how he lies there stretched out. He is calm when he indoors, but outside... We regularly go out for a jog, I cycle with him next to me, he also likes to track. It asks a lot from us, but we love to do it. Gunner is quite strong, he can also be so clumsy; sometimes he knocks over our youngest one. On the other hand he is a loyal friend. This is a breed that can demand a lot, and he certainly won’t accept everything just like that. He is a real addition to our family and that’s why we don‘t mind to go an extra block or two with him....

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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 four 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

LEONIE HUITEMA AN INTERVIEW

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Leonie Huitema І Netherlands І Pictures by Leonie І www.mswatiskenzo.nl

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU BECOME A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? I’m Leonie Huitema, I live with my husband, 2 children and 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Zwolle, Netherlands. My hobby is to take photographs and my dogs. I have friends all over the world because of my dogs and I’m so grateful for that. I show my 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, participate in coursing and we also breed them to improve our breed. The dogs make my life complete. I love to walk with them, play games and enjoy the affection that they always give back. When I was young I always loved to take photographs of our dogs and horses. At that time it was hard because digital photography was not available, so it was always a surprise to find out how the pictures looked. When everything become digital it was a whole new world, it was much better. I saw the photos of professional photographers and I thought that is what I want to do, it

inspired me. So I did it my way, when I now look at the old pictures I think to myself .....what was I doing?! Photography equipment is expensive so first I practiced with a good Nikon D40 camera. To start with I took only pictures of my own dogs and our neighbours and close friends’ dogs. After a while, I learnt more about photography and I wanted to take better photographs, so I purchased a better camera and lens. On social media people saw my photos and asked me if I would take photos of their dogs. So that is how it started, when I take photos of my own dogs I’m usually alone because my family thinks ‘here we go again, don’t you have enough!’. The answer is, no, I never have enough and I always want to try new things. Luckily for me, my dogs listen to all my commands so I can capture the shots I want. For 2 years I have taken professional photos and always enjoy learning more about photography. I take all photos outside, it’s great to work with nature, it is beautiful outside.

HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD? DID

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I first entered the photography world through social media, you can reach many people, it’s perfect. With the advantage of knowing many Rhodesian Ridgeback owners, it moved very fast with new photo shoots being regularly requested. I followed a workshop by Bonnie van der Born in the Netherlands. I learnt many new skills with my camera and many do’s and don’ts to follow. Now these days you also can find many helpful videos on YouTube, I watch many tutorials to develop my skills. There is so much to learn, settings for your camera, how to capture the best shots or to learn more about Adobe Photoshop.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS? First of all I wanted to take nice photos of my own dogs. It was just for myself and it was good practice, because I know my dogs very well and I can easily try new things. I noticed that there was no professional pho-

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YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER?

tographer here in the Netherlands that can take good stacking photos of the dogs for show dog advertisements (stud dogs / announcements of upcoming litters). As I show myself, I know how to correctly stack a dog and know that I can’t capture the photo and stack the dog by myself. If you want to take a good stack photo I am dependent on the dog and owner as well. I always look and find out what is the best pose for the dog together with the owner. I post the pictures on social media and have great positive feedback which leads to others asking me to take photos of their dogs. The Rhodesian Ridgeback show world is small so I get many requests because I am recommend within the breed and then my details are passed along to others.

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WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? Which is your favourite lens and why? My type of camera is the Nikon D750 Full Frame with the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 lens. Perfect together, with full frame what you see is what you get and you see more details of the dogs. The body has a lot of possibilities for portrait or action. I have an extra battery grip, so double battery and double memory card so you always have enough whilst on a shoot. The lens has an excellent depth of field, so you have the dog perfectly sharp and the background blurred. You have to be precise with these combinations, because it can easily happen to have parts sharp where you didn’t want them to be sharp. With a portrait it is easier than when you take action shots. Action photos are more difficult because when the dogs run, you have to know what you are doing, know your settings and practice a lot. When you succeed it is amazing to see the results.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? There are a lot of Facebook groups and websites with all kind of photographers, there I find enough inspiration for my photos. In day to day life I also find inspiration. When I take a walk or go for a drive in the car, there are always beautiful places I see that I think I will come back to take some photos. Sometimes if I have something in my head and it doesn’t work out on the photo, I will try again or try something different.

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB? HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? It is always a challenge with each dog, as there are dogs that are well trained and very responsive and other dogs which are not as well trained or easily distracted and have to stay on the leash. First of all you have to be very patient and it is important that the dog is not nervous of you. I always make contact with the dog initially

and talk to owner finding out about their dogs likes and dislikes. I never take the dogs into any dangerous situations, always within a safe environment. A photo shoot has to be fun for the dog and owner, so I take photos whilst we walk or play with the dog. To get the dog’s attention, I generally use treats. I always ask the owner to bring something that their dog really likes such as a favourite toy. Often I make a fool of myself to make the funniest noises to get the dogs attention, anything for the perfect photo. I always take a whistle, a ball and a squeaky toy that will usually do the trick but sometimes when a stranger walks by and alerts the dog that is enough for the perfect photo. When you have a dog who cannot go off the leash for any reason it is not a problem. In photoshop I can edit out people or leashes so that they disappear, so the owner gets the perfect photo regardless.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? The most satisfying part for me is the reaction of the owners, “Wow is that my dog?”. Photos are timeless, you never have enough. It is precious for each owner, especially when a dog passes away. It’s nice to be able to capture special memories. It’s so rewarding when I hear that photos I have taken have been mounted on the wall in my Client’s family home. The most challenging aspect is to maintain your own style and to try something new, hoping that it is received well by others.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE BEHIND THE CAMERA? Before I have a shoot I check my camera batteries are full and

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I never think about my clothes when on a photo shoot, often I get dirty, but it is all worth it.

WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC? Every breed or mix is photogenic especially puppies everyone loves them. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is my favourite because I have them myself.

ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES? Monica van der Maden best dog photographer in the world, there is nobody like her!! She takes amazing photos, she is number 1 dog photographer for me, no doubt about it!

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? Never give up and always take the advice of others, take your time when taking photos, learn from your faults, get lots of practice and you will continue to improve.

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

my memory cards are empty. I check my bag has everything packed and that everything is working well. Behind the camera, I look if the dog is relaxed and happy, when I see signs of stress we take a break. I don’t want to stress a dog, it has to be fun and there is always time to play and to relax. The typical thoughts going through my head would be: How can I take the best picture of

We have 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks and dogs are most certainly my favourite animal. I’m a huge animal lover, so photos of every animal get my attention, even a close up photo of a spider. Sometimes my dogs are tired of me when I have my camera in my hand and they are probably thinking ‘oh no here we go again’. They know all of my tricks to get their attention but luckily I can always seduce them with a treat.

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the dog, what is the colour of the dog and which background is perfect to compliment the dog, where is the light coming from and ensuring my camera settings are correct for the scene. For example, for a stack photo I prefer the sun to be out, you can see the defined muscles of the dog and shining coat much clearer. When you use this photo in an advertisement this is what I would expect to see. The shadows are difficult to avoid but I don’t mind with this kind of photo. When I take photos in the shade, you don’t have the hard shadows and you can see more detail on the dog. When the photo is sharp you can count the dog hairs one by one. With a good background the photo will look like a fairy tale.

LUKÁŠ SKALICKÝ AN INTERVIEW

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Lukáš Skalický І Czech Republic І LS І www.lukasskalicky.com

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT BEING A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT?

now and I don’t have any formal training. I’ve learned everything just by trial and error.

Well, I had a camera for some time and then I got a dog. And it was kind of a logical outcome. It took some time before I started shooting more seriously, but long story short, this is it.

I am lucky that photography is not my job because I think it would be really challenging. For me it is just fun.

HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD? DID YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER? I believe at some time when I was still a kid, my parents lent me a camera and it was fun! But let’s say I am shooting more seriously for some 7 years

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB?

HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? This should be the job of the owner, not the photographer, shouldn’t it? To be honest, I rather work with dogs that are used to pose and I can think only about the photo itself. But sometimes, well - pretty often - you have to work with what you get. It is different for each dog, sometimes you just wait and hope.

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It could go in different ways. Some sessions, I know exactly the place I want to shoot at, I know where the dog should be and how I want the overall look of the photo. Sometimes, I don’t even know the place where I am going for a shoot and I have to improvise and adjust. Some dogs are just born for shooting, some are harder to solve. And thoughts behind camera depend on all those things. But mostly it would be how to get the best photo possible.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS? My dog

WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS AND WHY? I have my beloved old Canon 6D which looks like it went through war, but it still holds. As for Lenses, it would be 35/1.4 and 135/2. I don’t really know why, but I believe that you can shoot really diverse photos with them and you don’t really need any others.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? The possibility to express how I see the world. I would perceive it as challenging if it were my job.

Now I am only doing it for fun. I’m doing what I like to do.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE BEHIND THE CAMERA? I think it is something like autopilot. I don’t know what I am thinking about during shooting. In general it would be how to take the best photo with the given conditions. How to work with the dog I have there. And about the session itself - it depends on what type it is. Sometimes I know exactly the place where I am shooting, I know what kind of photos I want to take. I know where and how I will take them. Sometimes it is about improvisation and finding possibilities.

WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC? Depends on what you want to achieve. But in general - colorful fluffy cute dogs. Australian Shepherd puppies.

ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES? I am trying to do things my way. To be honest I don’t really follow any dog photographers. But I would mention Alicja Zmysłowska, because she is the best at what she is doing :)

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DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE BEHIND THE CAMERA?

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? Find your style. Be original.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS OF YOUR OWN? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL? We have 5 dogs (and I do like them all)

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING?

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If you are thinking about starting a career as a dog photographer… think again :-D

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MATJAŽ BLAŽ KOŠAK - BLAYO AN INTERVIEW

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Blaž Košak - Blayo І Slovenia І Yinepu Photography І www.facebook.com/blayo

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU BECOME A DOG PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? I have been an animal lover for as long as I can remember. So when I got my first photo camera as a teenager, taking snapshots of the animals that surrounded me was an obvious choice. I am also interested in technology, so cameras attracted me both from the technological point of view and as a way to capture the beautiful and interesting things around me. Through time, photography evolved from a hobby to more serious work. One of my first big projects was to become the main photographer for the biggest Slovenian animal magazine, Moj pes (My dog), covering mostly dog-related articles, but I also worked with cats, small animals, such as ferrets, rabbits etc, and zoo animals. I worked for the magazine for ten years, and during this period I also became the official photographer for the Slovene Kennel Club, covering all Slovene dog shows and some other dog related events.

Even though my passion for photography encompasses many different subjects, animals are my favourite one.

HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD? DID YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER? I first entered the world of photography with a small camera I got as a teenager, getting to know the technical side of photography, later on educating myself in the area of photography and cameras and finally adding photography as one of my jobs. Photography entered my life when I was about 14 years old, and I can say photography has been a great part of both my personal and professional life for the past 25 years.

WHAT OR WHO GOT YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING DOGS? I cannot imagine my life without animals, dogs in particular, so as I said, taking pictures of the

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WHAT TYPE OF CAMERAS DO YOU SHOOT WITH? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS AND WHY? Right now I am using Canon’s prime camera, 1DXMK2 and 5dsr. One is excellent for actions pics, the other one for more stationary and controlled shots. I use several lenses, depending on the requirements of the specific session. That being said, one of my favourite lenses is 300mm 2.8

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dogs in my life was a natural move when I started with photography. Furthermore, the modern way of life restricts our contact with nature, so taking pictures of dogs and other animals helps me maintain contact with nature and natural life, something I cherish very much. Another thing that makes animal photography so appealing to me is my love for action, for movement. Animals aren’t objects you can place somewhere, maybe in a studio, and simply take a few pictures. They are living beings, honest, true, with their own characters, without any fake smiles, makeup, fancy outfits etc, they are what they are, unconcealed. I don’t like fake things and that’s probably one of the main reasons I love animal photography.

and the other 135mm 2.0. They have the sharpness and clarity I want from a picture, and also capture natural colours. The 300mm is one of my favourites also because it’s really fast and allows me to make great action pictures of moving dogs, so the percentage of sharp shots is really high.

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WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? I find inspiration in many things. Sometimes in buildings, sometimes in landscapes, people, and of course in nature. I try to capture fragments of truth in my pictures, and this can be found anywhere.

DO YOU CONSIDER IT A CHALLENGING JOB? HOW DO YOU GET THE ANIMALS TO STAY AND “POSE” FOR YOU? It is a challenging job and a shooting session can last several hours. Dogs are living creatures, with their own personalities, they also can have bad days, they don’t feel well, or feel a bit nervous, or have too much energy to cooperate …. There are many factors that affect my work, not to mention being very dependent on weather and light conditions! Getting the animal to stay in a certain pose can of course be a big challenge. It is much easier with well trained dogs and a helper. What I can say for sure is that there is usually a lot of group effort behind a good picture.

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WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? AND THE MOST CHALLENGING? The best part is being able to capture a true part of the subject, let’s say a dog. When everything

aligns just right and I can present the dogs as he is, not only as the beautiful representative of his breed, but also to capture his personality, so the owners tell me they can FEEL it is their dog in the picture. That is for sure one of the best parts. The most challenging part is when I get a new project, even more so if it’s something I never worked on before. Then I like to prepare ahead, do some research, and of course if I have a more demanding client that has some special requirements. I always want to present good material and feel responsible for that, but it doesn’t always depend on me (bad weather conditions).

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SESSION FOR US. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE BEHIND THE CAMERA? It depends on the photo session. Some owners hire me to take family pictures to have as a wonderful, lasting memory. Then there are breeders who need pictures for different ads for puppies or stud dogs for example. We discuss wishes and suggestions first, then when I come to the location I search for the most appropriate setting, depending on the context, and then we go to work! It usually takes us a few minutes to get more familiar with each other, I try to keep sessions short enough for the dogs to remain comfortable and willing to cooperate. I have many things on my mind while working – from weather conditions, light, poses or actions that best capture the qualities of the dog.

WHICH BREED IN YOUR OPINION IS MOST PHOTOGENIC? It wouldn’t be fair to point out one breed. All dogs

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ARE THERE OTHER DOG PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT INSPIRE OR INFLUENCE YOU? IF NOT, WHO OR WHAT DOES? Not really, I select my own vision and path when it comes to dog photography. I want to take as natural pictures as possible that show the true nature of each breed. I am glad to see talent in the new, younger generation of aspiring photographers, but what bothers me is that I see many pictures where there is way too much editing done, thus blurring the authenticity of the model and the picture itself. In my opinion, a picture is done by finding a good setting, a good context and giving it a suitable composition, not in PhotoShop.

IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN OR PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO AN ASPIRING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER? My advice would be that you should find your own style, be creative and think outside the box. In this case people will feel your photography and like your originality, instead of thinking of you as a faded copy of someone else.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS OF YOUR OWN? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL? I have a quite special animal family at home. First there is Sia, a 12,5 year old Podenco Ibicenco female, who stole my heart from the moment I met her as a puppy. She is the most easy-going dog ever, a perfect combination of happiness and laziness, doesn’t have a care in this world, except for food. She is very concerned that her meals won’t be served on time! Then there is Volt, my girlfriend’s Groenendael, who will turn 10 in April. He is a true Belgian, always willing to work with her, always ready for action, full of energy, but also unbelievably cuddly. He switches from being a true guard dog to being the world’s biggest lap dog, and is a true gentleman when it comes to smaller creatures. Enter Taco, our long-haired Chihuahua male, who will soon celebrate his 4th birthday. He fell in love with Volt the day he came to live with us, turning him into a peculiar combination of a tiny lap dog that blissfully sighs on the couch every evening during family TV time, but has two working exams already, goes on long hikes to the mountains and is happy to meet everyone. In addition to our dog family members, we also have two rabbits.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? I think that in these modern times it’s important

to stay in touch with nature. This can be challenging sometimes, just to take the time to stay grounded. Dogs can help us with this, being the amazing creatures they are and giving us the opportunity to have a piece of nature at home. They truly are our best friends and we should do our best to be such friends for them as well.

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

are photogenic, but for different reasons. As I said before, I love all dogs, regardless of their breed, and all can be wonderful models!

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CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR COVER DOGS TO OUR READERS?

It was also clear to us that we wanted to have a baby from Xhabbo at some point! It made us all the more happy that Wolfgang and Christine Blumberg chose Otto for Xhabbo’s last litter! The decision was very easy for us: A daughter of Otto and Xhabbo would move in with us! Vijana is a very loving bitch. Since the loss of our Ijaba in March 2019, she has been the leader of the pack. She is a very muscular and sporty bitch! She loves the shows as much as she loves running across our extensive meadows. She is eager to please everyone and protects her pack very strictly from every stranger and every danger!

WHAT ARE THEIR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS? For us last year Gibraltar was a special weekend. Otto was shown for the first time after a two year break holiday. And he did a great job at that weekend! He hadn’t forgotten anything after this long time and won the CAC, CACIB, BOS and completed his Gibraltar Champion. I handled his daughter Vijana a few times. She is really attached to me and never went into the ring with anyone else. But at the Club show in Kirchheim we made a mistake and had two girls in Open class. I was there on my own because my husband was ill, so I had to ask a friend to help. Vijana is a very muscular female and not the type for every judge! Completely surprising for us, she received her first CAC in the open class in Germany!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SHOWING? For us shows are not so important. We like go to hiking with our dogs and see them to run at full speed! The most important thing about exhibitions for us is not the results in the show ring but the fun get-together with our family and friends!

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? We would like to continue breeding healthy and strong character dogs and enjoy life with them. Maybe visit a few exhibitions. But the most important thing for us is the health and well-being of our dogs! We all have the same ‘vice’. Love for our dogs! Many of us travel thousands of kilometers a year, and always the moments together around and in the ring are special. Many exhibitors are annoyed about canceled exhibitions or lost registration money! But please consider everyone, especially in the current situation - it is more important to concentrate on our families, friends and dogs! We are all one big family with the same intentions! Love for our great dogs! And now we hope you enjoy reading the European Ridgeback Magazine! Take a few minutes for something other than the corona virus! Stay healthy and come well through this difficult time! We all only have this one life. Enjoy it with your loved ones.

FACTSHEET Name Multi CH Shangani Lieber Onkel Otto • Sire: Multi CH Shangani Bamuthi Rai • Dam: Multi CH Shangani Great Chumbe Chikadzi Shangani Ng’aa Vogue Vijana • ·Sire: Multi CH Shangani Lieber Onkel Otto • ·Dam: Multi CH Shangani Enema Xhabbo

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE

Ever since we first saw Chumbe, Otto’s mother, it was clear to us that we would like to have a daughter of her one day! Sometimes life decides otherwise! That’s how we met Otto for the first time on April 29th, 2015! He is loving, full of character, the world’s best nanny for two- and four-legged children and the rooster amongst the hens in our pack! He loves swimming, playing with his daughters, presenting himself or just lazing in the sun! And yes, he has a really special name!