Today we speak to Lisa, owner of three beautiful Rhodesian Ridgebacks, a dog originally famed for their history as a lion hunter in Africa. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is an intelligent and extremely loyal breed which is easily distinguished by the unique ridge of hair running along its back.
About the Dogs
Can you introduce your three Ridgebacks – names, ages, and a one-line personality description for each?
- Ronnie – 4 Years Old – Mr Sociable.
- Rua – 4 Years Old – Tasmanian Devil.
- Rudi – 3 Years Old – Scoobie Doo.
How did you end up with three Ridgebacks? Was it planned or a happy accident?
Honestly…they are addictive. We were only supposed to have one, which is always the story. We have long been obsessed with Ridgebacks ever since we saw one in person many years ago back in Liverpool. At the time, we had a labrador called Archie and had debated adding to our home but as our lab was aging and coming to his later years in life; we didn’t think it would be fair to upset his routine or our home dynamic. Our sweet boy was in retirement, and we weren’t going to disrupt that. Fast forward, and the day came were we had to say goodbye.
My partner was already signed up for alerts on Ridgebacks in and around our area; and the day after we said goodbye to Arch, an alert pinged about a male Ridgeback and last born in the litter….it was meant to be.
Ron settled in well to our family life; particularly as we were grieving, he gave us purpose again. Couple of weeks passed and we checked in with the family to see how all the other pups were doing and all had found homes, except one. A previous match fell through, and a female was left. Enter our girl, Rua!
Now, we had never had two dogs, TWO RIDGEBACKS, at the same time, certainly never puppies of the same age and had seen the many horror stories of ‘litter mate syndrome’… but Ru joining our family was the best decision. At least it meant none of our furniture or home was eaten, they ate and played with each other.
As we had Ron for a few weeks already, he had already mastered the potty training, and a few tricks here and there, Ru simply followed suit and not only learnt from us but was led by Ron. It also helped that she was and is super intelligent.
I know there is a lot of discussions and debates on litter-mate syndrome; but from our point of view, we never saw that with Ron and Ru.
A year passes, and I see a post from another Ridgeback Breeder and pictures of a recent litter. Initially I saw our Rudi with his white sock and thought…oh, will he be overlooked because of his white sock and this played on our mind somewhat, but three Ridgebacks…c’mon, how?
We then reached out, discussed in depth having three ridgebacks, the perfect fit, and of course, we fell in love all over again with Rudi. He was a part of our mis-fit family and completed it.
With three big dogs, or soon to be as all were very young at this time, and as we lived in Belfast, the trio were a big motivator in over-hauling our life and we are now happily content in the countryside, we plenty of adventures on our doorstep and plenty of greenery to explore.
In summary, we say happy accident, but deep down…we probably planned it 🤣
What made you choose this particular breed in the first place?
We have long been admirers of this breed for many years. Admirers in the background however, as we had only seen a handful in real life (this was in England). When we had an alert here in Ireland; it was meant to be, and fate had sealed our luck with our three musketeers.
Daily Life with a Ridgeback Trio
What’s a typical day like in your house with three large, energetic dogs?
We are often awoken by Rudi as he talks A LOT, and he will talk and paw at you to get up and out on their morning walk.
Rudi is (or was…I will speak more about that later) an adventure; he loves being outside, on walks, in the garden, wherever, as long as it’s outside (except for heavy rain of course…rain is acid to the Ridgebacks 🤣)
Lady Ru however is on the other end and can be likened to a house cat than a Ridgeback. We must drag Rua out to join us for walks; she’d rather be tucked up in bed and snuggled in, only woken to be fed, then back to relaxation.
Sometimes we think we have got all three out, and she has managed to sneak herself back in, undetected, and then we look at the living room window and up pops her head. Back round to get her out with the shake of the treat bag…works every time.
Ron, another one that likes a LIE-IN and not just a LION (I’m sorry I had to), but certainly nowhere near as lazy as his sister and would be similar to Rudi on the energy front when out on his adventures. We liken Ron to a gazelle; he is athletic and the speed he can get up to is incredible.
How do their personalities differ? and how do they get along as a group?
Completely…all three have such different personalities, and possibly the reason why it works. Ronnie is Mr Sociable, yes even for a Ridgeback. He adores people and loves bringing something to present you while saying hello. A big goofball.
Ru is super intelligent and rules the roost. Extremely loyal to us and keeps the boys in check. She would be more cautious than Ron but sees no threat via Ron and then can quickly demand all the attention and tickles from anyone she meets.
Rudi is the most cautious of them all, he takes time to warm up to you and will come to any new people in his own time and when ready. Again, super loyal to us but also super dependent on us. We call him our Scoobie Doo; he’d fear his own shadow despite his size. Ron and Ru give him that confidence.
As a group, it’s like any human family and siblings – they love each other, bicker, play, love, hate, argue, make up. They and us are family.
What has surprised you most about living with a Rhodesian Ridgeback?
Their loyalty, you are theirs and they are yours.
Rhodesian Ridgebacks Breed Specific Insights
Ridgebacks have a reputation for being independent and strong-willed—true or myth?
True, but with mutual respect and trust, they become less strong-willed.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about Rhodesian Ridgebacks
I think with Ridgebacks, you do need to put the work in, and the rewards are massive. Don’t get me wrong, any dog in your family no matter what breed needs work and ‘moulding’, but get it right with Ridgebacks and you are laughing. They are protective, really intelligent and need stimulus, challenge, motivation…whilst we do have one lazy Ridgeback, she would be climbing the walls if we didn’t get her out.
Is the ridge really as iconic as people think?
Yes, and come in all shapes and sizes, and even some are ridge-less. All our three have completely different ridge sizes and widths.
Health, Grooming and Food
What’s your feeding routine like – and what do you feed three large dogs?
They are fed twice a day, and we do half home cooked (by myself) with half Butternut Box – to do 100% home cooked would mean we would need a small factory to cope with demand. Now adays there is often loud noise of you must feed your dog X.. but we found what works for us and our guys, and they are constantly complimented on how they look and their fur condition, so we must be doing something right. As we always say, each to their own and you have to do what works for you and your fur-babies.
Have you encountered any common health issues in the breed?
I alluded to this earlier, but yes. Rudi has recently been diagnosed with hip-dysplasia and spondylosis of the spine.
We do not yet know the severity of the issue and has been referred to a specialist.
Adventures & Activities
Do you take them on hikes or trips? What’s your favourite adventure together?
Yes, we love being with them. They love both hikes and trips and settle in well if they have us. We love taking a notion and booking a dog friendly accommodation and going away on small breaks here, and there.
How do people generally react when they see you walking three big, beautiful Ridgebacks?
In awe or mesmerised, which can quickly turn into them wanting to run over and tying to pet them without the correct introduction, or permission. We have set rules and expected manners from our trio, but sadly we can’t control poorly mannered humans. Harmless intentions of course, of simply wanting to say hello, but whilst we have one Mr Sociable, we have two others who are more cautious and one that is particularly sensitive to unknown people… so like any dog you don’t know, don’t go in all guns blazing, speak with the humans and they will explain the best way to say hello so that you enjoy the interaction, but more importantly so do the dogs.
Do they enjoy dog parks and meeting new dogs or are they more selective with doggy socialising?
Difficult question, but because they have each other and if at a dog park, we find they stick together and can be quite protective of one another. For socialising outside of each other, we tend to do this separately so that they too get quality time from each other, with us, and aren’t constantly with each other. Whilst we are often are out as a family, predominantly on walks, we too find it’s important to rotate where they get 1-on-1 time with us as well, even if it’s just a case of a quick pub lunch. Afterall, taking three ridgebacks to a pub means we take up A LOT of space, and not always the most practical thing to do.
Challenges & Lessons
What’s been the biggest challenge of owning a Ridgeback?
Stopping yourself from getting another one, and another one, and another one. Remind yourself puppies grow into big adults 🤣
Have they ever caused chaos that made you question your sanity – or is it all worth it in the end?
Every day, but wouldn’t change it.
What have they taught you about yourself, patience, or life in general?
They have taught us everything; and are the main point for keeping us sane in a busy world, provided routine for us, ensuring we get out every day and take time off.
For Prospective Owners
Would you recommend owning a Ridgeback to first-time dog owners?
No, not unless you had experience or knew fully about the breed. We’ve had dogs before Ridgebacks and think it is important to have experience with dogs generally before committing to a Ridgeback as first-time dog owner.
What advice would you give someone considering getting a Rhodesian Ridgeback?
If possible, spend time with Ridgebacks – get to know them, their traits and like anything, do your research. They are beautiful dogs, with beautiful souls, but it does take work and commitment; they are big, strong dogs, intelligent and you need to be committed to their journey, be disciplined and they certainly aren’t dogs to be left in crates all day whilst at work.
Is there anything you wish you knew before getting your first Ridgeback?
How quickly one ridgeback would turn into two, into three… we’ve stopped here as we don’t have enough hands. I joke, if I had a ranch, I’d have 10 Ridgebacks and more 🤣
Quick-Fire Fun Round
Who’s the loudest?
Rudi for the chit-chat. He is constantly talking!
Who’s the cuddliest?
Rua
Who’s the boss of the group?
Rua
In closing, what’s the best part of being a Ridgeback parent?
I could write a novel in answering this Q! To keep is short and sweet….everything!
Find out more about Ronnie, Rua and Rudi’s adventures on Instagram and TikTok. Click the links to follow them now! If you’d like to learn more about Rhodesian Ridgebacks then take a look at our Dog Breeds section.
