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THE RESCUE DOG


Please understand that these are rarely pure bred young Ridgeback puppies , although sometimes Rescue Groups do get "Ridgeback-Mix" puppies that need homes. They get mostly older and out of condition dogs, and these older dogs are the true rescue dogs.

Everybody wants a puppy. It is the older dog that needs to find a good home. Most will need training. Some will need even the basics, such as housebreaking and leash training, because they have never lived in a house and have never been taken for a walk! They cannot wait for your convenience, to be rescued. They can't wait till "next Thursday" or "after your vacation" or whatever! They need to be in new homes, NOW (especially, those that are in Animal Shelters and are scheduled to be put to death!)! The dogs will most likely be in a different part of the country that you live in, unless you happen to reside in an area like Texas, where there is an abundance of dogs needing homes.

The rescued Ridgeback will come to you with no promise of committing to you. In a breed such as the Ridgeback, who only responds to his owner and is aloof with strangers, this can be frustrating. He may react aggressively towards people who visit you because it was strangers that took him from his home, away from the people he loved and trusted...and now that he has "found you", a stranger in your home might make him think that he will be taken away. I advise people to crate such a dog when visitors come, giving him a "time out" and at the same time, a secure feeling since if he is in his crate he cannot be taken from his home. It will take a while to earn his love and trust because he was abandoned by the last person he loved and trusted. He eventually will bond to you and then you will never find a more appreciative and loving companion!

So, if you are a really good candidate for rescuing a Ridgeback, you must be willing & able to offer tender loving care and suitable living conditions for an OLDER dog. This breed does best as a house pet. If you are looking for a dog that will live outdoors, in a kennel, in a dog house, on a farm or in the barn, we suggest you get a dog that was bred to live this way. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a "People Dog" and it want's to be at his owner's side (he is often called a " Velcro dog")! He responds to positive training, only! Harsh treatment will not work, with a Ridgeback! You must have the patience to earn the love of a rescued dog that has been disappointed by his previous owner, after giving his love to that person. A Ridgeback will ignore commands, given by those that are not his owner. And again, the rescue dog has no prior commitment to you. It will take time to earn his respect. He may come to you with problems, beginning with those that are caused by the fact that he was abandoned by the one he loved and trusted...but with love and training, he CAN become your "perfect pet!". Please be certain that you will commit to working out the problems that will come with rescuing a Ridgeback because it is imperative that each of these dogs finds a permanent home! Once you earn his love & trust, you will find you have a wonderful companion.

If you are still interested in rescuing a Rhodesian Ridgeback, or want to show your support with a donation to the Rescue Fund, or are able to house a Ridgeback, temporarily; please contact Etosha Rescue etosha@texas.net or TIRR ... tirr@hughes.net

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