This is my favorite video about Ridgebacks. Some of the ones on YouTube are cute, or talk about the dogs qualities, but this is the absolute best example I have found of what it is actually like to live with a one. Ok watch the video then I'll break it down afterwards. Also great song by Vance Joy.
These are just facts of life when you have a ridgeback in your family:
1. Not sure if it's the short coat of fur, or more likely a natural den instinct from their African heritage. but these dogs always sleep under covers. If one shares a bed with you it will use its nose to lift the covers and crawl under.
2. If you pull the covers off of a ridgeback you might get scratched and he/she will get back under the covers. Even if this means pulling all the covers off a bed, the dog goes under the covers.
3. You and your family are large pillows. The ridgeback will lay its head, or sometimes its entire body on you. It may just decide to lay on top of you.
4. These dogs are always ready to play with you. Just not fetch or frisky, or anything like that. But chase or dancing, or hide and seek and they are all in. Just don't say "squirrel"
5. Ridgebacks will steal tea from you even if it's hot. Actually, they will steal food too. Especially if it's in a pan on the stove waiting to be cooked, or sitting on a counter out of reach. Walk out of the room for one minute, and don't expect to get any because it will already be gone.
6. Ridgebacks will go through trash. Just get used to this fact. No amount of fear or punishment seems to deter this, so just keep your trash as empty as possible.
7. Will bark when necessary. If a ridgeback barks there is a threat , period. They can be twitching in a dream one minute, and if someone walks buy outside they are wide awake and listening the next minute.
8. A ridgeback in your house will quickly become your new home security system without training. This seems as natural to them as eating or running. It seems to kick in at about 14 months old. Simply say the word "security" or ask "who is that?" and every door and window will quickly be scrutinized by one of the worlds top security systems, ridgeback eyes. And they take it extremely seriously.
9. Loves to Run for the hell of it. In circles, or figure eights. weaving in and out around and around, never tiring. They just love to run.
10. Follow you around everywhere
11. A ridgeback will follow you into the bathroom, if you don't close the door tight. It will open the door and pop a head in to have a look. If you close the door securely then the ridgeback will lay by the bathroom door until you come out. If you take to long it might scratch the door once or twice to check up on you.
12. This 80-120 pound dog does not ask for permission to lay on your lap, it will crawl or jump up on you and curl up.
13. Absolutely greets every "friendly" by licking their face in greeting without fail.
14. Meets an individual once and decides whether or not to befriend them. These dogs remember people for life, once a friend or enemy so it will always be with ridgebacks. Make a good first impression.
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