Is that a Ridgeback?

The question I get asked most often by people when I am out and about, "Is that a ridgeback?". Yes it is I enthusiastically reply.

This question is always followed up with a garage of questions about the breed. Sometimes people have read a bit about them or seen something on TV. Most people know that these dogs were used to hunt lions. I definitely get asked that a lot.

Without fail, the question people ask most is if Rhodesian Ridgebacks are like labs. Every time they ask this I try not to chuckle. It's kind of a ridiculous question in the first place. "No they are nothing like labs" I always reply. These dogs are way better than labs. But I don't tell people that.

I don't tell them how much better ridgebacks are than labradors because quite simply, this amazing creature is not for everyone. And if your dog of choice is a labrador, then a ridgeback might not be best for you. 

Now there are a hundred of websites and forums where this has been stated but none of them say why. What makes the breed out of Africa so different from a lab? Ok here it is in one word, attachment. 

My dog Emma goes everywhere with me. In a given month there are only a handful of days when she isn't by my side. If I go out to a restaurant I usually sit outside with my dog. If I go for a vacation, she goes with me. We are inseparable, and this isn't just because I'm a crazy dog nut. Emma is so attached to me that she has panic attacks when I leave. If I go on a vacation for a a week she gets depressed and will hardly go outside. From talking to vets and other ridgeback owners I have discerned that this isn't something wrong with my dog, it's just how the Rhodesian Ridgebacks are. They attach to their owner in a way that is very unique to the breed. 

If I'm gone for more than an hour she acts as though I have been gone for years, greeting me by nearly knocking me over and licking with affection. She then quite decidedly follows me around the house. 

If I am watching TV and I get up to get a drink she wakes up from her nearby slumber to follow me. Moving to another room, she's moving with me. Wherever I go she follows instinctually. I take her to the dog park frequently, sometimes I hide behind a tree or something. Within minutes of loosing sight of me, Emma panics and begins searching frantically for me. These are not trained habits, they are breed traits. 

The odd thing is, after two years I have come to love my little shadow. If she doesn't follow me somewhere around the house I start to wonder where she is. Not having her with me out and about leaves me feeling kind of alone. 

As I write this and think about it, it sounds kind of crazy nuts to me. But if you have ever owned one of these creatures you will know exactly what I am thinking about. Please add your comments below. 

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