BigGameHoundsmen.com

Anyone use pure ridge backs for hunting?

try this guy, he used to do seminars for RRCUS & local breed clubs on how to get started hunting w/ their ridgebacks.

http://waarheidridgebacks.com/waarheid.htm

Thanks

My hunting buddy has a couple ridgebacks. Most of them I've seen are rough as hell and can go for days. They are a little hot nosed. The absolute best hog dog I have ever hunted behind is his Ridgeback / Redbone cross. The dog has unlimited bottom and trails silent, with just enough grit to keep one stopped. I think they are great looking dogs and considered trying to get some pups. I would be careful to make sure they came from hunting stock if I were buying one. They are beautiful dogs and alot of people are breeding for conformation instead of ability. ( just my opinions based on the ridgebacks I've been around)

The full bloods that I know of all have lots of health problems, and a ridgeback has a fairly short lifespan compared to other dogs. I would stick to a cross. That ridgeback redbone cross sounds like a good one.

watched a show on dogs the other day . they had a segment on ridgebacks . the show breeders cull the dogs without ridges . silly cause the ridge is a genetic fault caused by a bad spine the dogs without ridges have a more normal spine and longer life spans with less complications .

Ive had ridgebacks since 1979 only ever had pur dogs with ridges they have lived to 12yrs on average . ive hunted them over that time and found some to be exerlent close hunting finder bailers and some to be hard luggers. and some to be bloody useless. but I guess thats how most breeds go.
I must add though I had my line of dogs ruined when I added american blood as my line than produced pups with mega osphagus Im still deciding weather to breed from my last bitch as her branch has not thrown this condition.

steve
were your dogs KC registered or did you just keep them for yourself?

they always have been Kc reg. Ive always been one that thought that there is nothing wrong with good looking hunting dogs as long as they do the job. My best achievement I guess was to hunt my dogs on tuesday and catch several pigs one going 101kgs then on saturday my mrs taking best of breed over 120 others at the biggest show in our state with the same dog. unfortunatly it has been a battle to keep the hunt instinct a live in my breed that for the most part I have lost as there are just to many breeding for confirmation alone.

The ridgeback has been getting another go in this country of late funny enough due to the importation of catahoulas and BMCs which has bought with it more of an understanding of bailing or bay type dogs. ( aussie pig hunters tend to be as thick as their meathead pigdogs and if it doesn't lug then its a gutless cur.)some of the guys tring the breed now days are starting to group together hopefully they can bring the breed back to where it should be in the hunting feild.