The Rhodesian Ridge as Rescue Dog

In addition to hunting, the lovers of Rhodesian Ridgebacks can undergo rescue-dog training. This offers a meaningful way to break the fallow, and thus brings the problem-solving skills of their dogs under control. 

When caringly and RR-appropriately trained, our dogs are ready and able to do unimaginable, upmost performance. It is the nature of the Rhodesian Ridgeback, with his strong bondage to his people who treats him well, to do everything, literally everything. It is his enormous commitment to his handler and his will to work, which makes him work to total exhaustion. Here the dog handler must stop him in time, so that his RR doesn’t suffer any damage to his health.

Anyone who has ever seen a Ridgi voluntarily, driven only by his own will to search, climb an almost insurmountable, steep concrete slab. With his muscles trembling, the RR will use his cat-like paws tirelessly, quickly, vigorously and with the very most of effort. He’ll do this while simultaneously scanning the terrain without being distracted from wildlife. He who has witnessed this will never forget that sight.

Only mentally and physically healthy dogs are suitable as rescue-dogs. They are tested for character and their sense of smell before being trained. It does not matter if a dog is very careful and is suspicious of strangers and objects. It is the especially cautious ones, who during the course of training become the best debris dogs. Only dogs which are hysterical, aggressive, or lacking a good predisposition to smell are not trained. 

A small disadvantage of the Rhodesian Ridgebacks is the fact that they do not have a "loose neck". Barking exercises with much patience and affection are necessary here, until even the dumbest Ridgi is a reliable barker. Alternatively, he can be trained to use a dummy as a reference to his find. In this case he will be used "only" for searches in flatter areas.

In summary, taking into account its small peculiarities and quirks, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a truly dynamical dog, for which you cannot ask for a better one in the rescue service.