Comments on: Breed Club Recommends Healthy Puppies Be Killed

By: robyn

robyn — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 08:58:35 +0000

we have the most amazing, fun loving, gentle and very clever rhodesian ridgeless ridgeback, her name is lottie she’s 16weeks old and we have had her for a month now. my partner and i love her so much she is part of the family and life was never as much fun before we got her. it makes me very sad to think if lottie was in the wrong hands when born she may not be here now (sitting on my feet), when i first read about the culling of ridgeless ridgebacks i couldnt get my head around it, its disgusting and upsetting!!! lottie has a very healthy and loving lifestyle and i’de give anything to see her happy. at the end of the day its what you make of a dog and how you train them not about flipping ridges!! all the comments look asthough they have been written by very caring and loyal owners, keep up the positive comments.

By: JImP

JImP — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:19:49 +0000

The most surprising fact in this debate is that ridgeless ridgebacks, or to be more proper-South African lion hounds, are immune to the deadly dermoid sinus condition that affects a small percentage of the breed.
Breeding for the ridge actually causes the condition.

It’s unfortunate that this condition is allowed to plague the breed in an effort to conform to the breed standard. I’ve owned both. They are equally impressive…both wonderful dogs.

By: Karl

Karl — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:43:58 +0000

I own a ridgeless Ridgeback. Such a healthy dog…

I think someone ought to start a breed standard for the ridgeless ones. That way they’d be worth SOMETHING, and the breeders would have an incentive to keep them.

What’s a ridge aside from a predisposition to dermoid sinus anyway?

By: Caren

Caren — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:07:10 +0000

Idea !! why doesn’t the Kennel Club add the ridgeless to it’s list of breeds.. just like the long and short haired breeds ???

By: lindee loo

lindee loo — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:58:30 +0000

I have a ridegeless ridgeback who came from a rescue home, who was listed as a mongrel! He was so under weight i have given him another chance and am glad that i did he is a smashing dog. He now looks every inch a ridgeback except for the ridge. I am not going to breed him anyway and it makes no difference what he is to us…… just a great dog…. who deserved the chance of a decent life.. no dog should be culled unless there is illness.
If the breeders do not want to use a ridgeless dog for breeding thats fine but do not cull dogs just because they have no ridge.
Breed standards are just something us humans decide,
More importantly choose the right dog for yourself/family i wish more people done this and perhaps our rescue homes would not be filled with so many dogs that us humans inappropriatly choose!

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:34:14 +0000

The more humane thing to do is to find lovings homes for the ridgeless puppies, with the contract to have the puppy spayed or neutered. In fact, it would even better if the breeder would agree to take care of the spaying or neutering when the puppy reaches the right age. I have a 10-1/2 year old ridgeless Ridgeback, and we love him. He is the best dog we’ve ever had. I don’t care that he doesn’t have a ridge. We love the dog and I would love to have another one just like him, when he passes on someday. There are other alternatives to killing and culling, or whatever you want to call it. Bottom line, you’re killing them unnecessarily.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:27:44 +0000

Oh for god’s sake, get a grip! While I personally wouldn’t have any problem with a ridgeless Ridgeback, I’m equally untroubled by the humane killing of some dogs.

Unless ALL of you are vegetarians, you can hardly object to animals who have been bred for a purpose being killed by those who bred them. Why don’t you focus your outrage on cruelty perpetrated on dogs – putting down a small proportion of puppies in a humane manner is far less of a problem.

And for those of you who think this is eugenics – stop anthropomorphizing animals, they really hate that!

By: Christine Gurr

Christine Gurr — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:05:14 +0000

@Cindy,

I too am the very proud owner of a ridgeless ridgeback, i have already been ask if i am thinking of breeding from him, (He is only 5 months old). He too has a wonderful temperament and is absolutely handsome. if we decide to get a second dog that to will be ridgeless

By: Jane Renwick

Jane Renwick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:12:22 +0000

For the person who stated that culling does not mean killing – how you insult people with your justifcation, go to your underhand vet and do your ethnic cleansing, just hope you can sleep at night. Dress it up all you like I know what you do and NOTHING AND NOBODY will change my views so do not waste your time trying to justify your murdering ways – I AM JUST NOT INTERESTED IN YOU. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOURSELF – ARE YOU PERFECT – I DOUBT IT. PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET RID OF ALL THOSE THAT WEAR GLASSES, ARE NOT THIN ENOUGH, HAVE THE WRONG COLOUR HAIR – THINK ON – WASN'T IT HITLER THAT WANTED A RACE BLONDE & BLUE EYED?

Good on the BBC for bringing this issue to the forefront – but trust me there is more to follow on this. Keep watching!!!

By: Jane Renwick

Jane Renwick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:11:35 +0000

I am the proud owner of a ridgeless ridgeback. She is the most beautiful bitch you ever seen. Without fail I am stopped by admirers and ALL congratulate me on owning such a splendid bitch and already I have a long list of persons wishing to have one her puppies when I decide to breed from her. I would buy every last
ridgeless dog if I could and I have made sure that EVERYONE I speak to is aware of the underhand way in which TRUE HEALTHY puppies are murdered because they have no ridge. You – and you know who you are are doing no more than ethnic cleansing – your actions are no better than what the Germans did to the Jews, no better than the Serbs – who the hell do YOU THINK YOU ARE. What gives YOU the right to kill a good healthy puppy. I will continue to promote the ridgeless puppy and breed good healthy puppies. You all hide behind your clubs and have been brain washed in thinking only ridged puppies have a right to live. All you non ridge haters – get a life, we do no care what you say or do because we are laughing at you and will flush your murdering ways out for good.