Any person considering the purchase of a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy needs to invest time and effort into the decisions to be made, and not just buy the first puppy that becomes available.

You will be investing a considerable amount of money in this puppy and it will become a member of your family for the next ten to fourteen years. For these reasons doing whatever you can to ensure that you make the right decisions is a very worthwhile exercise. A bad choice could be a very expensive mistake costing many hundreds of dollars in veterinary bills, or a situation where things are not working out and rehousing of the puppy becomes necessary.

• Visit as many breeders as you can regardless of whether they have a litter on the way or not.
• Go to dog shows and Ridgeback Club functions, and spend time looking and talking to as many owners and breeders as possible.
  You will learn something from every exchange which takes place, and this knowledge will accumulate to a point where you can confidently make your own decisions and choices about
  which breeder you will deal with,
  which litter is of the most interest to you,
  whether the litter has been soundly bred,
  whether the asking price is fair and reasonable, and
  whether the quality of follow up care and support you are looking for will be willingly provided.

Rhodesian Ridgeback Breeders come in all varieties, and can be considered to range on a scale with backyard breeders at one end, reliable and ethical breeders in the centre, and business based puppy mills at the other end. This should be considered to be a continuous scale with some breeders falling between categories. You can be assured, however, that most breeders lie within this middle range.

For most Rhodesian Ridgeback breeders having a litter happens once or perhaps twice a year as part of a planned breeding program. Their involvement in Rhodesian Ridgebacks is basically a semi-professional hobby, and having a litter enables them to continue their interest by aiming to breed a better Rhodesian Ridgeback than they already have, and to show and campaign their new progeny in the hope of success and achievement. They are not running a business, and their dogs are part of their family, and are treated accordingly. Litters are raised in a home environment with baby puppies being handled more often and experiencing all the sights and sounds of a home.

Their primary objectives are to breed better Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and any income supports this hobby or interest on which they spend far more than they make from sales of puppies.

To achieve these goals these breeders will invest considerable time, effort, and money in the following :

• read books and articles about the Rhodesian Ridgback, and the 'Breed Standard', a written description of what the perfect Rhodesian Ridgeback should be, and keep up to date with current ideas and thinking
• choosing the dog and bitch to be mated so that they compliment each other as best as possible in terms of their structure, qualities, temperament and characteristics, to increase the chances of better Rhodesian Ridgebacks
• studying the pedigree of both parents and considering the characteristics of dogs listed, and also considering whether to line breed or to outcross as part of their breeding program
• X-Ray the hips of both parents for hip dysplasia, and ensure that both parents are fit and healthy and suitable for breeding purposes
• choosing the dog and bitch to be mated so that any inherited faults or disorders are eliminated or much less likely to occur rather than more likely to occur
• choosing the dog and bitch to be mated as part of a long term ongoing breeding program which has particular aims and objectives which the breeder can and will willingly explain
• campaigning Rhodesian Ridgebacks they own or have bred in the show ring putting them forward for judgement and evaluation by qualified independent judges at shows open to all
• homes will be selected for puppies with careful judgement, in the interests of the long term welfare of those puppies, and follow up care and support will be willingly provided

In contrast you will find what are termed backyard breeders who have little knowledge of the structure and characteristics of the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed, have read one or no books about the breed, and are poorly informed. They do not know if the particular dog and bitch who have been mated are a good match for each other, lack knowledge of inherited genetic faults and disorders, do not X-Ray for hip dysplasia, do not show their dogs, do not have a breeding program, sell puppies to anyone, provide no follow up care or health warranty, may or may not be a member of a canine association or breed club, and the only basis on which they choose to breed is the lure of money.

And at the other end of the scale are the those registered breeders who may have been involved in the dog world for some time, and have achieved success in the show ring, but who have lost touch with why they became involved with the Rhodesian Ridgeback Breed in the first place. The number of litters per year rises to three, four, six, or more; matings lack the depth of planning and judgement required; quality of homes for puppies is less important because making a sale is more important; follow up care no longer occurs and a health warranty is never mentioned because it will lower the profit margin; genetic faults and disorders are less important because maximum turnover is more important; and the reality is the lure of money has taken over as the driving force behind their operation.

Litters may be raised in a kennel environment receiving less handling and socialising. Older bitches who should have retired continue to produce litters; dogs and bitches known to pass on genetically based health problems continue to produce litters; a walk in the park, a run in the forest, a swim at the beach, or a snooze in front of the fire, no longer exist. Life for these dogs is often caged kennels and the same dog run day after day. The only outings are to dog shows in the hope of collecting more ribbons. They are basically in the business of breeding as many puppies for sale as possible, at the best price they can get, to maximize cash flow to meet their financial needs.

All breeders are variations on the above descriptions and lie somewhere on this scale. There are no hard and fast rules, and it is up to the prospective purchaser to make this determination for themselves.

For the benefit of prospective puppy purchasers I place genetic disorders and faults into three groups. As a breed of dog becomes more popular, and the number of breeders increases, the incidence of genetic disorders increases. Within the Rhodesian Ridgeback Breed the frequency of such disorders is thankfully quite low, however, there is a need for checks, to ensure that you are not buying expensive problems. Each year we tend to hear of one or two cases of puppies developing serious genetically based disorders, and the difficulties faced by owners in coming to terms with the problem. Usually these are situations where the breeder accepts no responsibility for the problem which they have bred and refuse to compensate the owner in any way.

The first group are those more common disorders or faults which are usually evident during the first eight weeks of a puppy's life and are clearly visible. In this group we are talking about the following examples :

• excess white on feet, or excess black in coat
• undershot jaw or poor bite
• flat splayed feet
• roached topline
• kinked tail
• faulty ridge with extra crowns, or offset crowns, or very short ridge
• poor structural qualities such as straight front end or weak forechest
• undescended testicles
• poor head structure with short muzzle or snipey jaw
• timid temperament, also probably belongs in this group

You can see each of these conditions before you buy. You can say no if you are not willing to accept a particular puppy. You know exactly what you are getting before you buy, and for most people wanting a Rhodesian Ridgeback for pet purposes the above will not cause disease or medical problems, and are often acceptable.

There are many examples of pet Rhodesian Ridgebacks with extra crowns on their ridge, or a white front foot, that are handsome dogs with beautifully built bodies and other qualities and features that any breeder would love to have in one of their show dogs. They make ideal pets for owners not interested in showing or breeding.

The second group are those disorders which become evident at a later time as your puppy grows and matures. There is no prior evidence of their existence. In this group we are talking about the following examples :

• chronic skin conditions and allergic dermatitis
• infertility
• thyroid failure or poor function
• mast cell tumors and susceptibility to particular cancers
• hip dysplasia
• entropian eyelids
• hairs on inside of eyelids
• OCD osteochondrosis

Some of these conditions can lead to considerable long term problems and expense. Personal suffering and distress for both dog and owners may also eventuate. It is up to the prospective purchaser to ask the relevant questions regarding the possibility of such a disorder being present in the litter they are considering, and to determine for themselves whether they have received the assurances and guarantees they need before proceeding with a purchase.

The third group is the disorder unique to the Rhodesian Ridgeback known as Dermoid Sinus. It consists of a fine tube growing from the surface of the skin down into the spinal cord. It is made of skin tissue and is open at the surface. Any puppy with a dermoid sinus will eventually have some bacteria enter this tube and cause an infected cyst to develop.

Any experienced breeder will usually find dermoid sinus within the early days after the puppies are born and they will be humanely euthanased. An inexperienced breeder may sell a puppy with dermoid sinus and it may be months before it becomes infected and the new owner becomes aware of it. Many veterinary surgeons have heard of the condition but lack practical experience in detecting and treating the condition. Surgery is major, highly invasive, traumatic, and expensive. There is a one in a million chance that an experienced breeder will not find a dermoid sinus, however, it is generally accepted practice that if this should happen money would be refunded to be used for the expense of surgery, or a replacement puppy would be provided from a future litter.

Having paid a considerable amount of money to purchase your Rhodesian Ridgeback you have the right to expect it to be free of any unexpected genetic conditions or disorders. A reputable breeder will take all possible steps to ensure that each litter they breed is free of such disorders, however, when a bitch or dog is used for the first time, or when a stud dog from another kennel is used, it may not always be possible to be absolutely certain that something unexpected will not arise.

For these reasons a health warranty in writing should be requested and expected, and any reputable breeder will stand by the puppies they have bred. No breeder wants this to happen, but if it does happen a breeder should willingly assist the owner in every possible way to rectify the problem, including monetary compensation where appropriate.

Yeelanna Kennels provides protection to puppy purchasers by adhering to a number of key principals of conduct. All breeding stock are X-rayed for hip dysplasis, and only Rhodesian Ridgebacks with scores lower than the breed average of 8.9 are used. All Yeelanna Puppies come with a written Health Warranty covering known genetic conditions including Dermoid Sinus, Entropian Eyelids, Thyroid Gland Failure, and Hip Dysplasia.

A comprehensive information package is supplied containing all necessary information regarding care and feeding, vaccination, wormings, training and socialising. Follow up support, care, and advice is always available, and for people interested in showing their puppy, ongoing information, training, and assistance are willingly provided.

Yeelanna Puppies come with a written receipt, registration papers are supplied at no extra cost, and puppies are ear tattooed for identification purposes.

1. Why have you mated this particular dog to this particular bitch ?
2. Why are you having this litter ?
3. How many litters have you had during the last twelve months ?
4. Are both parents show dogs and what success have they had ?
5. Have both parents been X-rayed for hip dysplasia and what are their scores ?
6. What information do I receive with a puppy if I purchase one ?
   Can you please show me what I will get.
7. What genetic disorders and faults have come through in previous litters you have had ? Is it possible that this litter will carry these same disorders or faults ?
8. Has this bitch had any other litters ? How old is she ? How many other litters has she had ? What genetic disorders and faults were evident in puppies from these litters ?
9. Do I receive a written health warranty with a puppy ? What exactly does it cover, and what is not covered by the warranty ?
10. What happens if my puppy gets a genetic disorder such as entropian eyelids and requires surgery ?
11. Do I receive registration papers with my puppy ? Are they included in the cost of the puppy ?
12. Do I receive a full written receipt detailing the sale of a puppy ?

Many factors are taken into account when a breeder evaluates a litter to determine which puppies have the potential to be successful show dogs, and future breeding stock. Only the very best from any litter should be considered for breeding purposes. Factors taken into consideration apart from the quality of the ridge include :

• length of body and height
• balanced body with front and rear the same size and weight
• depth and length of chest
• well defined waistline
• well defined sternum and forechest
• angle of lay back of shoulder
• length of upper arm and angle
• compact well arched feet
• amount of turn in rear legs
• well proportioned head and eye colour
• length of neck
• overall appearance of nice lines to the body
• suitable temperament, outgoing and confident
• sound movement with correct gait -as best as possible in a baby

Too often people buying a puppy with a good ridge believe they have a show and breeding quality Rhodesian Ridgeback when they do not. At six to eight weeks of age when these decisions are being made, factors may be evident which make it clear to the breeder that a puppy with a good ridge has other weaknesses that make it unsuitable for show and breeding purposes.

Too often second and third rate puppies with a good ridge are sold as show quality in order to generate more income from a litter. This particularly applies to backyard breeders.

Too often a good ridge is used as the only factor in determining whether a puppy is sold as pet quality or show quality.