CULLING, BREEDING, GRADING
	GRADING THE LITTER Originally published in the August/September 1988 newsletter of The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Victoria, updated November 2002 RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK PUPS Culling, Grading and Breeders Responsibilities Culling Culling (this article uses the definition of killing) is a rather controversial topic and the extent this is carried out varies enormously between breeders, and possibly between countries. The RR Club of the US allows for raising of ridgeless pups and pups with dermoid sinus, provided these are de-sexed prior to sale. In the case of pups with dermoid sinus, the sinus must be removed. The issue of euthanasia of ridgeless pups has been controversial for the RR Club of Victoria, which asks members to cull pups with dermoid sinus, ridgelessness or of blue/grey colour. This issue was recently revisited, and members now have the option to raise pups without ridges or of blue/grey colour provided they are desexed prior to leaving the breeder Dermoid sinus is a congenital defect found in the breed, and all breeders must know how to detect it. If you are not sure, please seek the opinion of an experienced breeder- they will generally be much better at diagnosing sinus than most vets, to whom it is a rarely seen condition. It's much better know you have an affected pup early, than to raise, or even to sell an affected pup and have problems arise later. It is most easily detected by gently palpating the skin along the spine of the new pup, from the occiput bone to as far down the tail as possible. Gently pull the skin up from the spine and rub it between the fingers. The sinus will be felt as a very fine thread, with the length toward the spine being variable. A deep rooted sinus will anchor the skin down and can be detected by this characteristic. Shorter sinuses will be harder to detect, as are those on the base of the tail. If in doubt, it is a good idea to shave the skin over the point where the sinus has been felt. The sinus can then be seen as a small hole with a tuft of hairs sometimes being visible in the opening. There may also be more than one sinus present. The hardest sinuses to detect are those around the base of the tail, as there is less skin to lift in this area in the young pup - make sure you check this area very carefully. The Ridgeback Club of the USA has a good overview of dermoid sinus on the following link-http://rrcus.org/assets/html/breedinfo/dermoid/dermoid.htm, or most books on the breed will cover this subject. A personal view based on experience- for those thinking of surgically removing sinuses- don’t! It's more trouble than it's worth, and the entire sinus may not be removed leading to problem later in life. It is much kinder in the long run to have the pup put down. The selection of any pups to be culled depends on the views of the breeder, and sometimes on the size of the litter. It is not particularly kind to your bitch to attempt to raise 10 or more pups, particularly if some of these have noticeable defects. It also does the breed a disservice, as there is a danger pups sold without papers may be bred to other unregistered ridgebacks or cross-bred. To maintain the quality of the breed, the best should be selected, hard though this may seem at the time.The next point to consider is the ridge. Pups are sometimes born with defective ridges- defects ranging from no ridge to short ridges, one crowned, multi-crowned, badly offset etc. I’ve even seen a Ridgeback with a box on each end of the ridge. The degree that a ridge can be offset and considered acceptable varies greatly between breeders once again. Some breeders will accept only the perfectly symmetrical ridge. This is often a good starting point, but the quality of the animal underneath the ridge must also be considered. However, it must be noted that it is the breeders that are responsible for maintaining this characteristic unique to our breed, and the dog or bitch that is badly offset is starting off with a disadvantage in these competitive times! Other defects which can be found in the young pups are kinked tails, over, undershot or "wry" mouths, poor colour (excessive black or white, blue colour). Animals in these categories are definitely pet material, if not culled initially. However, many pups born with some degree of black through the coat may have a completely clear coat at 8 weeks of age. White also tends to diminish, so the degree of these defects must be considered. The slightly overshot mouth can also correct - rarely the undershot mouth. However, to be on the safe side, pups which have faults which may or may not correct, should not be sold registered. Kinked tails always remain kinked, although from the few I have seen, they frequently do not look as bad in the adult as in the young pup. It is not my place in this article to define what defects would necessitate culling of the pup at birth. This is for the individual breeder to determine, always keeping the good of the breed and the brood bitch in mind. In Australia, most experienced breeders will cull. Breeders have a responsibility to maintain the quality of the breed, and selling substandard pups to substandard homes leads to an increased risk of cross breeding. However, we need to keep in mind the overall objective of a sound well structured dog, and not necessarily remove a dog/bitch from the breeding pool due to a minor cosmetic defect.Other defects not mentioned to date, which may arise in the young pups and where euthanasia may be the kindest course are cleft palates (rare), severe umbilical hernias, wobblers syndrome and other rare neurological problems.If culling should be necessary in a litter the procedure I usually follow is to select the affected pups as soon after birth as possible. They are then either taken to the vet when the bitch receives oxytocin post whelping, or I ask for a home visit and the bitch is examined and the pups taken by the vet. The latter is less traumatic to the bitch as she does not have to be taken from home, but does cost more and is a service many vets no longer offer. If the pups are culled at this early stage, there is less attachment to the pup by both dam (often still tired after whelping) and the owner. The ability to be strong enough to select pups to be culled is a necessary part of being a responsible breeder (and after nearly 30 years I’m still wondering if bitches can count!). Grading At birth some grading can be done on the more obvious features such as colour and the ridge. It is one of the best times for a few weeks to examine the ridge, while the whelp is still damp and the ridge well defined. Following the first 48 hours, the puppy coat grows, until the age of at least 4 weeks and sometimes up to 8-12 weeks (depending on the length of the puppy coat).The ridge at birth should be carefully examined for the presence of 2 crowns opposite to each other, and the whole ridge carefully examined for length, symmetry and any extra crowns or irregularities. There has been the occasional case where a pup thought to have one crown at birth has had the second crown disguised by the lie of coat or an uneven box. However, it is more common to find faults in the ridge as the pups become older eg extra crowns, part crowns, breaks in the ridge etc. Difficult faults to find are a third crown in the box, half crowns or part of a box in the ridge. The shape and length of the box may also be difficult to determine in the young pup. The ridge of the pups should be examined for symmetry as slight faults in this characteristic sometimes indicate the afore-mentioned faults. Pups are generally graded as a continuous process from birth, but can alter significantly in their characteristics during their development. I leave the final grading as late as possible, but a balance must be struck between getting the pup to its new home and running it on for the purpose of chosing the best show quality animal. The best time to socialise and introduce pups to their new homes from a social development view is 8-12 weeks. This means that in most cases pups are graded between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks prior to sale at 8 to 9 weeks.In grading pups I generally examine the parents and grandparents for their weak and strong points and grade the pups with this knowledge in mind. The head This is a very important area as the expression gives the dog character and has an important contribution to "type" in the older dog. Faults to be found in a young pup include- excessive black on the forehead or temples. A pup with a strong black mask over the eyes and colouring up into the forehead may not lose all this pigment as it becomes older (I personally like a black rather than clear muzzle- but black on the forehead is a fault). cheekiness eg a short muzzle with broad head, often associated with a large round eye. While some pups which appear short in muzzle when young will alter with age, the best indicator is the ratio of the length of muzzle (nose to centre of the eyes) to the distance from the centre of the eyes to the occiput bone, this should be 1:1. A good indicator is also length of muzzle and head shape of the parents. Short muzzles may also be associated with undershot jaws (as per the bulldog). This is less of a problem in the breed than in the past. -depth of muzzle. A very deep, short muzzle may be associated with excessive flews (think Great Dane, Bloodhound). These dogs may be prone to excessive dribbling, not an attractive trait in a breed which should have lips closely fitting the jaws. On the other hand lack of depth leads to a snipey appearance and may be associated with an overshot jaw. lack of stop. Examine the profile of the pups head to determine the strength of stop. While we are now seeing less broad heads and checkiness, we must now guard against exaggerated length of muzzle, often associated with a poor stop and small almond eye. shape of the eye. The ridgeback is one of the few hounds where the standard calls for a round eye. The shape of the eye is associated with the bone structure of the eye socket, therefore with the overall structure of the head. The round bulging eye is often associated with the short muzzle and cheeky head, the almond eye with lack of stop and overlong or snipey muzzle. As with many characteristics associated with the breed, the correct head in the pup or adult is the moderate head. Neck The neck needs to be long and clean in the pup. Excessive throatiness in the pup generally means a throaty adult. However an exaggerated long neck may be associated with an upright front. Again look for correctness and moderation. General structure The pup needs to be well angulated in the shoulder and rear end, and tends to "grow into" some of this angulation. If a pup appears over angulated in the rear and cow hocked examine the parents if possible. In some bloodlines this is not unusual and may improve with age. Beware the pups which appear to lack angulation as they may end up with very little angulation as adults. This will lead to a short stilted gait lacking in reach and drive. When examining the topline of the pups, keep in mind the toplines of the parents, and look for the level topline. Dippy toplines and roach backs can be seen in the young pup. Some pups will also arch their backs when wriggling in excitement, so use another time to assess the topline! In some cases a roached back may also be due to cold or uncertainty, so assess the topline when the pup is relaxed and moving around the yard. A dip in the topline is often seen in dogs which are overlong in body- which can look particularly bad in an older brood bitch. Also look to your fronts. In the early years of the breed in this country many lines had overly heavy loaded fronts. Many of these dogs moved wide in the front, or were out in elbow. We now need to guard against overly narrow fronts upright fronts, lacking in angulation and prosternum. This may lead to a rotary, weaving and incorrect front action. Movement The general structure defines the quality of movement of the dog. This breed must have a straight forward, free and active gait- often hard to judge in the puppy, so look to your general structure as a guide to quality of movement the pup will have as an adult! I’ve also found different bloodlines to vary in the quality of movement in the young pup. A good topline, strong well let-down hocks, good layback of shoulder and good length of leg and body are needed for good movement in the adult dog. It is accepted to achieve the required angulation and gait the Ridgeback cannot be a square dog, being slightly longer in body than in height to the shoulder, so look for this in your pups. Tail set A poor tail set can detract from an otherwise good dog. Look carefully at the set on of your pups tail. A low set tail may be associated with a steep croup, which can result in reduced rear drive. On the other hand a highset tail with no slope from the croup is also a fault, as is the tail which curves back over the topline. Kinked tails are seen in the breed, and should be penalised. These pups are pet quality. Feet Examine these carefully for tight toes- there should not be any degree of openness between the pup’s toes. Poor feet can also be a developmental stage in some bloodlines. Some pups have good feet which flatten at 5 to 7 months, and then correct as the pups grow older. Weak pasterns can also be a developmental problem- often associated with flat feet or long toes. I’ve also seen pups knuckle forward at 10-12 weeks and then correct. Breeders should be aware of these factors when considering matings, as these problems seem more prevalent in some bloodlines than others. Size Look at the litter as a whole and examine the sizes of the pups relative to each other, then consider the size of the parents. Beware the pup which is much bigger or smaller than it’s littermates. As a relatively new breed it would be unusual not to have throwbacks to excessively large or small dogs used in the past. Again, the best pup to chose is the moderate pup. Colour A good guide to the colour of the adult dog is the colour of the top of the pups head. A little black in the throat area, or on the tail may go, but pups with a lot of black through the coat may retain this. Colour at the extreme ends of the breed standard eg putty colour at the very light end, and mahogany at the dark end is a continuing source of debate for breeders. A brown nose rather than black with the corresponding light eye is an acceptable genetic variation in the breed, unlike Blue/Greys. These are rarely seen, and if not culled need to be desexed prior to sale (the few I have seen are actually quite attractive!). Having said all of the above, there are always cases where the promising pup does not turn out as expected, even when the breeder is experienced and dealing with bloodlines they know well. If the pup has been purchased for show and/or breeding and does not meet expectation the owner should consult with the breeder. This then leads into the area of breeders responsibilities. Breeders responsibilities The decision to breed a litter should not be taken lightly. The raising of the pups and finding of good homes can be a very time consuming and costly business. The breeder is not only responsible for the pup until it is old enough to leave (8-9 weeks), but a good breeder will continue to help with advice and assistance to the purchaser for as long as is required. All breeders expect a few calls about minor concerns after their litter has left for their new homes. The people who have bought the pups have (hopefully) purchased the dog as a new member of their family. They will therefore be concerned if the pup does not eat, has loose stools, or for some reason requires re-housing. The assistance of the breeder may also be required here.There are also cases where pups sold as potential show quality and breeding stock do not reach their expected potential, or perhaps develop defects which are of genetic origin. In these cases the general practice amongst reputable breeders is to offer either some financial compensation, or a replacement pup. In the case of genetic defects it would be expected the pup is then desexed. These options are for discussion between the puppy owner and the breeder and will vary case by case. There are a lot of "grey" areas, and breeders must also be aware of their responsibilities in an age of increasing litigation. All breeders must also be aware of the Code of Ethics of the Club they are associated with, and the Code of Ethics of the local controlling body (Victorian Canine Association in Victoria). The VCA code includes the following points: excepting in extenuating circumstances, I shall not breed from any bitch…causing it to be mated before it is twelve months of age. Thereafter I shall not breed from any bitch kept by me causing it to whelp more than twice in 18 months. I will not breed any bitch kept by me causing it to whelp more than six times without prior veterinary certification of fitness for further breeding. I shall not sell or otherwise transfer from my care any puppy under eight weeks of age, thus allowing for vaccination to be given at six weeks of age, and the necessary ten to fourteen days for the vaccine to take effect. I shall not export a puppy under the age of 12 weeks. It also states breeders shall not breed their animals to other breeds, or unregistered animals of their own breed, and pups are not to be sold through pet shops or commercial dog wholesalers.The Ridgeback Club of Victoria also requires bitches to be a least 18 months of age at mating, and to be Xrayed and graded (hips and elbows). However, there are no restrictions on breeding based on the results of the hip and/or elbow Xrays, unlike some European clubs. The Code of Ethics of the club also asks breeders to "strongly advise purchasers that Rhodesian Ridgebacks not required for breeding be desexed to prevent unwanted and crossbred litters". I hope this article is of interest and assistance to those involved in our breed, or those who are considering breeding. It is difficult to write without bias on the topics of culling and grading, as these are areas where one is influenced by personal experience. I would be very interested in hearing from any other breeders who have points to contribute on these topics, as one breeders experience can always be added to by others who deal with different bloodlines. Vicki Moritz

CULLING, BREEDING, GRADING

GRADING THE LITTER

Originally published in the August/September 1988 newsletter of The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Victoria, updated November 2002

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK PUPS

Culling, Grading and Breeders Responsibilities

Culling

Culling (this article uses the definition of killing) is a rather controversial topic and the extent this is carried out varies enormously between breeders, and possibly between countries. The RR Club of the US allows for raising of ridgeless pups and pups with dermoid sinus, provided these are de-sexed prior to sale. In the case of pups with dermoid sinus, the sinus must be removed. The issue of euthanasia of ridgeless pups has been controversial for the RR Club of Victoria, which asks members to cull pups with dermoid sinus, ridgelessness or of blue/grey colour. This issue was recently revisited, and members now have the option to raise pups without ridges or of blue/grey colour provided they are desexed prior to leaving the breeder

Dermoid sinus is a congenital defect found in the breed, and all breeders must know how to detect it. If you are not sure, please seek the opinion of an experienced breeder- they will generally be much better at diagnosing sinus than most vets, to whom it is a rarely seen condition. It's much better know you have an affected pup early, than to raise, or even to sell an affected pup and have problems arise later.

It is most easily detected by gently palpating the skin along the spine of the new pup, from the occiput bone to as far down the tail as possible. Gently pull the skin up from the spine and rub it between the fingers. The sinus will be felt as a very fine thread, with the length toward the spine being variable. A deep rooted sinus will anchor the skin down and can be detected by this characteristic. Shorter sinuses will be harder to detect, as are those on the base of the tail. If in doubt, it is a good idea to shave the skin over the point where the sinus has been felt. The sinus can then be seen as a small hole with a tuft of hairs sometimes being visible in the opening. There may also be more than one sinus present. The hardest sinuses to detect are those around the base of the tail, as there is less skin to lift in this area in the young pup - make sure you check this area very carefully. The Ridgeback Club of the USA has a good overview of dermoid sinus on the following link-http://rrcus.org/assets/html/breedinfo/dermoid/dermoid.htm, or most books on the breed will cover this subject. A personal view based on experience- for those thinking of surgically removing sinuses- don’t! It's more trouble than it's worth, and the entire sinus may not be removed leading to problem later in life. It is much kinder in the long run to have the pup put down.

The selection of any pups to be culled depends on the views of the breeder, and sometimes on the size of the litter. It is not particularly kind to your bitch to attempt to raise 10 or more pups, particularly if some of these have noticeable defects. It also does the breed a disservice, as there is a danger pups sold without papers may be bred to other unregistered ridgebacks or cross-bred. To maintain the quality of the breed, the best should be selected, hard though this may seem at the time.The next point to consider is the ridge. Pups are sometimes born with defective ridges- defects ranging from no ridge to short ridges, one crowned, multi-crowned, badly offset etc. I’ve even seen a Ridgeback with a box on each end of the ridge. The degree that a ridge can be offset and considered acceptable varies greatly between breeders once again. Some breeders will accept only the perfectly symmetrical ridge. This is often a good starting point, but the quality of the animal underneath the ridge must also be considered. However, it must be noted that it is the breeders that are responsible for maintaining this characteristic unique to our breed, and the dog or bitch that is badly offset is starting off with a disadvantage in these competitive times!

Other defects which can be found in the young pups are kinked tails, over, undershot or "wry" mouths, poor colour (excessive black or white, blue colour). Animals in these categories are definitely pet material, if not culled initially. However, many pups born with some degree of black through the coat may have a completely clear coat at 8 weeks of age. White also tends to diminish, so the degree of these defects must be considered. The slightly overshot mouth can also correct - rarely the undershot mouth. However, to be on the safe side, pups which have faults which may or may not correct, should not be sold registered. Kinked tails always remain kinked, although from the few I have seen, they frequently do not look as bad in the adult as in the young pup.

It is not my place in this article to define what defects would necessitate culling of the pup at birth. This is for the individual breeder to determine, always keeping the good of the breed and the brood bitch in mind. In Australia, most experienced breeders will cull. Breeders have a responsibility to maintain the quality of the breed, and selling substandard pups to substandard homes leads to an increased risk of cross breeding. However, we need to keep in mind the overall objective of a sound well structured dog, and not necessarily remove a dog/bitch from the breeding pool due to a minor cosmetic defect.Other defects not mentioned to date, which may arise in the young pups and where euthanasia may be the kindest course are cleft palates (rare), severe umbilical hernias, wobblers syndrome and other rare neurological problems.If culling should be necessary in a litter the procedure I usually follow is to select the affected pups as soon after birth as possible. They are then either taken to the vet when the bitch receives oxytocin post whelping, or I ask for a home visit and the bitch is examined and the pups taken by the vet. The latter is less traumatic to the bitch as she does not have to be taken from home, but does cost more and is a service many vets no longer offer. If the pups are culled at this early stage, there is less attachment to the pup by both dam (often still tired after whelping) and the owner. The ability to be strong enough to select pups to be culled is a necessary part of being a responsible breeder (and after nearly 30 years I’m still wondering if bitches can count!).

Grading

At birth some grading can be done on the more obvious features such as colour and the ridge. It is one of the best times for a few weeks to examine the ridge, while the whelp is still damp and the ridge well defined. Following the first 48 hours, the puppy coat grows, until the age of at least 4 weeks and sometimes up to 8-12 weeks (depending on the length of the puppy coat).The ridge at birth should be carefully examined for the presence of 2 crowns opposite to each other, and the whole ridge carefully examined for length, symmetry and any extra crowns or irregularities. There has been the occasional case where a pup thought to have one crown at birth has had the second crown disguised by the lie of coat or an uneven box. However, it is more common to find faults in the ridge as the pups become older eg extra crowns, part crowns, breaks in the ridge etc. Difficult faults to find are a third crown in the box, half crowns or part of a box in the ridge. The shape and length of the box may also be difficult to determine in the young pup. The ridge of the pups should be examined for symmetry as slight faults in this characteristic sometimes indicate the afore-mentioned faults.

Pups are generally graded as a continuous process from birth, but can alter significantly in their characteristics during their development. I leave the final grading as late as possible, but a balance must be struck between getting the pup to its new home and running it on for the purpose of chosing the best show quality animal. The best time to socialise and introduce pups to their new homes from a social development view is 8-12 weeks. This means that in most cases pups are graded between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks prior to sale at 8 to 9 weeks.In grading pups I generally examine the parents and grandparents for their weak and strong points and grade the pups with this knowledge in mind.

The head

This is a very important area as the expression gives the dog character and has an important contribution to "type" in the older dog.

Faults to be found in a young pup include-

excessive black on the forehead or temples. A pup with a strong black mask over the eyes and colouring up into the forehead may not lose all this pigment as it becomes older (I personally like a black rather than clear muzzle- but black on the forehead is a fault).
cheekiness eg a short muzzle with broad head, often associated with a large round eye. While some pups which appear short in muzzle when young will alter with age, the best indicator is the ratio of the length of muzzle (nose to centre of the eyes) to the distance from the centre of the eyes to the occiput bone, this should be 1:1. A good indicator is also length of muzzle and head shape of the parents. Short muzzles may also be associated with undershot jaws (as per the bulldog). This is less of a problem in the breed than in the past. -depth of muzzle. A very deep, short muzzle may be associated with excessive flews (think Great Dane, Bloodhound). These dogs may be prone to excessive dribbling, not an attractive trait in a breed which should have lips closely fitting the jaws. On the other hand lack of depth leads to a snipey appearance and may be associated with an overshot jaw.
lack of stop. Examine the profile of the pups head to determine the strength of stop. While we are now seeing less broad heads and checkiness, we must now guard against exaggerated length of muzzle, often associated with a poor stop and small almond eye.
shape of the eye. The ridgeback is one of the few hounds where the standard calls for a round eye. The shape of the eye is associated with the bone structure of the eye socket, therefore with the overall structure of the head. The round bulging eye is often associated with the short muzzle and cheeky head, the almond eye with lack of stop and overlong or snipey muzzle. As with many characteristics associated with the breed, the correct head in the pup or adult is the moderate head.

Neck

The neck needs to be long and clean in the pup. Excessive throatiness in the pup generally means a throaty adult. However an exaggerated long neck may be associated with an upright front. Again look for correctness and moderation.

General structure

The pup needs to be well angulated in the shoulder and rear end, and tends to "grow into" some of this angulation. If a pup appears over angulated in the rear and cow hocked examine the parents if possible. In some bloodlines this is not unusual and may improve with age. Beware the pups which appear to lack angulation as they may end up with very little angulation as adults. This will lead to a short stilted gait lacking in reach and drive. When examining the topline of the pups, keep in mind the toplines of the parents, and look for the level topline. Dippy toplines and roach backs can be seen in the young pup. Some pups will also arch their backs when wriggling in excitement, so use another time to assess the topline! In some cases a roached back may also be due to cold or uncertainty, so assess the topline when the pup is relaxed and moving around the yard. A dip in the topline is often seen in dogs which are overlong in body- which can look particularly bad in an older brood bitch.

Also look to your fronts. In the early years of the breed in this country many lines had overly heavy loaded fronts. Many of these dogs moved wide in the front, or were out in elbow. We now need to guard against overly narrow fronts upright fronts, lacking in angulation and prosternum. This may lead to a rotary, weaving and incorrect front action.

Movement

The general structure defines the quality of movement of the dog. This breed must have a straight forward, free and active gait- often hard to judge in the puppy, so look to your general structure as a guide to quality of movement the pup will have as an adult! I’ve also found different bloodlines to vary in the quality of movement in the young pup.

A good topline, strong well let-down hocks, good layback of shoulder and good length of leg and body are needed for good movement in the adult dog. It is accepted to achieve the required angulation and gait the Ridgeback cannot be a square dog, being slightly longer in body than in height to the shoulder, so look for this in your pups.

Tail set

A poor tail set can detract from an otherwise good dog. Look carefully at the set on of your pups tail. A low set tail may be associated with a steep croup, which can result in reduced rear drive. On the other hand a highset tail with no slope from the croup is also a fault, as is the tail which curves back over the topline. Kinked tails are seen in the breed, and should be penalised. These pups are pet quality.

Feet

Examine these carefully for tight toes- there should not be any degree of openness between the pup’s toes. Poor feet can also be a developmental stage in some bloodlines. Some pups have good feet which flatten at 5 to 7 months, and then correct as the pups grow older. Weak pasterns can also be a developmental problem- often associated with flat feet or long toes. I’ve also seen pups knuckle forward at 10-12 weeks and then correct. Breeders should be aware of these factors when considering matings, as these problems seem more prevalent in some bloodlines than others.

Size

Look at the litter as a whole and examine the sizes of the pups relative to each other, then consider the size of the parents. Beware the pup which is much bigger or smaller than it’s littermates. As a relatively new breed it would be unusual not to have throwbacks to excessively large or small dogs used in the past. Again, the best pup to chose is the moderate pup.

Colour

A good guide to the colour of the adult dog is the colour of the top of the pups head. A little black in the throat area, or on the tail may go, but pups with a lot of black through the coat may retain this. Colour at the extreme ends of the breed standard eg putty colour at the very light end, and mahogany at the dark end is a continuing source of debate for breeders. A brown nose rather than black with the corresponding light eye is an acceptable genetic variation in the breed, unlike Blue/Greys. These are rarely seen, and if not culled need to be desexed prior to sale (the few I have seen are actually quite attractive!).

Having said all of the above, there are always cases where the promising pup does not turn out as expected, even when the breeder is experienced and dealing with bloodlines they know well. If the pup has been purchased for show and/or breeding and does not meet expectation the owner should consult with the breeder. This then leads into the area of breeders responsibilities.

Breeders responsibilities

The decision to breed a litter should not be taken lightly. The raising of the pups and finding of good homes can be a very time consuming and costly business. The breeder is not only responsible for the pup until it is old enough to leave (8-9 weeks), but a good breeder will continue to help with advice and assistance to the purchaser for as long as is required. All breeders expect a few calls about minor concerns after their litter has left for their new homes. The people who have bought the pups have (hopefully) purchased the dog as a new member of their family. They will therefore be concerned if the pup does not eat, has loose stools, or for some reason requires re-housing. The assistance of the breeder may also be required here.There are also cases where pups sold as potential show quality and breeding stock do not reach their expected potential, or perhaps develop defects which are of genetic origin. In these cases the general practice amongst reputable breeders is to offer either some financial compensation, or a replacement pup. In the case of genetic defects it would be expected the pup is then desexed. These options are for discussion between the puppy owner and the breeder and will vary case by case. There are a lot of "grey" areas, and breeders must also be aware of their responsibilities in an age of increasing litigation.

All breeders must also be aware of the Code of Ethics of the Club they are associated with, and the Code of Ethics of the local controlling body (Victorian Canine Association in Victoria). The VCA code includes the following points:

excepting in extenuating circumstances, I shall not breed from any bitch…causing it to be mated before it is twelve months of age. Thereafter I shall not breed from any bitch kept by me causing it to whelp more than twice in 18 months. I will not breed any bitch kept by me causing it to whelp more than six times without prior veterinary certification of fitness for further breeding.
I shall not sell or otherwise transfer from my care any puppy under eight weeks of age, thus allowing for vaccination to be given at six weeks of age, and the necessary ten to fourteen days for the vaccine to take effect. I shall not export a puppy under the age of 12 weeks.

It also states breeders shall not breed their animals to other breeds, or unregistered animals of their own breed, and pups are not to be sold through pet shops or commercial dog wholesalers.The Ridgeback Club of Victoria also requires bitches to be a least 18 months of age at mating, and to be Xrayed and graded (hips and elbows). However, there are no restrictions on breeding based on the results of the hip and/or elbow Xrays, unlike some European clubs. The Code of Ethics of the club also asks breeders to "strongly advise purchasers that Rhodesian Ridgebacks not required for breeding be desexed to prevent unwanted and crossbred litters".

I hope this article is of interest and assistance to those involved in our breed, or those who are considering breeding. It is difficult to write without bias on the topics of culling and grading, as these are areas where one is influenced by personal experience. I would be very interested in hearing from any other breeders who have points to contribute on these topics, as one breeders experience can always be added to by others who deal with different bloodlines.

Vicki Moritz