Our Beautiful Black Ridgie

RRUS

We are new to the wonderful world of Ridgebacks and our 2 year old black wonderdog ... yes, black (mom or dad was a lab) is teaching us everything we need to know.

Annabelle was delivered to us three months ago from a wonderful RRUS foster home. This is our first experience with a rescue dog. We knew when we started the application process that we were venturing into unknown territory but after seeing Belle and her sister on the RRUS website there was no turning back.

Upon her arrival Belle glued herself to my side and rarely leaves it. She is fantastic with my three kids, especially the two year old toddler and plays really well with my old lab. She recently completed her first obedience class with flying colors.
She is loving, athletic and obedient.

Now, all of this sounds like a Walt Disney movie but let me tell you about the few chapters that Stephen King could have written. Our beautiful Belle had a little baggage.. baggage that wouldn't fit in the "overhead compartment". Baggage that transformed her from "Benji" into "Kujo" each time a certain person appeared. Not only when he he appeared. More like every time he moved... sniffed... coughed or even blinked. Unfortunately I was married to this particular person... and I
rather enjoyed his company.

Belle's debilitating fear of my husband manifested itself with defensive barking, urinating on the spot in terror, and shaking. It "maxed" out one afternoon with a leap from the car window and ensuing hot pursuit through a four way intersection. My patient, dog loving husband was at his ropes end by the time he got home with the now cold pizza.. not to mention the car which was covered with "nervous poop".

Belle has made fantastic progress with her one "challenge". We have been able to work through this with time, a great behaviorist, and unending support from the members of RRUS. Belle has become everything we were hoping for in a new canine family member.

With her new confidence her appetite has grown and her stomach is now the happy owner of one jar of peanut butter ( it was lonely sitting on the counter and the lid came off so easily), a batch of chocolate chip cookies ( they were cooling of anyway) and an apple (awww, the bowl was so full who would miss just one).

Annabelle is at this time not unlike my human two year old. She is trusting, playful and curious. If she could talk I think she would say, " I am smart, I am strong... challenge me ".

We love her so much and look forward to all the other things she will teach us about dogs that we thought we knew, but really didn't.