Arnie & Zembwa

Zembwa on the left-Hey Arnold (aka Arnie) on the right.




Both of our Ridgies are adopted. We went to various dog shows and spoke to many breeders and we decided that we were interested in Rhodesian Ridgebacks. We weren't ready to take on the responsbility of a puppy at the time, so while having a conversation with my cousin, she told us about the various rescue groups and directed us to AKC.org. We found the Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue Inc. website and completed adoption papers for our first Ridgie-Hey Arnold (aka Arnie). We were approved and drove to Minnesota to adopt him in July 2003. He was an 18 month old ridgeless male. After we lost our border collie, we decided that we wanted to adopt a young female ridgeback, so the search began. There were no dogs available through the rescue group that we adopted Arnie from, so we found RRUS and filled out adoption papers once again. We eventually were picked as the forever home for Zeembwa. She was a 4 month old female with a "spike" for a ridge. So in August 2007,we drove to Michigan and she joined our family.

Working with both rescue groups has been a great experience and we appreciate the work that is done with these dogs before they go on the website for adoption. When we hear of people looking for a dog, we always direct them to look at the rescue websites before making their final decision.

Thanks to all the people associated with both resuce groups.

Thanksgiving

I am so thankful for the work that RRUS does w/ our beloved breed. I am also thankful for the two dogs that have added such life and love to my home. Thanks RRUS!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Amanda

Mr. Curtis

Curtis has been with us a year. Phew, I can't believe how time flew but it really seems like he's been here forever. He is such a sweet guy and has moved right into our lives and hearts. He and Morgan are inseperable and great foster parents to boot. After a rocky start with Annie the Cat, Curtis now loves her. He whines when he wants her to pay attention to him. There have been lots of changes in out lives in the past year including a move to another state and Curtis has handled it all in stride. As long as his people, his Morgan, his bed and his food are there, it's all good. For those who have met Curtis, this picture is proof that he actually does move. That's him on the right strutten his stuff. Morgan is in the middle and a friend on the left. He was in heaven being the only boy with these two pretty girls.

Share Your Story

Hi Everyone,

One of the RRUS volunteers has been given a pretty cool, yet challenging job. She propositioned the National breed club magazine about showcasing all RRs and not just show dogs. They thought it was a wonderful idea and asked her to get some stories together.

So what a great place to ask for story ideas, pictures but this blog. See Ann's request below. Remember this is not just for rescue dogs but any RR doing what they do best- for Bacari- that is holding down the couch. It's his JOB and he takes it seriously.

For more information on the breed club and this magazine, go to www.rrcus.org

Thanks,
Amanda

Families that are owned by Ridgebacks.

RRCUS magazine has given me the go ahead, now I am the low man on the totem pole.

Everything I receive has to be cleared by the editor.

We are looking for stories on what you do with your Ridgeback, pictures as well.

Now I know there are some darn smart Ridgebacks out there, who own their families,

we like to think that we own them, but being a slave to 5 dogs, a cat.

Somehow the shoe is on the wrong foot.

If you have an interesting story to tell about your Ridgie, please send me a story, include pictures please. Going camping, doing agility, obedience classes, holiday trips etc. Or just lazing around.

RRCUS magazine is a great magazine and last year, thought there is nothing in the magazine that deals with families, single people that have Ridgebacks strictly as pets, some of these dogs are retired show dogs, some rescue dogs, other are couch potatoes, some do really naughty things, others are nearly perfect, I am waiting to meet a perfect Ridgeback.

So over to all of you.

Contact is witchs@sympatico.ca

Thank you for your time.

AnnG

TJ (formerly Koda) and Taylor Sue

Hi fellow RRUS adoptees, this is my first post on my first blog so bare with me or bear with me, whatever. The RR with the headache is TJ and the comforter in back is Taylor-Sue.

We lost our RR-Corgi mix July '06 and were totally devastated. We spent hours, days, months enjoying the RRUS website and looking at the wonderful rescues and reading their stories. We did not have a backyard (so we knew we were limited for full sized RRs) and lived in a townhome in Pagosa Springs, CO when we saw a picture of Taylor on an obscure website and 3 days after moving to Colorado we hit the road for Alabama and got dear scared Taylor.

We continued to enjoy the RRUS website and told ourselves that after a major medical crisis (the life and death kind) that we'd better quit thinking about RRs. Then we saw Koda (TJ) and the emails to Terri began. She was so patient with us as we were floundering around trying to decide if we could provide a good home (if accepted) for him. I think we probably drove her nuts with our indecisiveness, but she was so patient - the T in TJ is for Terri (masculine though as Terry). When we saw his picture on the website, my heart literally started pounding. He looked so like our 'Trey' - the dog we lost. Today TJ and Taylor play all day long, share our beds, our couch and our hearts and lives. We feel so blessed. TJ won't be big, which is a great help. We have been educating our retirement community about the ridge on a ridgeback and they are fascinated - instead of scared that it is 'raised hackles'. TJ passed Snake Aversion training really well - a great nose. TJ wants to play with our rabbit (as Taylor is allowed to) but don't trust him yet as he still guts all new toys. He is all Ridgeback, and it is a mystery to us why he is so small. Maybe because we needed small. He is so much fun, so smart, so kind, so loving and essentially no baggage. By the way his trip to AZ from Indiana did not harm him - highly recommend We Move Pets for pet transport - they are the real thing - true animal lovers. He is so mellow, but last night at 4am he went ballistic and jumped on our observation table by the front window and barked like crazy - we have bobcats around here and had our windows open. We love hearing how the other adoptees are doing as we followed so many rescues and hope some day to have room for more (we'd need a farm, I think). I think all the foster parents in RRUS are just the best and provide such an opportunity for folks like us.

All the best to all the adoptees and their parent (s)

Jackie

Out of Town

Hello y'all! I wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of town from bright and early Wednesday morning (Nov 7) until late in the evening the following Wednesday (Nov 14). I will have only limited access to email so this means there will probably be a lag time on anything that requires the attention of a moderator. I will do my best! :)

Your friendly moderator,

Susan

Reunited! And it feels so good . . .

Hi All!

Well, my girl is home - so now all of us kids (2 legged, 3 legged, and 4 legged) can hang out together and have fun!! Clifford is in front (3 legs), I'm in the middle (4 legs), and Analise is in back (2 legs) . . . heaven forbid Mom ever finds us a 1 legged friend, Dad may move out!! (tee hee)

October has been a lot of fun - however, I'm NOT sure about Halloween . . .

What is it with carving pumpkins?? They are a little SCARY! I kind of like to keep my distance from them - you never know when they may jump up and get me!

Then there is trick or treating! WHEW! It was exhausting to run to the top of the stairs to check out who was ringing (even when it was my own kid!), bark a bunch, and run back to bed!

PLUS! Mom wouldn't let me go outside WHENEVER I wanted to - what's up with that??

AND the weather seemed to turn COLD around Halloween, too! I don't like that much - it is a whole lot more fun to be outside in the warm sun!!!

But, the biggest problem was the costumes! Not only did I have to recognize the people I love - it was a little humiliating to WEAR one! What do you think, I look a little SILLY, huh?? But it made my little girl very happy - so I guess it was all worth it!

Kumbira's First Anniversary

Recently, we celebrated Kumbira's first anniversary with us in her new home. She has certainly been the great dog that the RRUS folks said she'd be. She may not be 'pretty' but she definitely has character - and how!

Kumbi is all the colors of crazy and makes us laugh so much at her antics. She puts on such a variety of facial expressions that melt our momentary scolding (for making a beeline for our dinner plates) into grins at her artful manipulation of our emotions (resting her chin most heavily on our knee, and looking imploringly into our eyes)!

Although sometimes when she is let outside she still rushes off to bark at anything she thinks is out of place, Kumbi has toned down and accepted the general next-door-neighbor noises. Always very interested in watching the neighborhood goings-on, she sometimes gets to watch all the soccer kids arrive for practice in the park across the street. This is fine until another dog walks by, then she lets everyone know that the trespasser is way too close (even when in the park!). On party day, she was watching for well-wishers to arrive...with gift in hand, of course!

As you can see by the picture, the wrapping did not last long. It was also special treat day with a yummy treat from a real doggie bakery! Then after all the excitement, it was time for a little rest before supper time - with more special treats! Happy First Anniversary, Kumbira!

Total Relaxation!

WHEW! My mom and girl are finally HOME! (They were in Florida.) I can finally relax and take a NAP!

It was exhausting to look for them all over the house for 10 days! Can you believe that people opened and closed the outside doors without letting them in??? If only I could figure out how to turn the knob . . . Then maybe I could let them in the house myself!

While they were gone, my dad was pretty good to me - I even got bones and treats! HOWEVER, I still am not really sure I can trust him! I will sometimes come in the house for him now - it didn't hurt that it rained almost the whole time my mom was gone. I didn't really want to stay outside anyway . . .

My mom calls me the "50 First Dates" dog - whatever that means. She tells people that no matter how I feel at bedtime about that BIG guy who gives me treats, the next morning I've STILL forgotten if I know him . . .

It's not always easy being the new family member, but it is a WHOLE lot better than "the other life." Besides, I LOVE: my bed, FOOD, my yard, BONES, my house, TREATS, my girl, FOOD, my mom, BONES, my friend Clifford, and TREATS!

I gotta go now, my MOM wants to scratch my ears . . . if she plays her cards right, I'll let her give me a TREAT!

Love, Duke

P.S. THANKS for the great new life RRUS!