A friend has asked my thoughts on which of the 2 breeds he should choose as his next dog .. He has owned a gsd in the time i have known him but has no dog at the moment and his kids are in their late teens... Space is not an issue as he is semi rural .. Both seem to have their own health issues and i will give him details of breed clubs etc... Any one have thoughts on a choice..??
Having met both RR's and BM's i much prefer the overal look and tempermant of the RR. Would definately suit the environment your describing but I cant really say more then that ^^ I met two RR's when I went to be interviewed at colchester zoo they were the park owners and really friendly dogs too happy to come up and say hello.
I would say RR but then I am biased. What I would say is a RR is a hound so training will be different than with a GSD and they may not reach the level of obedience they had before. I would get them to find a good breeder and go for a visit to get a feel for the dogs and take it from there.
Two entirely different breeds with two entirely different outlooks on life. I like both breeds, the BM is not as athletic as the RR, I have met some very dodgy temperaments in both breeds and the RR needs more exercise than a BM.
I believe that there is still no official register of DS at the moment so getting numbers is difficult but it is something to read up on and be aware of if you decide a RR is for you. For me, I know my boy doesn't have DS as it is usually diagnosed when they are pups (another reason for choosing a good experienced breeder). Also I think that surgical procedures are more advanced now and it isn't the automatic death sentence it once was (they come in different grades and severity).
Both are lovely breeds. One of Rocky's best friends was a Bullmastiff bitch called Coco - she was absolutely beautiful (really good example of the breed) and a proper big softy. They are VERY strong. Our new neighbours have... a Ridgeback! He's a lovely dog, about 18 months old and barks and whines just like Rocky used to. He seems obedient enough, although I think is going through the adolescent stage. Looks lovely from what I've seen of him so far - been giving him treats to see if he obeys commands and he does so mostly, if a bit reluctantly. Looks-wise the Ridgeback will be closer to the GSD with a pointier face. I don't think your friend can go wrong with either, depends more on what he's looking for in a dog.
Would you if the RR was health tested and you had no intention of breeding or showing get a ridge less ridgeback :O
Given the choice I would have a ridged one only cause I like the look of them, a bit like a mohawk but I would have a ridgeless one cause it would still be a Ridgie
My dog is half ridgeback, i've met both breeds and i do prefer the ridgebacks, no idea on any specific reasons why as i love bullmastiffs too but theres something about seeing a ridgeback run...they're fast dogs, my dog can cover a lot of ground in only a few strides. I have to repeat what others say, make sure your friend isn't expecting either breed to be as obedient as a GSD...ridgebacks are notoriously stubborn and very smart, they learn fast but will always weigh up the situation to decide which option is more rewarding
I can't really say either way as both breeds are quite different from each other and GSDs, so it's hard to know what the prospective owner's expectations are. I'd say visit a couple of breeders of each breed, preferably ones that have several adults of each breed and not just puppy sellers so they can get a good feel for a few different dogs and their personalities. A good breeder will be more than happy to arrange a visit for a prospective new owner and tell them the good and the bad points of their breed. Often people meet one or two dogs of a breed or are attracted by their looks and don't do their homework on personality and health. I'd always recommend putting in the footwork visiting a show or two and breeders in person, even if it's only to solidify in your mind that the breed is definitely for you in every way. A good breeder would rather waste a couple of hours with someone who decides the breed is not for them than sell a puppy to someone with unrealistic expectations and get it back a year later.
Hi There I would go ridgeback everytime, i had one when i was younger (no ridge) A friends bitch was mated by stud and when my baby girl came out without the ridge the bitches owner was told to put her down asap!! The answer to this was to let the stud dog owner think this had happend and we were given the dog providing we got her spayed. With regards to exersize she was the laziest dog i knew, reluctantly went for a walk no way in the rain or snow and would lay in the sun all day long if allowed. She sadly died of cancer but she was 10. 1 issue she did have and one of her litter mates was once spayed they developed underactive thyriods.
