In the summer of 1999, we decided it was time to add a new addition to our family. Our daughter was in college and living on her own. Our teenage son was enjoying his time in high school, being the high school jock and preparing to go to college, and our current pet was a 5 year old Australian cattle dog-Australian Sheppard mix, named Mika.

So, we pulled out the AKC book of dog breeds and began our search. We were searching for the dog that would most fit our life style. We own 15 acres of wooded hills in Southern Oregon and enjoy the outdoors and working on projects in our workshop.  So, we began by making a list of the things we did and did not want in a dog and the things we admired in the canine species.

Our list helped to cut away a good portion of the approved AKC breeds. We came up with 5 dogs that met our guidelines; the Weimer, Mastiff, Ridgeback, Rottweiler, and the Great Dane.  After continued research of each breed, the Ridgeback won! It would be the perfect breed to suit our life style. We set out in search of our new family member.

We logged onto the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the U.S. website to find out more about this breed and to locate Ridgeback owners and breeders we could talk with. The response was great. The owners were very eager to share their experiences with us, and the breeders were very helpful by sharing information on what to look for when seeking out a breeder and things to look out for. With this new found information we set out to locate a breeder and our new puppy. The first few months were very discouraging for us. Ridgeback puppies were not easy to find. There was not a "stock pile" of them waiting for homes and the breeders were being very selective in choosing their puppy homes.

With the new year came renewed hope. We found a breeder who had a litter of pups, which were all spoken for but encouraged us to visit them anyway. We fell in love right then and there with those puppies! Her puppies were of African blood and just beautiful! The sire and damn were exactly what we had been looking for. We were like two little kids on Christmas morning down on the floor playing with those puppies. The breeder said her next litter was due in two years and would put us on her list. We thanked her and said we would continue looking, but would be back in two years to collect our African puppy. Our drive home was a mixture of joy and sadness. So close, yet so far.

And so, it begins!

A couple of weeks later we received a call from the breeder with the African puppies. She said she had a "gut" feeling about us and was reconsidering the adoption of one of her male puppies, and would we be interested in discussing an adoption contract with her. On April 4, 2000 we got into a car and drove 2 hours to pickup our little pup, Morgan. Morgan is of show quality and has proven it by completing his American Championship in grand style with 22 points, including two back-to-back 5 point majors!   He currently holds 12 Best of Breeds, 9 Best of Winners, 11 Winners Dog, and placement at the RRCUS National Ridgeback 2001 Specialty at the age of 18 months.  One year later we were importing a sophisticated little liver nose bitch from South Africa, which we named Madison. And in January of 2003, we brought home M'Kenzie, a black nose bitch with a lot of flash and personality from Globe Kennels in Georgia.  She is sired by one of Globe's top winning stud dogs, CH Globe's MI-TEA Scout's Honor.  Her dam is a South African Import, Nomvuyo Globe's Sirocco.  We have great expectations for this little bitch. The saying is so true... "you can't have just one."

We have met Ridgeback breeders from around the world (including African, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden and Australia) and discussed the variations of coloring, and the standard requirements between the different continents. We must admit, we love the "muscular" look of the African line. The African breeders still breed working dogs. The Ridgebacks of Africa, have to be strong, fast and quick thinking to survive the jobs for which they were bred.

When asking a dear friend, who is South African and a breeder of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, to explain what he saw as the differences between the African and American breeds. This was his response.

"About your question regarding the differences between the South Africa/original RR and the American type....
To me it is sad that the differences between the two types are so obvious today. Somewhere in future we will regret this different interpretation of the breed standard. I hate to think of the day when people start referring to the "American Rhodesian Ridgeback" versus the "South African Rhodesian Ridgeback". Maybe it is happening all ready! To me the "American" type is longer on its legs, it is more slender or refine in comparison to the robust "South African" type. The biggest difference is seen in some of the heads of the "American" type especially the muzzle. According to the breed standard it should be "strong" and "powerful". I have seen too (many) males in America (on the net and at the Orange Coast RR Specialty 2000) with heads which look like that of a female. Interesting is that all these "incorrect" heads are going with eyes that are not "round" and "intelligent" as the breed standard prescribes. In some of the American lines the breeders also are putting to much emphasis on "turn of stifle" which is not necessary wrong, but too much "turn of stifle" always goes with "cow-hocks" and this is totally unacceptable. Naka for instance does not have that popular, "show ring" "turn of stifle" and I think most of the judges in America held it against him, but can these dogs which are over angulated at the back - jump a six foot wall? If you look for instance at the wild dogs in Africa - they are moderately angulated at the back and believe me, they can run, they are agile and they can jump! Another area where there are differences, to me, is the neck. The "American" type have much longer necks than there African cousins. To me this is incorrect, because the breed standard says the neck should be "FAIRLY long, STRONG and free from throatiness". Now this was a mouth full! Hopefully I answered your question?"