|
Encouraged
by Dija's performance in the show ring, and realizing that we had
an outstanding female, we solicited advice from her breeders,
Barbara Patla and Barney Hemming of Bryaba Kennels in Ohio, with a
view to breeding. We were total novices and needed all the help we
could get. They were delighted and suggested we consider
contacting Judy Hupperts of Riveroads Kennels in Illinois. Going
on information Barb and Barney gave to Judy, it was agreed that
the pedigree's of Stahr and Dija would make a good outcross. Stahr
traveled up to Canada.
Stahr was 8 years old when we met him, a veteran stud dog having
sired many litters in the U.S. Dija was a 3-year-old maiden and
there was no way that this horny old dog was going to have his way
with her! We believed, in those days, that the easiest
part would be the mating - we were wrong! She didn't know this dog
and, no matter how much we thought the match looked good on paper,
she was not going to have anything to do with that lovesick
animal. We tried everything our limited knowledge would permit -
all to no avail. After 2 days of her just about taking his head
off each time we brought them together, sex was wasn't worth
getting killed for.
Artificial Insemination did the job Stahr couldn't. Just 58 days
later
we were blessed with our first litter. Although, in retrospect, it
was
very stressful for us, this being our first
experience at whelping, we now know that the birthing
was quite normal and free of complications. Subsequent whelpings
would prove to be tests of emotional and
physical endurance.
The
two main genetic anomalies that can manifest themselves in
Rhodesian Ridgebacks are Ridgelessness and the Dermoid Sinus.
Barb Patla had talked to us about this at length; advising us that
breeders who are presented with these afflictions in a litter must
make a choice of either allowing the puppies to live or, have them
culled, with culling being the preferred option. With the ridge
being the single most defining hallmark of the breed and a Dermoid
Sinus being potentially fatal, it is obvious that to spread the
genes of dogs with these defects is not an option. However,
breeders can ensure, by way of either spaying or neutering that
those dogs could never reproduce. Ridgelessness is cosmetic, a
Dermoid Sinus, without being surgically removed, can be deadly. In
the Ridgeback breeders community it is a controversial topic and
one over which many still agonize. We had hoped that we would be
spared.
 Our
firstborn of our first litter was
Ridgeless. At a time when the miracle that is happening is the
birth of a life yet unlived, it is unfair
in the extreme to have the values of others mentally superimposed
over your own. What should have been happiness and relief was
tainted with disappointment and disbelief. We have since learned
that the ridge on a Ridgeback is in itself a genetic aberration
and that a dog born ridgeless is perfect. Although we were aware
that the decision we would make, either way, would not please
everyone, we had to live with our consciences. There was no way
that this perfect puppy would have anything less than a full
life.
There
were seven puppies born, 2 females, and 5 males. The first was
born at 1:37 p.m., the last at 11:17p.m. The average weight was
18oz. As each puppy was born we recorded the time,
sex, weight and any distinguishing marks. With a magnifying glass
we examined the ridges. For the first half-hour after
birth the detail of the ridge is clearly visible, after that, as
the fur dries, all detail becomes lost for the next few weeks. We
were looking for lack of, or extra crowns, or any other faults in
the ridge. There were 5 puppies with perfect ridges, one with an
extra crown and, of course, one ridgeless. There were no cleft
palates, kinked tails or any other abnormalities.
As the weeks passed we watched as the puppies moved through all of
the predestined stages of development. Dija, who had never been
formally schooled on how to be a parent, taught us more about how
to raise puppies than any book could. She was the most influential
on us in our pursuit of the understanding of how the canine mind
works.
 With
referrals from the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Eastern Canada we
found good people to adopt five of our babies. Our screening
process was primitive compared with what we were to put people
through for subsequent litters. However, this was our first time
and, on this base we built, what we now believe to be, a process
whereby the interest of the puppy is paramount.
Against the advice of seasoned, experienced breeders we decided to
keep for ourselves, two of the male puppies. Many breeders have
problems with mature males, as they can be aggressive toward one
another in certain situations. It is our understanding that some
breeders, because of their lack of confidence in dealing with
potential male aggressiveness, do not keep a male. Our pack at
that time consisted of; one older spayed female, one older intact
male, Dija, and now two male puppies. We reasoned that if we were
to live with a pack of dogs we should learn, and fast, the best
way to do it. We also reasoned that a pack of dogs or wolves in
nature must consist of a mix of both gender and ages.
Litter number one was the beginning of a wonderful journey into
another world, although at that time we did not see this. The
emotional drain it took on us to part with our "babies"
made us resolve we would never breed again.
Little did we know that this litter would bring us our first
exclusive
"Pedigree and the Canadian Kennel Club Rhodesian Ridgeback
Top Breeder Award" in 1992.
|
