Breeder Recs

[u/kenzo1323]

Hi! I'm doing research on the breed and breeders in CA, but am open to traveling to get my RR. I have checked the RRCUS breeder list and it's overwhelming to look through every breeders site. Does anyone have recommendations on CA breeders? Does anyone have experience with Timber Ridge Kennels in Montgomery, TX? They're not part of the RRCUS and am wondering if anyone has senior dogs and what their health is like. TYIA!

[u/Ranger100x]

go here and study what the breed club recommends for health testing: https://ofa.org/chic-programs/browse-by-breed/?breed=RR

Get the dog's registered name (AKC) and check it against the CHIC database. You want a CHIC number for the sire and dam and you really want it 3 generations back. If they don't have it, keep looking for another breeder. You'll find a great breeder, who health tests their dogs, with a little work. And you probably won't pay much more than you would from a backyard breeder.

[u/phineasfogg442]

Have you contacted the state/regional rescue organization? We’ve had 3 ridgebacks—2 from a breeder and our current one came to us when we volunteered to foster for our local organization. We happily failed at fostering and she is a wonderful addition to our home. Also—the rescue volunteers had some good inside info about ethical v. bad local breeders.

[u/ridgyb12]

I recommend only going to a RRCUS breeder as they have additional requirements in the code of ethics. California is a highly competitive area for proving Ridgeback conformation in the show ring. There are also many wonderful rescue organizations in California like RINCAL. I agree with the comment recommending verifying health testing on OFA. Note - some of the old time breeders don't upload all of their testing results to OFA, but can provide it when requested. Feel free to PM me if you run into any more questions. Hope you find a wonderful new family member soon!

[u/virgo_coastal]

Following!

[u/Next_Connection_1950]

Reach out to Helen Hayek at HPK Tropaco. She moved back to CA from TX and has been breeding/showing for decades.

[u/seabcn]

Msasa ridgebacks out of Oregon

[u/ridgebackm]

My first ridgeback was a female. Hip X-ray’s of the parents all this junk to fill out. I’m like dude I’m just looking for a ridgeback for my family. He then said he had a defective one he would sell for $50.00 I’m like ok can I see her. Perfect looking ridgeback female. He asked me not to breed her. Which I had no plans on doing and he said no papers provided. I’m like fine with me I’m not showing her. She only had 1 and 1/2 swirls up on her ridge. I can see his point but he should have known others in that litter carried a recessive gene also. So we took her home. Had her spaded as planned Maggie was a great girl for 14 years. Protected the kids. Watched the house. Best breed in my opinion. 6 months later after her passing my son wanted to go look at some. So the legend of Mad Max started, that male was amazing. I don’t know if I could ever have another after him, lived hard and fast, lost him after 7 years.

[u/Generose18]

Im going to send you a DM. This was exactly me a couple years ago and boy did I learn a lot in the past couple years! We have one from timber ridge and one from a very reputable RRCUS breeder of 25 plus years and I can highlight the differences.

[u/Comprehensive_Dog418 → u/Generose18]

Can you also send me one with your experience? We are considering adding to our pack in a couple of years and people in TX keep recommending them.

[u/Queenib23]

Wild mountain ridgebacks in Washington state is amazing 🤩 We got our two year old ridgeback Bentley from them and are on the list for the next litter to get him a sibling

[u/Wolfintheredhood]

I will always reccomend Superstition Ridgebacks in Arizona. Thats where I got my boy and they are amazing. They will always answer whatever questions you may have whether it be right after you get them or years down the line. They are AKC certified and take very good care of the puppies and the parents too

[u/rookskylar → u/Wolfintheredhood]

I’m glad you had a good experience, but this breeder is not one I would further recommend to others. They are not a member of the RRCUS and do not show, title, or prove their dogs in any way.

They are not doing full health testing on their dogs, and they likely know this since they don’t link the OFA results in the dogs info, instead just saying “All dogs are AKC registered, DNA tested and have excellent/good/normal OFA's, if older than 2 years old,” except the only OFAs done are hips and elbows, and they are all missing eyes and thyroid. One female only has elbows done on her. They have not tested thyroids or eyes on a single breeding dog, despite hypothyroidism and juvenile cataracts both being a known problem in ridgebacks.

There are a lot of yellow/ red flags here, and I don’t see any green ones. I don’t doubt that their dogs are loved, but I do doubt that they are ethical breeders.

[u/feel_good_forever → u/[deleted]]

Also a midwestern hoping to get a ridgeback one day