Paradigm Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Breeding a litter is a tremendous responsibility, requiring an enormous amount of time and energy, to not only plan a breeding years before it occurs, but to also provide a life-time support for all of our puppy owners.

Several years in advance of a breeding, we spend hundreds of hours researching the background of potential stud dogs -- we do not own or have a stud dog on the premises.

We not only evaluate whether the stud dog
comports with the AKC standard for Rhodesian Ridgebacks, but whether he also has the strengths where our girl is weak and vice versa. While all breeders should be well-versed in understanding the proper conformation and movement of a Ridgeback, an independent measure -- albeit subjective -- is showing the dog to its AKC Conformation Championship at AKC dog shows.

You should ask prospective breeders whether the dam and sire are AKC champions. The dogs we use for breeding are all AKC Champions.

As we know, beauty isn't everything. Of equal importance, if not greater, is researching whether both potential parents are matched in temperament and health.  Many of our puppies are in homes with children.

We are members of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States (RRCUS) which has a Code of Ethics for minimum health testing prior to breeding, as well as members of the New England Rhodesian Ridgeback Club. We not only adhere to the Code of Ethics on recommended testing, but also include additional health screens:

• Hip and elbow dysplasia;
• Degenerative Myelopathy;
• CERF (for cataracts);
• Cardiac;
• Thyroid.

Click HERE to learn more about health issues in the breed. You should feel comfortable asking any Breeder of your potential pup about what health testing was conducted
and what other health issues are in their bloodlines for which there is no health test.

You will find that for each of our dogs that are used for breeding purposes, the health testing is not only listed on the dog's homepage, but also a link is provided to an independent organization, Orthopaedic Foundation
Association (OFA), that verifies the health testing performed on that particular dog.