Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), detectable by DNA test
• Degenerative myelopathy (DM), detectable by DNA test
• Hip dysplasia, screened under the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
• Elbow dysplasia, screened under the BVA/KC Elbow Dysplasia Scheme
• Dermoid sinus, detected by palpation along the spine in newborn puppies before rehoming
• Autoimmune thyroiditis, detected by an annual blood test of thyroid levels

From Rhodesian Ridgeback breed information at https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/hound/rhodesian-ridgeback/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Rhodesian Ridgeback.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 31.8 to 38.6 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other large breeds

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