Rhodesian Ridgeback care on Cape Ann

The AKC notes that a dermoid sinus, a tube-like opening in the skin, is occasionally present at birth in Ridgebacks and that an experienced breeder can feel for it. The American College of Veterinary Surgeons describes the defect as a tube left by incomplete separation of the skin and the nervous system during development. It is most common in Rhodesian Ridgebacks, in which ACVS says it is congenital and heritable, so affected dogs should not be bred. It can sit anywhere along the back or neck.

ACVS says it can be spotted young as an opening on the midline with protruding hair, often in a swirl, sometimes with a cord felt beneath. Some cause no signs; others discharge, plug with debris and become infected, and those that reach the lining of the spinal cord can cause neurological problems. A sinus that discharges heavily, becomes infected or causes neurological signs is treated surgically. Ask your breeder whether the litter was checked, and ask your vet to feel along the spine at the first visits.

The AKC rates the Ridgeback five out of five for affection with family and watchdog nature, three for openness to strangers and for getting along with other dogs, and two for barking, and its breed standard calls the dog reserved with strangers. VCA describes a dog that is generally good with other dogs and pets, strong-willed and somewhat independent, and says obedience training is a necessity. That mix says little about how one particular Ridgeback will handle a room full of dogs.

So we find out. The free evaluation, on weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, includes a temperament test and a few supervised hours in a group, and our playgroups of 7 to 10 are matched by size and temperament. Some Ridgebacks settle in with steady large dogs; some do better with the structure of a Dogtown Academy day at $89, with a trainer session included; and some are better suited to an at-home walk. We tell you plainly which fits, and grooming needs no evaluation at all.

The AKC calls grooming needs minimal: a weekly brush to lift loose hair and an occasional bath. Nails need trimming often if they do not wear down, because long nails cause discomfort and trouble walking and running, and the AKC notes that many Ridgebacks resist clipping but accept a grinder better. At Dogtown a Ridgeback of 51 to 90 pounds is a $75 bath and nail clipping is $16. Whether the groomer clips or grinds is something we confirm with you at check-in.

For health, the AKC lists hip and elbow dysplasia, thyroid function and eye anomalies among the conditions breeders screen for, with hip and elbow evaluations as the recommended tests, alongside the dermoid sinus check above. Ask for the results. A dog that needs slower handling on the table carries the $20 handling surcharge, and you hear about it first. For households in the four Pup Van towns, Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, the ride is $10 each way.