Zejak Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Kennel Club Accredited Breeder

About Us...

We breed Ridgebacks with really outstanding temperaments.

We are a family of four living in Surrey. We have owned and bred Ridgebacks for more than 20 years now (since our girls were tiny!). Our dogs live in the house with us, not outside in kennels. We first met the breed in 1985, where a friend had a pair - we fell in love with them, and after lots of  research  we decided they were the ones for us. Carolyn had a litter and we had a puppy from her. She was 'Ellie of Wiljoe at Zejak', a beautiful clear red bitch - a perfect start to our Ridgeback owning life! We decided to show Ellie a little and qualified for Crufts early on with her, so were consequently bitten by the showing bug! We have shown most of our Ridgebacks a little from then on, but because of family/job commitments have never had the time to actively campaign a dog - it does take up an awful lot of time to show a dog extensively and sadly we have never been able to do it. However, we have taken them out enough to compare them to others and have always been pleased with the results.

We only breed from Ridgebacks that have the ‘soft’ nature that is needed to fit in with family life. This, we feel, is a prime requirement in today’s society. So for this they need to be very tractable. Our Ridgebacks fit into family life very well, and this has been confirmed by the praise owners of our puppies have given them (check out Testimonials).

We feel that the main requirement for owning a Ridgeback is time. Time to spend with your dog, socialising it for it’s life ahead, and time to appreciate it’s unique character, and of course love! These are never ‘outdoor dogs’ – please do not think that they are suitable to be kept outdoors because they are not; they don’t have the temperament for it, or the coat either!

We always recommend that you buy an indoor kennel, which is a wire mesh crate with a door so that the puppy can have its own safe place to sleep. The advantages are many with a crate, as Ridgebacks like to have a den that is warm and secure – and we like to know where a puppy is if we go shopping!

We only breed from hip-scored parents with a nice nature, one that will allow them to fit in with a family. You can always see the bitch here, but sometimes we use a dog that dosn't belong to us We always like to match dog to bitch, and not use what is here just because it is convenient. Our puppies are born just off the kitchen, so experience ‘life’ from the start. We are not a kennels, all our Ridgebacks live in the house with us. We feel it is a vital requirement for Ridgebacks as they are such people lovers. We provide lifelong help & support for "our" ridgebacks, so, if ever one of our dogs is in need of a new home, we will always help.

ADVICE: -

       Come & visit us, or if you don't like the look of our Ridgebacks(!!) then other breeders. Go to visit breeders with an open mind, make up your own mind whether they are breeding nice sound tempered dogs, if the dogs are happy to come and meet you and the bitch is happy for you to see her pups then temperament should be sound.  Dogs should be friendly to strangers a short while after they have been introduced.  Trust your own opinions, not other peoples. 

     Make sure both the bitch and dog look healthy and happy, and are happy to meet you and your family. 

        If puppies are available for viewing i.e. from 4 weeks old, make sure they look round and healthy and are in a clean environment. 

      Make sure that the pups are friendly and want to meet you. 

        Check that they have been wormed at 2, 4 and 6 weeks old with a preparation from the vet. The bitch should have been done at the same time as well. Please make sure that the litter have been thoroughly checked for "Dermoid Sinus" by a competent person.

        Don’t be put off by being questioned by the breeder – in fact if you weren’t “grilled” I would know that they didn’t care where their puppies went. If a breeder turns you down for a puppy, try to understand that they have the best interests of the puppy at heart and there must be a very important reason for them thinking you’re unsuitable. Perhaps reconsider whether a Ridgeback (or any dog) is suitable for you! 

       LASTLY AGAIN – GO WITH AN OPEN MIND, MAKE YOUR OWN MIND UP! FORGET POLITICS!

© Zejak Rhodesian Ridgebacks 2010

Website Designed and Maintained by Amy Ellis, for and on behalf of Zejak Rhodesian Ridgebacks
Website Hosting Provided by WEBSDC