When most people think of Rhodesian Ridgebacks they don’t think of them as herding dogs. But it is important to remember that Ridgebacks historically were working dogs in their early days in Africa. While Ridgebacks are not considered a herding breed by the American Kennel Club and therefore not eligible for Herding Competitions, they can earn the Herding Instinct Certificate (HIC). In order to participate in the herding instinct test, the dog needs no training before entering the event. A qualified evaluator takes the dog into a pen with livestock, usually sheep, to observe the dog’s ability to move and control the livestock and to assess the dogs style. Kanzu participated in the Herding Instinct Test in November 2010 sponsored by the Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Club at Trailsend Ranch in Phelan CA. The evaluator was Steve Waltenburg who is a licensed AKC herding judge.
Great fun was had by all and most all of the Ridgebacks showed great instincts for herding the sheep. Steve was very complimentary of Kanzu’s herding abilities. Many of Kanzu’s Tigris relatives were there for testing as well. It was especially amazing to watch the Tigris dogs who seemed to have a special affinity for knowing exactly what to do.
Click here for a video of Kanzu’s Hearding day
Oval racing is similar to what most people think of when they imagine professional greyhound racing. Dogs race around a large oval on a track or on grass. Hounds earn points and work toward several titles: Junior Oval Racer (JOR), Senior Oval Racer (SOR) and Other Breed Oval Racing Champion (ORC). 