Jens and I live with our two wonderful daughters, Freja(19) and Saga(14) and our second Rhodesian Ridgeback “Jabula”(7) in the country side, on 8 ha of fenced land – perfect for free RR roaming when going for morning walks at home.
We were honoured with our first Rhodesian Ridgeback back in 2003 – a beautiful and loving male RR named “Cekesi”, out of Kennel Lewanika, so full name with titles was DKRLCH LP1 Lewanika Cekesi. He was an incredibly wonderful dog and he is sorely missed to this day.
“Kesi” and I did just 8 exhibitions in our time. Even though he did pretty good, I never got the hang of it and turned to other rewarding activities, such as the Danish Kennel Clubs (DKK) obedience classes, where we managed an LP1 title before my nerves got the better of me and we turned to the more laid back Rally-Obedience. In Rally-O we reached expert level and the proud title of DKRLCH. We also did weekly Agility in the earlier years, and sometimes Lure Coursing, but mostly a lot of walking and enjoying each others company. At the age of 12 years and 4 months I had to say good bye to him with great sorrow.
Having to follow in Cekesis pawprints cannot have been easy for Jabula when he entered our lives, as after more than 6 months without a dog, I was still in mourning over Cekesi. But what a dog Jabula is – I am ever in awe at his diligence in every single training task I ask of him. Of course all training has a beginning and the ever biting pup was a handful, but today I ask him to do his very best in exhibitions and with joy and ease he does whatever is asked of him in the ring. He works, for a fee of course – and snacks flow freely for jobs well done, that way both he and I are fully content.
Today, apart from entering exhibitions in Denmark once in a while, we train various things;
When he was a year old we discovered tracking for deer (schweiss spor træning) and found he had a nack for it, and I myself was instantly fascinated at what a dog can track in the woods. So we train when we can, and have the pleasure of having achieved the titles of Dansk Vildtspor Champion and Swedish Vildtspor Champion (Danish and Swedish Wildgame Champion) as well as the proud achievement of Klubchampion Schweiss KLBSCH(V). In 2021 we qualified and entered the DKK’s DM in Schweiss-tracking.
In the Danish Rhodesian Ridgeback Club, the best RR of the day at the Spring Competition in Schwiss tracking each year, is honored with winning a trophy engraved with each year’s winners – Jabula has earned that title four times now – the first was on our very first competition in 2018, on a track 400 meters long, and 3 hours old. The following year he earned the prize on the 1.000 meters, 20 hour track, and in 2021 as well as in 2023 he took best track on the 1.000 meters, 40 hour track.
Alongside the tracking training we train weekly in DCH (The Danish Civilian Doghandlers Association) in Bording, where we have exceptional clicker trainers – and competed in the DCH C-programme in 2021 going all the way to the Danish Championships. Now we train towards the B-programme, and have only been in a few competitions, but aim towards achieving “A” in 2024.
Also with the “clicker in hand”, Jabula and I in 2020 ventured into the DKK LP1 programme – and I am proud to say that our first competition granted Jabula 197 point of 200 and a 1st place, alongwith the title LP1. With our second competition in LP1 we achieved 195 points and went all the way for a spot in DKK’s LP1 Danish Championships in 2021.
Aside from the training, the tests, the competitions, and the exhibitions he is just a wonderful boy – talks a lot, drools some when hoping for treats, but loving and generally grounded on all four paws. He is a kind boy, gets along wonderfully with his older half brother still, walks along-side males just fine if not met with anger, and respects the females as he should. Well, maybe his sis would have argued that last one 😉