Rhodesian Ridgeback board and train

Rhodesian Ridgeback board and train near Gloucester, MA: fear-free 1 or 2 week stays for prey drive, leash strength and counter-surfing. Free evaluation.

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A woman runs down a leaf-covered path through tall trees with a brown dog on a leash, the kind of strong, fast dog this page is about.

The short answer

A Rhodesian Ridgeback board and train has to respect a hunting dog that is strong, fast, sensitive and quite capable of making its own decisions. At Dogtown in Gloucester a Ridgeback stays one week (Foundation) or two (Advanced) and trains fear- and force-free, with the focus usually on leash manners around wildlife, impulse control in the house and a realistic recall. Because Ridgebacks mature slowly, most adolescents get more from the two-week stay.

At a glance

Bred for: Tracking and holding big game at bay in southern Africa
Common asks: Prey drive, pulling, counter-surfing, recall
Usual fit: Advanced (2 weeks) for adolescents
Handling style: Gentle; Ridgebacks tend to shut down under pressure

By the Dogtown Training team in Gloucester, MA · Last reviewed October 28, 2026 · Our trainer and methods

What a Ridgeback was built for

The Rhodesian Ridgeback was developed by settlers in southern Africa, in what is now Zimbabwe, from European hunting breeds crossed with local ridged dogs. Its best-known job was working in small groups to find large game, including lions, and hold it at bay until the hunter arrived. It also guarded farms and homesteads.

That job asked for speed, stamina, courage and the ability to think for itself under pressure. Those qualities are still there in the modern companion Ridgeback. They are why the breed can be so rewarding to live with, and also why it is not the dog for every family.

The training reality for this breed

Ridgeback owners tend to describe the same mix: affectionate and quiet at home, often aloof with strangers, quick to learn, and quick to decide whether a request is worth doing. Breed clubs regularly describe Ridgebacks as sensitive dogs who respond poorly to harsh handling. That makes them a natural fit for a fear- and force-free program, where the dog is persuaded with good reasons rather than pressure.

Prey drive. Many Ridgebacks will chase squirrels, cats, deer and rabbits, often at a speed no owner can match.
Leash strength. An adult male can weigh around 85 pounds, and a lunge at a squirrel can pull a person off their feet.
Counter-surfing. The breed is tall, clever and food-motivated, and its reputation as a kitchen thief is well earned.
Slow maturity. Many Ridgebacks stay adolescent in their behavior until two or even three years old.

Prey drive and recall: be honest about the limits

A Ridgeback can learn a quick, happy recall in a fence and on a long line, and many learn to walk past a squirrel with effort. Trusting one off leash near wildlife is a gamble most experienced owners do not take. The breed was selected to pursue, and a dog in full chase is not thinking about the person calling it.

So training targets the moments before the chase: noticing a trigger, looking back at the handler, and being rewarded for that choice. On Cape Ann, where wooded trails and backyards both hold plenty of wildlife, that skill gets real-world use every week. See our page on recall and off-leash reliability for how long lines and management fit in.

Counter-surfing and house manners

A Ridgeback that steals a sandwich once has learned that the counter sometimes pays, and that intermittent reward makes the habit hard to break. Training builds a strong place cue, impulse control around food, and the routine of settling while people cook and eat. Management at home, such as keeping counters clear and using a gate during meal prep, keeps the dog from rehearsing the old habit while the new one sets in.

The destructive chewing and counter-surfing page has the full method if this is your main concern.

Foundation or Advanced: matching the stay to your Ridgeback

Young Ridgeback puppies who need crate habits, house manners, name response and early handling are a good fit for the one-week Foundation program. Most families, though, enquire when their dog is a large adolescent who knows the basics at home and ignores them outdoors. That dog fits the two-week Advanced program, where the second week goes into distraction proofing, neutrality and real-world outings.

Ridgebacks can be reserved or selective with unfamiliar dogs, especially as they mature. Daycare integration happens only when the free evaluation shows your dog is ready, in a small, matched group of 7–10 dogs. If your Ridgeback has growled at, lunged at or fought with people or dogs, tell us. Gabby will say honestly at the assessment whether a stay fits or whether Dogtown’s six to ten week behavior-modification program is the better path.

At home after the stay

Ridgebacks do best with a steady routine, daily exercise that includes a chance to run in a secure space, and short, interesting training sessions rather than long drills. Expect the occasional test of the rules during the late-adolescent stretch. That is normal for the breed, and going back one step in difficulty usually fixes it faster than getting stricter.

The breed has a short coat and can feel the cold, so winter walks may need a coat on the worst days. Summer heat is less of a problem than for northern breeds, but water and shade still matter on long outings.

The two programs

1 week · Puppies, young dogs & foundational manners Foundation Board & Train A one-week stay for puppies, young dogs and dogs missing the basics: obedience, leash skills, place, stay, recall, impulse control and household manners, with daily updates and a go-home lesson. Read about Foundation 2 weeks · Adolescent dogs & real-world reliability Advanced Board & Train A two-week stay for adolescent dogs and dogs who know their cues at home but lose them everywhere else: everything in Foundation, plus distraction proofing, real-world outings, neutrality and two go-home coaching lessons. Read about Advanced

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