Meet Ascent Rhodesian Ridgebacks
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Our Philosophy
At Ascent Rhodesian Ridgebacks, we believe that every pet deserves to be happy, healthy and loved. We raise our puppies in the house with great care and tons of personal individual attention.
At our kennel, our goal is to preserve and improve the Rhodesian Ridgeback by producing structurally sound, well-balanced, and healthy dogs with excellent temperament and breed type. We're not a large kennel or full-time dog show enthusiasts—just a family that loves Rhodesian Ridgebacks and enjoys sharing our lives with these incredible dogs. Every litter is thoughtfully planned with the future of the breed in mind, and every puppy is raised with the same care and attention we give our own dogs.
We believe that proving our dogs in the conformation ring is an important part of responsible breeding. AKC Conformation Championships demonstrate that our breeding dogs have been evaluated by multiple judges and found to meet the American Kennel Club breed standard. While championships are important, they are only one piece of the puzzle. Our goal is to produce dogs that are not only beautiful examples of the breed but are also healthy, sound, and capable companions.
Health is equally important. All of our breeding dogs undergo comprehensive health testing, including OFA-recommended evaluations, to help reduce the risk of passing on preventable inherited diseases. We carefully select breeding pairs with the long-term health and soundness of the breed in mind. We proudly adhere to the health testing recommendations, Code of Ethics, and breed standards established by the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States (RRCUS). Our breeding dogs are AKC registered, fully health tested through OFA, and carefully evaluated before becoming part of our breeding program.
As an active member of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States, I am committed to ethical breeding practices, lifelong support for our puppy families, and preserving the integrity of this remarkable breed for generations to come.
Over the years, we've enjoyed participating in a variety of AKC activities, including conformation, rally, agility, and scent work. Since I didn't grow up in the dog world, I was fortunate to learn from experienced breeders and mentors who helped shape both my breeding program and my philosophy for raising and training dogs. They taught me that a dog's well-being, natural instincts, and enjoyment should always come first.
For us, training and competition have never been about collecting ribbons. They're about building a partnership with our dogs, strengthening our bond, and allowing them to do what they were bred to do. While we don't compete every weekend, each of our dogs has earned an AKC title that reflects the time, training, and commitment we've shared together.
Most weekends, we're out exploring trails, hiking to new peaks, and enjoying the outdoors with our dogs rather than spending all our time at events. Our love of adventure and the bond we share with our dogs is what inspired our name, ASCENT.
Our Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies are raised with a strong foundation of early socialization, confidence-building, and positive learning experiences. We incorporate principles from the Puppy Culture program, providing age-appropriate enrichment, gentle handling exercises, and carefully planned exposure to new sights, sounds, and environments. These experiences help our puppies develop resilience, curiosity, and strong social skills during their critical developmental weeks.
From birth through placement, each puppy is nurtured in a family-centered environment where temperament and well-being are top priorities. Our goal is to prepare every Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy to transition smoothly into their new home with the confidence, stability, and adaptability needed to become a cherished lifelong companion.