How did an African dog ended up in the High Tatras?

We saw first Rhodesian Ridgebacks at our friends house in Czech Republic in 1997. It was a female dog Brixa z Vrboveckého Mlýna and a male dog Cai Rhodyri. We liked the fact that even though they evoked a respect they never hurt anybody. They seemed so huge and since we were still building our house we did not think about having a dog.. In

January 2001 we were spending our vacations with our kids in our friends house and for one week were taking care of several puppies which were 3 weeks old. It was a wonderful experience. At that time we had no idea that one of those puppies would be a mother of our Cathy. Few years went by and after the death of both dogs we were seeing their daughter Brixa z Údolí Kocáby at our friends house. It was a nice and elegant female dog.

In August 2004 we as a family had made a decision that we would like to have a dog. The choice was univocal – it was to be a Rhodesian Ridgeback. We wanted to call our friend and ask him whether he would have for us some „extra“ puppy sometimes in the next year. Until that we wanted to finish up a fence and everything else that was necessary ... But our friend replied that he has puppies one month old and we can some and choose one. After one month of making decision we brought home our female dog Cathy. We had some idea what to expect but many things we did not know. After two nights its whining convinced us that the prepared place in the basement was not a good idea and we are sad not having it in our bedroom.

Cathy learned very quickly that she must not do evacuation in rooms and since it was getting cold outside and was raining and snowing she made a decision that in

the basement under the stairs it would be more comfortable so in moments when nobody saw it she disappeared and later peacefully came back. But it was a long time ago and today it is only a funny memory.

Also our idea that she would be waiting for us home until we return, quickly disappeared. She wants to be with us all the time so if possible, she goes with us to our work, to restaurants (in most of them they do not have any problem to accept us) and to be waiting home for us she gradually learned only in her adult age. She got used to travel in a car, she is waiting patiently in a car and is guarding it well.

Cathy has its place wherever we are – in the living room by the fireplace, in the bedroom, in the office.

What our dog gave us and what it took away from us?

Sometimes we are laughing that thanks to Cathy we have door on the living room and we had to finish our fence but there is much more ... We gained a new family member – without Cathy´s presence we can not imagine to spend a day.

She is joyous over life, over sun and it is very catching. She is most happy when we are all together.

What next?

It was not our intention to be wandering around every exhibition and to try to obtain titles but since Cathy´s examinations were all OK and we would like to continue in breeding we took part at several exhibitions and on September 29, 2006 she got bonita „breeding“.

Cathy won the 2nd place in competition Best head on Club exhibition 16th May 2008 in Piatrová.

On 17th May 2008 she ran out the 1st place among bitches on Coursing

and she got Cup of Aulet Bukama for the 2nd dog of Coursing Cup SKCHR.

Twice we got the third place in the club exhibition „The most beautiful head“ and we hope that Cathy will pass on this merit to its descendants.

On January 25, 2007, Slovak kynologic unity approved for us a brand name for breeding station - Tatranska Afrika.

In December 2008 we had first litter of “Advent” , in 2009 second litter “Blue” puppies, in 2011 litter “Cinny” .

From second bitch Berry we had litter “D” and “E” and one small girl Elisha stayed at home, because we must to say goodbye to our Cathy.
In April 2016 Berry had litter FIRE, we had 9 healthy puppies.
In October 2017 borne litter GIFT of mother Elisha.

www.tatranskaafrika.sk