Zhara

Of my two girls, Zhara is the most sensitive one. A real girly girl, a big cuddler who likes to stay close to me. But don’t let her soft side and good looks fool you: besides being a real beauty, her athletic build makes her lightning fast as well. At coursing a very different Zhara appears, and she shows what she is really made of.

Bred by Angela and Hans van der Hoorn of ‘of Sabi Sands’, she is a daughter of Redyland From Russia with Love (Russia) and Dafina wa Afrika Mwana Chancellor (Cosmo ✝︎), owned by Marion Stoek (stoek-rhodesianridgebacks).

Zhara has a look that seems to see straight through you. A look that often says more than words ever could. She and I can have whole conversations without exchanging a single word. We look at each other, we understand each other, and such a ‘conversation’ usually ends with her coming over and snuggling up against me.

Like many Ridgebacks, Zhara is cautious and thoughtful. She won’t rush into anything, but prefers to wait and see first. She observes, considers and likes to keep an eye on everything. Not just for herself, but preferably a little for Zoë and me as well. As if she secretly feels responsible for her small pack.

Beneath that composed exterior is an incredibly soft and sensitive girl. A dog who may not always show everything exuberantly, but lets you feel it all the more.

And Zhara? She holds that one very special place in my heart that no other dog can reach.