Litter ‘E’ – Raven x Sonny

Cara Ravenna Gaudiwa Musana, or simply Raven, is the very first puppy bred under the Gaudiwa Musana kennel name to stay with us. From a breeder’s perspective, I had been waiting a long time for a puppy like Raven, and it wasn’t until Skye’s second litter that my dream of keeping a female to continue our breeding journey finally came true.

Raven comes from our C litter, an extraordinary litter of fourteen puppies—seven boys and seven girls. This litter was originally planned to arrive much earlier, but our first insemination attempt during the COVID pandemic was unfortunately unsuccessful. We didn’t give up. After an unforgettable journey across an almost completely closed Europe, we travelled all the way to Latvia to meet one of the most remarkable dogs I have ever known—Derek. Looking back, I have no doubt it was worth every mile. The combination of these two dogs was truly special, not only in terms of type and conformation, but above all because of their wonderfully complementary temperaments.

As a puppy, Raven was a little whirlwind. She feared nothing, always wanted to be first, and treated every new experience as an exciting adventure. Over time, however, that mischievous puppy matured into a confident and elegant lady who is gradually taking over the role of pack leader from her mother, Skye.

Raven was also the very best companion to our beloved Mawi. She knew exactly how to cheer him up, encourage him to play, and bring out his joyful spirit, while at the same time offering him comfort and quiet support whenever he wasn’t feeling his best. Later, when Tris joined our family, Raven naturally became her mentor and authority, while never saying no to a bit of mischief herself. Today, she is the quiet successor to Skye and often takes on the leadership role within our pack.

With Raven, I fully embraced the Puppy Culture program for the first time, and together we began exploring many new activities. We enjoy agility for fun, regularly train targeting exercises, and whenever her owner can keep up, we also head out for an easy canicross run. Of course, dog shows remain an important part of our lives, and you’ll often find us together in the show ring.

Two years ago, Raven welcomed her very first litter, conceived through artificial insemination with a stud dog from the United States. Although the small litter size meant there was an increased risk of complications, Raven proved to be an incredible fighter. She delivered two beautiful puppies naturally and became a devoted, caring mother. As the puppies grew, her gentle care gradually transformed into playful yet consistent guidance. Watching her raise her puppies reminded me exactly why we chose to keep her all those years ago—because the qualities we fell in love with are now being passed on to the next generation.

Ndoki Highlander, better known as Sonny, is a dog I have admired for many years. I first saw him at the World Dog Show in 2017, where he immediately caught my attention with his elegance, beautiful expression, and natural charisma. He was one of those dogs you simply never forget.

Sonny is a beautifully balanced, confident, and harmonious male who embodies everything I admire about the breed. His pedigree is just as exceptional as he is—filled with outstanding dogs while remaining relatively uncommon in breeding programs. For me, this makes him an especially exciting choice, not only for his quality and type but also for the valuable genetic diversity he brings.

Throughout his show career, Sonny has established himself as one of the most successful Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Europe. His achievements are not only a reflection of his own outstanding quality, but also of the incredible partnership he shares with his owner and handler, Stefanie. Watching them together in the ring is a perfect example of trust, teamwork, and years of dedication.

Among Sonny’s greatest achievements are Crufts Winner, C.I.B., World Junior Winner 2017, German Dog of the Year 2024, VDH Jahressieger 2023, German Winner 2023, German Winner 2021, Benelux Winner 2019, Alpensieger 2019, as well as multiple Best in Show titles. He is also a champion in numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, making his show career truly exceptional.

Stefanie and I have known each other for many years, and our paths have crossed countless times at dog shows. Raven even had the opportunity to participate in one of Stefanie’s handling seminars, which was a great source of inspiration for me. I came away with many valuable insights and techniques that helped Raven and me further improve our teamwork and presentation in the show ring.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of watching Sonny mature into the outstanding dog he is today. He has grown into a confident, elegant, and charismatic male who has retained all of his wonderful qualities well into his senior years. I am incredibly happy to have the opportunity to include Sonny in our breeding program. Although he celebrated his tenth birthday this year, he remains in excellent condition, and I truly hope that together with Raven he will pass on to their puppies not only his beautiful type and conformation, but also the sound temperaments, excellent health, and qualities that I admire so much in both parents.

Raven’s mother: Fumi Skye Manwë

HD: A/A, ED: 0/0, OCD: neg., LTV: neg. – L7, SA: neg.

Raven’s father: Dream Come True by Qwandoya

HD: A/A, ED: 0/0, OCD: neg., LTV: neg. – L7, SA: neg.

Sonny’s mother: Ndoki Etara Kiruna

HD: A/A, ED: 0/0

Sonny’s father: Evergraces League of Legends Jax

HD: A/A, ED: 0/0, OCD: neg.

photos: Silvia Schinkels, BWZ Photography