NWRRC MEMBER PROFILES

CURRENT FEATURED PROFILE

Jennifer Annell

Member since 2018

Jennifer Annell, Inland Rhodesian Ridgebacks, joined our Club in 2018. Though she has had Ridgebacks for over 13 years, she didn’t get into serious competition until about 10 years ago.  And wow, what 10 years it has been! With just three litters, Jennifer has reached heights not achieved by breeders with far more time in our beloved breed. Her first litter produced, Pyro, GCHS CH Inlands Setting the World on Fire CGC BCAT, TKN, ATT, who won an Award of Merit (AOM) at the 2024 RRCUS National Specialty. Her second litter has so far produced two champions, with three yet to hit the show ring, including Rowan, Winner’s Bitch and AOM at the 2024 RRCUS National Specialty. Her third litter, just nine months old when this profile was written, already has multiple point winners on their way to AKC Championship titles.

Jennifer and Rowen, taking Winner's Bitch and an AOM at the 2024 RRCUS Specialty

A native Washingtonian, Jennifer has three sons, a small commercial herd of Angus, horses, cats, and lots of dogs, including seven RRs, a heeler, and a mini-aussie! To support her dog habit, Jennifer runs Inland Mobile Paw Spa. She lives with her partner, Andy Hilzer, on an 82-acre ranch in Ellensburg, WA.

Jennifer Annell’s Inland Mobile Paw Spa

Early Days: As a 12 year old in 4-H, Jennifer started showing dogs. First there was Nicky, a white shepherd mix. Her first AKC show dog was Graco, a Sibirean Husky and she continued on in Siberians until her kids were little. Jennifer says that “Though I was born in Seattle, I was really craving farm life with horses and stuff, so I moved out to Ellensburg where that all started for me and my family. While the kids were young, we had several mixed breed dogs.”

Jennifer showing Nicky, in 4-H

Graco, Siberian Husky and Jennifer's first AKC show dog

Ridgebacks: Jennifer got her first Ridgeback, Zahara, who’s now 13, in 2012 from a family friend who just happened to be in Ridgebacks: Robin Nicholson of Songbird Ranch. Her next two came from Arizona breeder Lin Hainlen, Copper Ridge. Her second bitch from Lin is Farrah, Jennifer’s foundation bitch (and the dam of Pyro).

Farrah, Inland's foundation bitch and dam of Pyro, winning BOB at Rose City, Jan 2025

When I asked Jennifer what she liked about Ridgebacks, she said, “They're just easy. They're laid back, they're not crazy or super hyper, and they're like another person half the time.” She continued by saying, “I just got home, like right before we started this interview, and they're all just lying on the couch with me.”

Advice for other Ridgeback People: If you have multiple dogs, it's extremely important to be a strong pack leader.  Lin Hainlen told me when I got my second bitch, that the more girls that you're going have, the harder it's going to be. And you're going to have to be very strong in your pack because when you get a lot of bitches together, they're not always going to get along. I took that advice and put it into practice and as a result, I have never had any of my girls get into it.

About Breeding and Mentors: I’ve been lucky to have mentors and while I have made all of my own decisions, I’ve benefitted from others’ experience and expertise. Erin Coogan, Aegis Rhodesian Ridgebacks, has helped me quite a bit. She doesn’t tell me what to do, but she really helps me see things from a different point of view and shares her knowledge with me. That helps me make good decisions.

Along with conformation, Jennifer does Rally and Agility and will soon start competing in Obedience with Pyro.

About her dogs: Jennifer says, “They are my best buds. They just think I'm the best thing in the whole world. I love that they want to cuddle with me. I love that they want to be with me. I want to be with them too. Outside of simply hanging out with them, my favorite thing to do is to be out in nature with them and I’m lucky that we have plenty of room for that.”