Well, there isn't a single path to training taming so yes, some of us have used other methods
I've certainly seen folks use bulls for their ggs gains, it's a convenient spawn to grab a gain on. Ridgebacks don't seem that popular now, but I certainly tamed plenty - but I hit 120 years ago lol. At the time most folks used Ridgebacks and there weren't any booster scrolls to use. Oh and soulstones still had a delay heh.
I start with stoned off characters, working gains fast, but as soon as the char has enough to control their pets without jewels etc, skills are added back to the char and I use them. Training taming is optional at that point, sometimes I work cu sidhe and get gains on them, or I tame a bull or two heh. Often I've trained a whole new template along with taming, rather than working different skill groups in isolation. But my goal is always to do things in a way I enjoy, it's no fun for me having a char unusable all through training. I always try to power train scrolled off tamers, but I just never last long before I take my newbie hunting. All work and no play is apparently incompatible with Wenchy
Wenchy