The Fundamentals of Canine Locomotion

BY WILLIAM GIVEN

Dogs come in many different sizes, from the towering Irish Wolfhound all the way down to the diminutive Chihuahua. Construction, weight and natural balance all differ. Most breeds are slightly longer than tall. Some are square and a few are long in body but have short legs. Some breeds are noticeably front- heavy, with very few being heavier at the rear end. Regardless of breed, all of these dogs have to be able to impress the judge by transporting their fame in a straight line when moved, and with their back parallel to the ground.

It should not be assumed that simply because a dog is of favor- able conformation that he must be a good mover. In theory, a well- constructed dog that presents the beautiful picture of balance when stacked should be able to move easily and with little effort. Even when his neck, shoulders, back and four limbs are all that could be desired, he can still be found lacking when being gaited. However, this is not always the case. A great many dogs may meet some very specific requirements of the most demanding standards, until they are asked to move.

All must move their front legs, hind legs and all four feet in a rhythmic sequence which may be made even more difficult given the specific elements of their construction. The front feet must keep pace with the hind feet, and the rear with the fore whether the dog has legs of a more reasonable length and stand relatively close, or whether the legs are short and the front feet are placed so very far in front of the hind feet.

Let us take a quick look at two breeds of German origin which have both benefited greatly from the efforts of breeders in Great Britain and the United States to refine them. First, we will examine the Boxer. His height from the withers to the ground equals the length of his body. His limbs are so very well-proportioned that when he moves at a brisk pace, his hind feet advance to a point on the ground very close to where the front feet had just been.

Next we will critique the Dachshund. He is very long in body and very short on the leg. The result is that his reach and drive must therefore be short. One should not confuse short with restricted. The hind feet will always fall a considerable distance abaft those of the front feet.

Provided that a Dachshund possesses a well-inclined shoulder, the front feet will tend to take a longer stride and the hind feet, being somewhat more limited with respect to movement, may ex- perience some difficulty in keeping pace. To do so, the hind legs have to move forward a shorter distance, and little faster than the front legs, in order to achieve and maintain an even pace.

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Posted by Alex on Oct 29 2016. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.