Why Core Strength is Important for All Dogs

 Lisa Iverson July 18, 2014Fitness and Conditioning, Sports Medicine

Core strength refers to control of the muscles that support the spine. These muscles function to align, stabilize, and move the trunk and the spine.
But to discuss spinal stability, we also have to consider proprioception, or body awareness.
Spinal stability is dependent on both muscle strength and sensory input. The senses constantly alert the nervous system about changes in the environment, allowing for refinement of movement.

Exercises that improve core strength also improve proprioception.  And exercises that improve proprioception also improve core strength.

Lack of core strength can lead to lack of efficiency of movement and compensation, leading to muscle strain and overuse injuries. This is important for both the athlete and the pet dog.

Core strengthening exercises are beneficial because they:

Dexter shows off his balance!

• Improve body awareness (proprioception)
• Provide stability of the spine
• Improve balance
• Help maintain mobility in older or injured dogs
• Improve athletic performance
• May prevent injury

Athletic Dogs

Dogs that are competitive often need to cover terrain that can be unpredictable.  Having a strong core and good balance can prevent injury by helping them adjust to changes in footing.  This is especially true for dogs that participate in search and rescue, hunting and field trials, and sledding.

Athletic dogs also need to be able to land on their feet safely.  This means they need good body awareness.  This is important for any dog that is required to jump, including dogs that participate in agility, dock diving, and fly ball.

Dogs that compete in conformation need to be able to move with fluidity and have a good topline.  Because they involve the muscles that support the spine, core strengthening exercises can improve both movement and topline.

Athletic dogs need to be able to make hard, fast turns.  They need to be able to combine speed and accuracy.  Having a strong core improves body awareness and improves spinal stability so that they can have better athletic performance with less risk of injury.

Aging Dogs

Older dogs tend to have arthritis, which can decrease the range of motion in affected joints.  They often compensate by overusing muscles in the back.  Carefully chosen exercises can strengthen underused muscles and stretch overused muscles so that they can be more functional.

Core strength can help older dogs maintain stability when walking on slippery floors and when making turns.

Having good core strength can help older dogs maintain mobility.

Recovery from Injury or Surgery

Any time a joint is affected by surgery or injury, proprioception in that joint is decreased.  Core strengthening is part of recovery from injury or surgery to help improve that body awareness and to help the dog return to a normal gait.

Some injuries, such as disc disease, directly affect the spinal cord.  These dogs need help with proprioception.  They also benefit from stability in the spine.  Gentle core strengthening activities are part of the recovery so that affected dogs can regain mobility.

TOPLINE

By C. Patrick Ormos (1998)

In 1997, Jon Kimes (Pluperfect Cardigans), then chair of the Breeders Education Committee of the CWCCA, asked me to write an article on topline and its underlying structures for Breeders Education.  Foolishly, I agreed.  As I began writing this article I discovered just how complex this issue really is.  Rather than write a book-length article in great detail, I will attempt to discuss this from a breeder’s general view point, and hope that this will spark others to do their own investigation.   Let me recommend Ed Gilbert and Thelma Brown’s book: K-9 Structure and Terminology (Howell Book House) as an excellent starting point.  If you can find any of Casey Gardiner’s books (School for Canine Science), grab them.  She died recently and so most of her stuff is no longer published.

What is the topline?  To me this describes the vertebral column from the back of the skull to the tip of the tail.  Its importance lies in its contribution to the larger concept: outline.  Outline is a major constituent of the concept: breed type.  In other words, topline is a major part of breed type.  There are few variations which give the correct aesthetic look to the topline, and many variations which throw that look off. It is a combination of functionalism and aesthetics which dictates the topline, and most other issues in dogs.   Rarely do we have an issue decided on aesthetics alone or functionalism alone.  It is the interplay which motivates us as breeders and exhibitors.

The vertebral column (backbone) is made up of 7 cervical [neck], 13 thoracic [ribs] (the first 9 are the withers, and the next 4 are the true back or mid-back), 7 lumbar [loin], 3 sacral [pelvis area] and up to 20 coccygeal [tail] vertebrae. Obviously the coccygeal vertebrae may be artificially shortened by accident or purpose.  Various inherited spinal problems may also shorten the tail.

"Despite the obvious double curve in the thoracic and lumbar areas, we still speak of a ‘straight’ top line of the dog, although there is likely no such thing.  The illusion of straightness of the vertebral column is due first to the varying lengths of the spinous processes, the spinous processes in the cervical portion of the vertebral column are relatively short, then at the first thoracic vertebrae, become very long.  These spines then gradually shorten and in fact, change direction.  The spinous process of the lumbar spine are relatively short.

A well-muscled mid-back will also help give the appearance of a straighter top line.  Certain positions will also tend to ‘straighten’ the back, i.e. stretching the hind limbs well back, as in the Doberman stance; or a combination of extending the hind limbs and lowering the rear, as in the German Shepherd stance.

Because of the sudden change in height of the spinous processes at the junction of the cervical and thoracic spines, it is relatively easy to palpate the end of the neck and the beginning of the chest.“  [Casey Gardiner: Dogs: A Guide to Measuring].

In trying to understand the topline, we can imagine a suspension bridge where the two support points are the shoulder assembly and the pelvis.  Like any suspension bridge the „wires“ need to be tight to keep the bridge level.  In this case, those „wires“ are the soft tissues which attach the shoulder assembly to the rib cage and vertebrae.

A natural topline—on almost every breed—is a very flattened „S“ lying on its side.  As Casey Gardiner suggested above, a straight topline is practically impossible without some changes to the underlying structures.  In fact, our Standard does not call for a straight topline.

Back to our suspension bridge.  Obviously there are three key elements here: the column itself, and the two supports (shoulders and rear).

„NECK, TOPLINE, BODY—Neck moderately long and muscular without throatiness.  Well developed, especially in males, and in proportion to the dog’s  build. Neck well set on; fits into strong, well-shaped shoulders.   Topline level. Body long and strong.“ (AKC standard).

Please note that this describes a series of curves with one portion (between the curves) being level.  The topline curves over the neck and curves down to blend into the shoulders with high withers, then comes the level back [note that level means parallel to the horizon, not straight], and the very, very slight rise (almost imperceptible) over the loin which is a sign of a strong loin.

Another old wive’s tale is that it is somehow possible to lengthen the back.  While Casey Gardiner proved that with exercise the intervertebral discs could be thickened, that seems to be the only way to lengthen the topline.  We cannot add any vertebrae, no matter how much we wish we could.  Perhaps we can select for dogs with longer vertebrae, or with different structure to give the appearance of more length.

In her studies, Casey Gardiner noted that the ratios of withers:mid-back:lumbar are different in breeds which hold their tails up or down.  In breeds which normally hold their tails up you get a ratio of 40:20:40 percent.  In other words, the loin (lumbar) is the same length as the withers.  In breeds which normally hold their tails down the ratio is 35:20:45. In other words, the loin is slightly longer than the withers.  Pembrokes are a „tail-up“ breed, whereas we (Cardigans) are a „tail-down“ breed.  A difference therefore between Pems and Cardis will show up in their topline.  The Pem should have a shorter loin area than the Cardi.  Proportionately, the Cardi’s loin will be longer.  This emphasizes the need for a strong loin so that no sag appears.

Let’s return to the frontal support structure, the shoulder assembly.  This support structure has no bones or joints to attach it to the ribcage and vertebrae.  It is held in place ONLY by soft tissues; muscles and ligaments.   Obviously then, the state of these soft tissues will reflect on the topline. Very loose ligamentation will result in shoulders with a lot of give, more than the normal 30 degrees of rotation (cf. Ed Gilbert).  This is often confused with good reach in front. The topline may sag slightly between the shoulder blades, giving a strange appearance.  If the shoulders are loaded, we will get a muscular, bulldog look to the front, and once again the topline will be affected.  The high withers which constitute the flow of neck into shoulders come from the long spinous processes of the first few thoracic vertebrae.  These are long so that they provide a strong attachment point for muscles.  In fact, the spinous process of the first two or three vertebrae should project slightly higher than the top of the shoulder blade when the dog is stacked properly.  Note that when the dog moves its head up or down there is a corresponding effect on the withers and shoulder blades, and therefore the appearance of the topline.   Some dogs may look as if they are running downhill if they are allowed to run around with their nose constantly plastered to the ground.

Shoulder blade layback (angulation) will affect topline, especially in „changing“ the length of the neck.  Obviously, we cannot make a neck either shorter or longer. The number of vertebrae are fixed.  One of the key issues in neck length is understanding what happens with the shoulder blades. When the shoulders are very steep, and therefore up on the neck, they will have „disappeared“ from obvious sight - and the neck will appear longer because there is nothing there to cover the actual point where the neck vertebrae change into the withers!  When the shoulders are well laid back, the shoulder blade will once again be out of the way, but this time in the opposite direction, i.e. back along the ribcage, rather than the neck. Obviously this is preferable. An interesting problem is that in between these two extremes will be moderate shoulder angulation which actually covers the junction between neck and withers, and which therefore gives an appearance of a shorter neck. Do not be fooled by this!  Do not breed to a dog with a long neck because its shoulders are too far forward!

Ribbing plays an important part in the visual impression of topline. There is very little room for forgiveness of bad ribbing in this breed.  Barrel ribs will actually push the shoulder blades forward - and affect the neck and topline. Slab-sidedness seems to give the impression of long, elegant necks - perhaps out of balance for this breed. Short ribbing, i.e. not extending well back will unbalance the topline by giving an impression of a loin area which is too long.  The ribs need to come out well from the vertebrae and arch over, down and back to give the necessary room and length of the ribbing.

Most dogs with strong loins will have a very, very slight arch over the loins. „The Saluki Standard (1927) is probably worded better than other Standards. It calls for ‘muscles slightly arched over the loin,’ thus stating what is the cause of the arch.“ (Gilbert, pg. 112)  With an endurance breed, this longish, strong and flexible arch is necessary for full use of both trot and gallop.  It can be affected by muscling and condition.  Please note that this is not a roach.

Complications set in when we look at the rear assembly. It is here that many topline problems both originate and show.

Croups that are too steep will reflect backwards on the loin, often causing the appearance of a noticeable arch (almost a roach).  There will be an arch followed by a precipitous drop-off down to the tail. Many Cardigans exhibit this problem. While tailset will also affect topline through the consequent visual effects on the croup, more often than not, this is not a real structural problem but rather an aesthetic one in terms of topline.  The underlying issue is really the angle of the pelvis.  A steep pelvis will result in extreme under-reach and shallow follow-through.  A flat pelvis will result in poor under-reach and high follow-through (kick-up behind.)  For endurance dogs we look for a moderate pelvic angle to allow for a balanced under-reach and follow-through. 

A very high tailset and tail carriage will result in tightened rear movement, so that the dogs often mince along.

Angulation and hock length again affect topline. It seems to me that we often speak of angulation at the stifle joint, when what we should be thinking of as breeders is bone length, muscling and ligamentation. Is it reasonable to suppose that the dogs inherit angles? I don’t think so. Rather they inherit bone lengths and the resultant ratios - bone lengths, muscling and ligamentation which will mean tight junctions or very loose junctions. A dog with equal length femur and fib/tib will show more moderate angulation than one where the fib/tib is considerably longer than the femur.  [Go look at GSD pictures to see this clearly!]  A dog with a prominent hock joint, and a short ‘hock’ will have cleaner, more powerful movement than one who is missing these things.   As angulation (bone lengths) change, so does the topline.  We have all seen dogs who are high in the rear, and upon inspection, are discovered to also be long in hock.  We have also seen dogs who seem extremely angulated and where the topline is beginning to slope backwards towards the tail.  Over-angulation tends to drop the rears, under-angulation tends to lift the rears; short hocks tend to give power to the rear, and when combined with lots of angles, to drop the rear, long hocks tend to weaken the rear and lift it.

This is by no means an exhaustive explanation of topline.  It is merely a beginning discussion of some of the issues which affect how topline is perceived, in just one person’s opinion.

THE MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE: THE MYTH OF REACH AND DRIVE

By Kathy Lorentzen

Reprinted with permission from Dogs in Review and author Kathy Lorentzen, from the January 2015 issue of Dogs in Review magazine.

Fortunate indeed are those in our sport who were taught by mentors who had a true foundation in animal husbandry and a real knowledge of working ability in their chosen breeds. Fifty years ago the separation between a dog that could easily perform its intended function and one that could do a lot of winning in the show ring was either nonexistent or quite slight. Dogs were often used for their created purpose during the week (hunting, herding, guarding, etc.), then bathed and brushed and taken to a dog show on the weekend. Breeding programs in many breeds were still based as much on function as they were on beauty. Dogs that could not perform the function for which their breed was originally created were not included in breeding programs. Working and winning went hand in hand.

Times have changed. Look around at dog shows today and you will see a myriad of dogs with structure so opposed to the requirements of their breed standard and trotting movement so artificially created by manipulative breeding that one must wonder how these oddly made dogs could ever actually go out and do a day’s work. In the quest to win, fanciers have in many cases changed the basic proportion and structure of their dogs away from the useful norm toward strange exaggerations with unbalanced angles and bone lengths that produce incorrect side gaits. The long reach and high lift and kick may be eye-catching, but it is incorrect and inefficient.

Yet so many people are captivated and fooled by this movement. "Look at that dog cover ground,” is a commonly heard phrase outside a show ring. But is that dog really covering ground, or is it an illusion? Further, is that dog that people think is covering ground even required by its breed standard to do so?

A correctly built and angulated, normal-legged dog such as this one has its legs correctly under its body for support, broad quarters with strong musculature, and a long, low side gait that is effortless and efficient. Illustrations by Marcia Schlehr.

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

The original wild dogs (wolves) had to survive on their own. They had to be a jack-of-all-trades, able to track, hunt and efficiently kill their prey. They excelled in sustained locomotion, having the ability to trot for very long distances with tremendous endurance. There was never anything exaggerated about their trotting style. They covered the maximum amount of ground with the minimum amount of effort, keeping their heads somewhat forward for balance and their feet close to the ground through all phases of the trot. This easy, free, energy-conserving gait allowed them to travel for miles in their quest to survive. Fancy? No. Efficient? Yes.

When man domesticated wild dogs, he created breeds for a particular function, and the trotting styles of various breeds differed based upon the structure that was created by selection for a particular use. Dogs selected for bursts of speed, swimming, digging, etc., varied in the way they trotted based upon the proportion and structure that best allowed them to do their specialized work. Unfortunately (but necessarily) at dog shows, every breed is evaluated at the trot, but not all breeds were created to be capable of trotting in the same manner. In an era when breed type was more important than exaggeration, flash and showmanship, there was more understanding and acceptance of the varying trotting styles than there is today.

MOVEMENT IS NOT UNIVERSAL

Today there seems to be a quest for a universal style of trotting in many breeds, and breeders have changed some of the critical and fundamental characteristics of their dogs in an effort to create a trotting style that draws attention by its speed, animation and exaggeration, regardless of the fact that the animals being produced most likely would never be capable of performing their original function if asked to do so. While the majority of dogs produced in show breeding programs today are never required to perform outside the show ring, we as breeders should be charged with maintaining our breeds as they were originally intended by the people who created them and wrote their breed standards. It is not our job to change or "improve” our breeds. Yes, of course, there is always something about each individual dog that we would like to change or improve, but that is far different than setting out to change an entire breed into something that is basically a caricature.

There is much discussion today about "tremendous reach and drive” (TRAD). So many seem to think that it is correct, and they want to produce it even in breeds whose standards distinctly describe a structure that won’t produce long stride at the trot. So in order to lengthen stride on a dog, its proportions are changed. Square breeds are all of a sudden longer than tall. Slightly longer than tall breeds are longer still, and the length of their legs is shortened. Breeds that are supposed to be "well angulated” at the shoulder and the hip with a pelvic slope of 30 degrees off the horizontal (which gives them long, low-to-the-ground stride) are being bred with very open angles at both ends and pelvises that slope only 10 degrees. This sets the legs of the dog far out on each end and creates a side gait that is all high lift in the front and big kick up behind, and it’s all in the air. It is this lift and kick that fools so many people.

A dog with very open angles at both the shoulder and the hip stands with its legs far out on either end of its body, which does not lend correct support to the body. This dog will trot with a lot of lift and kick. While it may look like it is taking long strides, the feet are actually on the ground for only a shthort period during each step, which causes the dog to have to work much harder to move. Illustrations by Marcia Schlehr.

HOW DOGS MOVE

Dogs that are vertical at both the shoulder and the hip do not stand with their legs correctly under their body for support. They do not have the proper width of their quarters (which produces strong musculature) that is created by correct angulation. Looking at the underline of a dog in a breed that should have good, balanced angulation and width of quarters is so educational. Well-angulated dogs will be short in underline from the elbow to the knee, while vertical ones will be much longer. The two dogs might measure exactly the same from breastbone to point of buttocks and withers to ground, yet their structure will be completely different, and their method of trotting will differ also. The properly angulated dog will swing freely from the shoulder blade and the hip with long, low, easy strides and no wasted effort, while the vertical dog will stiffly "pop” from the elbow and the hip and lift the legs far too high off the ground on both ends, creating a gait that causes the dog a great deal of increased effort and gives it little to no endurance. The higher the legs go up in the air, the farther they have to come back down to contact the ground. And feet only work when they are on the ground; they have no use when they are up in the air.

Long steps means long steps on the ground. Forward propulsion comes from the forceful opening of the hip, stifle and hock joints when the foot is on the ground. The front assembly of the dog carries the majority of its weight, and the front legs go out in front of the dog in motion to keep it from falling on its nose. Front legs do not reach out and "pull the ground under the dog,” as I so often hear said. When the dog is trotting, these muscles cannot pull; they only push. And the front leg is used for forward propulsion only once the leg is perpendicular under the body. Feet that stay on the ground for a long period of each stride create a far more efficient, useful and enduring gait than a dog whose front and rear legs hit the ground and "pop” right back up in the air. It might look fancy, but it is far from useful and demands great effort. Watching a dog that moves correctly should give you the impression of effortless balance and carriage, not struggle and hard work. But far too often today we see the hard-working dog rewarded over the correct one and then hear that the easy-moving dog wasn’t "asking for the win."

EVALUATE NATURAL MOVEMENT

An additional problem seen all too often today in combination with incorrect structure is the dreadful habit of dogs being shown on a very short, tight lead, with the head forced back over its shoulders and causing even more incorrect lift of the front legs. This method of handling can throw off even a well-made dog, so think of what it does to a dog lacking correct structure. Incorrectly made dogs most often have very poor foot timing anyway (a one, two, three, four beat rather than a two-beat trot), and having their heads held up and back only adds to their inefficiency. Dogs should always be allowed to put their head where they would carry it naturally in order for the judges to evaluate true gait, and judges should insist on dogs in their ring being gaited that way. If dogs fall apart when let down to navigate on their own, then they should not win.

It is my belief that these incorrect dogs do so much winning because so many judges do not first evaluate breed type. Instead, they fall into the pattern of rewarding the dog that can go around the ring the fastest and fanciest, regardless of the fact that it may totally lack many of the critical components of breed type required in its standard. Many years ago, Anne Rogers Clark wrote words that every judge should live by in the ring. She instructed judges to "first choose the individuals in your ring with the best breed type, and then reward the soundest of those typey individuals.” If we could all strive to judge with that directive in mind, our breeds would be far better served in the long run.

http://www.akc.org/news/the-modern-day-fairy-tale-the-myth-of-reach-and-drive-40715/

REACH AND DRIVE DEPENDS ON PROPORTION

E. Katie Gammill, AKC Judge, TheDogPlace.org Exhibition Editor

Canine movement is different when one compares a square body to a rectangular body shape. The dog’s front and rear angulation is also dependent upon body proportions.

Using knowledge of your own breed to judge a distinctly different body type can lead a judge astray. The Bouvier Des Flanders, a square dog, is a drover and cart dog. The Border Collie’srectangular body proportions serve it well with stops and starts, allowing graceful speed and direction changes. Its stalking crouch and gallop developed over hundreds of years makes it a premier herder. The intense gaze or “eye” completes the picture.

An example of change is the Belgian breeds. The standard now reads “stands four square” rather than “square outline”. Today correct, square dogs with balanced, light movement are often faulted. Their general appearance says “approximates a square”. Their herding technique is pushing and circling the herd. “Smooth, free, easy movement. Never tiring, exhibiting facility of movement rather than a hard driving action. The breed shows a marked tendency to move in a circle rather than a straight line.” Few standard changes clarify type and many have the opposite effect. Older judges of the initial standards KNOW the difference! Dedicated breeders understand this movement.

Change is often affected by outside influence: The Japanese Akita was a square, powerful dog used to hunt bear and boar. American forces occupying Japan brought in the military German shepherd which changed the Akita body proportions. When the breed was recognized in the 70s, Herding and Working Groups one Group and judges were often confused by the Akita’s body type variation. Some preferred the reach and drive of the German Shepherd’s rectangular body. Others awarded the heavier bone and square body type which came with moderate movement. Even today, there is great variation in the Akita’s body proportion, from “great mover” to a more square bodied, supremely agile hunter of bear and boar.

A friend once argued a dog can NOT reach too far! Yes, it CAN overreach! A dog reaches as far as the shoulder lays back. Toe beneath nose is good. Anything further, causes structural compensations. Extensive “reach and drive” cannot be used as criteria in all breeds; it depends on the body type and what the dog was bred to do.

Square Great Danes carry their heads up and have a light gait. (1960 standard said GAIT-springy). Today there are too many long bodied Danes of minimum height. Those low on leg move with lowered head. This type does NOT reflect the “Apollo” of the breed. Derived from Wolfhound, Greyhound, and German Mastiff, they were “majestic’ in type. Another case where standard changes altered type.

Canine balance creates perpendicular and parallel hocks. If the hock passes the butt (ischium) bone, the bones are NOT in balance. The pup is over angulated and won’t change. If it doesn’t reach the butt bone, the dog will stand under itself. Some stacked dogs continually adjust their feet despite a handler’s efforts to smooth out the top line.

Over-angulated rears are usually cow-hocked. They bow in or out when moving. In an effort to avoid running over the front, the hind toes may curl over when the dog follows-through rear movement to buy a split-second of timing. Other dogs lay their entire hock on the ground when moving. Again, nature solves a “timing issue. Some dogs kick too up high behind and some will have a “ping or hitch” every few steps to co-ordinate the rear drive with the restricted front movement.

When the front is more correct than the rear, the dog will be “sickle or locked hocked”. The rear reach should equal the follow-through motion, but due the short front stride, the rear action CANNOT be completed. This is obvious from the sid.

A “stacked” dog may appear level but have a “carp back”. This “carp” accommodates the lack of balance and allows the lower assembly to propel the dog forward. (Re: front action is lifting, bowing, padding). Shepherds in Germany and the US reflect both types and dogs are analyzed in the context of which they appear. The standard “higher at withers, sloping into a level back, without sag or roach” is pretty explicit.

Afghans are square dogs that move with head and tail up and reach and drive to fit their body shape. When an Afghan becomes longer bodied, he drops his head and tail and loses breed type. In the quest for more reach and drive, the Eastern “King of Dogs” with the exotic expression could be lost to the past. This aloof, dignified dog, at a gallop shows elasticity and spring. At a trot, Afghans are light on their feet. Granted, square dogs often offend the eye of someone accustomed to breeding rectangular breeds. Square body type does NOT mean the head is screwed onto the shoulder directly over the front legs. The neck should truncate into the body smoothly.

Sadly, many “square” dogs win on their extensive reach and drive; therefore breeders “breed to win!” Judges are protectors of the breed standards. IF they don’t step up to the plate regarding desired size and body shape, the breed types will continue to be in constant revision, which changes breed type. How sad when breed type change is simply the concentration of a fault that becomes so common place it is viewed as a virtue. (For a time.)

That can happen when we ask a German Shepherd judge how a Pomeranian should move? Should one ask a Chow judge how the Border Collie should move? Many judges know, but others may unwittingly apply their own breed’s standard or qualities to a breed with which they aren’t that familiar. It’s a judge’s responsibility to define the difference regarding correct movement and body proportions when awarding wins.

The losers are often the newer judges who have not studied the old standards. The losers are those who have not seen great dogs of the past. The losers are breeders exhibiting to less than stellar judges and accepting their opinions as truth. The losers are those who never read their breed standard and aren’t privileged to know respected judges of the past. They are the ones who will change type until our uniquely lovely breeds are no longer recognizable.

In the end, the real losers are the breeds who fall victim to those who don’t understand correct body proportions and corresponding movement. Reach and drive isn’t the end-all in many breeds!

http://www.thedogplace.org/ShowPlace/reach-and-drive-proportion_Gammill-124.asp

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SUNLIGHT AND CANINE HEALTH

by Barbara J. Andrews, AKC Hall Of Fame Master Breeder

Irregular heat cycles, reproductive, behavioral or thyroid problems?  Human melatonin research applied to canine health, light exposure, cancer, and immune system health.

Reproductive and thyroid problems are rampant in dogs and not uncommon in people. Thyroid levels can only be determined through a specific blood test which is relatively expensive.  When this was first written (2006) blood samples were usually sent off to a University lab to be analyzed, properly read, and a full report furnished to the veterinarian. That is not always the case in 2015 and frankly, not that many vets are really qualified to interpret the results and direct proper treatment.

Whether thyroid testing is done locally or sent off, accurate diagnosis is critical to restoring the thyroid gland to full function.  Hyperthyroid (too much circulating thyroid hormone) or hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels) diagnosis will require different medicinal and/or herbal treatment.

The problem with treatment regimes is that they overlook the CAUSE of thyroid imbalance.  Diet is a major factor is thyroid imbalance but sunlight deprivation is the primary cause of hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels).

At one time, all animals received adequate sunlight.  Today we suffer from light deprivation and thus, we no longer manufacture adequate levels of vitamin D, melatonin, and other vital hormones. The result is an alarming percentage of children on behavior modification drugs and school violence is at an all-time high.  Antidepressants are the most-prescribed dugs in the U.S. and an amazingly high percentage of "patients" are dogs! 

Think about where you and your most beloved dogs spend the most time.  Then consider why the new field of canine consultants is flourishing along with human psychological counseling.  Obviously house dogs are most affected by vitamin D deficiency and insufficient melatonin because they are deprived of natural, unfiltered sunlight AND they are subjected to artificial light wavelengths.  Light deprivation has become a serious a problem in dogs for the same reason it is an "epidemic" in night workers.

All Mammals Need Serotonin And Melatonin

Sunlight is necessary for the production of serotonin - the "feel good" substance contained in chocolate and some anti-depressant medications... The daily migration to the city decrees a long pre-dawn trip to the city and often, an after-dark return, further depriving a large percentage of the population of those precious hours of sunlight… Violent crime is escalating and more people are on anti-depressants than ever.

In today’s hustle-bustle world, unlike our great grandparents, we work inside, under artificial and fluorescent lighting - where most show dogs spend a great part of their time!  Breeders take pride in elaborate air-conditioned kennels with small widows to block the sun or the cold.  They obviously don't realize that most mammals MUST have 10 hours of full sunlight to stay healthy.  Watch where your house pets snooze during the day.  In a shaft of sunlight right?

Melatonin For Mood and Overall Health

A twenty year study led by neuroscientist George Brainard at the Farber Institute was based on understanding how the brain interprets, reacts to and uses light independently of the visual system.  We now know how the human eye uses light to regulate melatonin production, and in turn, the body's biological clock.  His study revealed a "photoreceptor system" in the human eye which reacts to specific wavelengths of light.  Light in the blue region of the visible spectrum is the most potent in controlling melatonin production and the body's circadian rhythms.

Artificial light interferes with the production of melatonin. Many scientists believe circadian rhythm is linked to your biological aging clock. Interruption of the natural light and dark cycles causes stress; continued disruption causes disease. Overall cancer rates are lower in the southern hemisphere, and SAD (see below) higher in northern hemisphere. Melatonin is produced as we sleep but it is stimulated by sunlight.

By the way ladies, melatonin tablets before bedtime may aid in the prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer rates are soaring. I'm not saying there's a connection between that and our insistence on turning night into day (and vice versa for night workers) but the low fertility rate and ever-climbing cancer rate in man and his companion animals is not coincidence.  Medical research shows that melatonin suppresses the development of tumors, may reconstitute bone marrow integrity, has dramatically increased the life span and the reproductive ability of mice.  Extrapolate that to your dogs, and yourself.

Through the production of melatonin, the pineal gland also plays a master role in the immune system's ability to respond to environmental challenge. Try the unthinkable – avoid TV for an hour before bedtime.  The flickering light and bursts of sound emitted by your TV disrupts the body's cooling off and calming down process necessary for a good night's sleep.  It does the same for your lap dog and the one dozing at your feet.  Read a relaxing book instead of that dash, crash, and rumble TV show.

There's an inseparable relationship between the neuro-endocrine and immune systems, especially between the pituitary and the thymus glands which actually regulate the immune system. Melatonin works in the hypothalamus region of the brain, DURING DARKNESS. It stimulates tissue regeneration and along with serotonin, influences neurotransmitters, helps to stabilize homeostasis, and maintain connective tissues, muscles, and bones!

Since 1992 I’ve written about the adverse effect on melatonin production caused by behavior such as leaving the light on in a sleeping child’s room.  The same applies to the kennel. Turn off the lights! Don’t leave the light on for a new mom. Trust me, she can “see” every puppy...

SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD affects dogs too.  "This discovery will have an immediate impact on the therapeutic use of light for treating winter depression and circadian disorders", said Dr. Brainard, professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College University.  It's called Seasonal Affective Disorder because depression occurs more during the winter months when the sun's rays are weakest and we're inside out of the cold!  note: since 2010 mention of SAD seems censored as sales of mood altering prescriptions soar.

SAD mechanics are simple. Light enters the eyes in order to stimulate the hypothalamus, pineal gland, and the pituitary gland, the body's master hormone-secreting factory.  How can we deny the connection between natural circadian rhythms and epidemiological studies which show an increased breast cancer incidence in women who work night shifts?

Canine Reproduction, Thyroid Hormone, And Heat Cycles

Your dream of a special litter from your sheltered bitch can turn into a nightmare of confusing heat cycles (see ref #1).  One of the main consequences of light deprivation is cessation of normal reproduction.  Are we all agreed that mutts conceive easily?  Then why do sheltered show dogs need wine, soft music, and prayers in order to get pregnant? Is it genetics or is it because pampered purebreds are living in high-rise apartments or inside kennels?

Purebred dogs have more thyroid problems than ever before. It’s not just that veterinarians diagnose it more. The incidence is much higher. Why is that? You know. You just read about sunlight and how it enters through the iris, stimulates the pineal gland, and sets off hormone production. Where do the fertile and prolific mutts, farm dogs, and hunting dogs live? Outside. Trotting around the neighborhood or living in a “dog lot” until time to hunt. Even most (shudder) puppy mill dogs get sunlight in those rabbit-hutch cages!  How much bright, unfiltered sunlight do our treasured house dogs get?

Re-think Kennel Lighting

If you have a kennel building, install large south-facing windows or skylights, Ott-lights or a similar FULL SPECTRUM lighting system. (Note: such lighting is now easily obtainable and reasonably priced)  Do not use fluorescent lighting - barely detectable strobes can cause serious mental, emotional, and hormonal imbalance. Use natural-spectrum incandescent or LED bulbs. Note: stud cats kept under fluorescent cattery lights stop siring.  Put a queen in a darkened basement and she'll stop cycling. Cats are an example because they "call" constantly during spring and early summer. i.e. during longer seasonal daylight hours.  Deprive laying hens of natural sunlight or natural spectrum inside lighting and egg production ceases.

Numerous studies have revealed the hazards of electromagnetic energy emitted by  fluorescent tubes.  People who work under such lights are being damaged in ways that may one day be compared to the revelations re "asbestos" and “miner’s lung.”  Today children are protected from lead but instead they grow up in fluorescent-lighted classrooms and they wear sunglasses when outside.  Both practices assure that the pineal gland receives inadequate amounts of light. Delinquency and juvenile violence rates are soaring.... A connection? Read on..

Sunlight Affects Mood and Metabolism In All Species

Low levels of sunlight and increased exposure to artificial light during naturally “dark” hours interferes with the production of melatonin and interrupts circadian rhythm, which is directly linked to our biological aging clock. So make sure you get adequate exposure to unfiltered sunlight. Take off those sunglasses, relax, un-stress, and sort out cloud formations for a few precious moments. A daily ten minute health-break basking in life-giving light will insure you don’t become “sad,” summer or winter.”

The Nation's Most Sheltered Canine Tested For Thyroid Imbalance

Don’t be fooled into believing thyroid imbalance is genetic. In 1991 PRESIDENT BUSH was diagnosed with and treated for thyroid imbalance and Mrs. Bush and her Springer Spaniel had complete thyroid panels run.  Are we to believe that the best medical brains in the United States thought that President Bush, his wife, and their dog all inherited the same genetic code?  Of course not.  But all three of them spent most of their daytime hours inside, in artificial light.

Sunlight Summary: Mental, Physical, Reproductive Health

Do for yourself what you are about to do for your dogs.  Make it a point to get out in the sun every day.  No sunglasses.  It is neither necessary nor advisable to look at the sun in order for the rays to enter the iris.  Just 30 minutes in direct sunlight is equivalent to 500 mg. of vitamin D.  Forget what the experts say and “expose” yourself to the sun. People have done so for thousands of years.

If I’ve failed to convince you of the importance of light, reflect on your religious teachings. In all Beliefs of which I am aware, the light and/or specifically the sun, play a paramount role. We are all descended from sun worshipers. "God is Light." "Look East".  Many cultures pray facing East. The Native American teepee faced east but by the early 20th early century, most were in reservation housing and health suffered, including acute depression and alcoholism.

From an anthropological perspective, consider that man evolved with respect for and innate knowledge of the sun. From a cave dweller, he became a cliff dweller and today he is just a moving speck within a concrete metropolis. Whereas life span has doubled due to medical advances, overall health has declined. The more we are shaded by modern life, the more our health declines.  You’ve got the idea. Dogs have evolved along with Man but they were not meant to live in the dark.  If you apply what you now know about the critical role of sunlight, you will both benefit.

In closing, I am struck by past cognition. Much of this is extracted from my ShowSight magazine columns of the early nineties. Today Zoloft and Ambien are among the top ten prescriptions written in the U.S. and incredibly, valium and Prozac are now common veterinary prescriptions. Why do dogs need Prozac? Now you know.

So turn out the lights, go to bed when it’s dark, get up with the sun, and live in the light. Be a sun-seeker for your own health and that of your dogs; use natural spectrum bulbs; and avoid fluorescent lighting.  You now know how to keep your family and your dogs fertile, healthy, and off anti-depressants!

SUNLIGHT, CANINE CANCER, & REPRODUCTION

by Barbara J. Andrews, AKC Hall Of Fame Master Breeder - November 2008

Cancer rates are spiraling out of control in dogs.  Bone and joint deformities plague breeders.  Every time you turn around there's a new genetic disease.  It is not because veterinary research is discovering new diseases- it is because our dogs are getting sicker!

We may complain about puppy mills but those bitches breed easily, conceive regularly, and whelp big litters.  We can not say the same about pampered purebreds and you are about to learn why.

Stick with me through the reference stuff, I promise you this will be worth the read and it will change the way you think about your dog's health - and your own!  If you haven't read Part 1 - Into The Sunlight, you might want to do so before reading this as it gives you solid background on thyroid hormone and other glandular functions that affect canine reproduction.

All mammals require sunlight.  We must turn to nature to protect our health, starting with the sun. Avoidance of sunlight to prevent cancer is a serious misconception which, like low-fat diets that encourage people to eat chemical-laden fake food, has seriously bad effects on reproduction, growth, and the immune system.

We adversely affect our dog's health and reproductive ability by keeping them indoors, in fact, "house dogs" - our closest friends, are the most affected by sunlight deprivation.  Lack of sunlight prevents absorption of vitamin D but it doesn't stop there.

It is hard it is to get medical truth before the public.  Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and physiology at Boston University School of Medicine, and until 2000, chief of endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition,  was asked to resign because he advocated moderate exposure to sunlight, not total avoidance. In an effort to totally discredit Holick's research, the department chair issued this statement “Dr. Holick’s book is an embarrassment for this institution and an embarrassment for him."

Avoid the sun?  Dermatologists are well paid to warn us about sunlight and ultraviolet light, scaring us to death with fears of melanoma, which of course, creates a huge demand for sunscreen - and cancer screenings.

Cancer is on the rise in dogs as well as humans. Even as we are warned about sunlight and skin cancer, the American Cancer Society states "We do not yet know exactly what causes melanoma …”  If you read my magazine columns, you are aware of the link between “manufactured” food (laced with chemicals and preservatives) and serious health problems, including cancer. What we now know is that vitamin D may also help prevent a variety of cancers! Could that explain the higher cancer rate among pampered pets and show dogs? Could it be that they spend more time indoors than the street mutt or hunting dog?

With over 3,500 PubMed articles on the topic, the National Institute of Health has stated that "laboratory, animal, and epidemiologic evidence suggest that vitamin D may be protective against some cancers” and subsequent dietary surveys associated "a higher calcium and vitamin D intake with a lower incidence of colon cancer." Vitamin D from natural sunlight may also help protect against prostate cancer, increasingly common in dogs.  In fact, so much so that a National Pet Press article details how dogs were used in new prostate cancer research human studies.

Dr. Holick has over 200 PubMed articles on the topic of vitamin D, relating it to the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis." Even so, sunlight's beneficial biological effect seems to have been lost to modern medicine and those who keep animals in artificial conditions.

I have written about light deprivation many times and okay, most of you were bored to death but a few actually said that you don’t wear sunglasses as much, or you quit drawing the drapes on your house dogs during the day, or like a couple of northerners reported, you’re using those natural spectrum light bulbs in the long winter months.  And predictably, some have said bitches they were about to place in pet homes, suddenly began to reproduce!  No kidding...

So here’s a personal but interesting example that I hope will stick in your mind. We bred Bengal cats until a doctor said Bill was allergic to cats. I flew to California and had the honor of spending a few days with Jean Mills, the developer of the hybrid Asian Leopard/domestic cat. When my f2 female would not “call” for a mate, Jean said to put a halogen light down low so it would shine into the cat’s eyes as she moved about the enclosure. Huh? She explained that the light would stimulate her hormones. Even though we had built an elaborate outside cattery, Jean said the daylight was different in NC than in Southern California and the move had thrown her off cycle. Oooo-kay…… I did as she said, the cat quickly came in season, and I added that to my health notes.  I hope you are doing likewise!

About a year later, another breeder remarked that cats can not be kept under artificial light, that they “go crazy” and will not reproduce or fail to ovulate. She said that fluorescent lights were the absolute worst. I looked up at the brand new fluorescent lights over my work center and thought about how grumpy I had become. I reflected on the many hours I had previously spent outside; training, bathing and grooming my dogs and how since starting the Akita book, I had been glued to a computer screen. Interested but skeptical, I checked out a pile of books and learned how to research online. Three days later, I had those lights removed, ordered an Ott Light, picked up a leash and headed for the sunshine!

So fling open the curtains, sunlight is no harder on the furniture than a bunch of dogs. Run the kennel dogs off those comfy beds and out of the air conditioning. If you’re in the blazing south, arrange your schedule so the dogs get outside in the early morning and late afternoon. Put nursing puppies outside, let them get dirty, dig holes, and eat grubs but above all, let them soak up the sunshine.

Straight legs. Strong bodies. Reduced cancer risk. Healthy reproduction and ovulation. Those are your tangible rewards.  This is not just dog medicine. Try it for yourself, especially if you work nights and sleep days. We could give you statistics on night workers but I don’t want to scare you.  Besides, TheDogPlace is for dogs.... and owners, and those who care enough to research!

Reach & Drive

Dog Gait or Movement Terminology

Miniature Pinscher

Gait or movement is the crucial test of conformation. This section begins with normal movement and then describes moving in different ways. Some gaits are exaggerations of the normal like the Miniature Pinscher with its hackney gait, the Old English Sheepdog with its amble or pace and the Afghan Hound with its style of high order. Additionally some breeds, especially those with aSighthound construction are capable of a double suspension gallop.

Trot with balanced Reach and Drive

Airedale Terrier

Both these dogs are moving at a balanced trot. The forward movement of the front legs is called 'reach' and the backwards movement of the hind legs is called 'drive'. Correctly balanced movement is when the reach of the front legs equals the drive of the back legs and the back or topline remains firm and level.

Maremma Sheepdog

Note the carriage of the head and tail of the Airedale Terrier is higher than the working breed, the Maremma Sheepdog. So thelength of stride of the Maremma is longer that of the Airedale and the sheepdog covers more ground with each stride than the terrier.

Hackney Gait

Hackney Horse

The name hackney gait derives its name from the hackney horse. At a trot, this hackney gait is an exaggerated high knee and hock action due to very good flexion of the joints. This action should be straight and true with a distinct pause or moment of suspension at the top of each stride. The front legs should reach up high with sharply bent knees that are stretched well forward with a ground covering stride.

Miniature Pinscher

Combine this with a similar high stepping action of the hind legs that are well propelled underneath the dog with a similar exaggeration, we have the hackney gait. Whilst correct for aMiniature Pinscher, it is incorrect when seen in most other breeds.

Pace or Amble

Old English Sheepdogs

A Pace or Amble is when two legs on one side move together and then the two legs on the other side move together. This is in contrast to legs on the same side moving in opposite directions as shown by the balanced reach and drive of the Airedale and Afghan Hound above.

While this gait is typical of the Old English Sheepdog pictured here, it is incorrect gait for the show ring in other breeds.

Double Suspension Gallop

This is typical of Sight Hounds like the Deerhound pictured. At full gallop we can see on the left how the front legs extend between the back legs when the dog is in full stride and then reach out again as the picture on the right demonstrates. This action produces a series of gigantic leaps during which the dog becomes totally air borne.

DeerhoundDeerhound

The Unique Gait of the Afghan Hound

Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound has a unique specialized gait described in its Breed Standard as 'smooth and springy with a style of high order'. The Afghan's typical effortless, graceful but unique gait is correctly achieved by the exaggeration of these three components:

1. Longer bones with more muscle strength in both front and rear assemblies relative to its body weight compared to that of a normally built dog, giving the hound power to have definite spring in its gait.
2. Greater reach and drive in both the front and rear assemblies than is shown for 'balanced reach and drive' in the example of the Airedale above. This requires greater flexibility in the pastern which acts as a shock adsorber to cushion the greater reach and drive as well as the spring. When combined with an equivalent flexibility in the hock joint and length from hip to hock, the hound is able to move gracefully and smoothly.
3. Higher head and tail carriage compared to a normally built dog, giving the Afghan its proud carriage or style of high order.

This unique combination produces the co-ordinated smooth and springy gait with the style of high order so admired in an Afghan Hound.

https://janedogs.com/dog-gait-or-movement-terminology/