AKC/Eukanuba Canine Breeder Excellence Seminar

NoVACAIN Kennels Strengthening A Dog

Feeding For The Goal.........

I'm a big believer in feeding a diet that is 95%-99% Raw, 1%-5% Cooked, accompanied with the opinion of, "how you feed a dog contributes a great deal to its overall development." I truly do believe, "simply feeding a dog a specific way can and will be reflected in a dogs true ability and outlook on life."

Genetics do play a big roll in how a dog turns out, but its out powered by how you care for and what you feed a dog, that brings out the true enhancements and abilities of a dog. There is no one food or supplement for all dogs, every dog is its own individual and have their own nutritional and exercise requirements, in order to achieve the ultimate goal.

In my opinion, a raw diet should consist of 30%-50% Raw Meaty Bone, 30%-50% Muscle Meat, 10%-20% Secreting Organs, 5%-10% Vegetable, Fruit, Herb, and Eggs, and 1%-5% Grains if your dog can tolerate grains(I use pasta noodles and rice), mixing it up and rotating percentages to make sure the goal is achieved.

Many will say, "this is a very wide percentage range for feeding raw," my simple answer is there is not one specific formula that fits every dog, and many times even the best formulas, need to be tweaked to fit the individual dog.

I feel that there's no way you can achieve a 100% completely balanced diet in just one feeding. I feel this is something that is achieved over time, by providing the animal with the proper ingredients to achieve the goal. Variety is key to feeding raw, as well as making sure your dogs nutritional requirements are being met, throughout the course of a month. Every month I make sure my dogs have the important things Muscle Meat, Meaty Bone, Organs, Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, Eggs, and COLD WATER FISH.

Yes, I do call my blend of raw complete because I have found a formula that can be tweaked multiple ways while keeping the same consistent results that has raised puppies, maintained adults, improved seniors, as well as worked for dogs that have no relation to me at all other than eating my blend of feed, yet my dogs meals are still tweaked to meet their individual needs.

Examples:

Meesha needs more Vegetable and Fruit year around, more Muscle Meat in the summer, and less Meaty Bones in winter.

Aye Bay Bay needs more Vegetable and Fish year round for skin and coat health, more Meaty Bones in the summer, and more fiber in the winter.

Mei Xiang needs more Muscle Meat year round, double the high water content fruits in the summer, and more Fish in the winter for her skin and coat maintenance

King Ragnar needs more Meaty Bones as he is a growing puppy that requires the calcium and glucosamine for bone and joint development, with a good amount of Fish for for brain and nervous system development,

The goal is to have dogs that thrive, dogs that are able to naturally ward off ailments, transition through the season gracefully, recover from mental and physical stresses quickly, as well as show as an vigorous senior dog, having longevity as the ending result. So in order to achieve the ultimate goal which is true balance with raw feeding, I feel that variety is the key, even if you don't eat it, its for your dogs health no matter what.

Sweet Science OF Raw Food

The simple facts are:

1. You have to understand no matter the batch weight it all must total to 100%
2. Variety is the key to success
3. Can be given as whole items or ground together
4. Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs must be pureed for maximum absorption
5. Tweaking to fit the individual is a must

Some interesting facts are:

1. Chicken Necks (Skin On) contain only 36% bone the remaining 64% meat, ligaments, and fatty tissue
2. Chicken Necks (Skin Off) contain 75% bones the remaining 25% meat, and ligaments with very little to no fat

The formula to figuring out the percentage (%) of each item in a batch is:

    Product Weight / Batch Weight * 100 = %

Here is an example of a simple 50 pound batch of Raw Food worked out:

    20 lbs. Chicken Necks 40% (Meaty Bone) ( 20 lbs. / 50 lbs. * 100 = 40% )

    8 lbs. Chicken Heart 16% (Muscle Meat) ( 8 lbs. / 50 lbs. * 100 = 16% )

    8 lbs. Chicken Gizzards 16% (Muscle Meat) ( 8 lbs. / 50 lbs. * 100 = 16% )

    5 lbs. Beef Liver 10% (Secreting Organ) ( 5 lbs. / 50 lbs. * 100 = 10% )

    4 lbs. Beef Kidney 8% (Secreting Organ) ( 4 lbs. / 50 lbs. * 100 = 8% )

    2 lbs. Kale 4% (Vegetable)

    1 lb. Carrots 2% (Vegetable)

    1 lb. Blueberries 2% (Fruit)

    ½ lb. Garlic 1% (Root Herb)

+   ½ lb. Ginger 1% (Root Herb)

    50 lbs. Raw Food

So for this batch of dog food it contains:

    40% Raw Meaty Bone

    32% Muscle Meat

    18% Secreting Organ

+   10% Fruit/ Herb/Vegetable

    100% complete

RAW FEEDER REFUSING FOOD

If your dog refuses to eat and is losing weight, not acting normal, not drinking water, unable to poop or pee, constantly vomiting (more than 2x's within an hour), take them to the vet ASAP! There is something else going on, it's definitely not, they're just trying to be picky eaters.

FEEDING TIME

BEEF HEART

PLAY

FIRST RIB

King Ragnar first go at ribs, and it went very well.

A BOY & HIS DOG

The next generation of NoVACAIN dog men.

ITS FEEDING TIME

CBE's KING RAGNAR of NoVACAIN

RAGNAR'S SIRE & DAM

DoorBell Trick Works

CBE's KING RAGNAR of NoVACAIN

All Hail "KING RAGNAR"

I would like to officially introduce you to the new member of the pack

CBE's KING RAGNAR of NoVACAIN

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!

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