Sound Of Body Vs Sound Of Joints

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

Sound of body vs. sound of joints.  First let me discuss what being sound of joints means.  For example. let’s take the point where the upper arm fits into the shoulder blade … would you not agree that forms a joint?  Would you not also agree that where the upper arm meets the lower leg a joint of union is made?  Would it not follow that where the lower leg joins with the pastern another joint is formed?

Having agreed to those premises one could safely say that scenario is repeated numerous times though out the entire structural make up of the Doberman.  The soundness of those joint connections contributes a great deal to whether a dog flips, pops, flops, single tracks, reaches or drives when moving.  One of the contributing factors to how well these joints union is how well the ball and socket or the two bones of each factor fit together.

Sound fitting ball and socket joints have a great deal of influence on the sound make up of the Doberman’s structure.  Now, if we agree to that premise it would be safe to say that all joint unions are vital in the make up of a Doberman’s sound structure.

Let me give you an example just how delicately and how beautifully nature has dictated these joint unions and the results of them being sound:

“The front assembly is founded on the shoulder blade (scapula), of flat, triangular shape with a spine or ridge down the outer surface to provide muscle attachment.  An oval cavity in the lower end receives the ball-like head of the upper arm at the point of the shoulder joint.

The upper arm (humerus) is a slender bone with a slight spiral twist, extending from the shoulder joint downward and backward in various degrees and lengths depending on the breed.  In all, the general shape remains the same and the union of the shoulder joint is such that the opening of the angle between them is limited by a knob-like protrusion on the head of the upper arm.  This has a definite influence on the function of the upper arm in movement.

The forearm consist of two bones (the radius in front and the ulna behind) and enters the structure at the elbow.  The lower end of the upper arm which is round and rests in a depression atop the radius bone;  it’s round head has a groove in the back side into which the ulna fits and slides to provide the leverage action of the joint.  The pastern joint,  at the lower end of the forearm, is made up of a number of small bones (carpal).  the radius rests on a large radio-carpal in front of the group.

The most important bone here is the pisiform, L-shaped, with the short arm resting atop a metacarpal and the long arm extending backward.  Near the mid point of the latter rests the tip of the ulna so that the muscular action applied to the end of the pisiform manipulates both bones and puts the zip in pad action.    

Below the pastern there are three metacarpal bones, long and slender, like those in the back of our hand between wrist and fingers.  there is a fifth but it is not active in the support.

The Doberman’s foot is made up of three small bones to each digit, corresponding to those that make up our fingers.”  (McDowell Lyon’s ‘Dog In Action’, pages 102 – 104)

There is one more compelling observation that one can make regarding sound bones that make up sound joints. “they are the framework of the dogs body and the instruments or tools with which his muscles must work in moving him about.  THEY must be considered when judging the dog.” (‘Dog In Action’ page. 112)

After saying all of that,  I would hope that you now concur that bone forming joints have a life of their own and the proper fit, shape and length of those bones go a long way in the make up of sound joints thus contributing to a structurally sound Doberman.

Now to those sound joints and bones we add a “sound body” that is properly conditioned, strong muscles, tendons, ligaments, hard coat, depth, tuck and balance and to that we add a sound mind, a square and compact body, a dog of medium size that is noble, courageous and keenly intelligent and presto, with have a sound and standard conforming Doberman Pinscher.

Satin Balls For Weight Gain

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

submitted by Judy Bohnert

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 pounds of cheap hamburger meat
• 1 large box of Total cereal
• 1 large box of oatmeal (uncooked)
• 1 jar of wheat germ
• 10 eggs
• 1-1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1-1/4 c. molasses
• 10 small packages of unflavored gelatin
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all ingredients together well, much like a meatloaf
2. Put into separate freezer bags and freeze, thawing out as needed.
3. Make little meatballs and place them on top of the food  

It puts weight on in a very short time not to mention adding gloss the coat.  Use it every day when showing — does not  produce diarrhea.  It can be fed alone or, to save money, with their regular food.  If you are unable to obtain all the ingredients (i.e.-the molasses and the unflavoured gelatin), it will still work wonders on your dog.

Road Working Your Doberman

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

by Michelle Santana
Foxfire Dobermans

Depending on where I lived, I have road worked in a myriad of places. Here are some of them;

1. Office Building parking lots (after/before hours & sometimes the more deserted ‘working’ ones.
2. Side streets that have a dead end. (even in residential neighborhoods, the least crowded streets.)
3. Fairground parking lots, church parking lots. virtually any road that is least traveled (and yes I’ve come across my share of cars and I pull over to make way, then continue on).

About comments while road working:

It would seem that almost everyone has to stick their noses in everybody else business. That is a fact of life, so grow a thick skin and close your ears. You don’t owe anybody an explanation as to what you are doing as long as you aren’t breaking the law or abusing your dog. IF people are pleasant and just curious, not bashing you for your method of exercising your dog, I would certainly explain the process of road working to those passers by.

In order to deal with a dog who puts up a fight about road working, I always try to start a beginner dog with an experienced dog. They learn by the example of the dog next to them. If you have no other dog available try to find someone that already does road work and tag along with them for the ‘beginning’ outings.

When I am doing one dog by themselves for the first time and they seem particularly resistant, I just reassure them everything is okay, give them the command ‘trot’ and go very slow, for short distances (1/4 mile) encouraging them the whole way. We repeat this for a week. They usually get over the ‘fear factor’ after the first week. As with ANY new experience, be patient and persistent.  It is common for them to resist this form of exercise until they understand what is expected of them and the what the routine is … AFTERWARDS THEY LOVE IT, I can guarantee it!

If you sit in the back of the car while someone else drives, assuming there isn’t a ‘rim’, you can put your legs up in a “V” and have the dog run between your legs (this also helps to break side winding) it will be impossible for him to jump in the car because YOU are there. This position also allows for maximum praise/guidance from you. As the dog catches on you, you won’t have to keep your leg’s up anymore.

I recommend not starting road working until a dog is at least 18 months old.  Sometimes, if done correctly, it can be done a little earlier to teach a dog ‘poise’ and carriage and correct moving habits (the distance would be Short and Slow).

If the dog is a puppy I recommend free running exercise on grass/dirt or swimming.

QUESTIONS RE ROAD WORKING WITH A CAR

Question:
In my area, weather and my current work situation prohibits outside road work. The dogs play in a 70′ x 50′ enclosure. I have a people tread mill (I couldn’t justify buying a doggie one @ $2000 plus) that is long enough for them to trot (not full extension). Is this adequate for inside road work? I have heard different views. If you set the treadmill uphill you achieve what? If at a level setting you achieve what? Which type of work affects what muscles? What is a good speed, duration, and frequency?

Answer:
Personally I find some dogs don’t do well with tread mill exercise. It makes them move funny in the rear. If I noticed this with one of my dogs I discontinued the use of the treadmill and switched to the car. Actually I never use my treadmill anymore because I can road work more dogs at a time with the car so it’s more time.

The funny movement that can occur doesn’t happen to all Dobermans.  All breed handlers especially like treadmills because their coated breeds don’t damage any hair and it’s easier for their small breeds.

So, try it out with your Doberman.  The bottom line is, one way or another, a Doberman has to be conditioned to be competitive. Nothing helps a Doberman look more ‘Muscular and Powerful for Great Endurance and Speed’ as per our Breed Standard, than to have a well-built, rippling, smooth-muscled body!  If your human treadmill is what you’ve got then you have to make do with it!  You can always discontinue using it if you find it is affecting your Doberman’s trot in a detrimental way.

Where I road work the road naturally inclines. I believe this enhances the development of the rear muscles, both inner and outer.  I think road working flat really helps enhance the back muscles but I don’t think it’s necessary to have one over the other.

I also used to throw a stick up a hill for one of my dogs.  It really helped develop his chest area. I don’t know that the incline derived from a treadmill would do this though because it isn’t as steep as a hill and the dogs are trotting versus really digging in at a gallop.

The frequency, duration and speed that you roadwork really depends on each dog. Some dogs have a natural faster trot and most dogs, after being road worked awhile, will trot faster naturally. So, as a result, you may find that you are continually adjusting the speed. Just make sure the speed is a nice, fluid, even, balanced motion. Something similar (maybe a little faster) than what is expected in the ring.

Duration has to start out slow if your dog isn’t used to road working.  I’d go 1/4 to 1/2 mile for the first two weeks, eventually working up to two miles and sometimes more if your dog has a particularly ‘mushy’ muscle fibre or a weak top line and if this is usually it’s only form of ‘exerting’ exercise). Ideally, I think most dogs, by and large, need both road work and free running for conditioning. Even if the road working isn’t for conditioning, it’s an invaluable tool to teach a dog proper carriage and a free-flow, fluid, balanced trot such as that needed for an impressive ‘show gait’.

I have some dogs that road work every day. I have others that road work every other day. For now I would suggest every other day for you. The in-between days should be spent with extra emphasis on free running. A tennis racket and ball are great to entice all out galloping in a enclosed area.  You will start seeing changes almost immediately but don’t expect anything dramatic for at least six weeks. Then you can reassess what changes should be made, hopefully with a mentor looking on (more/less road work/free running).

Question:
Do you think an inexperienced person can road work a Doberman with a car and alone or do I need to find someone to help me? I don’t want to run.

I also heard that having the dog run up and down stairs is good exercise to tighten the muscles in the back and the top line. Care to comment on that? Can you compare the two methods of exercising?

Answer:
Well yes, I think am inexperienced person can roadwork a dog!  I was inexperienced once and haven’t run over any!  Now I do THREE at a time! (LOL)

It’s pretty hard to ‘run over’ a dog while road working if you road work properly.  I once heard of a man that did run over his dog because he had his dog on a flexi lead while trying to do it!  If you roll down the window of your car, depending on its make, most tires are in front of the door area. This door area is ‘exactly’ where your dog should stay. It should have just enough lead (tightish) to stay next to your car and trot. If the dog stays in this position it is really pretty difficult for it to fall and then slip sideways under the rear tire. Physically it’s hard to do!

Now, the key is your dog. Some dogs get out of the car and take to road working like they have been doing it their whole life.  Others are more ‘resistant’ and will jump and look at you in the window while you are getting back into your position behind the wheel. Some lag behind until they build up stamina
, confidence, etc.  This is okay.  Just be patient as eventually your dog will be able to keep up with the pace and may even ‘set’ it!

I have never had a dog that did not, eventually, LOVE road working. I recently had a ‘resistant’ one but now he loves it!  Some take a little more encouragement than others; some need pinch collars because they are sure they can drag your car, (LOL) but they all end up loving it.  No matter how resistant some of my clients are to the fact that they are going to have to road work their dog in order to win, the client always comes back to me and says how much their dog enjoys road working, and even when they finish the owners say they continue to roadwork the dog!  Yea right, say I…it’s a tedious job and I don’t believe anyone will do it unless forced to by their handler.

Finding someone to help, initially, isn’t a bad idea. That way you and your dog will be more comfortable when your helper eventually can’t go. I often show my clients how to do it while we’re at a show or, I take their dog and train it and then hand over the job.  The problem I found with a helper is usually they will not be as dedicated as you.  Dedication is a must in this sport!  For instance, in the beginning, my mom was the helper.  She drove the station wagon and I sat on the tailgate. Eventually it was harder and harder to get her to commit to a religious routine, so I decided I HAD to do it myself. I self taught myself when I was probably only 16-17.  I won’t even begin go into how to do more than one! (LOL)

As to stairs, frankly, I have NO experience in this department.  Perhaps others do?  My gut feeling is, if there is any other form of exercise available, use it. I would be afraid that the steepness and climbing/descending action could have a long term detrimental effect on a dogs knees, elbows, joints, etc.   Let’s face it, it can take a Doberman months, if not a year or more, to finish o you have to do something that you can sustain long term.  I’m not saying that stairs can’t or shouldn’t be used at all, and if it’s the only method of road working that you have available to you, then what can you do?  I, personally, would just try to find a more ‘natural’ form of exercise. (and no, running along a car isn’t natural, but the ‘trot’ is).

QUESTIONS RE ROAD WORKING WITH A BIKE

Question:
Has anyone tried the ‘Springer’ on their bike?  This is a gizmo that attaches under the seat and prevents the rider from becoming unbalanced and falling over should the dog decide to pull in another direction (like after a cat)

Answer:
IF a client wants to ride a bike for two miles I don’t have a problem with it. I do try to insist they use a Springer.  That is pretty much the only ‘safe’ way to ride a bike with a dog in my humble opinion.  The reason I prefer clients to use a car is ‘commitment’.   Most of my clients work all day, come home tired and really aren’t going to commit to getting on a bike every day or every other day to peddle two miles!!

They might on the weekends but every other day for eight or more months (or in the case of a  special, for years)?  Not too likely.  If they use the car there is no excuse, no I’m too tired or its raining or its too dark, etc.  With the car they can pop in their favorite tape, relax, look out the window at their doggie enjoying the heck out of itself and toodle around for two miles (20 minutes give or take). It’s a much easier commitment for them to make.  They come home with a mission accomplished feeling. The handler is happy, the dog is happy and none of it was a “Pain In The Butt” (if you know what I mean).

The reason I REALLY want them to use a ‘Springer’ is two fold:

A.) Theirs and their dog’s safety. It is next to impossible to pull a human over going after a cat or another dog with the dog attached securely (you might have to use a pinch collar) to the Springer.

B.) When a client holds the leash they tend to exert different pressure on the collar and tug on the leash as they try to keep the speed constant for the duration of the two miles. This leash/collar action can be detrimental to the dog learning to stay focused and maintain a fluid/balanced trot.  It may encourage the dog to keep looking at the bike rider to see what’s up or why they are pulling/adjusting him this way and that.  The whole idea behind road work, besides conditioning (at least to me), is to teach the dog to be relaxed on the lead/collar and look ahead and learn to ‘float’ in a fluid/balanced motion. That is pretty hard to do if a dog has to worry about what the bike rider is doing or if the bike rider is going to fall on them, which can really mess up a dog. I know plenty of people that fell over when on the bike and not using a Springer.  So that’s my reasons behind preferring a car…but, different strokes for different folks as long as the homework gets done.

It has been pointed out to me that some bikes cannot accommodate the way the Springer attaches to them so you might want to check into this before you make the purchase of a Springer as they cost about $50.00.

Present Your Dog Properly

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

by Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA

As a judge I am writing about dogs not standing for exams.  I find that many people have never taken their pups out to training classes or haven’t been to class for several weeks.  One or two classes simply won’t do a good enough job, not only for the pups, BUT MOSTLY FOR THE EXHIBITORS.

Many young dogs are motivated by their owner’s nervousness and it follows right down the lead.  Many exhibitors too are rushing to set the dog up and are moving the legs all over the place, having absolutely no idea how the dog should be stacked in the first place.  Sometimes when a judge is shown a dog’s mouth the poor animal’s head is down almost to the floor or possibly the handler opens the dog’s mouth so wide that they almost unhinge the jaws whereupon the pup naturally backs up.

Another problem I have seen is when the judge tries to go over the dog the handler will allow the lead to drop back on the dog’s neck so the dog is literally walking around in a circle or whatever.

The exhibitor sometimes grabs the tail and holds on for dear life using that as a prop to hold the dog in place.

Another problem that I have seen is that the handler will allow the dog to lean against them and thus enabling the dog to use the handler as a security blanket.

I have found that instructing the exhibitor to stand to the front of the dog and hold the head straight while I go over the body works like a charm in 90% of the cases.

Please exhibitors … go to handling classes for several weeks with your dogs whether you are experienced in showing or not.  The dog and you need to get it together.  Why do you think Handlers suggest you send your dog to them for training?  They know how to present a dog but need to work YOUR dog. Every dog is handled differently.

Is it any wonder dogs or pups don’t stand for exam?   The dog has to know what is expected from the handler and vice versa.

Preparing For Your 1st Show

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

Tracy MacLean, Shayera Dobermans

From making out an entry or using an entry service to what to take to the show with you.

This is how I enter and approach dog shows:

How far do you wish to travel may play a part. In Canada we don’t use entry services, therefore you would have to get a premium list form the club or show secretary. You can get the information through the Dogs in Canada magazine. A lot of clubs have Websites as well. Premium lists are available from the dog show secretary’s tables.

Honestly evaluate your dog and ask yourself is he ready to win or are you using the show as socialization and training? If he is ready to win pick your judges as to who you believe does a good job, knows the Doberman Pinscher standard and is not afraid to use it!

Decide which class your dog would do best in. In Canada the most commonly entered classes are Junior puppy (6-9months), Senior puppy (9-12month) and Open (any age). In breed specialties you will see some use of the other classes such as Canadian bred and Bred by Exhibitor. These classes are also offered at the All breed shows but are usually not used. The Specials Only class is for Champions only.

Fill out the entry making sure all information is correct — double check it. Write the check for the correct amount and mail in your entry in plenty of time to make it to the show secretary before the show closes. Nearly all shows held today have a Fax entry service which usually has an extra charge added for Fax service but you know your entry will have made it. Again make sure all information on the entry is correct and add your credit card number to the entry.

Next:

• Plan for your weekend at the dog shows.
• Book your hotel room ( credit card ) or trailer spot.
• Have your vehicle serviced oil change, tire check, fluids etc.
• Continue the conditioning of your dog by exercising daily, training daily, socializing, conformation classes, coat care, ears, teeth and nails cared for weekly.
• The weekend before the show, I start show grooming by trimming the coat.
• I do nails the day before the first show applying black nail polish as well as another show trimming of the coat and teeth and another ear cleaning.
• Crates, ex-pens are cleaned, then packed into the van.
• Make a list of supplies which includes cleaning out the tack box and organizing it with what I want to take along.
• doggy first aid kit, including Kaobiotic for diarrhea
• water buckets
• battery nail dremel tool for grinding nails
• A5 clippers,  scissors, tooth scaler
• show shine for the coat
• dry bath for muddy feet
• towels
• doggie toys
• show collar and leash
• Flexi lead

collar Water and Dog food along with bowls for the same.

• Dog beds, blankets and covers for the hotel beds.
• Poop bags as well as 4 or 5 big black garbage bags( in case of a doggy accident where they come in real handy)
• Grooming table cleaned
• Bait – liver cake made and taken out of the freezer and put into the cooler, (liver, heart, roast beef, chicken, wieners – many varieties.)
• A big cooler and a smaller one for ringside.
• Plenty of drinks for yourself as well.
• Perhaps lunch.
• Plan your show outfits one for each day.
• Show shoes, dog walking shoes for all types of weather.
• Warm jacket, rain coat.

written and submitted by Tracy MacLean, Shayera, Canada

Politics Is Simply An Excuse

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

written and submitted by Pat Hastings

I personally feel that there is VERY LITTLE POLITICS involved in the sport of dogs.  As I say in my seminar, one of the most important things you have to learn is that it is not the DOG that is judged at a show.  It is the PACKAGE.  That package need to include a good dog but it must be properly raised, fed, taught, trained, groomed, conditioned and presented.  The judge has 2.4 minutes to judge your dog.  That includes his paperwork, winners classes and taking pictures.  That does not leave much time to judge the dog.  Most judges do not have the ability to see, in that tiny amount of time, other than what the handler presents.  Keeping that in mind, it is very simple to understand why the best dog does not necessarily win.  The judge plainly does not have time to see past a poorly groomed, conditioned, trained, presented dog to see what might be there if things were different.

Becoming a judge does not change who you were before you were a judge.  If you were a crooked handler you will probably be a crooked judge.  If you were a stupid breeder you will probably be a stupid judge.  If you did not have a clue as a breeder or exhibitor you won’t have a clue as a judge.

That is not POLITICS; that is human nature.

If everything a judge learns about a breed comes from just one area or one breeder then that judge is probably going to judge that breed differently than another judge who has watched the breed all across the country and has been mentored by breeders from entirely different lines.  That again is human nature not POLITICS.

Every human uses one side or the other of their brain in a stronger fashion.  If you happen to use your artistic side more then you are much more likely to judge more on type.  If you use the other side which is more logical and systematical then you are probably going to look more at structure.   Who
you are and how your mind works determines to a large extend how you judge. But here again that does not make it POLITICS.

Then factor into it the simple fact that the majority of people on this earth are followers.  Not just in our sport but in the world at large.  If you are born a follower then you do not like to make waves.  If everyone else is doing something then I guess that is what I should be doing also. That is why advertising works.  Here again this is not POLITICS; it is human nature.

In the classes there may be a lack of knowledge but very seldom will you see any politicking going on.  When it comes to the Groups and BIS there may be a little of it involved but I think the fancy at large would be shocked at how little politics there are, even at that level.

Personally, I feel the least political show in the country is Westminster at the Garden.  I feel that every judge there is doing his absolute best to put up the best dog of that breed on that day.  No one ever said you had to agree but if the choice is different that yours might have been it does not make it POLITICS.

Owner Handler-force Or Farce

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

written and submitted by Bill Garnett

“the DOBERMAN PINSCHER is a square, compact, medium size dog of balanced proportions, noble in its carriage, courageous by nature and SOUND of mind, body and joints”

How many times have you heard owner-handlers explain why they didn’t win by using some of the following excuses; “The handler who won and the judge are old drinking buddies”, “The judge is just a crook”,  “The judge only puts up big, red, ugly dogs”, “The judge is incompetent and knows absolutely nothing about the Standard and even less about movement”. The excuses go on and on and on. To say that none of them is relevant would not be rational, but, they can only be as relevant as you, an owner-handler, will allow.

Let me tell you something that’s going to startle you.  As an owner-handler you have the advantage over the professional handler.  Why?  Because you and you alone control every aspect of your dog showing involvement. From the quality and condition of the dogs you show, to the very judges you show under.  If, in the foregoing scenarios, the judge was indeed a crook . . . then why were you there? If he only puts up big, red, ugly dogs . . . then why did you show him a smooth, standard, black dog? If he is indeed incompetent why did you expect more? If he knows nothing about the Standard and even less about movement why do you expect him to recognize it in your dog? My point is this. If any of the accusations were true, you should have been elsewhere. I personally always felt it was better to drive eight hours and have a chance to win than to drive one for a guaranteed loss. At the risk of being cruel and blatantly blunt, 75% of owner-handlers lose because their dogs in the majority of cases are inferior to the professional handlers’ for whatever reasons. They are not conditioned as well, groomed as well, trained as well nor presented as well.

At this point I know what you’re thinking, “I thought you said owner-handlers have the advantage.” And again I say they do, but only 25% use or take advantage of that advantage.  Let’s talk about that 25%. This group has learned how to win by controlling ever aspect of their dog showing involvement, through sacrifice, hard work, early hours, late hours, judge research, education, dedication and planning that makes the CIA look like a Boy Scout troop.  Lets take a look at the things that a successful owner/handler does to get and maintain that advantage.

The first step in establishing their advantage is in the selection of the dog they plan to show.  Seventy-five percent of owner-handlers, for a whole host of reasons, err at this juncture,. From kennel blindness to breed ignorance to just plain being sold a poor specimen from a so called breeder.  For whatever the reason, it happens and right off the bat you’re at a disadvantage. Believe me, the advantage starts with your selection of the dog you plan to show. I don’t believe  anyone would argue that point. Make no mistake about it!  It must be superior to the professional handler’s dog. If you think for one minute you’re going to beat the handler with a mediocre dog or one just as good as his forget it! He has years of experience convincing judges that his mediocre dog is better than your mediocre dog. Trust me he’ll beat you every time,  he’ll clean your plate! You have to have the better dog! You must select a better dog from the start!  And don’t think the handlers don’t know who has the better dog.  Let me tell you a story about that.  I was showing a future BIS bitch in the black open bitch class when the professional handler in front of me turned around and complained that she wished they would stop lining up the class numerically.  I asked, “why” she said, ” that gorgeous bitch of yours shows up every fault in my bitch.  There’s just no way my bitch can beat her being so close to her”.  Interesting that the pro felt if she could get away from my bitch she may be able to sell the judge that her bitch was better.  What does that tell you about some judges? The pros know.  But believe me you’ve got to have the better dog.  How to select a better dog would encompass another entire article. However, there are some things that have served me well and I’m more than happy to share them with you.

Never! I repeat, never be in a hurry when choosing a puppy. If he’s good today he’ll be even better tomorrow. Beware of picks of litters.  Picks of what litter? The pick of one litter may be the least of another. Grading litters is easy, but are there any standard conforming prospects in them?  Remember every litter has a best puppy, but best of what? Try to view the litter over a period of time. I personally like to view puppies at 8, 10 and 12 weeks. But the best possible advice I can give you is. “If something bothers you let it”!  By that I mean don’t let a fault be explained away by a self-serving breeder with the normal rhetoric, “He’ll outgrow that” or “he was sick last week,” or “a little exercise will strengthen that” and last but not least, “he looked great last week”.  Believe me, if it bothers you let it!  If it bothers you now, it will bother you twice as much later. If it bothers you now think how it’s going to bother the judge. The bottom line is you must start out with a good, standard conforming
puppy!  It must be better than the handler’s – if not you’re in for an expensive and demoralizing lesson.

At this point you may say, what’s to prevent the professional handler from having a good one as well.  And to that I say nothing, absolutely nothing!  Remember, in 75% of the cases he will have a dog that is as good or if not better.  But, he is not invincible. He has factors working against him that are at times difficult to overcome. You see his selection method doesn’t “always” provide him with the best dog. His evaluation is sometimes tainted by a variety of factors, the least of which could be a mortgage payment, a motor home note, or an overdue American Express bill. Into this picture “strays” a mediocre dog with “deep pockets.” You’d be surprised how fast that dog secures crate space in the handler’s van for an extended stay regardless of his quality, lack of condition, or his inability to win under good judges. If you’re going to be an owner-handler you have to be honest with yourself.  Do I have a good dog?  Is he better than the handler’s dog?  If not, take him home and love him to death until the day he dies. But if you’re going to continue to be an owner-handler you’ve got to start with a damn good representative of the breed. And it can still go down hill.

So, now you’ve got a good one. Is that all it is to it? Just wait until it’s six months old and go out and beat the handler?  Wrong!  First, it has to be in better condition both mentally and physically and then it has to be better trained than the handler’s dog. If not, he’ll nail your hide to the wall. This is not as difficult as it may sound. You see, the handler has to condition and train a stable of dogs. Unless he has kennel help and plenty of it, he doesn’t have as much time to devote to each dog that you do. Now the advantage swings in your favor for you only have one or two dogs with plenty of time to do it right.  However, the advantage swings right back to professional if you don’t get out of the bed in the mornings and off the sofa in the evenings.

Talk to ten successful owner-handlers about how to condition and train a puppy and you’ll get ten different answers. However, the first thing to remember is that he is a puppy and the three most important ingredients in training a puppy are patience, patience, patience. So how do you go about conditioning and training a puppy? I can only tell you what has worked for me.

At sunrise it’s up and out, taking the puppy for a nice walk. If the area will permit (safety factor) I
let him off lead for a short periods of time. Off  lead he’ll follow you – you’re his security blanket. This exercise helps with bonding but also helps in developing his sense of confidence. He’ll tell you when he’s had enough. He’ll start lagging behind, sitting or lying down. You’ll develop a sixth sense about his endurance. Anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes and it’s back home, up on the grooming table for a nice brushing. All the while you’re talking to him, reinforcing his love and trust for you. Bait him a few times and give him a treat. After brushing. feed him and put him down for a nap. Around 10:00 to 10:30 put him out in the yard to run and play with another dog or puppy that he gets along with, or if you are available, create some games and situations to keep him romping and playing. Around 11:00 to 11:30 bring him in, brush him, praise him, bait him, feed him and put him down for a nap. Around 2:00 to 2:30 it’s up and out for a couple more hours of play including house time for socialization. At 4:00 to 4:30 it’s back on the grooming table for brushing, praising, baiting and down for a nap. At 6:00 to 6:30 it’s time for a nice walk and some off  lead romping. Back home by 7:00, brush, praise, feed and down for a nap. At 8:00 to 8:30 it’s up and out and then into the den for house play and more socialization. At l0:00 to 10:30 it’s out for the last time and off to bed. You do this routine not once a week, not twice a week, not three times a week, but 7 days a week, every week. You can vary the routine with trips to shopping centers, office buildings, parks or little league ball games. You see, proper conditioning is mental as well as physical. And those side trips will get him used to different sounds, smells and looks.  Always keep plenty of treats in your pockets to reward and praise him for his accomplishments whether it be tilting at buttercups or coming when called. As the puppy gets older, keep him on the lead longer. This establishes your control. Off lead the puppy may develop too much of a sense of independence,  if allowed to get out of hand it can create problems when training him for the show ring. Flexi-leads are wonderful, but I personally have found them not to be controlling enough for a puppy and you may lose a split second of correction time in the beginning.  Never! Never! Never correct a puppy too long after a mistake.  It’s either right away or not at all.  He has to know why he’s being corrected.  If too much time elapses he may become confused and less sure of himself.  Remember. . . long praising . . . quick and short corrections!

As the puppy develops physically and mentally and you have gained control of him on and off the lead, usually around 4 1/2 to 6 months, it’s time to teach him timing, rhythm and foot placement and continued conditioning. To accomplish this I measure off a figure eight with the two circles having 20 step diameters each.  Start by gaiting the puppy, or I should say attempting to gait the puppy around the figure eight with him on the outside of the circle off of your left hip using a six-foot lead, giving and taking lead as needed, based on the variance of his pattern. As the puppy learns his paces you increase the number of laps from 5 to 10 to 15 to 20 to 25 to 30, based on his interest span, development and performance. If you have laid out the circle properly, 30 laps should equate to a mile. Coupled with the circle gaiting, I teach the puppy to fetch a rubber ball are a frisbee. The benefits of which are two-fold. Almost all puppies enjoy chasing and fetching and the short quick burst of speed breaks up the fat in the hindquarters, setting up good hindquarter and ham development. What is important to note at this point is that you only incorporate the fetching and circle gaiting exercises into his regular routine every other day. Just as in body building, the first day of exercise tears down and the second day of rest builds up. Remember only every other day!

Let me take this time to point out just how the fetching and circle gaiting procedure is integrated to derive the maximum benefit. After briskly walking your dog for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and he’s loosened up, it’s time for the fetching. This should be a real fun time for you and your dog. Usually when the ball or frisbee comes out, he’ll get all excited and start bounding around waiting for you to throw it. This is what you want to encourage; for it instills enthusiasm, attitude and an intense happy expression. You fake throwing it sometimes to get him all worked up. Now this is important. When you begin throwing the ball or frisbee,  try to develop and maintain a rhythm to keep him moving, whether its bounding up and down or chasing, only throw it about 10 to 20 yards to insure that he sprints for it. As a friend once told me Dobermans are sprinters not marathoners; we want sprinter’s muscles not long-distance runner’s muscles. Do this 10 to 12 times. Then after only a couple minutes rest, go right to the circle gaiting. As I mentioned earlier it’s 30 laps. But what I didn’t mention is that it is 15 laps clockwise and 15 laps counter-clockwise. This exercise not only continues the hindquarter and ham build up that the sprinting started, but contributes to his overall tone as well by making sure that he develops both sides of his body equally.  After mastering this exercise, what you will discover is,  not only will you have a puppy beautifully conditioned puppy but one that is a picture of timing, beautiful rhythm, wonderful foot placement and the two of you will be a picture of teamwork that any decent judge will recognize and appreciate. It’s really beautiful!  After 30 laps you toss the ball or frisbee for 5 more sprints, only 5, then a walk of 1/4 to 1/2 mile and then home. Remember, only every other day for the ball fetch and circle gaiting routine!  Also remember to carry plenty of treats and start to surprise him with when he gets one.  Never give him one when his is doing his figure eight routine.  You don’t won’t him looking for treats or bait while he is gaiting.

Now we have a good dog in great condition, both mentally and physically. Are we ready to do battle with the professional handler?  “Not so fast my friend” . . . to quote Lou Corso:  “Now we must learn to out groom the handler.” We do so by learning to sculpture the outline of the dog to the degree that not a hair is out of place. First we shave the insides of the ears.  Then we create a clean line by shaving the back edge of the ear of all hair that has grown beyond the edge. Then we shave off the whiskers. I use a #10 blade. Some people prefer a #15. Shave the back of the leg and pastern of any protruding hairs that break up a clean line from elbow to ground. Then, using a pair of cuticle scissors, trim the hair from around the toenails and using your clippers, shave any hair between the toes and under the pads. Then I use a black magic marker and color the nail.  All of this improves the look of the feet 200%. Looking at the underline of the dog, trim any excess hair that prevents a clean unbroken line. Pay particular attention to the skirt.  Next, using trimming scissors, cut in the tail by defining where the black or red meets the tan or rust. You can actually raise the set of the tail, if needed, by the way you cut it in. Next, trim any excess hair on the back of the legs that breaks up the line flow. Do the rear feet exactly as you did the front. Now take a pumice stone and go completely over the dog, stripping him of all dead hair and any undercoat he may have. Then brush him from stem to stern, after which you use a high quality coat gloss for sheen and coat enhancing. Toe nails are trimmed and filed once a week and kept no longer than 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. Not only does this protect the feet by preventing splaying, it improves and maintains them as well.

Now we have a better dog, in better condition, both mentally and physically, groomed to perfection.  We should be ready to take
on the handler now, right? Wrong!  Having a better dog, perfectly trained, in beautiful condition, groomed to perfection means nothing unless we show him under someone who knows the difference and couldn’t care less about who’s showing it.  So the next thing we must do is learn now to identify those judges. Personally I have found all-rounders with a good reputation to be good candidates for an owner-handler to try. Breeder judges often are tough for a newcomer, particularly if you and your dog aren’t aligned politically. Judges with the working group, that have decent reputation have a sense of breed type and generally know balance and soundness and for the most part will go with the best dog.  Pay particular attention to the judges who give owner-handlers the Reserves but never Winners, the Bests of Opposite but never the Breed, the Class but not a look in Winners. Scour through breed publications with a fine tooth comb, looking for owner-handlers winning and the judges they won under. Pay special attention to judges putting up good dogs, regardless of who is showing them. But really pay close attention to the judges putting up the bad dogs. Remember once burned, twice shy. Judges don’t change. They go on forever doing the same things, good or bad, for whatever reasons. Start developing a good guy, bad guy list, but be fair. If you’re in the hunt and the judge beats you with another good dog, he still belongs with the good guys. What you must understand is that handlers don’t pick judges all that close. For the most part they go right down the road.  You must remember, the handler holds a trump card. Win or lose, he’s cashing someone’s check. You can be more selective than the handler. Based on your good guy, bad guy list you can actually increase your odds of winning considerably and in doing so enhance your advantage.

At this point the advantages are really piling up, but you’re still vulnerable. Up to now all your preparation has been leading up to the dog show. Now comes crunch time, the show weekend. You feed your dog a normal meal Friday morning after you’ve groomed him to perfection and packed your van neatly with nothing rattling. Rattles drive me crazy and I personally feel they can unnerve a dog.  Why should your dog have to listen to a rattle for 400 miles? Leave home in plenty of time to stop and exercise your dog along the way. I usually stop every four hours. A dog that feels good . . . acts and looks good. I try to arrive at my motel no later than 8:00 p.m., which gives me enough time to exercise and feed my dog a light meal of one or two milk bones or a half cup of kibble. We rest until about 10:00 or 10:30, out for exercise and in bed by 11:00 or 11:30. It’s interesting how few people you
see exercising their dogs at this time. You hear them laughing and talking in their rooms or watching TV while their dogs count the hours until morning.  These are usually the same people that are making the excuses the next day as to why their dogs didn’t win.

My dog and I are up early Saturday morning.  He’s exercised, I’m showered and dressed, and we are out in time to get to the show grounds at least 1 to 1 ½ hours before our breed judging. You may ask, why do I do this, why such a demanding routine? And why so early?  Well, believe me, it’s the difference between winning and losing as far as I’m concerned. I’ve gone through the agony of picking a good dog, the rigors of conditioning, training and grooming him, walked hundreds of miles in heat, rain and humidity, studied every publication I could get my hands on and sorted through every tidbit attempting to evaluate judges, planned my battle and picked my battlefield and then do I blow it all the day of the show for an extra hour of sleep. No way. I’m going to get my dog settled in and walked around the show grounds, exercising and introducing him to any strange circumstances between my setup area and our ring that could startle him if happened upon by chance later on in the day. Back to our set-up. I re-groom him although I groomed him before we left Friday. After grooming I put him up, making sure he has plenty of ventilation and he’s comfortable. Then it’s off  in search of my first cup of coffee. But the preparation doesn’t stop there. I bump into friends and ask them what they know about my judge. Sometimes you get useful information, sometimes not.  If my breed is later on in the schedule, I’ll go and watch my judge evaluate other breeds. I try a get a feel for the things they feel are important and what their emphases are and a sense of timing of their procedure. Sometimes I get such a good feeling for a judge’s procedure that I am able to anticipate every move he or she makes. It’s a wonderful feeling.  Now I’m 100% prepared. No stone has been left unturned that would aid me in my preparation and help maintain my advantage as an owner-handler.

Now let’s take a look at what kind of morning our competition has been having. A couple of dogs have soiled their crates. He’s got that to clean up. A couple of other dogs won’t dump because they don’t like the confines of an ex-pen. One or two owners have been hanging around since dawn driving him crazy and wasting his valuable time. One or two dogs look kind of gaunt. They won’t eat on the road in either their crates or ex-pens. He’s worrying, “I’ll have to stuff them tonight”.  Checking his schedule he sees that he has two conflicts. He’s having trouble finding someone to cover. His kennel help quit 3 weeks ago. He has a problem check from a client that he has to get straight before he’ll show that dog today. And to top it all off his generator is on the fritz. With so many dogs he’s going to have a problem keeping them comfortable. And what does he have to look forward to but an owner-handler who has a good dog, in wonderful condition, beautifully groomed, trained to perfection and feeling like a million dollars. On top of that the judge knows his stuff and the owner-handler knows everything the judge likes or dislikes.  Now you tell me, which of these two people would you rather be?

It gets better for the well prepared owner-handler. What’s happening with the other 75% of the owner-handlers? Well, so far they haven’t gotten to the show grounds. In order to save a motel bill they left at 3:00 am. for what they thought was a five-hour drive. At this point they’re backed up on the interstate somewhere, their dogs need exercising badly, they’ve got another 55 miles to go with only an hour to make it.  Finally they roll in five minutes before their class, whack off  their dog’s nails, hit or miss his whiskers and don’t understand why he’s roaching going around the ring. They have no idea of the judge’s procedure and are too tired and disgruntled for the judge’ s instructions to sink in. Now are you ready for this? They lead the lynch mob who seeks to crucify you because your dog won.  It makes no difference how nice he is, how well he’s conditioned, how perfectly he’s trained, how beautifully he’s groomed, that he looks and acts like a million dollars. They don’t applaud the judges for knowing their stuff or you for knowing your stuff.  No, they resort to their old standby, “It was a fix”.  I guess in a way, you did fix it, . by sacrifice, hard work, homework, teamwork, education and just plain dedication.  So you see.  Owner-handlers do have the advantage and any truly “professional handler” will tell you that. It’s what you do with the advantage that counts. Unfortunately, 75% of owner-handlers don’t take advantage of their advantage.

I hope in some small way this article will help the 25% of owner-handlers that do it right, to grow to 30%, 40%, 50% and even higher. A man and his dog is truly what the sport of purebred dogs is all about. The pleasures of those moments are the memories of a lifetime.

Judging The Doberman

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

submitted by Marj Brooks & written by Linda C. Krukar, Dabney Dobermans

The Doberman Pinscher is a popular and ‘high profile’ breed at the shows. The quantity of dogs does not necessarily indicate the quality of the dogs. It’s important to know and understand the standard so it can be applied instead of judging to personal taste. The dog that best meets the standard may not be the dog you would want to take home with you. The dog that best meets the standard may be the one that looks different from the other dogs. Compare the dog against the standard and not against the other dogs in the ring.

Be comfortable enough with the standard to judge the dogs and not be influenced by such factors as the number of dogs a handler brings to you, the body language they may use, the faces they may make, the quality of the handling, or advertising. You can find a good dog if it’s there and usually when it’s left on it’s own — while moving or free
standing, something that any good Doberman can do by itself!

The Doberman is NOT a robot! While it is beautiful to watch a perfectly trained dog stand motionless at the end of the lead with ears up, neck arched and rear stretched to the max, staring at a piece of bait, this is an artificial image of the breed. A better picture of the same dog would be to see him standing at the end of the lead full of energy, in intense observation of something happening around him — he may not be focused on the handler or the judge, but be alert to his surroundings, and be well aware of the handler and the judge.

Doberman handlers are some of the best at the shows. Presentations vary from casual to very intense. Many are experts at stacking, showing teeth, and gaiting, while some are excellent at racing dogs around the ring and stringing them up to try to cover faults. You are in control of your own ring. Have the dog presented the way you want it, not the way the handler wants you to see it.

You should get the same impression of the dog standing and moving. Do justice to the Doberman and move him nice and easy on a loose lead.

1 Start by standing at a distance from the dog, looking at the impression the dog gives you as a whole from a profile view.

• Is it a medium sized dog, one piece? Does everything flow together? Do you get the impression of a powerful, muscular dog?

• Is the dog balanced? Is the weight evenly distributed? Does it look like you could push him from any direction and you couldn’t push him off balance?

• Does any part catch your eye? Does any part stand out, or make you stop and look at it (good or bad)?

• Are all the parts in proportion to each other, is the dog smooth, is the outline pleasing, is the brisket to the elbow, is the tail set correct, is the neck length in proportion to the body, legs, head, does
  everything fit?

2 Always approach the dog from the front and look at him asking yourself the same questions you did while viewing the outline from a distance.

• Do you have the same impression of the dog up close as you did from a distance?

• Are the legs straight, feet tight and catlike, is there sufficient bone, is there correct width between the legs, is there sufficient depth of brisket, check the shape of the head– is the head a blunt wedge, is there fill under the eye (do you have a muzzle in your hands or air), do you see underjaw, are ears set high, eyes correct (to be sure, have the dog lift his head and look up — a confident dog will look you in the eye) is the dog alert, ask yourself again, do all the parts fit?

• Many handlers like to hold the ears up. How can you tell where the ears are set?

• Do NOT bend down in front to check teeth or measure angles. Dobermans are trained to tolerate most anything, but they are inherently watchful and alert. Respect the Doberman. If the dog turns his head towards you on the exam, he is just being curious, not shy.

3 It’s not necessary to have a conversation with a Doberman, a greeting is sufficient — they do not need reassurance. In fact, they may become leery with too much talking.

4 Be firm and definite (not rough) in your approach — if you are leery or approach in a timid manner, they will be suspicious and not want you to get behind them or out of their view.

5 Check the teeth. There are three disqualifications in the mouth, so it is important to know how to check the number of teeth and occlusion. Be sure to check the occlusion from the front and side. First check the mouth with jaws closed, lift the lips and count teeth in the front and each side, then open the mouth a small amount, angle the head up and look at the very back teeth. (a good handler will put fingers in the spaces where teeth should be if they are missing, or let the lips cover the spaces). DON’T COUNT SPACES, COUNT TEETH!!!! Teeth should be large (and clean). Be aware that extra teeth can fill in spaces where teeth are missing, in which case, 42 teeth can still lead to a
disqualification. Remember that the standard states, “42 CORRECTLY PLACED teeth”.

6 Put your hands on the side of the muzzle — if there is good fill, you will have no space between the muzzle and your hands. Continue up the muzzle to the feel the top of the skull where the ears join the head, feel the base of the ears (if you are going to feel strings, it will be here) — continue up the ear.

7 Run your hand down the neck and feel the shoulders, the chest (or lack thereof), down the back, to the tail, feeling the croup. While still maintaining contact with the dog, check for testicles. Feel the coat texture and observe the color.

8 Walk around to the rear of the dog and look down at him from behind. See the width of shoulder, rib and hips (they should be the same). Is there an hour glass shape, does the dog have a barrel shape, or is it flat like a piece of cardboard? Does the neck flow into the shoulder smoothly (wrinkles over the neck?), do the elbows fit tight into the
ribs, again, does it all flow together?

9 Squeeze the thigh to feel for muscle. The Doberman is an athlete and should look and feel like one, with hard muscle and tight skin.

Gaiting —

1 Ask the handler to gait the dog in the pattern you request, but ask the handler to move the dog easy on a loose lead. Tell every handler, every time.

2 Watch the dog move up and back — slowly on a loose lead. Some handlers will string up the dog and move fast to hide poor movement.

3 The legs should tend towards the middle. This is a breed that single tracks, but each dog will do it at a different speed, so they should not move wide.

4 As the dog gaits away, look through the rear and watch the front. As the dog comes towards you, look through the front and watch the rear.

5 While the dog is gaiting, observe the reach and drive (front leg extends as far as the plane of the tip of the nose), is the dog light on his feet, is there any wasted motion? Is the dog balanced while moving? Do the parts fit together? This is the one time you can truly see how the dog is built, handlers can’t lengthen the neck, put the tail where it belongs, fix a bad topline, or underline, and add or subtract to make the parts fit. Observe more than the feet and legs, watch the entire body, how the dog carries himself, keeping in mind that the head should be carried just above the shoulder, not too high. Efficient gait comes from a correctly built dog.

6 When the Doberman gaits, the side gait should look like two scissors
moving in unison. Gaiting is powerful, it should be balanced, with both ends moving in unison. There should be no overreaching/overstriding (when the legs cross in the middle). They should NOT move like a German Shepherd — with extreme, exaggerated reach and drive, which is not typical Doberman movement. The Doberman has moderate angles and therefore should not have an extreme gait. The Doberman should have a moderate, yet powerful gait.

7 The rear should look like it’s moving the dog forward, not just following the front. The hocks should extend, not stay firm (sickle hocks). Sickle hocks and over angulated rears creating extreme (GSD — like) side gait are not typical Doberman gait characteristics and should not be rewarded.

8 One of the most important ways to observe the “General Appearance”, is to see the dog standing on it’s own — without handler contact. Ask the handler to bring the dog to a location in the ring so that you can walk around it and observe it from all directions. . Let the dog stand on his own — don’t allow the handler to hand stack the dog. Observe how the dog puts himself together and not the skills of the handler.

• Walk up and look into the dog’s eyes, at the expression. If the handler tosses bait do you see expression? Do you see the sparkle in the eye?

• How does the dog feel about himself?

• The dog should stop 4 square — this doesn’t mean all the feet have to be perfect — it means the weight should be evenly distributed in the center of the dog. If you pushed him from any direction, he wouldn’t lose his balance.

• A Doberman being watchful, determined and alert, may not immediately focus on the handler — give them enough time to focus, then finish your exam.

Things to observe while the dog is in motion —

• Is the dog over reaching? (legs crossing in the middle?)

• Is the tail carried just above the horizontal or is it straight up?

• Is the topline level, not lumpy. How does the neck fit into the
  shoulder?

• Is the head carried high or just above the level of the shoulder for efficiency?

• Does the dog put himself together without the aid of the handler?

• Do all the parts fit together in one piece or do you notice individual parts of the dog?

• Did you get the same impression of the dog standing and moving?

• Does the dog look like an athlete, poured into his skin, one piece, elegant, moderate (not extreme), does the dog feel good about himself?

• Most of the evaluation should be when the dog is on the move — not basing it only on reach, drive and soundness, but how the parts fit together into a whole package, creating the look of the well balanced,
  one piece, Doberman Pinscher.

The dog that best meets the standard may be the one that looks different from the other dogs…

In the end, take all the parts together and select the Doberman that overall best meets the description of the standard.

Importance Of Structure

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

submitted by Melissa Bates (Copyright Daniel R. Lawer, DVM)

The Importance Of Structure
In The  Norwegian Elkhound – Form Vs Function

Part 1 – Introduction

After the 2000 National Specialty I entered into discussion with other members of the NEAA regarding comments made by the specialty judge at the after show dinner.  We felt that it was appropriate to remind those in the fancy, particularly breeders, that the Standard was written for a purpose, that this dog must be put together correctly if it is to function as it was intended – a medium sized working dog with great stamina and agility. 

It is easy to measure the height of the dog and rule out those that are too big or too small.  The standard recommends bitches be 19 ½ inches and dogs 20 ½ inches at the withers, any individual more than 1 inch above or below the Standard is to be avoided.  Add to this the proper proportions of leg and back length and we should have a dog that is well balanced and appears square in profile.

Whether the head is too broad or too narrow or the ears too big or too low set do not really have much to do with the ability of the dog to work in the field.  However, how the bones and joints are put together has a tremendous impact on this.  There seems to be a great emphasis on the picture presented by side movement, how much reach (stride length), how much extension front and rear, and nothing else. Single tracking, the front and rear movement of coming and going, seems to be of lesser importance by some.  Unfortunately, this is a serious mistake.

Imagine your dog to be like a fine automobile with independent four wheel suspension.  Well tuned and properly running it is a pleasure to drive all day long.  Now, imagine riding in that same automobile with no springs or worn out shock absorbers.  Your back and back side would get very tired very quickly.  This is what your dog feels like if the feet are not correct.  Well constructed feet – relatively small, tightly closed toes, slightly oval – act like shock absorbers to your dog.  If they are flat and loose there is no spring and they tire easily.  Unlike people that can put arch supports in their shoes, dogs with flat feet get tired feet.  They wear out quickly. 

The rest of the joints in the legs from the shoulder and hip to the carpus (wrist)  and hock, are also a part of the suspension system of the dog.  If they are out of alignment, poorly tuned, the dog tires easily.  My first two Elkhounds provided an excellent contrast in suspension.  Smokey had a very straight front while Holly had excellent front assembly.  I would exercise them while I rode a bicycle.  Smokey would last about one block with his top line moving up and down like a yoyo while Holly could go all day with a table top smooth back.  If you would like to test this on yourself, see how far can you run with you legs stiff?  Each step causes your whole body to shudder.  You tire easily.  A dog with a straight front or rear tires very quickly.  The well put together Elkhound performs well because their suspension systems, the feet and joints, are properly constructed and angled. 

Another important part of structure is the distance between the front and rear legs. Unlike the Pontiac Grand Prix, wider is not better in the Elkhound.  Neither is too narrow.  An Elkhound should look neither like a Bulldog nor a Whippet.   When standing naturally, the legs should be straight and parallel when seen from the front or the rear.  The elbows should not be pinched, the feet should point straight ahead, neither turned in or out.  Any dramatic deviation affects the efficiency of movement.  Any amount of extra effort that might be required to move poorly assembled legs decreases stamina.  A well setup and arched neck gives carriage to the Elkhound.  Proper angulation of the shoulders and elbows allow for efficient muscle movement and add to proper function of these joints in the suspension system of the front leg.  The pastern should be strong and only slightly bent. Proper tip of the pelvis and angulation of the hip, stifle (knee) and hock insure similarly efficient movement in the hind leg.  A plumb line dropped straight down the back of the thigh should line up with the metatarsus (rear pastern).  We are seeing too many dogs now that look more like Boxers or German Shepherds when stacked, with their hind feet being placed too far back in order to have the metatarsus perpendicular to the ground.  This is wrong for the Elkhound and affects the dog´s stamina. 

While coat does not affect physical stamina, it does impact the dog´s ability to withstand the cold temperatures of the far North.  The coat is accurately described in the standard.  The outer guard hairs are to be hard and smooth lying.  The undercoat is dense and soft.  It must be resistant to the wet and cold freezing temperatures.  It should not be fluffy like a Keeshond or Chow Chow.  The open, fluffy coats are incorrect as they allow the wet to get to the insulating undercoat and skin and allow trapped warmth of the undercoat to escape.  These fluffy dogs look bigger and more impressive, but they can not withstand the cold and wet weather of the far North.

 If we present judges with correct dogs, they will win.  If we present incorrect dogs, they will put up the best of the worst and some will become champions and make more incorrect dogs that will go on to win more.  I feel it is unfortunate that too many American dog show judges feel obligated to judge dogs against what else is in the ring rather than against the standard.  We do the breed a disservice by continually breeding what wins instead of what is correct.  The standard was written for a reason – function follows form.  It should be studied and each breeding carried out to get each new litter as close as possible to the standard, not just breed a dog because it is winning or because it is close by.  If we breed the best we have to the best available, pretty soon we will have dogs in the ring that win because they are correct, not just flashy. 

{jb_bluebox}
Recommended Reading:
The Official Standard for the Norwegian Elkhound, December 13, 1988
Dogsteps, Illustrated Gait at a Glance, Rachel Page Elliott.
Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis, Curtis M. Brown, Hoflin Publishing, Ltd, 1986
The Dog in Action, McDowell Lyon, Howell Book Co, 1950
Canine Terminology, Harold R. Spira, Howell Book House, Inc, 1982 {/jb_bluebox}

Part 2 -The Forequarters

The forequarters (thoracic limbs) of the dog are each composed of approximately 41 bones.  All but five are in the foot.  The scapula (shoulder blade) is the large, flat bone of the shoulder.  Triangular in shape, it is attached only by muscles to the body.  The inner surface is flat and a shelf of bone, the spine of the scapula, divides the outer surface.  The spine is an easily palpable ridge running almost the full length of the scapula.   

While not attached to any bones, most dogs do have a small clavicle.  It is buried in a tendon of one of the muscles and serves no functional purpose.  Unlike the c
at, the canine clavicle is rarely visible up on X-rays.  The upper arm (brachium) contains the humerus, the largest bone in the forelimb.  It articulates with the scapula to form the shoulder joint and the radius and ulna of the forearm to form the elbow joint.  The radius is the main weight bearing bone of the forearm.  The longest bone in the dog, the ulna parallels the radius and serves as the back portion of the elbow joint and for muscle attachment.

The ideal slope of the scapula is about 45 degrees.  Since the front leg can not move forward much more than the angle of the scapula, the amount of layback affects the reach of the front leg.  The shaft of the humerus should be almost at a right angle to the scapula.  The distance from point of the shoulder to the top of scapula should be about the same as that from the point of the shoulder to the tip of the elbow.  When standing, the elbow should be level with the bottom of the brisket.

 The bones of the foreleg should be straight and  perpendicular to the ground and the metacarpal bones (pastern) should strong and only slightly bent(10 – 15 degrees) when the dog is standing straight.  Viewed from the front, the legs should be straight and parallel, without any turning in or out of the bones or joints.  For balance when standing, there may be a slight tendency for the feet to toe out a little.  Ideally the radius should be about the same length as the humerus, so that when the elbow is fully flexed the carpus should be at the  point of the shoulder.  For the Elkhound, the length of leg below the chest should be a little greater than the depth of the chest, but no more than fifty-five percent of the height at the withers.

The forepaw (manus), like our wrist and hand, is a very complex structure made up of the other 36 bones of the forelimb.  The carpus (wrist) is composed of seven bones in two transverse rows, plus a small sesamoid bone.  The longest bones in the forepaw are the 4 parallel metacarpal bones that run from the carpus to the toes.  The metacarpal bone for the dewclaw is shorter than the others.  Each digit (toe) has 3 phalanges, except the dewclaw which has only 2.  The third (distal) phalange has the toenail (unguis) growing from it.  Each of the digits also has 2 small sesamoid bones (one for the dewclaw) at the junction of the metacarpal bones and first phalange bone.  The sesamoid bones act as attachments for smaller muscles of the foot.  The standard refers to the paws as “comparatively small, slightly oval with tightly close toes and thick pads”.  This allows the feet to add to the efficiency of the shock absorption of the front legs.  If the feet are flat, other joints must absorb the shock and the dog tires quickly. 

The bones that make up the framework of the leg should be “substantial, without being coarse”, neither too fine nor too heavy.  The muscles, tendons and ligaments connect the bones together and help them move in an orderly manner.  The muscles that attach the foreleg to the body extend from the head to the lower back on top and along the length of the sternum (brisket) on the bottom.  They are in several layers, each with a different function, from support to finely controlled movement.  The muscles, ligaments and tendons of the forelimb, by virtue of their place of origin and insertion, control the movement of each joint and the relative position of one bone to the others it contacts.

Ideal structure and function are dependent on the proper development of the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons that make up the forequarters.  These can be affected by genetics, nutrition, exercise and injury.  If all comes together properly, the joints are at the correct angle so the muscles move the bones and joints in a coordinated manner for the best power and efficiency.  Since many muscles attach to other bones of the body, they must be formed properly for most efficient use. 

A well constructed front assembly will provide efficient movement with good shock absorption affect.   If the shoulder, elbow or pastern angles are too steep there is insufficient flexion of the joints to absorb the shock.  The result of a straight pastern can be a tendency to `knuckle over´.  A well put together dog in good condition can move almost tirelessly for many miles.  The movement of the front legs should be fluid,  with the feet barely clearing the ground on each forward movement and the bones and joints turning neither in nor out from the line of travel.  The legs should move straight forward and back, with the feet tending to move toward a centerline.  Anything else increases effort and unnecessary energy expenditure.  As with any interdependent system, if a part of the whole is not formed well it will ultimately affect the performance of the entire system.  Weak or flat feet, steep or broken down pasterns, poorly angled joints, elbows or feet turning in or out will adversely affect the efficiency of movement and the stamina of the dog. 

Part 3 – Structural Faults of the Forequarters

In Part 2 the proper proportions of the bones and angles was considered.  Anything else will result in incorrect structure and movement of the forequarters.   In this part we will consider the faults of the forequarter of the dog.

The tips of the shoulder blade (scapula) should be close together, no more than two finger width apart and slightly above the tips of the vertebral spines, creating the area known as the withers.  If the shoulder blades are too short or angled too much, the tips of the scapula will be too far apart.  There will also be no distinction of the withers if the scapula are too short, resulting in the back and neck meeting at a sharp angle.  The muscles that control the scapula will be shorter than desired, decreasing the available range of motion.  Since the reach of the forequarter is determined by the amount of lay back of the scapula, a straight shoulder will result in a short reach.    

If the upper arm bone (humerus) is too short the shoulder and elbow joints will be too steep and the elbows will not be well set under the body, making the front more like a terrier.  If the bones of the foreleg are too short there will be insufficient ground clearance for the chest (i.e. the ratio of leg length to height at the withers will be inadequate). An improper ratio of bone length to the shoulder and elbow joint angles will also be evident in poor elbow placement, elbows out or pinched.  This will ultimately be reflected in the gait. 

Moving down the leg, we next examine the pastern joint, which should be slightly angled forward.  If the pastern is too steep the normal suspension provided by this joint is lost – like walking on stilts.  An extremely straight pastern can often lead to `knuckling over´, a forward bending or quivering of the pastern joint when standing.  It is often associated with upright shoulder blades and/or short, upright pasterns.  This should be considered a very serious fault.  It has become rather prevalent in Norwegian Elkhounds and should be evaluated very carefully in any breeding program.  Dogs that `knuckle over´ develop a stance very unnatural in appearance – posting the
forequarters.  If the front legs are brought under the body, the pasterns quiver and/or `knuckle over´.  These pastern joints provide no shock absorption during movement, and the affected dogs have less endurance and generally a shorter stride than normal.

The term `down in pastern´ refers to a condition in which there is an excessive  angle  or bend to the pastern.  Referred to as pasterns being `broken down´, it can reach the point where the dog is actually walking on the pastern joint with each step.  This can happen over time in dogs with weak pasterns that do a lot of jumping as the pastern is repeatedly extended beyond what is usual for the dog and the flexor ligaments are broken down.  It is also often associated with abnormal conformation of the foot (i.e. flat or splayed feet).  Resulting in poor endurance, `down in pastern´ should be considered a very serious fault.

Although foot is subject to several faults, in normal standing it is okay for the toes to point slightly outward for balance.  People also stand this way.  Any more than a slight toe out, often referred to as `east-west front´, is a fault and can be the result of weak pastern joints which bend inward.  The toes should never point inward, the result of weak pasterns that bend outward or from elbows turned out from the body.  The foot is to be slightly oval – not round like a cat.  The toes are to be tightly closed and a single dewclaw present on the front foot.  When the normal suspension ligaments are stretched out, there is no pad cushion or arch to the toes, and the foot is said to be flat. A dog with splayed toes, toes spread apart, will generally have flat feet as well since all the normal suspension ligaments in the foot are stretched out.  Both are serious faults as they significantly affect the dogs endurance.  Dogs, like people, with flat feet get sore feet and tire quickly.  

The standard calls for substantial bone, neither too coarse or too fine.  While this is somewhat subjective, it must be evaluated with the overall structure of the individual dog in mind.  Extremes in either direction are easy to spot.  The overall picture should be pleasing to the eye.

Affected by the shape of the chest and spring of the rib, the forelegs, when seen from the front, should be pointing straight forward and parallel, neither bowed or pinched at the elbows.  When a properly structured front leg is brought forward in the moving dog, it should be a fluid, efficient act.  The foot should barely clear the ground, all joints flexing and extending in one coordinated, smooth motion.  The withers should remain level with and parallel to the ground, not moving up or down nor rolling from side to side.  At full extension the foot will be just off the ground, ready strike the ground smoothly and pull the body forward.  When viewed from the front, the legs should move in a straight line – none of the joints moving in or out of that line of travel – with the feet tending to move toward a centerline.  

There are several serious gait abnormalities that reflect the structural faults in the forequarters.  These include short stride, goose-stepping, padding, weaving, winging, toeing in or out, elbows pinched, pounding, wide front, etc.  Others that result from faulty interaction between the front and rear legs will be addressed in as separate section related to gait.

If the shoulder blade (scapula) lay back is insufficient it is impossible for the front leg to reach sufficiently forward.  This can manifest itself in several different ways.  

• One common presentation is a shortened stride with the leg moving straight forward in the line of travel.  In order for the foot to clear the ground the front end of the dog must move up and down like a yo-yo or rocking horse. 
• The front leg will appear to be pounding sharply to the ground.  This is very easy to see in a trotting dog. 
• Another very common presentation of a straight front end is the goose stepping dog.  The elbow is flexed excessively in order to move the foot forward without striking the ground.  The dog will often move with a level back, but the foot is too far off the ground at the completion of the forward movement of the leg, and the elbow is still flexed.  Although this type of movement is very flashy in the ring, it is nevertheless incorrect and inefficient putting extra strain on the pastern joint and feet.  And when they do finally strike the ground, usually too late in the forward motion of the dog, much of the power is lost and can actually slow the forward progress.  This often results in an appearance of the foot slapping or pounding the ground instead of meeting it smoothly, jarring the body with each stride.  This also adds extra friction to the pads of the feet so they will tend to wear quickly.

Weaving, otherwise referred to as knitting and purling, is an unsound action which starts with the elbows twisting outward, and ends with crisscrossing pasterns and toeing out.   Best seen with the dog moving toward the viewer, these legs in motion look like an egg beater with no joints moving in a straight line.  Often the only way to effectively see what the legs are doing is to film the dog in slow motion as the average stride takes about 0.32 seconds.  A great deal of energy is wasted with this motion.   

The elbows can either move out or be pinched (tied).  While both are faults, the elbows that are pinched are more serious as it severely restricts the movement of the leg.  From the front, it often appears as if there is a paddling motion of the legs below the elbow.  If both the shoulder and elbow joints are `pinched´, the front legs will swing forward on a stiff outward arc.  These dogs will not be appear  to single track but rather to travel with the front feet too far apart, the body  appearing to rock from side to side.

Winging is a natural fault where one or both of the front feet twist outward as the limb swings forward.  Anything except a straight forward and backward movement of the leg wastes energy, puts unnecessary stress on the bone, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons  and leads to rapid tiring of the dog from sore feet or legs. 

It is critical to remember that, while the rear quarters provide the power to propel the dog forward, it is the forequarters that take up the shock of that forward movement.  If the front end is put together poorly, regardless of the amount of power in the rear, the dog will have poor endurance and not be able to perform up to its potential.

Part 4 – The Hindquarters

“Hindquarters – Moderate angulation at stifle and hock.  Thighs are broad and well muscled.  Seen from behind, legs are straight, strong and without dewclaws.  Feet as in front (…comparatively small, slightly oval with tightly closed toes and thick pads)”. – Official Standard for the Norwegian Elkhound, 13 December 1988.

The hindquarters provide the majority of the power that propels the dog forward.  Properly proportioned and angled bones and muscles produce the power and stamina that m
akes the Norwegian Elkhound an excellent hunter and athlete.  Evaluation of proper angulation of the hindquarters should be made with the hind legs positioned so that a line dropped straight down from the back of the rump (buttocks) lines up with the front of the bones below the hock joint.  These bones (metatarsals) should be perpendicular to the ground. 

The hindquarters (pelvic limb) of the dog are each composed of approximately 40 bones, four more if we add in the pelvis.  Each half of the pelvis is developmentally made up of 4 pieces: ilium, ischium, pubis and acetabulum.  The ilium is the largest portion of the pelvis in front of the hip joint, comprising about two-thirds of the pelvis, the ischium is the part behind the hip joint, the pubis makes up the floor of the pelvis and the acetabulum is a small bone in the center of the hip joint socket.  The pelvis is attached to the vertebral column at the sacroiliac joint – the three bones of the sacral portion of the vertebra jointed to the inner surface of the ilium.  For most dogs, the pelvis should be tipped at an angle of about 30 degrees to the horizontal. 

The upper leg bone (femur) articulates with the pelvis in the hip joint, a ball and socket joint that allows a great range of motion.  The head of the femur is attached to the acetabulum by a short ligament (the round ligament).  The hip joint is enclosed by the fibrous joint capsule that attaches to the rim of the socket and the neck of the femur 1-2 cm from the cartilage covered head, rather like the CV boot in front wheel drive automobiles of today.  The lower end of the femur helps form the stifle (knee) joint.  In the standing dog the shaft of the femur should be at about a right angle to the slope of the pelvis.

The stifle (knee) joint is at the junction of the femur and tibia.  It is a complex joint, held together by eight ligaments and the joint capsule.  Additionally, there are five small bones associated with the stifle: the patella, three fabellae and the fibula.  The rounded ends of the femur (condyles) articulate with the flattened upper end of the tibia (also called condyles)   The two ends are separated by two fibrocartilagenous menisci.  These act like bushings between the two bones.   The menisci are held in place by a series of ligaments that attach them to the femur, tibia and each other.

The hinge in the stifle (knee) is formed by the anterior (lateral) and posterior (medial) cruciate ligaments that cross in the center of the joint, one going from the back of the femur to the front of the tibia (anterior cruciate ligament), the other going from the front of the femur to the back of the tibia (posterior cruciate ligament).  On each side of the stifle the bones are connected by the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) collateral ligaments.  The other four ligaments hold the patella in the groove on the front of the femur.  These are the patellar ligament that attaches the patella to the front of the tibia (the tibial crest), the two lateral patellar ligaments that attach the patella to the fabella (helping keep the patella in its groove), and the end of the tendon of the quadriceps muscle group that extends the joint.  The third fabella is in the tendon of the popliteus muscle where it glides over the lateral tibial condyle.

The other bone that plays a roll in the stifle is the fibula.  It is a long, thin bone that runs from the stifle (knee) to the hock on the lateral (outer) side of the tibia and articulates with it at each end.  The lateral collateral ligament attaches to the upper end of the fibula.  The lower end of the fibula forms he outer wall (lateral malleolus) of the hock joint.

Like the pastern joint of the front leg, the hock joint (tarsus) is a complex joint made up of seven tarsal bones, the lower ends of the tibia and fibula, and the upper ends of the four metatarsal bones.  They are held together by a series of ligaments, tendons and the joint capsule.  The hock should appear to be straight, neither turned in nor out.  The angles of the stifle and hock joints should each be about 30 degrees to the vertical.

The foot of the hindquarters is assembled similarly to the foot of the forequarters, except it is lacking a dewclaw.  It does tend to be a bit more elongated oval than the forefoot.  Unlike the front foot that may be slightly toes out, the hind foot should point straight ahead.     

Part 5 – Structural Faults of the Hindquarters

In Part 4 we discussed the anatomy of the hindquarters.  When standing, from the rear the hind leg should represent a straight line from the hip to the foot with no joint turned either in or out.  From the side, a plumb line dropped from the back of the rump should be parallel with and touching the front of the rear pastern (metacarpus).  The pelvis should be tilted at about a 30 degree angle to the horizontal, the femur at a 90 degree angle to the pelvis.  The length of the femur and tibia should be about equal to insure proper angulation of the stifle and hock.  The hock should be relatively short for proper agility and endurance. 

A pelvis that is too flat will give better rear extension that might be good for animals in hilly areas, like Mountain Goats, and a pelvis that is too steep will be good for an agility dog that has to make quick twists and turns.  However, neither is good for a dog that must have the stamina and endurance of the Norwegian Elkhound.  The angle of the pelvis will be reflected in the set of the tail.  With a flat pelvis the tail will be set too high and a steep pelvic angle the tail set too low.  While difficult to measure, if the ischium is too short the muscles that extend the leg rearward will be short, thereby making adequate rear extension difficult.  This would result in poor exercise tolerance and endurance since the dog must take more steps to go the same distance than a dog with proper length of ischium.  Side movement would look similar to a dog with too steep a pelvis angle, that is, poor rear extension.

One other fault that is most visible from the side is sickle hock.  In this condition, if the hock is positioned properly under the rump, the rear pastern will be angled forward, not perpendicular to the ground as it should be.  In the ring these dogs are often stacked with their hocks too far back, like a German Shepherd dog, in an attempt to hide this fault.  When moving the rear extension is often insufficient and the hock does not extend properly. 

Some dogs that can be positioned correctly for examination may still have and exaggerated, excessive flexion of the hock while moving, most noticeable during rear extension.   This is the hindquarter version of the front hackney gait and has been referred to as either `hackney rear´ or `breaking in the rear´.  As with the sickle hock, these dogs lack adequate drive in the rear and will take more steps to move a set distance than a properly structured dog. 

While not seen too often, luxating patellas can occur in the Elkhound.  The patella normally sits in a deep groove on the front of the lower end of the femur.  The patella attaches the extensor muscles for the stifle to the tibia.   If the groove is not formed properly during early development of the puppy, the patella can be luxated ei
ther to the inside (medial) or outside (lateral) of the femur.  Medial patellar luxation is more common.  There is also an accompanying laxity in one of the patellar ligaments that normally help keep it in the groove.  This is a serious fault as the stifle is unstable and will result in early onset of arthritis (degenerative joint disease) in this joint. While it can be surgically corrected for the comfort of the dog, this would certainly be cause to surgically sterilize affected individuals. 

Patellar luxation is easy to diagnose early in life.  Start with the puppy standing on a grooming table.  With the stifle fully extended, gently apply pressure on the patella, first from the inside, then from the outside of the joint.  It should remain steadfast in the groove on the front of the femur.  The severity of luxation is scored, from grade 1 (the patella is in the groove most of the time, but can be luxated) to grade 4 (the patella is out of the groove all the time and will never stay in it).  Usually grade 4 dogs have crooked femurs and tibias and no identifiable groove in the femur.  Correction of this condition requires surgical modification of the joint structures.

A structural fault that may contribute to the incidence of patellar luxation is a relatively long tibia in relation to the femur.  This has been observed with moderate frequency in the Afghan Hound.  These dogs will have inadequate angulation in the stifle. 

Most of the other structural faults of the hindquarters are best seen from the rear of the dog, whether standing or moving.  The hindquarters should be in a straight line from the hip to the foot and move straight forward and rearward with none of the joints twisting or turning neither inward nor outward.  At a trot the feet should tend to move toward the centerline to give the appearance of approaching to single track, with the hind legs almost hiding the front legs when viewed from the rear.

One of the most recognizable faults of the hindquarters is `cowhocks´.  There are two different causes for this condition that is typified by the hocks being turned in and the stifles and rear pasterns being turned out.  This condition can arise either from a malformation of the hock joint or from the entire hind leg being turned out at the hip because of poor ligament or muscle development. Regardless of the cause, it is a serious fault in almost every breed, resulting in weakened rear thrust.

`Moving close´ is another movement fault.  With this the rear pasterns are straight and parallel, but they are too close together and the stifles are thrown out.  This can progress to the point that the rear pasterns will brush or touch in passing.  As this condition worsens there can be interfering and crossing of the rear pasterns during movement so that there is a weaving pattern evident when viewed from the rear.

An action that is often a compensation for discomfort in the stifle joint is called snatching.  With this type of movement, as the rear foot moves forward there is a quick outward rotation of the hock as it passes the supporting leg accompanied by a twisting of the rear pastern in beneath the body. From the rear there will often be a noticeable rocking of the hindquarters. 

The opposite of these narrow hock movements are the wide, or spread, hocks.  With this the hocks are rotated outward and the feet always `toe in´.   Sometimes the hocks can´t make up their mind what to do so they actually will twist both in and out as they flex or bear weight.  These dogs often have their stifles twisted out.  This condition can also be referred to as `rubber hocks´ or `weak hocks´.

Pitching is a movement characterized by a severe rocking of the pelvis as the legs swing forward in a wide arc from the hip, rather than moving straight forward by flexing the stifle and hock.  The origin of this fault may be in the pelvis rather than in the leg joints. 

Other movement faults that can be encountered are crabbing and over-reaching.  With crabbing the dog is moving forward with the body at an angle to the direction of travel.  This is a common fault caused by there being more angulation in the rear than the front, often combined with a short, stiff back.  This sideways movement is done so that the longer reaching hind legs don´t strike the front  legs while trotting.  This type of movement can be created by careless handling or lack of training.  A dog with a short back or long legs will also crab so the front and rear legs don´t interfere during movement.  Crabbing can also be an indication of a spinal/muscle condition that can be treated if properly diagnosed with through examination and radiography.  Sometimes non-traditional treatments, such as chiropractic or acupuncture, may be beneficial in these latter cases. 

Over-reaching can be caused by all the same elements that cause crabbing, except that with overreaching the dog´s body is going in line with direction of travel, but there is still more power in the rear than the front so that hind feet strike the ground in front of, and along side of, the front foot on the same side.  

Pacing is another type of movement that can be used to avoid interference.  With this type of movement both legs on the same side of the body move forward and rearward in unison.  Pacing can also be seen in dogs that are fatigued, that have an injury or strain in the loin or have a roached back.

Any movement other than straight forward and rearward causes excessive wear and tear on the muscles, ligaments and joints, causing reduced stamina and endurance.  A properly balanced dog will place hind foot just behind and slightly inside the same spot as the front foot on the same side while at the trot and the body will be in line with the direction of travel.  The feet will tend to move toward a centerline.

A dog that is well balanced front and rear, with proper angulation, will move smoothly and with little effort.  Anything else reduces stamina and endurance, resulting in a tired dog. 

Part 6- The Axial Skeleton

In this part we will discuss the normal structure of the axial skeleton.  This includes the bones from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail: the skull, spinal column and rib cage.

From the Official Standard: Head broad at the ears, wedge shaped, strong and dry.  Expression keen, alert, indicating a dog with courage.  Eyes very dark brown, medium size, oval, not protruding.  Ears set high, firm and erect, yet very mobile, Comparatively small, slightly taller than their width at the base with pointed tips.  When the dog is alert, the orifices turn forward and the outer edges are vertical………Viewed from the side, the forehead and back of the skull are only slightly arched, the stop not large, yet clearly defined.  The muzzle is thickest at the base and, seen from above or the side, tapers evenly without being pointed.  The bridge of the nose is straight, parallel to and about the same length as the skull.  Lips are tightly closed and teeth meet in a scissor bite.

The skull is a very complex structure with many very important functions, from acquisition of food and oxygen to holding the
sensory organs for sight, sound, equilibrium, taste, and smell, and protection of the brain.  Within the brain is the master controller of the endocrine glands and all sensory perception, as well as control of all muscles of the body and memory.  In addition to the spinal cord, there are twelve pair of cranial nerves that leave the brain to control all functions of the many and varied muscles and sensory organs in and on the skull, as well as some important functions of the body, like the long vagus nerve that controls the heart, the muscles of the intestine and glands of the chest and abdomen.  The skull is divided into two parts, the brain case with 14 bones and the facial and palatine region with 36 bones.  In addition, the normal dog has 42 teeth encased in the maxilla (10 on each side) and mandible (11 on each side).

Since the standard quite accurately describes the ideal head for the Elkhound there is not much else to add.   Faults will be discussed in the next part. 

Neck, topline – Neck of medium length, muscular, well set up with a slight arch and with no loose skin on the throat.  Topline – The back is straight and strong from its high point at the withers to the root of the tail………. Tail set high, tightly curled, and carried over the centerline on the back.  It is thickly and closely haired, without brush, natural and untrimmed. 

The base of the skull is attached to a vertebral column that is divided into 5 sections: cervical (neck) with 7 vertebrae, thoracic (chest) with 13 vertebrae, lumbar (loin) with 7 vertebrae, sacral (pelvic) with 3 fused vertebrae, and coccygeal (tail) with about 20 vertebrae.  The vertebral column has many functions: muscle attachment, movement, transmission of nerve fibers between the brain and various parts of the body.  The first two cervical vertebrae are shaped quite differently from all others.  The atlas (first) and axis (second) have special articulations that permit a wide range of motion of the head in relation to the rest of the body.  Most of the remaining vertebrae have a body, transverse processes on each side, a dorsal spinous process, an opening for the spinal cord and spinal blood vessels, and several articular surfaces.  The muscles of the back attach to the transverse processes and spinous processes.  The spinous processes are directed toward the tail from the head to the 10^th thoracic vertebrae.  The 11^th thoracic vertebrae is called the anticlinal vertebrae and has its spinous process directed straight up.  Those of all vertebrae behind it are directed forward.  Along the entire vertebral column there are openings through which nerve fibers enter and leave the spinal cord to carry messages between the various parts of the body and the brain.  The bodies of most of the vertebrae are separated by the intervertebral disc,  a cartilage cushion between each vertebral body.  The center of the disc is very soft in young dogs, become harder as the individual ages.

Because the muscles of the forequarters are attached to the neck and thoracic vertebrae, conformation of the forequarters will affect the appearance of the neck and chest.  Likewise, the hindquarter conformation will affect the appearance of the lumbar, pelvic and coccygeal parts of the spinal column.  As correct angulation will give the Elkhound a proper topline and neck carriage, a straight front and/or rear will make the neck, chest or loin appear longer in comparison.  The loin area should only have the appearance of being short because of well sprung ribs.

The upper end of the ribs are attach to the thoracic vertebrae.  The first nine ribs are attached securely to the sternum with a cartilage. The 10^th through 13^th ribs are called false ribs because they are to the 9^th rib with cartilage.  While the first seven ribs have their own sternal bone, the 8^th and 9^th rib are both attached to the 8^th sternal bone.  The first sternal bone is called the manubrium and the eighth is called the xyphoid process.  It has a cartilage attached to its lower end.  The prominent front end of the manubrium is often referred to as the forechest and should be palpable in front an the imaginary line drawn between the front of the right and left shoulder joints.  The ribs function to encase and protect the lungs and heart, as well as assist in breathing.  If they are not well sprung there will not be sufficient room for the heart and lungs to function properly for the stamina for which this breed is well known.  The muscles of the chest wall and diaphragm work in concert to move air into and out of the lungs.  Movement of the abdominal muscles can also assist in breathing.  Other vital structures, like the esophagus, vagus nerve and major blood vessels, traverse the chest between the neck and the abdomen.

Part 7 – Faults of the Axial Skeleton

While many of the faults of the head may be considered cosmetic, they do contribute to the overall appearance of the dog and need to be avoided.  The official standard for the head was shown at the beginning of Part 6.  The overall expression should be keen and alert, exhibiting strength and courage.  If the wedge is too narrow, the ears will appear too close together on the top of the head.  It would also be a fault for the head to be too wide, making the head look bulky and awkward.  The muzzle and skull should be of equal length.  A muzzle that is too short or too long or pointed (probably narrow too) look out of proportion to the skull.  When seen from the side, the bridge of the nose is to be parallel with top of the head, neither angled down or up nor having a bump or dish.  A head that is flat or too domed does not meet the standard of slightly arched.  The arch should be balanced from front to rear.  The stop should be clearly defined, but not too pronounced nor lacking.  There should not be any loose skin or wrinkles on the head.  

The eyes are to be very dark brown, medium sized and oval, not light colored, rounded, sunken  or protruding.  Certainly light colored eyes could affect the dogs ability to function as they might be more susceptible to solar irritation, such that the dog would be unwilling to work in bright sun light for prolonged periods.  Protruding eyes would be more subject to injury in the brush and trees. 

The ears should be only slightly taller than wide at the base, not like German Shepherd ears that are too tall and may tend to fall over in the Elkhound.  I do feel that taller than acceptable ears can be a potential health risk.  Besides being more subject to injury in heavily wooded areas, they could be an increased risk of frostbite.  With the ears erect, the outside edge should be vertical and in line with the side of the head and the orifices turned forward.  They should be set high on the head and have a strong appearance and be mobile.  Ears that are set low or appear thin and weak are incorrect and would give the dog a poor expression.  Nor should the tips approach each other, even to the point of touching, on the top of the head when alert.   

While not a fault listed in the official NEAA standard, missing teeth is potentially a serious problem.  Certainly in Europe it is weighed very heavily.  While one or two missing teeth may not seem to affect an individual animal, the results of breeding dogs with a familial history of this problem c
an result in significant problems. In a litter I bred 20+ years ago the sire and dam had all teeth present.  The common grand-dame was missing one tooth.  Of the eight puppies in the litter, two had full dentition, four were missing one or two teeth and two puppies were missing 12 of the 16 premolars.  They had a hard time eating.  There should be 42 teeth in the adult dog´s mouth.  Anything less should be considered a fault.  The incisors should meet in a scissors bite, where the upper incisors are just in front of the lower when the mouth is closed.  The presence of an undershot or overshot jaw is unacceptable, the bite would be off.  A level bite, where the upper and lower incisors meet evenly, would cause increased wear of the teeth.

The neck should be “of medium length, muscular, well set up with a slight arch…”  Since many of the muscles that control the forward movement of the front leg attach to the cervical vertebrae, any deviation will affect the dog´s ability to move the forequarters properly.  These could include a neck that is too short or too long, maintained too low or too high or with an improper arch.  A well set neck is pleasing to look at.  There is to be no loose skin on the bottom of the neck (`wet neck´), giving the appearance of a dewlap.

The chest is formed by the 13 thoracic vertebrae, the 13 pair of ribs and the sternum, as well as the overlying muscles.  The chest should be deep and well sprung to provide adequate room for the heart to function properly and to provide adequate lung capacity for stamina.  It  should not be a barrel chest like the English Bulldog nor too narrow like a Greyhound.  The former will impair proper movement of the front legs while the latter, often referred to a being `slab sided´, will give insufficient room for the heart and lungs to function properly, resulting in poor exercise tolerance.  These faults will be most easily viewed by observing the dog from the front or rear.  While moving, the back should be strong and level, neither bouncing up and down nor swaying from side to side.  A well sprung rib cage will help give the appearance of a short loin. 

The structure of the chest also affects the ability of the dog to move properly.  The muscles that move the dog´s body forward (pull the front legs backwards) attach to the boney structures of the chest wall, from the vertebrae to the sternum.  The front of sternum should  protrude in front of a straight edge run across the front of the chest at the point of the shoulders. This is called the forechest.  The absence of a proper forechest means the sternum will adversely affect movement of the front legs since the pectoral muscles will be too short.  The bottom of the chest should be about even with the level of the elbows.

  The loin (lumbar are) should appear short if the rib cage is of sufficient length and the hind legs and pelvis have proper angulation.  The coupling (the distance from the back of the rib cage to the front of the stifle joint) should be about 2 ½ inches, in no case greater than 3 inches.  The lumbar vertebrae are important for connecting the muscles of the back, abdomen and some from the hind legs.  If they are too short the dog will loose flexibility and stamina.  If too long, the dog has to expend excess energy trying to keep the back level while moving, usually unsuccessfully.  The entire back should be straight and have only a slight slope from the withers to the root of the tail.  There should only be a slight tuck up in the loin, and not look like a Whippet.

The set of the tail is an excellent indicator of the angle of the pelvis, as discussed in the part on the hind quarters.  If the pelvis is too flat the tail set will be too high, if too steep, the tail will be set too low.  While a tightly curled tail may eventually lean to one side or the other, it should start out straight over the back.  Any deviation could indicate poor muscle conformation.  The tail should be curled tight enough so that the hair over the sacrum is disturbed, forming the `nest´ for the tail to set in.  A loose tail could subject it to adverse affects of cold weather.  Another common faults seen in the tail is the `brush tail´, in which the hair is longer and not closely set.  This is a fault and is not to be trimmed in an attempt to hide it.  It allows too much cold air to get to the tail and would more easily gather ice and snow.   The hair on the tail is to be natural and untrimmed.  Excessive trimming could be considered an attempt to hide a `brush´ tail and should be penalized.   

Part 8 – The Body and the Coat

AKC Breed Standard :

Size, Proportion, Substance : The height at the withers for dogs is 20 ½ inches; for bitches 19 ½ inches.  Weight for dogs about 55 pounds; for bitches about 48 pounds. Square in profile and close coupled.  Distance from brisket to ground appears to be half the height at the withers.  Distance from forechest to rump equals height at withers.  Bone is substantial, without being coarse. 

Body: The body is short and close coupled with the rib-cage accounting for most of its length.  Chest deep and moderately broad; brisket level with points of elbow; and ribs well sprung.  Loin short and wide with very little tuck up.  The back is straight and strong from its high point at the withers to the root of the tail.  

NEAA Interpretive Comments :

What to look for:

Body Proportion: An Elkhound should exhibit a square profile in that the distance from the forechest to the rump equals the height at the withers.  The appearance is that of a short-backed, short-coupled dog.  Its characteristic appearance is due to the rather long rib cage, for the size of the dog, and a short loin which ideally is about two and one-half inches in length and should not exceed three inches.  The distance from the brisket to the ground appears to be half the height at the withers.  The chest is deep, moderately broad with ribs well sprung.  The back is straight and strong.  The topline, from the high point at the withers, has only a very slight slope to the root of the tail.  The loin is wide and well muscled.  The dogs should be shown in a lean, hard condition. 

The AKC Breed Standard and NEAA Interpretive Comments provide a clear description of what is expected for the Norwegian Elkhound.  This breed was developed over centuries to create a dog with the endurance to track for long hours in all kinds of weather, over rough and varied terrain.  It must have the agility to maneuver rocks and logs and to dodge the flailing feet of an a
ngry moose or charging bear.  The square, close-coupled, medium size of the Norwegian Elkhound allows this.  The correct structure of the front and rear quarters, as described in earlier chapters, gives this dog the necessary agility.  The deep and moderately broad chest with well sprung ribs provides adequate room for the heart to function and the lungs to exchange adequate oxygen and carbon dioxide. 

One phrase in the interpretive comments that seems to cause some problems is “The appearance is that of a short-backed, short- coupled dog”.  The operative word is “appearance”.  This does not mean that the back is to be short.  The appearance of a short back is due to the long, well-sprung rib cage and short loin.  A truly short back will greatly decrease the dogs flexibility and agility to move quickly to avoid the flailing feet of the moose.  Often the dog that truly possess a short back will appear taller than long (an incorrect rectangular appearance).  If a short-backed dog possesses a flat pelvis, it may appear to be square, but these dogs will have a high set tail and hocks set well behind the rump when the hind feet are placed so the hock perpendicular to the ground.

Another problem area is the definition of `lean´ and how that should affect the tuck up at the loin.  Lean refers only to the amount of body fat, best determined by how easily the ribs can be palpated.  The standard is quite clear that there is to be very little tuck up to the loin and that it is to be short and wide.  The correct Elkhound tuck up should not look like a Greyhound.  This is important for proper function of the diaphragm during breathing.  An excessive tuck up would limit the movement of the diaphragm by compression with the abdominal organs.  As a self test, put on a tight belt or belly wrap and try to run hard.  You will find you have poorer exercise tolerance due to increased abdominal pressure on your diaphragm, thereby limiting its movement and your lung capacity. 

One of the statements in the portion of the standard on the body says the brisket (sternum) should be level with the point of the elbows.  If the sternum is above the elbows it could mean the upper foreleg bones (scapula or humerus) are too long or the chest is not deep enough.  The first will give a poor gait, the latter will result in poor lung/heart capacity and poor exercise tolerance.  If the sternum is below the level of the points of the elbow it could mean the upper arm bones are too short, resulting in improper gait, or the chest is too deep, resulting in excessive body mass that will also reduce stamina.  Too much of a good thing can be bad.  The dog must have balance for all the parts to work well together.

In the previous section on faults of the axial skeleton we briefly discussed the forechest.  This is the portion of the sternum that protrudes in front of the points of the shoulder.  Proper angulation of the shoulders and length of the sternum should result in the presence of a forechest.  A straight shoulder could make the forechest seem excessive, as would an extra long sternum.  Either of these faults would be demonstrated as an improper gait with unbalanced movement of the forequarters.  A short sternum, long scapula or excessive lay back of the shoulder could eliminate the forechest.  This is easily palpable and would adversely affect the gait. 

The important thing to remember in studying the standard and interpretive comments is not to read something into them that is not there. 

What to avoid:  Avoid dogs and bitches that are one inch or more under the standard or over 21 ½ inches at the withers.  Long, soft or swayed back is a serious fault.  Avoid those dogs that do not exhibit the square profile.  It is incorrect to have a short rib cage and a long loin even if the dog exhibits a square profile.  A long loin is incorrect.  The length of loin is a relative to height at withers so while a two and one-half inch length of loin is ideal for a 20 ½ inch dog or a 19 ½ inch bitch it would become less than ideal for an individual of lesser wither height.  However, there is no allowance given for an increase beyond the allowed length of loin on individuals over the specified wither height.  This would lead to a rangy dog.  Avoid short-legged, heavy bodied dogs or long-legged, weedy bodied dogs. Avoid overweight or obese dogs.

In recent years we have been seeing more Elkhounds that exceed the height and weight recommendations of the standard.  Chapter 5 of the book “Dogs” by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger contains an excellent discussion of why the 55 pound upper limit should not be exceeded.  Their study of endurance racing sled dogs demonstrated those larger than 55 pounds could not dissipate body heat fast enough to avoid hyperthermia (excess body temperature) and rapid exhaustion.  While the rectal temperature of the smaller dogs would rise to 107 or 108 degrees, the head and chest temperature stayed at a safe level because of their heavy panting.  In larger dogs the core temperature could exceed 110 degrees, the point at which tissue damage can occur.  While the Elkhound is not used extensively for sledding, they must have the stamina to hunt for long hours over rugged terrain.  The Coppinger´s research suggests that the larger dogs will not have this capability, as must have been the experience of the Norsemen by trial and error.                   

While there is no disqualification in the standard for height, the interpretive comments about  avoiding dogs and bitches more than one inch below standard or over 21 ½ inches at the withers comes pretty close to a disqualification statement.  In this medium-sized northern dog, size is important.  While 23 and 24 inch dogs may win because they look more impressive, they are, none the less, incorrect and should not be bred to make more large dogs.  If properly proportioned, the taller dogs will most likely exceed the ideal 48 (bitches) or 55 (dogs) pound weight.  Judges need to understand this point and help us by not placing dogs obviously outside the recommendations in the standard.  It is unlikely the NEAA will insert a height disqualification into the standard. Therefore, we need to be good stewards of the breed and not perpetuate this problem.

It is also important to understand how to measure the dog.  There seems to be some disagreement on this point.  With the dog standing on a flat, level floor, the distance from the floor to the top of the withers (the high point of the scapula) is the correct measurement.  Since it may be difficult to make this measure accurately with only a ruler and level, it is best to use a wicket, either purchased or home made.

Since excess weight will affect endurance, the Elkhound must be shown lean and well conditioned, with the ribs easily palpable.  One or two pounds may not seem like a lot, but after several hours on a hunt, they add up to many extra calories burned to move the extra pounds around.  The extra weight will also lead to more wear and tear on the bones, joints, muscles and ligaments.  A poorly structured dog, coupled with extra weight, will break down much earlier in life, and not have the stamina necessary for this dog to perform as expected. 

The ideal package of correct structure wi
ll give the hunter a dog that will have the stamina to work for many hours in all kinds of terrain and conditions. 

The Coat:

AKC Breed Standard : Thick, hard, weather resisting and smooth lying: made up of soft, dense, woolly undercoat and coarse, straight covering hairs.  Short and even on head, ears, and front of legs; longest on back of neck, buttocks and underside of tail.  The coat is not altered by trimming, clipping or artificial treatment.  Trimming of whiskers is optional.  In the show ring, presentation in a natural, unaltered condition is essential.

Color gray, medium preferred, variations in shade determined by the length of the black tips and quantity of guard hairs.  Undercoat is clear light silver as are legs, stomach, buttocks, and underside of tail.  The gray body color is darkest on the saddle, lighter on the chest, mane and distinctive harness markings.  The muzzle, ears and tip of tail are black.  The black of the muzzle shades to lighter gray over the forehead and skull.  Yellow or brown shading, white patches, indistinct or irregular markings, “sooty” coloring on the lower legs and light circles around the eyes are undesirable.  Any overall color other than gray as described above, such as red, brown, solid black, white or other solid color, disqualifies.

As with previous sections, the standard describes the ideal coat type and color very clearly.  The proper thick, hard, smooth lying coat is very insulating and weather resistant in cold as well as the warm climates.  Water should run off the back of a properly coated Elkhound.  The guard hairs should lie flat and cover a very dense undercoat.  While an open coat may give the appearance of a larger, bigger boned dog, it will create a dog that is less tolerant of cold and wet weather and should be scored lower than a correctly coated dog.  If you wish for an open-coated, gray northern dog, get a Keeshond.

The presence of white patches is undesirable.  Since the newborn Elkhound coat is to be all black, any white areas show clearly at birth.  Certainly large white patches, or areas of yellow or brown, should be scored down.  These seem to occur most commonly over the sternum and forechest area and feet.  The Elkhound coat is close lying and variations of gray, black and silver as described in the standard.

Being shown in a natural, unaltered condition does not mean having to brush out clouds of chalk before going in the ring or adding black hair dye around the eyes or on the muzzle or ears. Sooty coloring on the lower legs if often referred to the dog having `dirty knees´ and is undesirable, as is white around the eyes giving the appearance of spectacles.  While light trimming to clean up rough edges on the belly, legs and other long hair areas is considered acceptable, the dog should not look sculpted like a terrier or a Poodle.  The hair on the underside of the tail should of medium length and close like the rest of the coat.  It should not be long and open, often called a `brush tail´.  This would lead to excess heat loss from the tail and a collecting point for ice and snow.  The tail should curl tight enough to create a `nest´ in the hair over the pelvis.

How The Standard Works

Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Conformation

written & submitted by Bill Garnett

Since the response to “Type, hype or personal preference . . . choose your poison” was so gratifying and in a sense overwhelming, I thought some of you would be interested in how, balance, symmetry and soundness comes about and plays such a huge role in establishing  “proper breed type”.  So many of you wrote such excellent comments and made so many very astute observations I felt there was an audience out there that would appreciate taking a look at the standard to see what it has to say about the subject and how “proper breed type” evolves.

Like so many of you stated, soundness comes in many forms:

• static soundness,
• kinetic soundness,
• soundness of mind,
• soundness of body,
• soundness of limb,
• soundness of joints,
• soundness of muscle and
• the overall soundness that comes about when the balance of all these aspects comes into play creating true “breed type. 

They all are a part of the Doberman standard and they are all contribute to “proper breed type.”  It is in understanding what the blueprint (standard) is saying and to that conclusion I hope I can be of help by explaining just how the blueprint (standard) works and why it calls for certain parts and their specific arrangements and the benefits derived.  It really not that difficult.  It’s like learning to ride a bike. It may seem hopeless at first but all at once . . .  away we go.  Learning to read the blueprint (standard) and recognizing “proper breed type” is the same.  All we need to be is objective, have a open mind and a desire to learn and it will all fall into place.

GENERAL CONFORMATION AND APPEARANCE: The standard’s first reference to soundness is immediate and profound for in it’s opening paragraph it calls for a square dog of vertical and horizontal balance; requiring the measurement from ground to withers (vertically) to be equal to the measurement from fore chest to the rear projection of the upper thigh (horizontally) to be the same.  This sets the mood for a dog of balanced proportions, balance being the very essence of soundness.  Without horizontal and vertical balance you can not have “proper breed type”. ” Listen to me . . . read my lips”.  Without horizontal and vertical balance you can not have “proper breed type”.  Let me say it again in this manner.  Horizontal and vertical balance is one of the most important requirements for “proper breed type”.  Long,  low and over-angulated in the rear does in no way fit into the equation.  It can’t get any clearer than that.

Moving to the HEIGHT paragraph.  We are instructed to breed Dobermans of medium size, with specific dimensions (26″ to 28″ with 27 and a ½” being ideal for dogs and 24″ to 26″ with 25 and ½” being ideal for bitches).  These dimensions weren’t just arbitrarily plucked from the sky.  Some very astute people knew exactly what they were doing. It’s really simple, medium sized dogs are more agile than larger dogs and have good endurance but still have enough size to generate the power to successfully function as a working dog. The problem with Dobermans that get beyond the 28″ area is the difficulty that nature encounters keeping them in static and kinetic balance. (We will go into that in detail later on).  By being specific in it’s demands for a medium sized dog the standard is laying the requirements for another of it’s important aspect that contributes to  “proper breed type” . . . SIZE!  Those very astute people, who wrote our standard, knew enough to lay down exacting perimeters . . . 27 and a ½” for dogs and 25 and  a ½” for bitches.  God only knows how many times I have heard people say  “I like my dogs big with a lot of bone and substance.”  I have no problem with that as long as you are talking about Danes or Mastiffs.  What gives those  people the right to impose their “personal preferences” or “hype” on our breed?  If they insist on big dogs with a lot of bone and substance over 28″ than they should go to another breed for that is not the “proper breed type” of  the Doberman Pinscher.  It’s just that simple.

SHY OR VICIOUS DOGS:  The standard states that judges should dismiss from the ring shy or vicious dogs. What the standard is alluding to here is that a Doberman must be mentally “sound”, with keen and stable intent, allowing it to comfortably co-exist in today’s complex society. A keen and stable intent.”

That’s the soundness of mind that is reflected in the  “proper breed type” of a Doberman Pinscher.  Mental soundness is an important part of “proper breed type” and should never be compromised.

HEAD: “Long and dry resembling a blunt wedge from both frontal and profile views.  When seen from the front, the head widens gradually towards the base of the ear in practically an unbroken line; the top of the skull flat, turning with a slight top to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to top of skull, cheeks flat and muscular, lips lying close to jaws, jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eye.”  So you say  “okay wise guy where’s the reference to soundness here?”  Follow me. For a Doberman to have a sound mouth, the jaws must be full and powerful, capable of accommodating 42 strongly developed and correctly placed teeth. The standard adamantly underscores the importance of a sound mouth. By calling for a scissor bite, any deviation one way are the other is considered a serious fault. Overshot by more than 3/16 of an inch or undershot 1/8 of an inch carries a disqualification penalty as well as four or more missing teeth. There are no ands, ifs or buts about it our Dobermans are suppose to have sound mouths. Well filled under the eye is not a random off the wall request but one that is specific in need and functional in design. It provides a solid foundation for the cutting molar that fall right under the eye. Nature doesn’t miss a trick.  And neither did the authors of the standard. A sound head piece is quite significant in its contribution to “proper breed type” but it is only a contributing factor and should never be the sole reason for pinning a dog as a few judges have been so inclined.

EAR CROPPING: It is said by some that ear cropping serves no useful function or purpose.  While I personally don’t have a problem with natural ears it is a proven fact that cropped ears do serve some functional and useful purpose. Cropped ears, carried erect lessen the chance for infection by providing better air circulation and improves the dogs audio capabilities by trapping more sound decibels.  Cropped ears also lessens or reduces the volume of leather that can be scratched, cut or torn while the Doberman is at work or play. So you see it’s not just a cosmetic thing as some would have you think.  Properly cropped ears contribute to the overall look and balance of the head and they enhance “proper breed type”. . . alert, proud, elegant in appearance, reflecting great nobility and temperament  . . . if you will.

NECK: “Proudly carried, well muscled and dry, well arched with nape of neck widening gradually towards the body. Length of neck is in proportion to body and head.”  You say. “What on earth refers to soundness here?”  If you did indeed say that, you missed the two key words “muscled” and “proportion.” Go back and pick these words out. What do they mean and how do they relate to soundness? First of all, well muscled depicts good condition.  Good condition reflects strong bodies and sound limbs; prerequisites for a sound dog.  But, being more specific, the benefits of a well muscled dry neck means that the muscle that runs from behind the ear, down the neck, down the front attaching itself around the upper arm, helps pull the upper arm forward while the dog it gaiting. Thus that muscle assist in the forward reach of the dog.  This strong well conditioned dry muscle clearly contributes to the kinetic effort and soundness of the Doberman.  How many of us even knew the muscle existed. The writers of our standard did and they realized it’s importance.  “Neck must be in balance with the head and body.”  You say. “So what? What’s that got to do with soundness or “proper breed type”? Simple, if the neck is too short we reduce the length of that muscle.  Thus reducing it’s strength by reducing the leverage, which can result in and contribute to a stilted and restrictive gait in front.  If the neck is too long it throws the dog out of balance, causing an inefficient gait and a lose of energy as the dog battles the forces to maintain its center of gravity and to overcome lateral displacement in front. “In proportion (balance) to body and head,” balance is always at the core of standard instructions.  Too long is a problem . . . too short is a problem . . . it’s balanced proportions that we looking for.  So once again we are instructed as to the benefits of a neck of proper length not only does it contribute to the soundness of the front but it is one of the focal points of “proper breed type.”

BODY: “Back short and firm, of sufficient width and muscled at the loin, extending in a straight line to slightly rounded croup.”  Boy! Does the aforementioned sentence set “proper breed type.” “Body short and firm, of sufficient width and muscled at the loin, extending in a straight line to a slightly rounded croup” . . . firm . . . of sufficient width … and muscled . . . all derivatives of soundness and good condition.  It doesn’t get any plainer than that.  Realizing the Doberman to be a “galloping breed” our standard writers felt the short, firm back was the best set up.  Any arguments to the contrary would be somewhat weak.  However, at this point other concerns do come into play.  I can accept the short firm back as called for in the standard.  And have no problem combining it with a square dog as called for in the general description paragraph.  However here’s where it gets sticky.  Later on we will be ask to accept not only a square dog with a short back, but also one of fore and aft angles of ninety degrees and a shoulder that slopes forty-five degrees.  Arguably, these angles are somewhat difficult to impose on a square, short backed dog and maintain the balance necessary for efficient and effortless ground covering movement.  However the method of the standard writers’  madness, I feel, is answered in the section on shoulders. So I will wait until then to discuss this further. Back to the short firm back.  This insertion does cause some problems.  To begin with a lot folks don’t know where the back is.  I can remember when I didn’t.  But be that as it may, there are some people who still think the top line is the back.  There are those that don’t know the top line is composed of the neck, withers, back, loin and the croup.  This is not an attempt to put anyone down. . . it’s just fact. I didn’t know it when I first started out. 

Another error that we all made at one time or another is not knowing the difference between the back and the loin.  To a lot of people they’re one and the same. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Anyway, In an effort to follow the standard and keep the back short or if you will shorten the back we sometimes shorten the loin instead.  And in some cases we almost take the entire loin out of the dog which reduces the over-all balance of the dog.  So here we are.  We’ve got a 28 inch dog that is 27 inches long on which we’re trying to force ninety degree angles fore and aft.  When asked to move . . . the dog can hardly get out of its way.  By shortening or in some cases almost eliminating the loin all together we moved the rear too far forward almost against the rib cage.  Now we have a dog that is out of balance.  If the dog has decent rear angulation or is over angulated he will probably have a difficult time not running over his front. Usually a dog will compensate this condition by side winding.  Single tracking goes out the window, ground coverage is reduced, and an earlier breakdown of pastern joints and front assemblies can occur. What a disaster! All because we didn’t understand what the blueprint (standard) was saying. Balance, symmetry and soundness are all welded together in a constant effort to produce “proper breed type”.

CROUP:  We will discuss this in the section relating to hindquarters.

WITHERS:  We will discuss this in the section related to forequarters.

BRISKET: “Reaching deep to the elbow.” 

CHEST: “Broad with fore chest well defined.” 

RIBS: “Well sprung from the spine, but flatter in lower end to allow elbow clearance.”  Brisket reaching deep to the elbow, chest broad and well defined and ribs well sprung all go together to make up the proper body cavity shape needed to provide the heart and lungs ample room to function; providing the Doberman with good blood circulation and oxygen distribution so vital to a dog as active and as energetic as a Doberman.  Lets focus on the rib cage again so as not to miss something of paramount importance. “Ribs well sprung from spine but flatten in lower end to permit elbow clearance.” It’s hard to believe that there are those that say the standard doesn’t require a Doberman to be sound.  “To permit elbow clearance.”  How subtle this insertion . . . how masterful this stroke . . . how complete their understanding.  Not only does this section inform us of why the brisket is deep, why the chest is broad and well defined and why the ribs are well sprung but it also helps to create the proper outline of the Doberman which in turn contributes to “proper breed type.”

BELLY: “Well tucked up.”  Why?  Because it’s pretty?  No! Because it forms a pocket that allows the hindquarters to comfortably reach under the body while the dog is gaiting.  And also as in the preceding statement it adds to the overall “proper breed type” outline or if you will picture. So that you don’t misunderstand.  “Well tucked up” does not mean Huron gutted. Example: the tuck up of a greyhound.  Some people think that’s right.  You know the old adage, “more is bette
r.”  That just doesn’t work in dogs.  And then you have the other extreme.  No tuck up at all.  You know how they spin that one . . . “boy what a nice deep body.”

HIPS: “Broad and in proportion to the body.  Breadth of hips is approximately equal to the breadth of body at rib cage and shoulders.”  The standard is continuously trying to keep the Doberman in balance through the use of correct proportions.  Balance minimizes the drain of energy by increasing efficiency of effort.  Again “proper breed type” is outlined when you look down over the dog.

TAIL: Will discuss this in section relating to hindquarters.

SHOULDERS: This is probably the most discussed part of a Doberman’s anatomy and the least understood.  Most people can recite the 45 degree slope of shoulder and the 90 degree upper arm to shoulder angle. (By the way, have you ever seen this set up on a Doberman?)  I have.  Do any of you remember the red dog that won winners dog under me at the Toledo Nationals?  He was a Brierpatch dog bred by a girl named Tonya Childs.  Well he had a black litter brother that had as close to a 45 degree slope of shoulder and a 90 degree upper to shoulder set up that I had ever seen on a Doberman.  I can go to my grave now saying a saw the front set up that the standard calls for.  Anyway understanding how important this set up is; it is my belief our forefathers felt obliged to overstate this requirement in a desperate attempt to keep us away from the alternative . . . an alternative that they knew to be devastating to the breed.  Unfortunately a lot of people have not heeded nor understood their warning and have fallen prey to the easy way out.  Shoulders sloping up to 65 – 75 degree and shoulder to upper arm angles measuring 110 – 150 degrees are not uncommon.  This is the “improper breed type” that is so prevalent today.  Some say, so what?  I like it . . . it wins!  What’s the big deal?   I’ll tell you what the big deal is.  How can we assume that we have the right to deny the Doberman its heritage by taking away its rights to a sound body and good joints?  Let’s examine just what happened when we, under the guise of personal preference, created this monster by going for the high station, elegant “painted” look.  First, by allowing the shoulder to go so straight we reduced its size.  A properly sloping shoulder has a larger area of space to fit into.  This larger space allows the shoulder blade to increase its length and broaden in breadth.  The advantages resulting from a longer, wider scapula (shoulder blade) is reflected in its larger surface area.  Lets take a look at why this is true.  The scapula (shoulder blade) is held in place by four muscles, two from above and two from below.  They cover the shoulder blade’s area completely.  Now it follows that the larger the area that the muscles have to cover, the larger the muscles (themselves) will be.  Consequently, the logic would follow, the larger the muscles the stronger the set up that’s holding the shoulders in place.  Of course all of this is out the window if the dog isn’t conditioned properly.  Now let’s continue along the path of straightening the shoulder slope, best seen in the high station . . . “improper breed type” look.  The reverse of what we just discussed happens.  Instead of a larger housing area the blade must now fit into a smaller area.  This reduces its size and consequently the size of the four muscles holding it.  This results in smaller and weaker muscles that are unable to hold the front (shoulder) as well as their larger counterparts.  This condition in one of the more serious contributing factors to loose front that we see so often.  In an attempt to strengthen this weak front mother nature kicks in and moves the upper arm out from it’s laid back position aligning it more up and down with the shoulder blade.  This increases the angle (upper arm to shoulder blade) and in order to maintain the dog at a certain height the upper arm has to be shortened for now it (upper arm) also must fit into a smaller area . . . thus the short, straight upper arm.  With this development comes another problem.  A properly balanced front will have a shoulder and upper arm on a one to one relationship.  What we have now is an upper arm that is shorter than the shoulder blade, a very common problem in our breed today.  Now let review what we’ve got.  Small muscles supporting a small shoulder blade attached to a short straight upper arm . . . the beginning ingredients for front end disaster.  To this we hang a lower leg.  With balance gone out the window and  not much support from above the lower leg goes all over the place.  It gets worse.  Now we’ve got steep shoulders attached to a short straight upper arm, hooked to an out of control lower leg and to that we add the “pretty” straight pastern.   Instead of helping to absorb some of the concussion of gait that the “slightly bent pastern” was designed to do, the pastern now becomes part of the problem.  The pounding and jarring takes it’s toll, break down is inevitable.  All because we have decided that the “type” of Doberman we want is reflected in the “straight fronted high station look.”  That’s not the “look of eagles”  that’s the  formula for disaster.  Pretty expensive can of trade off from “proper breed type” . . . wouldn’t you say.   

LEGS: “Straight and parallel to one another when standing still”.  Why?  Because this helps to bring the front into static balance.  “Well muscled,” again a reference to good conditioning.  “With heavy bone.”  Some have interpreted this to mean big bone.  Not so.  What the standard wants us to do is to get away from narrow, oblong bone that robs the Doberman of critical bone marrow volume, bone marrow that is so vital to a Doberman’s well being and health. Round bone is what is called for here for it has more density and area to house more bone marrow.  Thus round bone becomes another factor in the outline of  “proper breed type.”   

FEET: “Well arched and compact.” One can not stress enough the importance of good feet. Almost always a poor gaiting Doberman will have poor feet.  By the same token, a good gaiting Doberman will usually have well arched and thickly padded feet this aides the stability of the front by helping to absorb some of the shock of concussion of the gait.  But as important as well arched feet are in absorbing the concussion of gait there is nothing as pretty, at least in my eyes, then to see a Doberman standing up on well arched feet.  You talk about adding to “proper breed type” . . . now that’s “proper breed type.”   

HINDQUARTERS: What the standard calls for right off the bat is balance between the hind and forequarters. “Balance fore and aft.” even though there is a separation of the two they still must stay in balance.  This balance, that the standard calls for, is such an important part of the Doberman’s overall “proper breed type” it can’t be stressed enough.  “Hips fall away from the spinal column at an angle of about 30 degrees, producing a slightly rounded “we
ll filled croup.”  This is another of the maligned and misunderstood of the standard’s requirements.  First of all it is specific. The standard stipulates that the hip bone falls away at an angle of almost 30 degrees, not almost 20, not almost 10 and not almost 40 but at almost 30 degrees.  And then the upper shank set at right angles (90 degrees) to the hip bone, with lower shank of equal length to maintain fore and aft balance.  The hinge that is created will influence the action of the rear assembly dramatically. To understand just what has happened we must be aware of the two arcs that are created when the rear is set in motion.  To facilitate this discussion they are described as the forward and rear arcs.  To recognize these two arcs we must mentally plumb from the tip of the hip to the spot on the ground just on or just in front of the rear toes. That spot is the starting point for both arcs. From that spot backward is the rear arc or as some may call it “the rear push.”  From that spot forward is the forward arc or as some might call it “the rear reach.”  With the hips set at 30 degrees the resulting arcs, if the rear is in balance, will be of equal length and duration.  This makes for an efficiently working rear assembly and has a strong influence on “proper breed type” because as in other arrangements and assemblies it contributes to the body outline of the Doberman, in both its static and kinetic positions, and how those positions reflect over-all balance particularly to the front assembly.   

Now, lets look at what happens if we move the hip bone up, decreasing the angle, we’ve created the higher croup. The results would be . . . less reach and more push.  The opposite would occur if we lowered the croup, increasing the angle, more reach under and less push behind.  Dogs with the latter are more agile and can turn very quickly.  Much like the cutting horses with steep croups; this set up gives them the ability to turn quickly while working cattle in tight places.  The 30 degree set-up is considered the best balanced, most rhythmic and is abundantly more efficient than the alternatives.  However, the higher sets do have their admires.  Usually they are the same people that like the “high station straight front” look.  They think these higher sets are prettier and go better with their straight fronts. And in a sense they do. By eliminating the forward reach in the rear the Doberman can avoid running over their stilted and restrictive fronts.  How’s that for trading off balance and soundness for the wrong can of “breed type”?  Do two faults make it right? I think not. The 30 degree set up reflects the “proper breed type” as reflected in the outline of the Doberman.  So, in summery, the set of the croup can signify balance or the lack of in the rear.  High set . . . more push less reach.  Low set . . . more reach less push.  And the set with the tail just breaking the horizontal plane . . . equal reach and equal push.  One more thing.  Getting back to balance fore and aft.  The angle that the upper thigh makes when it joins the pelvis should be the same as the angle formed when the upper arm of the front joins the shoulder blade.  That’s called balance fore and aft.  If they are both of 90 degrees that’s called utopia.  It is that  “balance” that has such a tremendous influence on the outline of the Doberman that, in turn, has such an impact on and how it reflects  “proper breed type.”  It takes a good eye to see it.  But like riding that bike.  The longer you work at it the better you get.   

GAIT: “Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the forequarters and good push in the hindquarters.  When trotting there is a strong rear action drive. Each leg is moving in line with the foreleg of the same side.  Rear and front legs are thrown neither in nor out.  Back remains strong and firm when moving at a fast trot.  A properly built Doberman will single track.” God!  If we can’t see the references to soundness in this section and it’s correlation to “proper breed type” we had better start building model airplanes or planting gardens.  If you still believe the standard says little about soundness and “its” contribution to  “proper breed type”  please reread the paragraph on gait, carefully and sense what the words impart.  “Free . . . balance . . .  vigorous . . . good reach . . . good driving power . . . trotting . . . strong rear action . . . legs thrown neither in nor out . . . back strong and firm . . . a properly built Doberman will single track.”  These are the keys to how well we did our job in building the Doberman with proper breed type”.  If these keys are present and functioning properly than we have done our job well for they check every joint, every assembly and every muscle.  They double check every standard instruction.  They leave no room for shallow interpretation or personal preference.  They are the safe guards of our breed for they are the keys to a standard conforming Doberman and in turn . . . contribute to and influence “proper breed type.”   

At this point if you are still with me . . . we have to have learned something.  If what we have learned makes sense and makes us a better Doberman person . . . wonderful.  But don’t let it stop here.  Get a convert, and get that convert to get a convert and that convert to get still another convert and on and on. Ignorance shrouded in personal preference can no longer be accepted.  For those that disagree . . . and their numbers will be substantial . . . they are beyond help.  They will continue to circumvent our standard and reduce our wonderful breed to no more than dark eyes, erect ears, five degree croups and a mentality whose field of focus is reduced to a piece of liver while the whole damn world blows up around them.

Reflecting back to my college days, I remember the problem I was having “seeing” all the metaphors and analogies that went along with the Greek tragedies.  One day when I was particularly exasperated, I said to my professor, “I give up.  I read this stuff but I don’t see any of what you say is there.” I’ll never forget what he said to me. “Bill, you’re just skimming over the words because of an assignment to read so many pages each night.  You’re not seeing, you’re not listening because you’re not interested.  You have to want to learn . . . you have to want to hear the music. When you do . . . it all becomes a beautiful symphony.” In the sport of pure bred dogs the same analogy can be applied.  You have to listen . . . you have to feel . . . you have to want to learn.  Once you do, a standard conforming dog becomes a work of art and the symphony is truly beautiful.

To all of you who took the time to read and study this, I hope in some way you’ll hear the music . . . see the beauty . . . and feel the glow.  “The DOBERMAN PINSCHER is a square, compact, medium size dog of balanced proportions, noble in it’s intent, courageous by nature and SOUND of mind, body and joints. If you should be so fortunate as to find two dogs possessing these nine traits then by all means break the tie with any of your personal preferences”