Conformation Judges Oral Examinations

As an AKC Judge, I recently received this reminder:

“AKC Judging Operations Department strongly advises that all judges should ask the exhibitor to show the bite/open the mouth when conducting oral exams.

This is being sent to you for the safety and welfare of our dogs in consideration of the fact that reports of cases of Canine Influenza have resurfaced in recent weeks. This recommendation is consistent with information included in The Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges under Evaluating a Dog’s Mouth (page 14), “Many exhibitors prefer to open their dog’s mouth themselves for examination. It is recommended that all judges ask the exhibitor to display the bite/teeth/open the mouth as appropriate for that breed. However, you have the authority to personally open the dog’s mouth.”

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Example of a lovely underjaw: Ballyhara Dior

It is a shame that international judges who demonstrate an obsession with dentition and who insist on scrutinizing canines, incisors, and molars are not versed in or with AKC's "Rules, Policies, and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges." If they did they would find that the AKC handbook states, "Study of the approved breed standard will define the proper oral exam for that breed. A necessary component of completing a breed specific examination is to conduct the appropriate oral exam when evaluating the dog’s mouth." Those familiar with the IWCA Breed standard know that it does not denote bite.

Having just attended the IWCA National, yet again, we experienced, first-hand, another international judge who demonstrated a difference of opinion from the IWCA approved breed standard but as well, a streak of independence from the American Kennel Club's strongly worded advisement that all judges should ask the exhibitor to show the bite/open the mouth when conducting oral exams.

This particular judge did sanitize his hands though not routinely. I say this because, despite his having practiced judging methods, judges can miss a step. To illustrate, in Veteran Bitch class I observed the same judge examine one or more veteran females where he did not inspect bites. However, when I presented my nine-year-old, he thoroughly examined her bite. Moreover, over the course of the show I presented two other entries in which the judge did not return to his sanitizer before proceeding with an oral exam. Out of respect as an AKC Judge, I courteously did not point out this inconsistency, but nonetheless, it did occur. It takes just one mistake of not spreading the sanitizer thoroughly or simply forgetting to disinfect one time to spread canine diseases and from this point forward; I will request that I show the bite.

As a disclaimer, my hounds have excellent dentition with strong, squared underjaws, save for just an old veteran whose one canine is awry.

Dogs in Review Point/Counterpoint

The following attachment is a recent conversation in Dogs in Review Point/Counterpoint topic of the month section that I thought was engaging as the guest panelists answered in a thoughtful, meaningful manner. The subject matter is not new:

"In your experience, is the average exhibitor today more knowledgeable or less knowledgeable about breed standards, canine structure, and gait than he/she was 10 years ago?"

I know that this problem has been debated for at least 15 plus years alone in my circles, despite the ten years the point/counterpoint mentions. Seasoned fanciers everywhere around the country frequently discuss the matter with the same predictable results:  head shaking because many considerably experienced breeders have given up saying there is not much we can do about it now.

However, there are those of us who still attempt to educate neophytes and the instant "Know-it-all's" with articles on anatomy and muscling physiology -- replete with diagrams and dialogue meant to overcome the obstacle of complicated medical terminology. Case in point, my work with Wendell Sammet over these number of years on several educative articles regarding anatomy (currently our newest is in progress concerning joints), has not been just for our health nor glory. We break down the language in canine anatomy that consists of many interconnecting parts and convert it into lay terms so that it is easier to understand for today's average breeder and fancier. His and my efforts are intended to teach today's average Reader/exhibitor/breeder in the least ornate manner in the hopes that they retain what we explain and illustrate via diagrams to propagate better dogs.

Still, many people tell us that our endeavors are a waste of time as the outcome has already been decided. That is to say, the sport today with its majority of uninformed exhibitors and fanciers and the primary focus now being on achieving ratings and points is irreconcilable with the sport of yesteryear, its design, and mission. Irreconcilable being that the two vastly different ideas are incompatible. What is more, I believe that many long experienced AKC Judges have crossed over to the other side further bolstering the new representation of the sport. They have participated in the "dumbing down" of the sport because they are complaisant, and they do not want to rock the boat. Unfortunately, I along with others are now simply considered quaintly nostalgic.

Beware, the Dark Side!

Some years past, I read an interview with a well-known dog breeder in which, and I am mostly paraphrasing here, she was asked what she had learned over her many decades. She responded that unfortunately, there is a downside to the sport, referring to the "dark side" of people's personalities. She was refreshingly candid, as, in fact, there are dark sides to individuals as well as bad-natured characters in this sport, and at one time or another, you will encounter them both.

Experienced fanciers are well-informed about "the dark side," or at the very least, conscious of it. As, unfortunately, a large number of us in this sport have been the target of anger, hatred and aggression. Amazingly, everyone seems resigned to the dark side's ubiquity but on the other hand, we cannot legislate morality.

A person's dark side is equaled only by their amorality. How many times have you been the victim of targeted slander or the recipient of someone's warfare? Have you had an individual or individuals campaign aggressively against yourself stopping at nothing to tear you down? Has your dogs' safety been jeopardized? Perhaps, while exhibiting, you experienced menacing behavior? The dark side reveals itself in various forms and degrees of which at times can be tedious and other times, frightening.

I suffered an abusive "dark side" attack many years ago. One that many people believed to be considerably threatening and most certainly was intended to shut me up. A fellow breeder judge filed, in bad faith and with malice, an AKC complaint against me containing fabricated and falsified accusations. This complainant went so far as even to collect my personal electronic mail (email) sent to the secretary of our regional specialty club. As an active member, we were permitted to email our future Specialty Judge nominations, and this correspondence contained my confidential judge selections. The complainant acquired these emails and then attempted to persuade the AKC that I was soliciting judging assignments for myself with my votes! She then concocted fictitious meetings and telephone conversations accusing me of solicitation and additionally, charged me with intimidation. She invented incidents that while my handler was showing my hounds, I intimidated judges from outside the ring. Only for her to find out that I was and still am an Owner/Handler. It suffices to say that the AKC, after a brief investigation, dismissed all charges explaining that I was, "a victim of someone’s target." How very disturbed people are and shocking to witness the lengths in which a bad-natured dog fancier will go to hurt another person.

Once again I recalled this old interview just recently when I experienced yet another run-in with the dark side. Though dissimilar in comparison, nevertheless it was another character strike. A foreign breeder judge had posted a statement on Facebook regarding a well-received, three-part article I wrote which was published in The Canine Chronicle magazine while I was a regular, monthly contributor. This 2012 piece, "Hounds, Toplines & Underlines" has been circulating on the Internet, in particular among the sighthound breeds. In a very public, worldwide declaration, this active dog show judge stated,

"I sometimes read articles like this and wish the authors had bred sufficiently wonderful hounds themselves for me to be able to resonate -- without remembering back to certain judging assignments."

This was followed-up by praise from at least one Facebook friend via the "grin emoticon." Emoticons are communication icons in the faceless Facebook social community which itself is a remote and impersonal environment that often cultivates shamelessness, as many people do not have the courage of their convictions in a one-on-one confrontation.

Oh, the dark side has reared its hideous head, again. Notably absent were any valid disagreements on canine anatomy or debates on toplines and underlines. Fueled by aggression and resentment, the only avenue left for this passive aggressor was to impugn my breeding program and my abilities as a breeder. While it is the aggressor's prerogative not to like my bloodlines, as an international dog show judge, they have no exemption to forever conducting themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. How disgracefully conceited and foolish they, as a judge, must be to make outstandingly bad, public commentary about an active breeder, owner/handler, journalist, and fellow dog show judge? By her volition, and in writing no less, she announced her opinion of a contemporary's breeding program and by doing so, any semblance of neutrality went out the window, especially if she were assigned to judge the breed again.  

Unaware of or indifferent to questions of right or wrong, during a past American specialty assignment, this same judge awarded Winners to a dog who she previously co-owned, having removed her name from co-ownership prior to the specialty show. Of course, the cloud of impropriety was so dense and unmistakable that the American Kennel Club administratively disallowed the award.

Yes, people behave deplorably in just about any social association or community. It certainly is not exclusive to purebred dog sports. One only has to take a look at the political arena to learn about the dark side. It is also true that various dog breeds attract different types of people. So, it is likely that there are varied levels of quality of character amongst fanciers in other dog breeds.

Thankfully, on the flip side, I have had the opportunity to make many delightful acquaintances in many breeds of our sport over these decades. These are fanciers, though dedicated to their passion, who have maintained healthy, stable perspectives in their lives. For us sane people who find ourselves as targets, we shake our heads and take deep breaths to ground ourselves as the disbelief is often overpowering -- and often, we are forced to deliver a proportional response to the attack. Still, some fanciers seemingly do not have a grip on reality and to a degree, I pity them. They are so wrapped up in the sport of dogs rather, their compulsion is so enormous, that they no longer think rationally. Rather, for some it is hard to separate reality from passion as their level of consumption is at the least, decidedly unhealthy, and ominous on the extreme. I think it is sad how many people have lost themselves, so obsessed that they live, eat, and breathe dogs.

For those interested, I included the links to the three-part article below.

Hounds, Toplines & Underlines, Part One

Hounds, Toplines & Underlines, Part Two

Hounds, Toplines & Underlines, The Conclusion

Type or Soundness, Which Do You Choose?

A long time ago, in what seemed to be a different world from that of today's purebred dog conformation sport, conversations used to take place regarding type and soundness. Back then, we read magazine interviews with well-known judges and one paraphrased question often put to them was "Which would you choose, type or soundness?" As was usually the case, many all-breed judges replied, "You cannot have one without the other."

In these earlier times, there was some fluidity of type in a sundry, but not many, of the breeds. As we fast forward to today, this archetypal question should be reexamined. In general, many dogs have experienced vital losses in "characteristic qualities that distinguish their breed" (The Complete Dog Book) and particularly, the sport now comprises an unusual audience with the majority of participants having varying skill-sets.

Unfortunately, countless hobbyists are unschooled and therefore, define soundness in miscellaneous ways. They do not understand the science behind the function of the parts as do educated breeders long familiar with the academics of soundness. The concept, state or being sound is fittingly described by Edward Gilbert & Thelma Brown as "Soundness is fitness to function" in their famous book K-9 Structure & Terminology. They expand on the definition of soundness by adding that it is a dog who is fit to perform whatever function it is designed to carry out, and that unsoundness can be due to poor conformation, lack of coordination or condition.

An antithesis to this dictum, "soundness is fitness to function" would be, for example, a wolfhound specimen who, in the judges opinion, has a typical outline and gaits cleanly, coming and going. However, the dog has 'stuck-on' forequarters. This is a structural condition of inadequate shoulder angulation with the legs forwardly placed on the skeleton accompanied by a flat, or shallow prosternum indicating there is insufficient muscling. Thus, this dog is both unsound and atypical; he lacks breed type and the qualities essential to the breed standard.

The reasons are that a wolfhound’s chest is part of the dog's mass developed for impact and is a tool for wounding fierce game. Above all, a properly developed chest is necessary to prevent injury to the frontal portion of the dog's skeletal structure. When the wolfhound hunts and launches itself on the prey (typically on the backside of the neck) a lack of fill and forechest, along with incorrect forequarters (set too far forward), can maim the wolfhound as it hits the prey. If the impact is too jarring the Wolfhound may suffer disorientation, depending on the game, this may provide an opportunity for the hunted to turn on the hunter. This is an affirmed doctrine applicable to Sighthounds that hunt large game and is as old as time. It is a familiar requirement to the ancient Afghan Hound breed as well as the Northern Scenthound breed, the Norwegian Elkhound, that requires ‘fill’ to protect the dog from the harmful impact of hooves.

In former decades, unsound or bad forequarters had always been a leading issue throughout the breeds, but today this is not the case. Now, there are even more 'bad front ends', but interestingly the magnitude of so many has seemed to lessen their objectionability while increasing their permissibility. Go ahead and stand outside a conformation show ring and behold the number of poorly structured exhibits. Presently, many hobbyists wrongly conclude that the term 'soundness' only pertains to the gait action while coming and going; single or double tracking towards the observer, driving off while going away and the absence of lameness. Any variations while traveling, such as moving wide, padding, weaving in the front, and narrow or hockiness in the rear are faulty. Remarkably, to many a fancier, the term 'soundness' is subjective with many believing that a dog is sound as long as it moves cleanly. In reality, the true definition of soundness, as applied to canines, has been hijacked or in a sense has devolved.

Just a small percentage of exhibitors and judges understand that soundness relates to the whole construction of the dog, meaning correctly constructed forequarters and hindquarters. Faulty or otherwise unsound examples would be steep shoulders, stuck-on forequarters, straight upper arms, over-angulation of the stifle and or length of the tibia, steep or flat croups, etcetera.

However, we are faced with yet another dilemma: the era of generic show dogs. I am fond of challenging people to take photographs of selected breeds, then crop out the heads and show them to hobbyists. I believe numerous people would be unable to identify the breeds because a large number of dogs have become plain, they lack type. Just plain ole' vanilla. Breed type is a principal component in judging. Phenotype and the quintessence of a breed are what characterizes a dog from not just an average specimen, but from other breeds as well. Breeding programs and dogs who are lacking type, in my opinion, is a sobering misdeed. Judging and awarding those deficient in type is as well since judges can cause great harm to a breed.  Adjudicating is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly as losing breed essence is not trivial. Moreover, it can be very hard to recover.

By and large, all-breed dog show judges will fault a dog for less than ideal 'down and back' movement. To illustrate, Dog A embodies breed essence, therefore, is 'typey' but may move slightly wider while traveling towards a judge. Shamefully, this dog most probably will be undervalued as compared to Dog B, which is ordinary or not distinctive in appearance, yet single tracks cleanly. Or, if Dog A moved somewhat close behind as compared to Dog B whose hocks were parallel. In my year's of observation, there is a significantly greater tendency for all-breed judges to award generic Dog B over 'typey' Dog A.

This is why, in my opinion, the original question needs to be reexamined. If we are forced to identify with the limited and widespread interpretation of soundness today, then let it be said that even a mixed breed dog can move soundly. It is important to mention that I do not refer to, include nor forgive locomotive faults and failings such as sickle-hocked, padding, and hackney action, to name just a few. These are the obvious effects of unsound engineering.

Specialty breed judges are often guilty of the same type of adjudication as many all-breed judges. It is referred to as 'fault judging' as both sets of judges cannot see the forest for the trees. Often, we see these judges 'paint themselves into a corner,' having limited their choices to such an extent that they ended up with an apparent mishmash of specimens. Consequently, they have done a disservice to the breed. For instance, one time a specialty breed judge informed me that my bitch had "beautiful type, and was a gorgeous mover" but commented that she was moving slightly close behind and excused her from further competition. A situation like this is disheartening when a judge recognizes distinguishing characteristics that embody the breed's structure, gait, and shape but is unconcerned with awarding them.  

I wholly subscribe to the dictum 'soundness is fitness to function.' Nevertheless, I also believe that mediocrity is not a goal nor is ordinariness the level of the bar that determines success. Despite what is happening regularly at our dog show competitions.

I agree with Samuel Evans Ewing III, when in 1978, he stated the following:
“…if I had to choose between the two. I would go first to type and then to soundness. I think the soundness is determined somewhat by the type of the animal and its purpose in life.”

The Front End

Lately, having returned from a specialty breed show, as well as an all-breed dog show, I am now, more than ever, flummoxed with the quality of purebred dogs. I will add more conversations and thoughts on several other topics, but this post is concerning the forequarter assembly. I am speechless about the condition of front ends on dogs.

I ask myself over and over again, the same questions. Do breeders not understand what comprises a correct, faultless, forequarter detailed for their breed? Do breeders not care about a front assembly? What's more, the judges themselves, ignore or are unable to recognize an unsound, faulty, just-plain-wrong, front end! For longtime fanciers who read this, they will recall the comprehensive conversations among hobbyists and judges, in all-breeds, which took place a decade and more past about forequarters. It was an ongoing hot topic issue. Magazines abounded with articles on the defective, bad front assemblies of purebred dogs at our conformation shows. You could not get away from it. Whenever you joined a conversation at a dog show, inevitably, the conversation turned to bad fronts. Still, here we are today with the same old issue. But, I believe it is even more pervasive now than 10-20 years ago.

I just don't get how a major anatomical abnormality has been neglected, disregarded and overlooked, to such an extent that, it has been deemed acceptable and has frequently been rewarded? Have we rewritten all the science books and literature on canine anatomy and I missed all the book signing events? Why didn't anyone tell me!?

Here I include an edited article I wrote several years ago that was published in the Canine Chronicle magazine, titled, "The Front End." It is not just a tedious discussion on shoulder layback or stuck-on fronts but rather; it talks about the outcomes of 'breeders' lacking anatomy education or concerns who are producing litters of puppies which they place into companion homes. A poorly informed, undiscerning breeder affects new pet owner’s lives. A breeder may be cultivating a bloodline of dogs that are structurally unsound and incorrect, or that have congenital defects such as poor muscle development. Due in large part to their lack of schooling, in some a willful lack of concern, the breeder is unaware of their dog's engineering problems, and the importance of the musculoskeletal system which affects, by way of perpetuation in their breeding programs, future quality of life. Incorrect angulation and poor assembly cause additional stress to tendons predisposing dogs to increased injuries to their bones, joints, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and feet. Inferior muscling or unbalanced muscling increases susceptibility to injury as well.

The repercussions, in almost all cases, are that the defects cause pain making it necessary for pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications over the course of a dog’s lifespan as they age and break down, due to poor conformation. I can only hope that my article makes a difference somehow and with someone.

The Front End

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Looking Back

While researching material on my computer for a friend of mine I rediscovered this intriguing and somewhat humorous article I wrote in 2005, at the request of the Irish Wolfhound Club of England for their annual magazine. Wow, it brought me back in time. It is entertaining (in a dark way) in several parts as it describes trials & tribulations of dog show travel. It also provides insights into our breed. Revelations on the transformation our cherished breed has undergone during these past decades population bout. Physical alterations or transfigurations of the wolfhound that are, most definitely, not for the better. And they remain prominent today, 11 years later. I thought I'd share this article. You'll have to forgive the weak writing style, but I thought the sincerity of the original article was refreshing. Though I had to edit here and there for some clarity, it is almost in its original state. Again, the article was based in 2005, and I composed it just after New Years Day.

I first would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. In my previous role as Editor of the Irish Wolfhound Club of America’s Harp & Hound magazine, I had solicited articles on the overall state of the Irish Wolfhound breed. In turn, I am now writing for you, and I hope this is not too lengthy, but I wanted to share my experiences.

We just wound down from a busy summer and fall regional specialty season on the East Coast of the United States. The specialty show season began with the Irish Wolfhound Association of New England (IWANE) held at the end of July followed by the Irish Wolfhound Association of the Delaware Valley (IWADV) show in autumn. We finished out the year with the newest regional specialty show, the Irish Wolfhound Association of the Garden State (IWAGS). This year, I attended all three shows as I drove from my home in the mountains of Lake Placid, New York. Each specialty's round-trip driving times were anywhere from 10 to 15 hours plus, with two of these specialties only two weeks apart. I can honestly say I was tired and after one show; I was lucky to be alive! That story will come further down.

The U.S. is so large many of us are only able to see one another at regional specialty shows. It is great fun to see old acquaintances as we swap stories and experiences shared over cocktails or dinner. Many of us not had not seen each other for years, however; we settle back in as if it were only yesterday that we spoke. Here, I share my perspective on the hound's overall depth of quality at these three regional specialties, but first, let me narrate on some entertaining misadventures.

The IWANE show was held in Rhode Island July 31-August 1, 2005, and was again a tremendous success for the oldest IW club in the U.S.. Founded in 1934; IWANE held its Seventy-First Specialty with temperate weather and an entry of 163 dogs. Presiding over the show was Mrs. Jean Malley and Sweepstakes with Mrs. Jackie Carswell. The ladies (and Dave Malley) appeared to enjoy themselves especially after the show had ended with some fun dinner parties. If I may make a suggestion to those of you who may be asked to judge future IWANE shows; it falls within some of the warmest days of the season, so a great summer hat is indispensable to keep the hot summer sun off your head and it protects your eyes from the glare. The judge’s comfort is essential when going over many hounds in a two-day period and Jean bravely endured the sun. There may be readers who will state that a hat might scare young dogs or even adult hounds. However, one cannot use such an excuse to justify a skittish or shy hound. These hounds must have character, steadfastness and confidence, and a hat just does not qualify as a dangerous or frightening experience.

A point of note, this show was the opening saga of my misfortunes over the three-month regional specialty tour. We begin with our brand new, pricey tent weighing in at 71 pounds that my husband and I erected ringside. This tent had removable side panels, an awning for sun protection and roller shade for the hounds. On the second day, a strong wind gust came along out of nowhere (it was the only gust of wind that struck over the duration of the show) and blew our tent up off the ground and over my two 8-month-old puppies sleeping beneath it landing partially in the show ring. It turns out that my husband forgot to stake the tent down! It took almost six people to catch and wrestle the tent preventing it from blowing further, thus preventing a complete disaster as there were numerous other tents positioned within reach that contained wolfhounds. Thankfully, at that moment, there were no dogs in the ring when this occurred. As a result, our expensive tent was damaged beyond repair. In conjunction with the lack of shade now, there was a communication error concerning my check-out departure date from the show's headquarters hotel. The front desk mistakenly had me leaving one-day early resulting in a very stressful afternoon spent by my husband and the show chairman running around trying to persuade the fully booked hotel to allow me to stay. Remarkably, just before I was supposed to have vacated my room did the word finally come that they had a cancellation, and I could remain in my room for another day.

Moving on to the next specialty. The Delaware Valley Specialty show celebrated their 25th anniversary and was held October 9-10, 2005. Presiding over the show were Mr. Per Lundstrom and Sweepstakes with Ms. Jose Cornelisse with 237 dogs entered. Geographically, the Delaware Show is a more centrally located show in the US and, therefore, more accessible for exhibitors. Hence, the entries are larger than other regional specialties. My journey began with torrential rain showers and slick driving conditions and continued long after arrival at the show's headquarters hotel. It also rained during the show!

Oh boy, my specialty mishaps grew. This time, I was traveling alone without the help of my husband and due to the driving rain storms my trip took approximately nine hours, and I nearly turned back. After arriving, I had to exercise the hounds in the driving rain and despite my rain gear, I was soaked to the bone. In addition to my discomfort and travel ordeals, there were not enough ground floor rooms in the hotel for the exhibitors. So, my room was on the 2nd floor accessible only by an elevator with one glass wall. I had the difficulty of hauling up (in elevators) exercise pens, blankets and suitcases by myself and astonishingly, the hotel had only one luggage cart, and it was not available. With me were four, well-behaved wolfhounds ages eight years, a 6-month old and two 11-months of age. So that I could exit the hotel to exercise the hounds, I had to walk down a long corridor that led to the bank of elevators which seemed to take forever to arrive. While waiting for the elevators, I hopelessly tried to convince the three puppies not to relieve themselves on the carpet after a long night's sleep as they wound their leashes around my legs. Did I mention that none of my hounds had ever seen an elevator, let alone one with a glass wall? Once we made it down, we still had to rush down a long hallway to reach the exterior hotel doors and make a break for it through the cascading rain. It certainly is not pleasant staying in a hotel room with four, wet wolfhounds. Notwithstanding my personal calamities, the specialty judges seemed to enjoy themselves, and both were very courteous and friendly.

Finally, onto the last regional show of the year, IWAGS. This new club was holding its second Specialty Show on October 30-31st, 2005. Presiding over the judging was Mrs. Jenny Dove and Sweepstakes with the indomitable Lois Thomasson and an entry of 176 dogs. It was a fine show in a lovely location, and it appears that this specialty will enjoy a prosperous future. This particular specialty show stands out by offering Veteran dog classes by age classification as well as a Veteran Sweepstakes. The classes are defined as Bronze Class six years and under eight years; Silver Class is eight years up to nine years and finally, Gold Class nine years and over. Additionally, this specialty provides a non-regular Field Trial class (same status as the Veterans class) with the winner competing for Best of Breed as do the Veteran Class winners. For the experienced breeder, observing the veterans is necessary. The veterans are integral in how we plan our future breedings; they directly affect our success. They show the way as well as show us where we’ve been. To illustrate, I have observed veteran hounds that move with considerable difficulty moving at many specialty shows. How are we to improve the longevity and overall quality of the hounds without proper concentration on the breed’s current veterans who are the dams and sires of many hounds exhibited today? This show at the very least is making a determined effort to celebrate our veteran hounds.

As for my ongoing mishaps saga, it began with the first leg of my trip and continued downhill from there. Driving down, I noted that my 15-passenger, one-ton van's brakes seemed to be grinding. I arrived one day in advance of the show and brought the van in for a brake inspection. The verdict was that not only the front brake pads but also the brake rotors required repair. I replaced the brakes and was off to the show honestly believing that I averted any automotive tragedies. We enjoyed the show, despite an incident where my veteran bitch appeared to have a vehement disagreement with my yearling bitch, who was beginning estrus, nearly giving 20 of us heart attacks thinking that the young bitch was mortally wounded. Of course, nothing of the kind happened nor were there any wounds as apparently the Veteran female felt it necessary to put the young lassie in her place and it was all fury and no bite.

Ahh, the return trip home. Here begins the next leg of my adventure. Sincerely, this event was one of my most frightening, ever, and one I will never forget. On approach to a set of toll booths on a busy Interstate highway, I discovered that I had lost all my brakes. These were the same brakes that I replaced several days earlier. Fortunately, I was in the right-hand lane, and moreover, there was no car in front of me, so I was able to cruise through the toll booth without crashing as the van slowed to a stop after some distance. After waiting about two hours for a tow truck, I was brought to a nearby car dealership. This time, the verdict was that the brake lines were entirely corroded, and had to be replaced. Here I was, by myself, with four Wolfhounds, broken down many hours away from home with one female who was in the beginning of her season, and I had a young, immature male with me. Looking back, it seems comical now but in real time, it was anything but funny.

While the van was up on an elevator lift, I was in the parking lot with four wolfhounds. I heroically and desperately tried to hold the 12-month inexperienced male away from the young bitch in anestrus. Meanwhile, my other two wolfhounds circled my legs and attempted to pull my arms out of their sockets by going in different directions. Amazingly, during this time people walked up to me somehow oblivious to both my dilemma and my exasperation asking me the usual. “How much do they eat?” “What kind of dogs are they?” “You must have a big house!” “Put a saddle on it!” “Can I ride it?”

Yet, the most bizarre comment was still to come when a man shouted across the parking lot, “I’ll give you two-thousand dollars for the big one!” Needless to say, this was the last straw for me. I implored of several car salesmen, who magically appeared, to hold the three bitches while I marched into the service building and had the van lowered off the service lift. I put the young, 12-month old male back into the van and swoop, up he and the van went while I and the three bitches waited for nearly five hours as the vehicle was repaired. During this time, I received frequent updates from the servicemen as they were quite amused because my young male was frequently howling while he was in the van, up on a lift about eight feet in the air.  

To conclude this part of my saga, my van is now supposedly repaired, and I am told, finally, that the vehicle was ready. I loaded up my dogs and away we went, shaken but thankful we were not injured or possibly killed. Now it is dark out, and I had another 4 to 5-hour drive, including the Adirondack mountain roads, ahead of me. About one hour from home, at 11:00 p.m. in 20 degrees Fahrenheit weather, in the mountains with no cellular service and no nearby towns, I approached the highway exit ramp and quickly learned my brakes were, again, entirely gone! Now, I am in an especially bad area for this to happen. Many Wolfhound exhibitors may remember, as they attended the 1997 and 1998 Irish Wolfhound Club of America’s National Specialty in Lake Placid, that the roadway that lay ahead was carved through the mountain passes and could be unnerving, especially at night, as the first 10 miles has steep drops next to ravines. I persevered and white-knuckled the journey home, though very slowly in third gear at about 20 miles an hour. Without any doubt, this specialty show season was one for the record books, and that is how I finished up my 2005 summer and fall regional specialties.

I now will remark on our breed and its condition, but I first want to make a point. The United States or for that matter North America is an enormous continent. In it resides many, many wolfhounds and so with this vast size should come great possibilities. We, breeders, should be seeking the most exceptional quality in the least amount of breedings, as less equals more. Ordinarily, quality over quantity reigns but, in wolfhound breeding, unhappily, this is no longer the case, and now more is better. To offset this trend, careful planning and research in health, genetics and fundamental physical breed characteristics along with valuable mentor and peer knowledge can have positive results. The upshot being fewer litters with more quality hounds.

Henceforth, I shall comment and speak in generalities regarding the overall depth of quality of the Irish Wolfhound breed. My intent is simply to give the reader some perspective as to what I have observed, and I am not singling out any specific kennel or dog, nor am I saying there are a lack of positive qualities. To begin, much-needed attention should be paid to insufficient rear drive. Even though poor handling can affect a dog’s movement; an experienced observer can still assess locomotion. In conjunction with poor rear drive, there is a lack of reach in far too many of the hounds. I also observed both improper, flat toplines both in profile and the hounds losing their shape on the move. Type and silhouette without exaggeration are paramount to our breed. We see far too few hounds today having the correct type and shape of a rough-coated, Greyhound-like breed and also what’s called for in our standard "with great height at the shoulder” indicating proper leg length.

That is not to say we should disregard a smaller bitch that meets the breed standard of 30 inches or a powerful 32-inch dog that stands well over his ground if they have the increased ratio of leg length of a galloping sighthound with the requisite Greyhound-like shape. Would we as breeders and exhibitors condone or accept short-legged greyhounds? I have noted that along with the shorter leg length is exaggeration and overangulation. Hounds that are overdone. Several years back, while editor of the IWCA Harp & Hound magazine, I had set forth this very topic of discussion to my overseas correspondents. These included Jean Malley, Tim Finney and Francis McEvoy. It was an engaging dialogue that I found to be most interesting and constructive. Some breeders will disagree with me on this point, however; it is my belief that such overangulation can be obstructive, rather fashionable and coupled with short legs, it is incorrect. Moreover, I have observed overangulated hounds that “breakdown” as they age and who have difficulty gaiting, or in more severe cases, they developed significant instability or even paralysis. On a much more positive note: I will say that I was pleasantly surprised that I saw a very few shy hounds at the shows.

Shock Absorbers

That is right, our dogs have shock absorbers just like vehicles and without these, the dog is in for a very bumpy ride. So where are these awesome parts on our dogs? I speak of the pasterns, of course.

All dogs have two sets of pasterns. Those familiar with anatomy may believe there are only the front pasterns, technically metacarpals, however, they would be mistaken. The rear pasterns a.k.a., the calcaneal process is the point of hock downward to the tarsal bones of the foot.

Briefly, the pasterns are the dogs’ shock absorbers for the body. Bear in mind that the forequarters are responsible for supporting more than half of the dog’s weight. Simply, no matter the gait, the heel of the dog’s lead foot will hit the ground first. This heel must consume the shock of impact. For these reasons, dogs’ feet have padded heels for softening impacts, these being the communal and digital pads. They also have a series of tendons and leverages in the feet and lower legs for pushing off. The latter is key in the rear pasterns, a.k.a. hocks.

So, why such a big deal over pasterns? The analogy of a vehicle is a good one to make because shock absorbers perform by offering resistance to movement. In other words, as the car drives over bumps, the shock absorbers compress as they absorb the forces and energy pressing down on them from the up and down movement taking place above. So it is the same with our dogs.

The metacarpal pasterns are energy absorbing mechanisms, and the rear pasterns or hocks are propellers. To propel, the muscles of the lower leg (below the stifle) connect to the tendons of the calcaneal process which in turn, when drawn, snap the rear pastern, foot, and digits, mobilizing the hindquarters. This is one aspect of the launching stage of the dog’s trunk and weight in a forward motion. The length of the calcaneal process will directly affect the function of the dog. A long calcaneal process is usually related to fast action, quick bursts of speed and is called ‘high in the hock.’ A shorter calcaneal process is typical of staying power for a dog who is not inclined to sprint, who has stamina. This is referred to as a low hock, or often described as ‘well let down in the hock.’ The functional difference is that a high hock, conducive to speed, produces and expends lots of energy while theoretically, a lower hock or shorter calcaneal process does not.

However, the devil is in the details as to the form of both sets of pasterns, and their form can make or break a working dog. When I use the term ‘working’, understand it is not exclusive to describing one of AKC’s Group classifications. The term references any dog that hunts, pulls, herds, retrieves, flushes and so forth.

The form of the pasterns is important because we have a variety of breeds and blueprints that require varying degrees of pastern shape. A galloping sighthound, such as the wolfhound, is to have well let down hocks with moderate length and slope of the front pastern. The length of the front metacarpal is important because if too long, the front feet flip up to avoid tripping. Compare this to the German Shepherd who has longer and more angled pasterns. Observing the footfall of the shepherd’s front feet depicts them nearly landing on the flattened pastern. The Shepherd’s ideal metacarpal is long, springy with a 25-degree angle from the vertical. The spring emanates from the length of the strong pastern because if it were short, the pastern would be stiff. An improperly formed pastern can affect this trotting dog’s considerable outreach as it is a part of his gait’s transmission. Typically, the longer the pastern, the longer the shape of the front foot. As an example, in a flying trot, you do not want to land on small, terrier feet.

On the other hand, the formation of a scent hound’s pastern, such as the beagle, is short and straight. This form aids the miniature foxhound while he casts for scent, back and forth with his nose forever to the ground. The American Foxhound has only very slightly, sloping metacarpals and if he were to have a pastern similar to the shepherd, he would be described as ‘down in the pastern.’ A serious fault for this breed’s architecture.

If you do not have good shock absorbers, the dogs will most likely be bouncing, up and down. This movement is typically faulty. Be careful not to misconstrue bouncing with springy which is elastic movement, resilient, limber with milliseconds of floating. This perceived floating is partly due to the pastern’s springing back. They rebound under the forces from above as they absorb the energy and then release it.

So, Mother Nature’s created the metacarpals and calcaneal processes for ‘damping’ movement. Resistance takes away energy and where there is energy, there is heat. I look forward to discussing energy, its release and how this translates to our dogs in another article.

This article first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website, Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=48199

Stern Warning!

The stern or tail is not inconsequential. If that were the case, Mother Nature certainly made an engineering error in nearly every warm-blooded mammal and in most of her cold-blooded, footed creatures. From the lowest lizard to the otters, nearly all have tails.

It is human nature to meddle or interfere with the natural order illustrated by the number of various dog breeds. Today’s AKC recognized breeds have approximately 47 tail types which is predictable because humans have a habit of making things complicated. The ultimate irony though is that our forebears already modified Mother Nature’s work and put pen to paper to dictate the breeds’ ideal physical traits and characteristics, yet we frequently see today’s fanciers ignoring these demands. In many cases, today’s breeders are changing the rules again with a casual disregard for the tail, as if the stern had no purpose. If that were the case, then why did nature initially design it?

In nature, the stern serves a myriad of purposes and our dogs are not exempted. Tails communicate, provide equilibrium and stability, and even serve as tools. For example, suitable for their place of origin, a number of our Northern Spitz breeds use the tail to protect and warm their face when curled in a ball. The tail on whippets or greyhounds is used as a counter balance at high speeds in tight turns, as both breeds natural quarry was hare which does not flee in straight lines. Further, the stern is highly valued in our scenthounds for locating in the brush but also communicates or is a beacon to the Master of Hounds. Apart from the designated versatile hunters, gun dogs’ tails such as the retriever class, is not docked and is often used as a rudder in rough waters. Breeds vital to fishermen, such as the Flat-Coated Retriever or Chesapeake Bay Retriever, have tails that are important appendages. The Chesapeake tail has a necessary, strong insertion or set-on. It should be fairly heavy at this base as he worked in icy, rough ocean waters launching himself off boats, which requires a strong, powerful stern. A dog without such or even docked may not fare well. Hence, one of the reasons why it is unacceptable for a Chesapeake to have a curled tail. Contemplate the Newfoundland’s function as a utilitarian dog, but excels in water and must have a broad and strong tail insertion with no kinks in the vertebrae.  

Moving beyond tail function is the form of tails, that which is frequently modified or overlooked by neophytes and breeders. The tail is the final portion of the spine and is composed of coccygeal vertebrae, in which the tail root attaches to the sacral region of the croup. This set-on varies with breed blueprints. A dog whose tail is low-set is typical of a gently rounded croup such as the Bearded Collie. Conversely, an Australian Terrier’s tail is set on high and whose sacral vertebrae, or croup is seemingly a firm, level line from the withers to the set-on.

We see dogs who are supposed to have a low tail set, yet have an unattractive, gay tail. This is not an insignificant adaptation to a breed blueprint and the fault lies in the slope of the pelvic girdle. Imagine using a negative angle (an angle that goes clockwise) to measure the slope of the iliac wing and ischial tuberosity, which the amount of turn on the angle is too slight. It may measure a negative 15 degrees instead of a desired 30 degrees. As such the tail root is too high, inducing tail carriage above the horizontal line of the back and is not only unattractive but is an engineering defect. A common cause is a faulty, shorter pelvis, along with the flatter pelvic slope creating a ‘chopped off behind’ appearance. The latter being the ischial tuberosity and upper thigh muscles do not extend beyond the set-on of the tail, the dog lacks a ‘shelf.’ This all has consequences in gait and power.

I will continue the discussion and merits of the tail to the hindquarters in an upcoming segment. For now, hopefully, you understand and appreciate the tail’s importance as breeders should pay heed to this stern warning.

This article first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=36592

Posterior Judgement

Fanciers and Judges make a great to-do over the dog’s hindquarters but can they recognize a sound, strong pelvic girdle, and pelvic limb construction? Although breed blueprints revolve around specialization demanding differing angles to include descriptive terms, such as sweep of stifle or great length from hip to hock, unimpaired hindquarters construction is the same, no matter the breed.

First, we start with the basic technicalities to differentiate the thoracic from the pelvic limbs. The pelvic limbs are fused and joined to the vertebral column, whereas the thoracic limbs are connected by muscle and ligaments, that is to say not bone to bone. The pelvic limbs are heavily muscled, longer and more angular than the thoracic limbs as they are responsible for propulsion. Pelvic limb movements surge or throw body weight forward, and the thoracic limbs catch and support this weight no matter what the stride and gait. Please note that stride and gait are not the same but more on this in another essay. One more fundamental is that the arrangement of the pelvis girdle and rump muscles enables the simultaneous extension of the hip, stifle, and hock. I will delve into regional musculature in another series.

Moving on, the strength of the pelvic girdle and limbs, length, and angularity of its bones and quality of muscling, in almost all cases, ultimately determines successful running speed. Because the dog species are carnivores, Mother Nature constructed him for running. Unmistakably, humans have intervened in evolution creating significant variations in the species and their functions. Some breeds have substantially limited running abilities, i.e., today’s Bulldog, Pekingese. Despite this, even the Bulldog’s hind end should be strong and muscular.

Many fanciers have taken a great liberty, far too much, redesigning the hindlimbs. Frequently we see improperly angled croups, plus over and under angulated hindquarters. Evaluating ‘hindquarter angulation’ involves two methods, yet often fanciers confuse the two or sometimes do not consider the other. The first is determining the angle of the pelvis from the horizontal called the pelvic slope. To determine pelvic slope we estimate a straight line from the forward part or crest of the ilium, to and through the ischial tuberosity. This line intersects with the horizon, therefore, creating a determinable angle. The most significant point is that this slope of the pelvic girdle can directly affect the progression and ability of the hindquarters forward-drive and thrust, otherwise known as propulsion. A steeply angled pelvis usually will restrict back reach locomotion.

The second process of determining hindquarter angulation is estimating the stifle joint angle. This angle is created and defined by two lines of intersection. One line is running centerline through the femur that is articulating from the hip bone to the stifle (knee joint), and the other line runs centerline through the tibia bone which articulates with and is connected to both the stifle and the tarsal joint (hock). Notably, the tibia is one of the major weight-bearing bones in the hindquarters. This method is standard in ascertaining symmetry between the forequarter and hindquarter angulation establishing if a dog is balanced.

The average, desirable stifle joint angulation for functioning dogs is 90-110 degrees. Simplifying the term ‘overangulated’ is when the angles of the femur and or the tibia themselves are set too sloping. An angle created by the femur through the axis of the tibia that is narrow, or more closed, is less than 90 degrees and is over angulated. In contrast, open angles might be more than 110 degrees where such a straightened femur and tibia do not generate rear power and drive. Invariably, in numerous breeds we see an unequal length of bones in the hindlimbs where the tibia bone is both too long and steeply sloped. This faulty engineering and redesign draws out the distal (lower) tibia, tarsal joint and rear feet, placing them dramatically behind the ‘seat bones,’ thus, greatly weakening the rear assembly’s capacity, thrust, and strength.

I repeatedly emphasize that the angle of the pelvis is very influential. Since the pelvic angle affects the width of the stifle and first thigh, a faulty slope limits the area for muscle attachment, and the dog has narrow thigh muscles. This is because many important muscles and tendons originate, are housed and attached on the femur, one of the strongest and longest bones in the rear. Also, consider the width of the second thigh and the lack of resulting in the phrase, weak second thighs. Second thighs are located below the knee joint and should be broad on almost all dogs. Weak and narrow thigh muscles do not show promise of speed or power.

If the dog has a weak or poorly constructed posterior, the dog is handicapped. Many breeders are careless, often planning matings based on conformation show wins without much thought to the pesky details of anatomy. Some casually believe that trends, such as over angulated hindquarters, results in accumulating more ‘wins’ then so be it, if that is what they have to do to win. In these cases, I reasonably question their posterior judgment.

Here, I have included photos depicting ideal canine hindquarters for an Irish Wolfhound. This bitch's hindquarters exemplifies strength, power, all in moderation at different ages. Neither over or under angulated, her pelvic angle along with her 30-degree croup angle regulating her tail set, are all ideal. For larger images, please click on the photo to enlarge in a lightbox. I included the 'going-away' photo illustrating exemplary rear hindquarter construction with sound, strong hocks. In this photo, the student or fancier can draw an imaginary line beginning at the center of the communal pads of the feet, up through the metatarsus and its hock joint, towards the hip socket and further, up through the crest of the ilium or hip bone. Another is of Jane's perfect, yes perfect, side gait. Rarely seen in Irish Wolfhounds, Jane's side gait was flawless, notice her rear feet comportment drive as she glides effortlessly.

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This article in a previous version first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=38978

Fill & Station

Yes, pun intended, I mean filling station. My play on words is tailor-made for this discussion about dogs, particularly on their fill and station. Many hobbyists who are unfamiliar with the phrase ‘station’ are shaking their heads but then so is the notion of filling this station — filling what with what?

In ‘dog speak’ it may help to know the origination of many expressions and anatomy parts we use in describing dogs was appropriated from horsemen. The native language such as station, withers, forehand, fetlocks, pole, ‘standing over a lot of ground’ are just a common few. Suffice to know that we just did not make this stuff up but the terminology has been in use for centuries.

Let us begin with the station a dog must have before we discuss fill. A station is a description we apply to a dog’s depth of chest or specifically, the measurement of the distance from the top of withers to the elbow as compared to the length of the dog’s leg. The distance determines if a dog is of a low or high station. Rather, if this distance largely eclipses the length of leg, we consider the dog ‘of low station.' A length of leg that is decidedly longer than the distance from withers to elbow is ‘of high station.' Ideal examples ‘of high station’ are sighthounds such as the Ibizan Hound and Saluki. Both have an appreciable length of leg with a shorter distance from their withers to the elbow. The Ibizan is both lithe and racy with deer-like elegance, and the Saluki brings down Gazelle, the fastest of the antelope family. In fact, the galloping sighthounds are to have extraordinarily, long legs and will have, for the most part, longer ratios of leg length as compared to their station. As a result, in general, they are appropriately of high station.  

Low-station dogs such as the Basset, Dachshund and Dandie Dinmont — the latter being that he is uniquely low in the shoulder — are evident. However, one should also consider the Bull Terrier and the Pug as other fitting examples. Occasionally, a long-serving judge may comment that a dog has either excellent or poor station. To illustrate, if a judge faults a Rottweiler with a shelly appearance, then the judge has noted the dog is lacking the appropriate depth or also width of chest. The correct station for this working cart and drover breed should be 50 percent of the height of the dog. If the dog is too leggy or high in station, then he lacks the necessary chest depth and width measurements for the desired exercise and work tolerances.

One breed standard which refers to a decidedly filled chest or accentuated ‘spread’ is the Bulldog. Indeed, his spread is so valued and emphasized that when viewing the dog head-on, the rear legs are visible from the front. That is to say, if one were low enough to have an unobstructed view! At least, beginning in January 2014, the AKC announced that the Bulldog and Basset Hound judging will take place on the ramp in breed, group and best in show competitions so this may be of advantage to judges.

Function and performance demand quantity and quality fill in a dog’s station. Since fill is not just skeletal parts, particularly the prosternum and sternum (breastbone), but the muscling that protects the vital organs. The fill, more specifically the musculature collection which is both plentiful and very productive, surrounds the bow or keel. I speak of the serratus ventralis muscle, which is the sling and stabilizer of the thorax, the deltoids and brachial muscles, the descending and transverse pectorals, which advance the forelegs and draws the limbs in towards the axis or center line of the body, along with the deep pectoral muscle which stabilizes the forelegs. When a dog lacks the proper breed constitution, such as not being well-let-down in the chest — shallow — or he is narrow — lacking chest width and rib spring — the result is limited fill space. Often these faults also unmask concave or hollow chests, but all affect heart and lung capacity as well as gait. Pinched fronts are a definite fault as stated in the Giant or Miniature Schnauzer standards. As a result of this unique front, there is inadequate fill and a shallow brisket.

For the hunting breeds who dispatch game, poorly designed stations lacking fill put the hound at significant risk. Consider the Irish Wolfhound’s chest was also developed for impact and is part of the dog’s mass. It is another tool provided to injure the prey, but importantly, it is imperative to prevent injury to the wolfhound’s frontal portion of his skeletal structure. In this giant breed, a prominent but never excessive prosternum with a well-spread chest and quality fill operate as a shock absorber. All of this indubitably affects gait which is for another discussion on another day.

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This bitch, for me, exemplifies Fill & Station. Even here as a yearling, she exudes being of 'high station.' She has quantity and quality fill in her station, but also her musculature collection is both plentiful and very productive surrounding her bow or keel. The lack of these essentials is, unfortunately, evident in many of today's Irish Wolfhound specimens. An important criterion that I seek out when judging is the fill between the breastbone. I know from first-hand experience that this is sadly lacking in too many Irish Wolfhounds. Disguised by combing hair forward, too many judges are deceived by ingenious grooming, and these judges do not see nor uncover concave or hollow chests with their examinations.

This article was first published on the Canine Chronicle website found at:

Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=40327

Feet Don't Fail Me Now!

One cannot overstate the importance of the feet on our many breeds. I am discussing the shapes, phalanges, claws along with the digital and communal pads. A future essay will discuss the pasterns’ carpal and metacarpal bones.

Virtually all the Dog Group breeds were propagated for and should be functional. Although today many argue that nearly every one of the breeds no longer fulfill their purpose, the truth is that for basic soundness of even our companions and family dogs, the feet factor into sustaining their quality of life. Similar to a person whose feet have fallen arches, plantar fasciitis or muscle strains that cause constant discomfort and pain.

There are three standard shapes of canine feet. The round (cat-compact) foot has well-arched, tightly bunched or close-cupped toes with the center toes just marginally longer than the outside and inner toes. The oval (spoon-shaped) foot, is similar to the round, except the center toes are slightly longer than described in the round foot, which leaves an oval shaped impression. The hare (rabbit) foot has noticeably longer center toes, all of which are less arched and appears almost elongated. There are then a number of variations on these basic shapes.

Here some may ask what’s the big deal -- why do breed authorities and genuinely knowledgable judges complain about feet on our dogs? The foot is foundational. To illustrate, the Alaskan Malamute breed standard demands a snowshoe foot, which is a specialized variation of the oval foot being well-knit, well-arched, but with strong webbing between the toes. If a Malamute has splayed feet, he is going nowhere fast in his place of origin. Splayed feet are flawed, with toes spread far apart and can occur in any shape of the foot. This may be tolerable in a warmer climate, but in time may prove painful as the Malamute’s weight bears down on the defective foot having spread, far apart toes, typically accompanied by thin, flat pads offering inadequate support.  

Consider the various gundog foot shapes, such as the Irish Water Spaniel whose benchmark calls for a large, round, somewhat spreading foot, but never splayed. This separation of toes aids the dog in his primary function, which the breed blueprint clearly defines for working in all types of shooting and who is particularly suited to waterfowling in difficult, marshy terrain. His feet are to have pronounced webbing for propelling him through rough waters, mudflats and tidal marshes with ease. Liken this foot to our using webbed flippers in the water. The greater webbed area propels and the stronger we swim forward. Providing that this dog has the obligatory, moderately spread toes and very strong webbing creating a resourceful surface area, he can navigate through mudflats with ease. An Irish Water Spaniel with short, stubby, well-knitted toes is like poking a stick into the mud.

What of the hunting hounds? Pack scenthound and sighthound feet are highly rated. Consider the American Foxhound, whose feet are of tremendous importance rating 15 points on a scale of 20. His are shaped like a fox foot, which is a variation neither hare nor a cat foot, and is known as semi-hare. This shape levels the playing field so the foxhound hunts with the same shaped digits as his quarry to match speed. He has well-arched toes, close and compact, with thick, tough, pads indurated by use. If you are running a foxhound with a paper or splayed foot, the hound will be useless in the hunt as he will quickly break down.

Lastly, we discuss digital pads and the communal pad. Pads provide protection in the simplest form. They are our shoes. The dog or hound will hurt if he has thin, poorly cushioned toe pads. Experiment by walking barefoot for a long period on various surfaces. Some breeds pride themselves on the size and padding of the feet, e.g., Afghan Hounds. They are to have ridiculously large front feet with harmonious, large, thick pads. As an Afghan Hound judge, I confirm the pads of the front feet because the Afghan Hound hunts in both hot, open, hard packed and steep, craggy terrain. If his pads were small and thin, with a weak fibrous tissue then the hound will break down. In his country of origin, breaking down means the hound most likely will die because speed and hunting skills along with proliferating these traits are necessary for his ongoing value to the tribes.

Keep all these factors in mind when you evaluate your litters because feet are mostly unforgivable. 

This article first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website: Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=35454

Head Cases

Depending on the breed, one of the most interesting features is their headpiece. Headpieces glorify the breed by way of expression and shape. The expression is achieved by appearance, rather a dog’s look, set, shape and color of their eyes, set-on of the ear, the planes of the backskull and muzzle or foreface.  

So many details go into sculpting a marvelous head. Many breeds are considered ‘head breeds’ insofar as the head is synonymous with the breed’s essence. The headpiece instantly identifies the breed, and fanciers place enormous emphasis on this. Frankly, a glorious headpiece can sway many a judge’s opinions viewing it as the pièce de résistance.  

What makes a great head case is the handiwork of several essential elements. First is the formation and length of the bones of the skull. Often fanciers mistakenly refer to the skull as the top of the head encasing the brain. In truth, the skull is the composition of ALL the bony components of a dog’s head, including the upper and lower jaws. In lay terms, there are three scientific classifications for all breeds' skulls derived from the base width and skull length. Their names are not easily pronounced nor relevant for discussion save for one, but their overall shapes are fundamental. The first is a narrow skull base with great length, i.e., Borzoi. Next, the medium base width and proportions of length, i.e., the majority of breeds. The third is most commonly known because of its exaggerations — the brachycephalic skull — which has a broad base and short skull length, i.e., Bulldog.

From here, all due to selective breeding, there is a variety of skull sizes and shapes which set the breeds apart from one another. First, breed blueprints detail the overall headpiece and breakdown its components with specifics. Almost all detail the form of the skull with the most commonly cited being apple shaped, arched, broad, coarse, cone or conical, domed, flat, oval, rounded, and wedge-shaped. Prominent examples of some of these types are the American Cocker Spaniel with a top domed skull and the cone-shaped ideally represented by the Dachshund. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel demonstrates a top rounded skull, and the Bull Terrier is an example of an oval or egg-shaped skull. Two last good examples are the Collie with a wedge-shaped skull and the Wire Fox Terrier whose brick shaped skull is long and rectangular; its width of the muzzle (foreface) and backskull are nearly the same. Other virtuous and faulty head descriptions include blocky, Fox-like, tapering or squared-off.

The other elements of an ideal head are often the first things noticed. Since I have already discussed eyes and ears with their features — see “The Eyes Have It” and “Hear No Evil” — I will not go into detail about them. I will add though that a poor eye can ruin an otherwise correct headpiece. The eyes are windows to the soul and convey disposition, warmth or otherwise. Eyes and ears are intrinsic for both strong points and beauty, or flaws and ugliness. I recommend both articles for reference.

An ugly or atypical headpiece on an otherwise correct frame, in my opinion, is regrettable. “I just can’t get past that head” is a phrase I often use in my breed, especially if I had to look at it every day. I was schooled by old-timers, those who cherished shape and finesse. For clarification, my origins are in a breed designed in curves; the greyhound-like, Irish Wolfhound whose expression is poignant with a faraway gaze.

Almost all heads are an identifier of a breed. So much so, that if the head were masked or removed from the photo, a dog hobbyist might have a difficult time distinguishing the breed. Conversely, with good reason many learned fanciers say that the working, hunting breeds do not ‘run on their heads.’

This argument is not entirely valid because the skull composes all the head bones, including the jaws. Backskull measurements can determine the width of jaws and formation of dentition. Soft mouths are important in the gun dog breeds and narrow mandibles, or lower jaws are detrimental for hunters, not to mention that it produces wry and parrot mouths. Some believe that faulting a dog’s headpiece, effectively removing him from awards, is likened to ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater.’ However, in some of our ‘head breeds,’ this is not true, as the headpiece is the quintessence of the breed.

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Cinneide -- pronounced 'Kennedy' -- epitomizes the ideal wolfhound's headpiece, take particular notice of her level planes. Here I quote the Irish Wolfhound breed standard:

“Long, the frontal bones of the forehead very slightly raised and very little indentation
between the eyes. Skull, not too broad. Muzzle, long and moderately pointed. Ears, small
and Greyhound-like in carriage.”

This article was first published in an abbreviated version at Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=46838

Hear No Evil

‘Hear no evil’ is just one of the principles of a popular ancient proverb. Our canine friends believe they hear nothing but good things from us mostly due to their unwavering dedication and unconditional love for us. Naturally, we are truly fortunate to have such extraordinary carnivores as our closest allies and guardians. As part of their services, their ears perform one of the most important deeds as they hear at higher frequencies than humans. The frequency range of dog hearing is approximately 40 Hz to 60,000 Hz as compared to humans which is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with Hz being the symbol for Hertz, a unit of frequency. Because of this, their alertness has been extremely useful safeguarding us over the millennia.

Save for cropped breeds, most fanciers don’t pay too much attention to their dog’s ears, regarding them as obvious features to have but inessential in the overall genesis of a very good dog. Though this may reflect a modicum of reality for some breeds, for instance, a few sighthounds, where some repeat the phrase parrot-fashion “he does not run on his ears,” indeed there are breeds who contradict this accepted tenet.

There are approximately 36 assorted ear types from our breed blueprints. Due to space limitations, I will not list them, but summarize their shapes such as drop, pendulous and pendant; erect and pricked; or semi-drop, semi-pricked. On occasion, we see judges have a more forgiving attitude towards the not perfect but somewhat flawed ear type on a specimen. I do not disagree with this compromise providing that this does not occur in breeds where the set-on or shape is important to the breed’s function or essence. We must always keep in mind that ear mobility and shape are factors in how well a dog can hear. An ideal illustration is the Ibizan Hound whose rhomboid ears are highly mobile and at times point forward, sideways, or backward according to mood or if hunting.

The placement of the ear lobe or junction to the head is called the set-on or ear set. The shape, leather, carriage and size of ear lobes vary according to breeds, but ears are all the same in composition. The set-on can have an influence on performance, to illustrate, low set ears on a retriever breed may take on water while the dog is swimming to retrieve game. Waterlogged ears are much more prone to infections and are dysfunctional.  

Some breeds, such as the Bloodhound and Basset scenthounds, have uniquely shaped ears vital to their ability and competence. Their ears are tools, not only for hearing but are integral parts of the greater apparatus, the head. Heads with loose, pliable, thin skin with deep folds around the face, dewlap, and neck to aid in capturing, holding scent. The length of the ear, even the leather is crafted to cup the scent, while framing his head as it is lowered towards the ground when he is canvassing, constantly puzzling out a line.

Other sorts of ears are considered highlights as they exert great influence on breed essence. Ear carriage on Whippets and Greyhounds, with distinctive rosed ears folded tightly back against the neck, are contributive to expression. Another excellent illustration is the Papillon, with beautiful, butterfly-like ears, either erect or drop, large with rounded tips, and set on the sides and toward the back of the head. The erect type is carried obliquely and move like the spread wings of a butterfly which is a breed trademark though it is acceptable for the drop variety, a wholly drooping ear called Phalene, to be shown in conformation. There are many AKC recognized breeds which are considered ‘head breeds’ with ear lobe attachment, shape and even mobility influential in their expressions. This includes the Great Dane whose head description is 26 percent of the breed standard or the Neapolitan Mastiff whose head is exceptionally distinctive segregating him from the other Mastiff varieties.

Interestingly, Canidae, which are carnivorous mammals that include dogs, wolves, jackals, and foxes, originally all had prick ears. Due to man’s intervention of selective mating and hybridization, the ears dropped on dogs and later domestic foxes species. In Chapter One of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin states

“Not one of our domestic animals can be named which has not in some country drooping ears; and the view which has been suggested that the drooping is due to disuse of the muscles of the ear, from the animals being seldom much alarmed, seems probable”.

This a feature not found in any wild animal except the elephant, states scientist and author Lyudmila N. Trut, Early Canid Domestication, The Farm-Fox Experiment. Mostly, foxes ears became floppy when breeding for tamability and in the process, the researchers observed striking changes in physiology, morphology, and behavior which mirrors the changes known in other domestic animals. Consequently, mankind’s intervention has again proven to be exacting and influential with Trut summarizing,

“Patterns of changes observed in domesticated animals resulted from genetic changes that occurred in the course of selection.”

One message of the proverb “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, do no evil” is associated with good mind, speech, and action. Another gist of the proverb is turning a blind eye — one that is so very à propos while discussing purebred dog conformation events.

This article was first published at The Canine Chronicle website: Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=39239

He Got a Good Ribbing!

What exactly is the judge feeling for when examining my dog’s chest? Unfortunately, for many exhibitors brave enough to inquire, they do not receive a thorough nor even sufficient explanation. Thus, the reason remains a mystery to many exhibitors. Well, here I will unveil the mystery.

A truly, well-skilled judge is carefully feeling for the curvature or flatness of the ribcage, from the vertebral column down to the sternum. Ribbing is the narrow, elongated bones emanating from the vertebral column that forms the chest wall. The Carnivora, more specifically "Dog", has thirteen ribs on each side, nine sternal and four asternal which connect with the thirteen thoracic vertebrae of the spinal column. The first nine ribs are called ‘true ribs’, the next three -- the tenth, eleventh and twelfth ribs -- are called ‘false ribs’, and the last, the thirteenth rib is known as the ‘floating rib.’ To uncomplicate this, in lay terms the ‘true ribs’ are attached to the sternum, the ‘false ribs’ are hinged at the bottom of the ninth rib and therefore not directly connected to the sternum, and the floating rib -- the shortest rib -- is not connected to the sternum below. Hence, the term ‘floating.’

The shape or contours of these ribs can vary in the many different breeds. To illustrate, well-rounded ribs, also known as barrel-shaped, are well-arched from the upper attachment of the thoracic vertebrae (outwards) to the bottom. An example of this would be the Bulldog, which calls for well-rounded and very deep ribs and is often requested in the stocky ‘Bully’ breeds. The Mastiff also necessitates ribs that are well-rounded with the ‘false ribs’ deep and well set back. A contrasting ribbing shape, such as the Ibizan Hound, requires smooth and only slightly sprung ribs.

The most common rib formation is the egg-shaped or oval-shaped chest which is typical for the majority of breeds. To illustrate, the Briard demands an egg-shaped form, with moderately curved ribs and is not too rounded like the previous working breeds. A formation rarely requested are flat ribs that require less curvature. At the cross section, they lay flat and are not rounded or bowed while radiating downwards. This is illustrated by the Bearded Collie whose ribs, though well sprung from the spine but are flat at the sides or cross sections. This is also true of the Bedlington, who has a deep chest but is indeed flat as the ribs approach the sternum. However, flat ribs are not to be confused with the state of being 'slab-sided' which is narrow throughout. The slab-sided ribcage has very little to no arch, roundness or spring from the spinal column and is flat everywhere, beginning with the articulation from the vertebral and continuing downwards. Both slab-sidedness and flat ribs are atypical for almost all breeds but especially is a serious fault, or antithesis for the endurance hunting dogs such as Beagles, Foxhounds and Wolfhounds. The reason is that rib curvature determines the shape of the chest and influences chest capacity that in turn governs maximum lung and heart development. The flatter the spring or arch of the ribs, the less development of the heart and lungs and tolerance to exercise. Here, I should mention a particular defect in ribbing that is described in the Basset Hound standard, ‘flanged ribs.’ This is a condition in which the ribs are deformed at the bottom, creating a ridge or rim sticking out and it is thought to be common with flat-sidedness. Both of which are faults on a Bassett.

There are other key factors in understanding proper ribbing, besides the shape discussed above. Though all are essential to one another as well as being extremely important. Width often describes chest breadth, as seen in the American Staffordshire Terrier whose blueprint calls for a deep, broad chest. When one looks at the dog from the front, you can observe the well-rounded shape and great breadth of chest. This is the opposite of what you’d find on the Borzoi, who has a rather narrow breadth of chest, although very deep brisket to the elbows, which is depth.

This leads to the next key - depth of chest. The usually desired depth of ribs and chest is to the point of the elbow. In turn, if the chest does reach the point of the elbow it is known as shallow.

The last key factor is the length of the rib cage which frequently is referred to as well-ribbed back, ribbed-up well, well-ribbed up, or long-ribbed back. All of these describe rib cages that are carried or extend well back on the trunk, especially correlating to the length of loin or coupling. Loin or coupling are the powerhouse on a sighthound and their length and depth influences speed and agility. Length of ribbing is crucial for the hunting breeds as it relates to chest capacity that was already discussed. In short, it is vital for superior stamina.

‘Well-developed’ is the compilation of all three key factors including the rib or chest shape. The opposite of being well-developed is known as as being 'shelly' or 'shell-like' referring to a shallow, narrow body, and insufficient chest measurements. For example, the Rottweiler and Standard Schnauzer standards mention these deficiencies as faults.

Summing up, the chest and ribbing are vital as armor for the critical internal organs, i.e. heart, lungs. This armor is key to the development of the organs and in turn, is inextricably linked to endurance and performance. Although we use the expression in jest about ourselves, ‘he got a good ribbing’, in dogs, it is of primary importance.

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In the photo above, Ballyhara Rumor illustrates ideal symmetry in length of trunk to ribs to loin, as well as depth to elbows and spring of ribs. A seasoned breeder hardly needs to place their hands on the hound to feel that the hound is well-ribbed up and has a powerful arched loin. Notably, also, observe that the thorax is perfectly angled, neither steep nor tubular leaving ample room for the diaphragm's contractions.

This article in ist original version first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=37508

The Eyes Have It!

Eye color. Much is made of it, but a majority of fanciers have no idea why their breed’s eye color is defined in the breed standard. Other than the cosmetics being the dark eye is considered by most as attractive, many breeders just “do as they are told.”

The majority of breed standards demand dark eyes. In truth, for the greater number of our working, hunting breeds, this dark eye color is at odds with nature. There is no greater cultivator, progenitor than Mother Nature. Repeatedly throughout her creations, we find wild animals with light color eyes, predator, and prey alike. Why then do we humans selectively breed and require dark eyes for the better part of our dogs? For basic aesthetic purposes as humans selected for the more pleasant dark eye than the ‘bird of prey’ color, this being amber to yellow. Such light iris color most likely was unattractive but unsettling to our breed forebears, as it was reminiscent of a predator instead of a companion.

Some claim that dark irises permit our dogs to function more efficiently than light, yellow or amber. This is incompatible with Mother Nature. Consider the Lion, an unrivaled predator whose environment is Sub-Saharan Africa, with its savannas and grasslands. This predator’s eye color is golden or amber whose vision is comparable to a human during the daylight hours but has exceptional night-vision. Both the Cheetah and the Tiger irises are golden or yellow with the Cheetah having poor night vision and the Tiger’s approximately six times better than humans. Note that the development level of night-vision depends on the number of the photoreceptor (rod cells) the animal has and has nothing to do with the color of the iris. Further, wildlife biologists state that fur markings under these predators’ eyes aid their hunting vision, indicating whether they are nocturnal, crepuscular or daylight hunters. What of the Wolf, the only ancestor of the canine species whose eye color is typically gold, some amber or light brown and is often seen in hues of yellow, even gray? Even the Eagle, a bird of prey has a pale yellow iris. All these examples have not been disadvantaged with light eyes while performing their function in order to survive.

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Selective breeding and aesthetics have had a great influence on the modern breeds. The long-standing preference for dark eyes may already have had lasting repercussions. Such breeding may cause severe selective pressure -- selecting for dark eyes may carry a recessive mutant gene from the trait, along with a dominant normal gene that masked its effects. Such heterozygous dogs would be hidden carriers, unaffected by the mutation themselves but capable of passing it on to later generations. This should be especially concerning amongst breeds with limited genetic diversity.  

Insofar as eye setting, frequently referred to as eye shape, incorrect settings can have injurious implications for many breeds. For example, the ideal Rhodesian Ridgeback eye is round, however never protruding as this can be damaging to the hound in his place of origin. The African Bush consists of Buffalo Thorn, Sickle Bush, and other sharp, thorny fauna which could injure and blind a dog whose eyes are bulging. The English Setter eye set specifies that the eye is neither deep set or protruding with the lids tightly fitted so as not to expose the haw. The Golden Retriever eye shape is to be medium-large with close-fitting rims as well and imparts a kind and pleasant demeanor. On the latter, slanting, narrow, triangular, squinty eyes detract from, moreover modify this expression causing the dog to appear mean. As in the Ridgeback, a prominent eye in both English Setters and Golden Retrievers can easily be injured by the brush and picker bush terrain in which these dogs hunt. Particularly at risk are exposed haws that catch debris causing eye infections or more serious, long-term damage.

Eye setting or shape is necessary for the majority of our working dogs. Regarding iris color, Mother Nature knows best, and we should recognize that tinkering with her work has consequences. We must face facts; the eyes have it.

This article was first published on the Canine Chronicle website.Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=36254

His Neck is on the Line

"His neck is on the line." This idiom is appropriate when conversing about show dogs but also specialized breeds. Yes, the neck is more than just another part of the canine skeletal structure that connects the trunk and the head. In truth, it seems to have fluctuating levels of importance depending on the breed.

In conformation events, the neck can be a showpiece as handlers or exhibitors accentuate or occasionally overemphasize it as exceptional while presenting the dog for examination. It is a familiar sight to watch a handler jerk the dog’s collar up behind the ears while the other hand is stroking downwards on the neck to attract a judge’s eye to both the upper and underlines, subliminally boasting on its length and crest. The Cocker Spaniel or Whippet breed rings are good examples of this as the handler removes the show lead from the dog conferring great flourish on this one aspect of the anatomy. In some cases, such embellishment may be warranted because, in truth, it may be the best part of the dog!

Before I get ahead of myself, a quick anatomy lesson is appropriate. Every dog has seven neck vertebrae, no matter the breed. Attaching the neck and skull are the Axis and the Atlas vertebrae (C1) which allow for head movement. The nape is the skull and neck junction while ‘the blending’ refers to the neck and shoulder junction. Many are unfamiliar with the word 'nape' and the related term ‘crest,’ yet both factor into a number of breeds. Various breeds' fanciers prize a crest; that is a shapely neck whose upper line curves or arches over the Atlas vertebra. Two excellent breed examples are the Scottish Deerhound and the Akita. The Deerhound possesses a prominent nape adding to the beauty of his sighthound curves, and the Akita has an emphasized crest, which blends in with the base of the head, and is reasonably characteristic of the breed.

On the other hand, the neck is a lot more than a showpiece. For some hunting breeds, the neck is instrumental in performance and outcome, as well as safety. The Scottish Deerhounds neck is essential to his function, which is to hold a Stag. His neck is to be powerful and strong, not short and stumpy, but not as long as the greyhound. The greyhound, who has a long, smooth, muscular neck, uses it to stoop while dispatching hare. An Irish Wolfhound will dispatch game by breaking the back of the neck. In order to do this, he must himself have an extremely powerful, hard muscled, long neck, without which, he could become the victim. I included Figure One of an Irish Wolfhound, who illustrates a beautiful, powerful neck whose underline and upper line epitomizes ideal ‘blending.’ The form of this exemplary neck portrays strength and depth — the latter being the distance between the upper line and the underline. The neck is not overly long, weak and
spindly or stuffy, coarse and bunchy. The observer’s eye follows the flow of the neck which enhances the fine topline.

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The neck has central muscles coursing from the skull to the shoulder girdle, sternum and rib cage. The Splenius and Sternocephalicus muscles allow side to side motion, extension and lift of the neck. Other muscles lift and move the dog’s limbs, in particular, the Brachiocephalicus, Rhomboideus and Omotransversarius muscles. They work by stretching and contracting, allowing for circumduction of the scapula, shoulder, and upper arm. These are just a few of the vital neck mechanisms that permit the functional dog to perform and excel at his work.

There are approximately fourteen or so descriptions contemplating the varying shapes of the neck that we apply to the many breeds. A few common labels are the bull, ewe, goose, stuffy, 'reachy', and upright neck. Two others specify skin involvement, such as wet and dry necks. A wet neck’s skin is loose, showing wrinkles, throaty with excess dewlap. A dry or clean neck has tight fitting skin without wrinkles and dewlap. A few shapes, which fanciers should be very familiar with, describe either a virtue or a fault. Several are only the opposite of one another such as a reachy neck describes a neck that is of a good length, well-muscled, refined or elegant. This is radically different from a short, stuffy, bunchy, muscled neck. Fanciers tend to confuse ewe and goose neck descriptions, so an explanation is appropriate. The underline of an ewe neck has a slight convex shape (curving outwards) rather than a natural, concave appearance (curving inwards). A goose neck is elongated, round and tubular lacking depth and power. Both of these anatomically defective types have a circumference around the neck and shoulder base similar to that of the skull and neck junction.

In conclusion, breeders perceiving the neck as a mere ornamentation of the skeletal anatomy put their dogs' functional necks on the line.

This article was first published on the Canine Chronicle website,
Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=40257