Page 128 - ShowSight - October 2019

Form Follows Function: Part 10 BY STEPHANIE HEDGEPATH continued Figure 1. Balanced Angulation in a Golden Retriever.
Figure 2. Golden Retriever Trotting.
You should train your eye to watch the forward motion of the dog by keeping an eye on lines A and B. Line A intersects both the angles of the shoulder and upper arm and the hip and the femur and is parallel to the ground. It is over these two points that the body is propelled by the rear quarters. Line B is drawn across the tip of the pelvis and parallels the spine. Line B is also parallel to the ground. By using line B as a reference it provides a guideline for the motion of the back and the slope of the pel- vis and croup can be assessed. These hori- zontal lines A & B will remain parallel to the ground when the dog is in motion, though they will be lifted slightly as the dog’s body is lifted as the weight of the body is transferred from the pad to the toe pads. See Figure 1. This dog displays lovely balanced angulation fore and aft. She is balanced in all of her parts with all of her major bones (scapula, humer- us, pelvis and femur) of approximately
the same size. She maintains her shape and form both when standing and when in motion.
As the dog moves forward, the head and neck are thrust forward and down over the swinging foreleg to maintain kinetic bal- ance. When the dog begins moving the withers drop a bit in relation to the move- ment of the shoulders and the topline remains level, though in some breeds and in well exercised dogs in good muscular condi- tion, a slight curve may form over the lumbar area, which aids in propulsion. As the dog moves forward, the topline changes con- stantly but throughout the entire cycle of a dog’s stride the lines A and B should remain parallel to the ground. The position and carriage of the head, neck and torso of the dog definitely can have a positive or a nega- tive effect on the efficiency of movement and conservation or loss of energy when the dog is in motion. This can also affect the unique rhythm and speed of the gait and
the dog’s ability to perform the work it was bred to do.
When trotting, gait is free, smooth, power- ful and well coordinated, showing good reach. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance.
It is extremely difficult to portray side gait in photos and illustrations, especially the movements that can happen along the topline. To fully understand the action of the topline, you really should watch as many dogs as possible in slow motion. With the advent of such good cameras in cell phones, some even equipped with slow motion set- tings, it is easier than ever to capture dogs in motion digitally.
Any comments or questions or to book a seminar, contact me via email at jimanie@ welshcorgi.com.
126 • ShowSight Magazine, october 2019