[ SHOWGSD-L ] Who are we kidding?- level back
- From: Gsdman2@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:59:15 EST
<<For example Monsieur, I interpret "The withers are higher than and sloping
into the level back. The back is straight, very strongly developed without
sag
or roach, and relatively short." to mean a dog that looks like this when
stacked: http://www.fluffyrat.net/wildfyre/GSD.GIF
Not a dog whose butt heads south for the winter.>>
----------------------------------------------------
The dog in the picture has a short and slightly steep croup. It is also
lacking turn of stifle. Those things, combined with hocks that are too long
relative to the upper and lower leg, create an obvious break between the back
and
the front of the croup. In that picture it is actually a small hump. While the
back on that dog appears to be short, which is correct, it also appears a bit
swayed ... although that may be an illusion created by the problems with the
croup.
In defense of dogs with "sloping" backs ... Most any dog can be stacked to
appear to have an extreme topline. If you drag the back legs back on the dog
in
the picture, his butt would be closer to the ground while his withers would
be in the same place. I personally put very little thought into the "slope" of
the back (topline) of any dog that is standing. Watch them in motion on a
loose lead. That is when the back is supposed to be level. I know that
comment
won't be popular with everyone out there who prefers a ton of topline in
motion, but the standard is clear on that point...
"At full trot, the back must remain firm and level without sway, roll, whip
or roach. Unlevel topline with withers lower than the hip is a fault."
In motion, on a loose lead, or without a lead, and not under a heel command,
the dog's topline will show with no outside influence. While you may be able
to determine the "level" back with the dog standing four square, feet under
hip sockets, there is no other stance in which you could possibly accurately
judge the back, in my opinion.
Tom Langlitz
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