[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Back to the Dogs - a Structure Question
- From: "Kathaleen Strong" <inflight2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <spotted101@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:42:16 -0700
I assume some of the humps are related to HOW they are handled and some
MIGHT be age related. If they are age related, when do they outgrow them?
I know what I like and I think I know what is correct, but what might I be
missing?
Jess Mac
Paisley Dals (www.paisleydals.com)
& The Shepherd Girls
I think the biggest problem that is not being addressed -- is what you're
seeing in the photos -- a lot of them are either just not good pictures (ie
bad timing) or they are just showing what the problem with the dogs are.
A lot of what I seen in the pictures is -- a lack of coordination.
However, a LOT of the pictures show one thing too often -- a TIGHT LEAD.
And if there's a tight lead -- well, it doesn't surprise me when you see
exactly what you described Jess, humpy back camels.
I rarely if ever have advertised using a motion picture, simply because
motion pictures can too clearly define your dog -- and a lot of what I've
seen in the Review in the past couple of years... well, the people would
have served the dogs better by not advertising the movement shot. I'm sure
that when my ad comes out in September of my dog Marcus in motion on both a
tight and loose lead -- people may say the same thing -- but one thing you
will see in both of his pictures... Complete co-ordination, balanced front
to rear, and a nice topline. You will also see that his legs are fully
extended and close to the ground. That's the reason I went against my
normal advertising routine and put motion shots in -- simply because I think
the shots show some of the correctness that is missing in a lot of motion
shots making it into the Review.
Now, onto structural things to look for that may or may not indicate that
the lead is messing up the dog, or the dog just has a fault of motion:
~If you can see the backside of the extended hock when viewing a dog in
motion on the profile --- well I personally wonder about that.
~If you look at the forehand at its fullest extension -- the rear leg on the
same side should also be at its fullest extension
~Look at the correlation between the front and rear legs -- on the extended
and contracted legs, there should be balance between them -- meaning, if the
forehand is fully extended, then the opposite rear leg should be fully under
the dog in the same level. 3 legs on the ground with a foreleg fully
extended -- either a very poorly timed picture or something funky in the
motion. A hock completely flat on the ground with an opposite rear leg
"extended"... that might be a problem too. And again, as always, look at
the lead (if it hasn't been digitally rendered out of the picture), as it
could be changing the way the dog is actually functioning.
~Of course, the legendary hock follow through. When the foreleg is fully
extended, the rear leg on the same side should also be fully extended, and
ideally the hock shows flexion where it "opens" up, providing an additional
foreward thrust to the motion, If you visualize this, it's like a straight
line from the hip right to the paw pad.
Of course, there's something to be said about seeing a dog in person. Some
of the best motion shots have left me wondering when I see the dog in
person, and vice versa -- some really aweful motion shots have made the
reverse true -- really nice moving dogs sometimes aren't just that
photogenic. It's always better to see them in person if possible and if
not, at least a video can give you an opportunity to visualize some of the
qualities of coordination, harmonious motion, power and forward propulsion
that still shots just may have missed "by that much".
Regards,
Kathaleen
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