“Angulation…. Withers… Croup… – Never heard of her!” (This is Structure lingo!)
“In any case, what do I need that for? Fido is my beach buddy! We don’t go near a show ring!”
Any average, loving pet owner has almost no concern for “assessing sound angulation” and its benefits for their dog. This is generally the domain of the Informed Breeder of a specialist breed of dog, not so?
To answer that loving dog owner: Actually, No.
While dog owners do not need to know the correct structure of various breeds, it is so very helpful when you understand the importance of why the structure of your dog is important. This is true even if Fido never sets foot inside a show ring.
Let me explain.
We know particular breeds are bred for different working tasks and abilities such as hunting, agility lure coursing etc. These dogs are bred and designed to perform specific tasks. This means that their build is such that they are able to do the task – and do it well!
A good working breed dog breeder usually takes care to breed their dogs suited for the tasks such as:
- Working long days while being slow to tire
- Good proportions lend suppleness to the back
- Ensuring strong hindquarters providing strength for thrust in jumping or bursts of speed
- Stamina for trailing such as search and rescue
- Strong pasterns (wrists) help reduce the impact of landing
- Balanced structure to provide smooth and effortless movement
You may ask, what has this got to do with my dog? He’s our couch king who enjoys beaching or hiking with us on the weekend. He’s not a farm dog working all day and doesn’t need to be in any show ring.
Let me ask you then, the following:
- Does she like to play fetch?
- Does he enjoy long walks with you?
- Do you take him jogging with you sometimes?
- Does she just get the zoomies in the back yard?
- Or does he jump up onto the couch or bed for a cuddle?
Did you answer YES to any one of those questions? Good, sound structure impacts every dog – from Couch King Lapdog to Sergeant Major Elite K9!
Angulation – the size, length and angles of the bones of your dog’s hips, elbows and shoulders – dictates how effortlessly your dog will move.
Soundness in movement means that your dog can jog or go on long walks easily without discomfort. Jumping up onto the couch for a snuggle or jumping down to come running for his treat is done without pain. With sound structure, your dog gets to play with you for longer, climb over tree logs and not have to worry about their own pain when going out with you for a fun afternoon together.
Sound structure matters!
Learning about your dog’s structure, its strengths and weaknesses will help you determine the best course to follow when training your dog. Strengthening weaker areas and developing a balanced body will allow for more fun for more years of cuddles with your fur buddy.
The Biokinetic K-9 goes through this with you as part of our assessment when helping you with your dog. We explain Fido’s angulation and its relation to the activities he does with you. There is nothing better than a full understanding when working with your dog.