Movement involves every part of a dog鈥檚 construction, and because no two breeds move exactly alike, the study of movement can be a life鈥檚 work.
Expert breeders and anatomists have written shelves full of books on the subject, and gifted photographers and filmmakers have documented canine locomotion in minute detail.
Here, then, are just a few basics to consider when watching your canine athlete on the move.
Fore and Aft
The engine that drives the canine machine is the hindquarters, 鈥渆specially the combination of the pelvic and upper thigh muscles, assisted by the lower thigh-muscle groups,鈥� wrote canine anatomy expert Howard Spira. In the written AKC standards聽of breeds built to work long and hard, descriptions of hindquarters abound with words like 鈥渕uscular,鈥� 鈥渨ell-muscled,鈥� and 鈥減owerful.鈥� Police-dog handlers tell us that when an aging K-9鈥檚 back end begins to erode鈥攚hen the dog loses the explosive first step that enables him to spring into action鈥攊t鈥檚 time for their partner to retire.
The forequarters play a relatively small part in actual propulsion, but their importance should not be understated. The front paw carries at least 60 percent of the dog鈥檚 weight, and 鈥渕odern studies indicate that the percentage of weight borne on the front feet may be closer to 75 percent in some breeds,鈥� Curtis Brown wrote in his 鈥淒og Locomotion and Gait Analysis.鈥� The front end is also the steering mechanism and the brakes, and it takes the impact of landing when the dog is jumping or running.
Also vital to canine locomotion are the paw pads. 鈥淚f the heel pad is thick and well built-up it will not only stand more shock and rough use over ground,鈥� McDowell Lyon explains in the book 鈥淭he Dog in Action,鈥� 鈥渋t will increase endurance by shortening the leverage action.鈥� Thick pads absorb more shock and increase endurance. Rough pads allow for better traction and quick turns. Paws and pasterns (the canine version of wrists) work together to absorb the shock of jumping and running, while ensuring flexible movement.
The Same But Different
A well-bred dog will move soundly, but correct movement differs from breed to breed. The galumphing Newfoundland is not a nimble-footed Border Collie. A Norfolk Terrier聽doesn鈥檛 stride like a Vizsla.
To picture your dog鈥檚 correct movement, consider its background and job description. History reveals the original function, and the standard describes movement necessary to perform that function in the breed鈥檚 ancestral homeland.
Even among dogs bred for the same purpose, gait can differ. 鈥淭he gait of the Golden Retriever聽differs substantially from that of his cousin, the Labrador,鈥� said Rick Beauchamp, the late AKC judge of sporting dogs. 鈥淎nd though seldom considered, there is a visible difference in how the well-made Irish听补苍诲 Gordon聽setters move.鈥�
Ireland is known for its wide, flat meadows, so Irish huntsmen wanted their sleek, rangy setters to move freely and swiftly.
But the Scots needed a setter who could flush and retrieve on rocky, punishing terrain. Thus we have the Gordon Setter: a shorter-coupled, heavier-bodied dog with a more deliberate but steady pace.
鈥淭his is not to say that the Gordon is a plodder鈥攂ut one shouldn鈥檛 expect the lightness typical of his Irish cousin,鈥� Beauchamp said. 鈥淭here is a difference in the way the two breeds are made, and a characteristic difference in the way they perform.鈥�
Gaiting to a Different Drummer
Here are five dogs whose unique movement sets them apart, with quotes from their breed standards:
Bulldog聽鈥淭he style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being a loose-jointed, shuffling, sideways motion, giving the characteristic roll.鈥�
Miniature Pinscher聽鈥淭he hackney-like action is a high-stepping, reaching, free and easy gait in which the front leg moves straight forward and in front of the body and the foot bends at the wrist.鈥�
Neapolitan Mastiff聽鈥淭he Neapolitan Mastiff鈥檚 movement is not flashy, but rather slow and lumbering. 鈥� Rolling motion and swaying of the body at all gaits is characteristic.鈥�
Norwegian Lundehund聽鈥淎s the Lundehund is designed to climb steep cliffs and work into narrow crevices, the front assembly must be flexible and wide. This produces an elastic gait with a unique rotary front movement.鈥�
Pekingese聽鈥淚t is unhurried, dignified, free and strong, with a slight roll over the shoulders. This motion is smooth and effortless and is as free as possible from bouncing, prancing or jarring.鈥�