Form Follows FUNCTION
BY STEPHANIE SEABROOK HEDGEPATH
THE BODY OF THE DOG (THE CHEST)
W hen one thinks of movement in the canine, thoughts often go first to the angulation of the fore and rear quarters of the dog. While these areas certainly have a major role in motion, there are other structural areas that influence a dog’s movement. Some areas influence movement in subtle ways and other sections of the struc- tural whole can have more of an impact. What role does a dog’s thorax (chest) play in its movement? Have you ever thought about what your breed’s standard has to say about this part of their anatomy and why? Does it say a little or a lot, or nothing at all? The rib cage is made up of thirteen thoracic vertebrae and thirteen pairs of ribs. The floor of the chest (sternum or brisket) is formed by a row of eight bones called the sternebrae (sternum or breastbone), which are connected by cartilage. (See Figure 1.) The prosternum is the longest bone of these sternebrae. It is locat- ed at the front and it juts out ahead of the shoulder joint (the joint were the shoul- der blade articulates with the upper arm). The other end of this chain of bones of the sternum (under the body) ends with the xyphoid process. (See Figures 1 & 2.)
Figure 1. The Canine Thorax (Chest/Rib Cage)
Figure 2. Ribcage from Below (Illustration from Canine Terminology, © 2012 Dogwise, Used with Permission)
42 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2021
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