FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
“WHEN SHOULDERS ARE PLACED TOO FAR FORWARD, THE MUSCLES HOLDING THE BLADE IN PLACE ARE USUALLY NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT PADDLING OR OTHER TIME-WASTING MOTIONS WHEN THE DOG IS COMING TOWARD YOU AT A TROT.”
Figure 12. Location of the 'Notch' at the Junction of the Shoulder Blade and the Upper Arm.
Figure 13. Point of Shoulder to Elbow—Length of the Upper Arm.
Figure 11. Point of Shoulder to Elbow
other, and you will often see a dog out at the elbows that also toes in. When shoul- ders are placed too far forward, the mus- cles holding the blade in place are usually not strong enough to prevent paddling or other time-wasting motions when the dog is coming toward you at a trot. (See Fig- ure 14.) The shoulder blade on the dog’s left side shows proper placement (often referred to as the way the shoulder blade is "laid-on" as opposed to "laid-back") of the shoulder blade. The dog on the right has shoulder blades that are placed too far forward on the dog's chest. You can easily see how the blades point toward each other more and could cause the elbows to turn out and the feet to toe in. Looking at the shoulder blade on the dog’s left side from this angle, it is easier to see what is meant by how the shoulder blade is laid onto the dog's body. (See Fig- ure 14.) This example is a fairly well laid- back shoulder blade, and it is easier to see
how it would be attached to the body. The lay-on of the shoulder blade to the dog's body also determines the distance between the shoulder blades. In a dog with a nar- row chest, the upper points of the shoul- der blade will be closer together, making it more difficult for the dog to lower its neck toward the ground—a consider- able impediment in any dog used to hunt in order to put food on the table. A dog with a rounded chest will have the shoul- der blades positioned much further apart, which is why Bulldog fanciers describe the fore assembly of their breed to be “tacked onto" the body of the dog. In the next installment, we will con- tinue with the physical examination by the location of the landmarks of the dog from the shoulder assembly to the rear of the dog. If you have any questions or com- ments, or to schedule a seminar, contact me at jimanie@welshcorgi.com .
Figure 14. Lay-On and Distance (Width) Between the Upper Edge of Shoulder Blades.
112 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2022
Powered by FlippingBook