Points of the Dog?

Right I need help here! I'm trying my best to understand breed standards and what certain breeds should look like according to the standard, but there are two points I'm really struggling with - hock and pasterns!

So could someone give me an idea of what, say, strong flexible pasterns would look like and what well let down hocks look like, what I need to look for and perhaps pics of those that don't fit the above etc. Other pics of your own breed in this area and the particular part of the standard would help a lot too!

Thanx again people!

This is what I like to see, well in my breed anyways,
Nero, nice square profile, nice pasterns and a proud stance.


Caesar, the same, but you'll notice they've got different body styles, Caesar has a slightly longer body.


All too often in the rottie breed their legs are too short, the breed standard is body length to height 9/10 in other words from chest to rump and paws to withers should be nearly the same, hope I've expained it clearly.

Thanks for the reply Denis, lovely dogs too btw!

I see what you mean about the 9/10 thing, but can I ask what you mean when you say "nice" pasterns? I know where the pastern is, but why are the "nice"?

They should'nt be weak as in at an angle, they should be nearly vertical and the paws should be nice and tight like a fist, not splayed, I saw a Newfie pup 2 years ago at a show, it was almost walking on it's front heels the pasterns were so weak.

Ouch! Sounds painful! What causes weak pasterns then? I'm assuming it's not called for on any breed!

IMO bad stock, a lot of good exercise can help with such dogs to strengthen them up, I can always tell at a show which dogs are exercised and which are not, and so can a good judge.

Road walking can bring a dog's paterns up in some cases. We need a piccie show stud but even then I doubt I'd comment without getting my hands on her

I see a lot of dogs in the ring with really weak pasterns, so much so, that it makes the toes almost look as if they are turning upwards. Not nice at all.

Hi Rip,

Please forgive me if I'm stating the obvious but in the past I've been surprised how many people don't know that dogs have front AND rear pasterns. The hock is the joint above the rear pastern, the rear pastern is the bit between the hock joint and the floor.

The difference between the two needs to be understood when thinking about faults like cow or sickle hocks, for instance.

Just thought that needed to be pointed out.

Debs

Firstly, got to agree with Debs. Many people do confuse the rear pastern with hocks. I've seen many critiques which incorrectly state "nice short hocks" .... and I probably wrote it myself 20 years ago The joint is the hock and the part of the leg below it, to the foot, is the rear pastern. A well let down hock is one which is close to the ground ie the rear pastern is short.

The angle of the front pastern is dependent on bone construction and soft tissue. The angle, and so flexibilty of the pastern, does usually follow the general construction of the dog. Eg you wouldn't expect a well angled pastern on a breed with an upright front with forward placed upper arm like the Fox Terriers. These types of breeds tend also to have upright pasterns.

Breeds which have more accentuated angulation all round, like the Rottweiler and German Shepherd, also tend to have more sloping pasterns. Over angulation and so also weak pasterns are faults that often occur in the GSD.

A front pastern that is strong and flexible is not upright but has a slight but not excessive angle.