Where is Typical Movement going?
by Hans Lehtinen
and Chris Lummelampi (1999)
When we look at dog
shows in general and competition at group level in particular, we are
often struck by an all too frequent trend towards a convergence of breed
characteristics especially when it comes to movement. The question is:
are we looking for an all-round show dog, flashy and sound enough, but
not exactly epitomizing its breed type? Are we, as breeders and judges,
tempted to ask for the same attributes on all show dogs, regardless of
the breed?
Movement is a measure of a dog's conformation. If we accept what might
be today's barely perceptible changes in a dog's movement, we may
gradually allow an alteration in the breed type. We may, in fact,
contribute to a situation where an Afghan Hound moves like a Poodle and
a Poodle moves like an Afghan. If this is the case, then we need a
serious discussion on typical movement in today's show rings.
The original functions
of many of our breeds have become obsolete, as our societies have
changed from agrarian into urban societies. Add to this the pressures to
alter breed standards in order to breed "sounder" dogs -- as if the
existing breed standards were an impediment to sound dogs -- and the
emerging "green values" depreciating pure-bred dogs, and we may be
distancing ourselves from true breed type. When we look at the Poodle
today, we hardly ever stop to think what the function of its long coat
was as it performed its retrieving function in icy cold water: when the
hair ends froze, the coat underneath formed an insulating layer keeping
the dog warm; or that the Poodle clip with the hindquarters clipped
short was part of maintaining the breed's ability to function just as a
colorful ribbon was tied to the dog's topknot and tail to help the
hunter see his dog out in the field. The Poodle's movement also
contributed to its usefulness as a retrieving dog: it was expected to
move with the light, effortless gait which continues -- or should
continue – to be part of the Poodle's breed type today.
No one expects the
Brussels Griffon or the Yorkshire Terrier to catch rats in today's urban
environment, but surely this should not be a justification to change
their original breed type. Neither do we expect the Shar Pei to function
as a fighting dog, but this is no reason why it should not have enough
fold of skin on its shoulders to enable it to turn, if gripped by an
attacker. In some breeds, function dictates movement. In others, there
does not seem much logical explanation why a breed should move in a
certain way – except when the movement is part of the breed's heritage
and deserves recognition. If the Fox Terrier heritage -- or its
standard, as the American one does in the case of the Smooth Fox Terrier
-- calls for the dog to move its front legs like a pendulum of a clock,
there is no reason why we should not appreciate this movement when we
see it, however rare it might be today. In the case of the "decorative"
toy and utility breeds, the consideration of typical movement should not
be any less important. We think of the Japanese Chin as a dainty dog who
is expected to move with a graceful gait, lifting its feet high... or
the Miniature Pinscher and Italian Greyhounds with their high-stepping
Hackney gait, as required by the British and American standards. For
Italian Greyhounds, the continental countries of the FCI used to have
the same requirement, until the breed standard was abruptly changed by
its country of origin to ask for "normal" movement. You are, of course,
entitled to ask how this can be accomplished without changing the front
assembly of the breed -- many of us do, especially as we wonder about
some of the changes in the breed standards to accommodate the whims of
the "country of origin." Although some of the breed standards drawn up
by countries where the breeding of pure-bred livestock has not been a
long tradition may leave a lot to be desired, in some cases comparing
the British, U.S. and FCI standards is a useful exercise. Take the
Maltese standard. The British standard simply calls for free movement,
whereas the original Italian standard describes what we have come to
expect of a typical Maltese in motion: quick, short steps giving the
impression of the dog sliding forward with its feet barely skimming the
ground. Or compare the Poodle standards: the French one warns against
the dog covering too much ground when it moves, but the American one
calls for springy action -- just as the Afghan standard does, although
the movement of the two breeds could not be more different, with the
Poodle waltzing around the ring in true "Poodley" fashion and the Afghan
moving as if it had springs under its feet.
Variations in breed
type in different continents also seem to play a role in our
expectations of how a typical example of a breed should move. We see
Shih Tzus in some parts of the world who would be much more at home in
the Lhasa Apso ring, and vice versa. We hear a lot about the controversy
surrounding their movement -- flick-up or no flick-up for Lhasa ,
showing full pads for Shih Tzu -- and lots of special expertise seem to
be called for when assessing Lhasa's "jaunty movement" when, in fact, it
is a very moderate, normally constructed dog who should move with light
feet, effortlessly like a trotting horse. Not so the
lower-to-the-ground, heavier bodied Shih Tzu whose conformation (if
correct) alone dictates that it cannot move with the same style as the
higher-legged and differently shaped Lhasa.
The Ideal Dog
All too often, we seem to be
using the same yardstick to measure the quality of a dog, and we are too
easily impressed with flashy showmanship and clever presentation.
Someone once observed that, all too often, we believe a dog is a good
mover if it covers the ground like a German Shepherd, comes and goes
like a Beagle, and, to top it all, has the Setter topline, the animation
of a Cocker Spaniel and the general attitude of a Poodle. Never mind if
it is a typical example of its breed, epitomizing its written and
unwritten breed standard. Never mind if its attitude is that of a
composite, outgoing, animated show dog of no particular breed type, as
long as it meets the generally accepted criteria for soundness... It
will, no doubt, keep the Council of Europe happy and avoid scare
headlines of "unhealthy" or "unsound" breeds of dogs. But it should
raise alarm bells among us who work to maintain true breed type and who
are convinced that we do not need take the Council's at times misguided
recommendations on "sound breeding principles" at face value -- and we
certainly do not need to take precipitated action to change our breeds
standards to the extreme where a Brussels Griffon might suddenly be
transformed into a reddish rough-coated Border Terrier. (Isn't it rather
that there is nothing much wrong with our breed standards from the
soundness or health point of view -- but there could be something wrong
with our interpretation of these breed standards if we err on the side
of exaggeration?)
It might be useful to look at
the Pekingese standard which states: "Slow, dignified rolling gait in
front. Typical movement not to be confused with a roll caused by
slackness of shoulders. Close action behind. Absolute soundness
essential." A Basset Hound with a sound, crooked front will move soundly
- for its breed. Straighten the front legs, and you will get an unsound
dog with a heavy body hanging between the front legs instead of being
wrapped by them. A well-constructed but typical Chow Chow hindquarter,
strong enough not to knuckle over, will allow the dog to move with its
typical stilted gait, just as a typical, but sound construction will
allow the Puli to move with a stride that is "not far-reaching. Gallop
short. Typical movement short-stepping, very quick, in harmony with
lively disposition. Movement never heavy, lethargic or lumbering." The
gait requirements of quite a number of breeds do not conform to the
general conception of "sound dogs," well angulated in front and rear,
moving with a ground-covering gait. There is no reason why they should,
unless our aim is the identikit show dog.
The Faster the Better
It does not seem to be enough
that most of our dogs move, and are often expected to move, in the same
manner. They are also expected to move with the same speed regardless of
the breed. Would a Rottweiler be a better, more invincible defender of
its master and his property if it were to move with the same agility as
an Australian Kelpie, a shepherd, running on the backs of the sheep in
tight spots if needed to perform its function? Or would the St. Bernard
be a better rescue dog in the Alps if it raced around the ring with the
same effortlessness as a Saluki? In fact, many of the so-called
"rolling" breeds are moved around the ring so fast that they never have
the opportunity to display their characteristic gait. Again, it might be
useful to take a look at some of the breed standards. The Bulldog
standard states: " Peculiarly heavy and constrained (gait), appearing to
skim the ground, running with one or other shoulder rather advanced." Or
the Clumber Spaniel: "Rolling gait attributable to long body and short
legs. " Or the Old English Sheepdog: "When walking, exhibits a bear-like
roll from the rear..." To mention a few more examples of typical gait:
take a look at Cocker Spaniels and ask how often they display the
typical bustling movement, or at Irish Water Spaniels whose typical
movement is often described as that of a drunken sailor. Some Poodles
and Spaniels are, it is alleged, moved so fast that their hind feet
never touch the ground (not to mention that, nowadays, you hardly ever
see the old-fashioned Cocker Spaniel movement...) In fairness, you could
say that quite a few Terriers -- and others, for that matter -- are
moved on such a tight lead that their front feet never touch the ground!
"Hanging" dogs on tight leads may be appropriate when there is something
wrong in the dog's front and you want to reduce the weight on it,
hopefully improving movement. This practice may not cause any major harm
since it will certainly draw the judge's attention to the problem.
However, it is unfortunate when dogs with excellent front movement are
never allowed to show it to their advantage. It is also unfortunate that
many breeds shown on tight leads show an unnatural or an untypical head
carriage as handlers forget that the Deerhound or the Borzoi does not
have the same outline in profile movement as the Afghan does. Not all
breeds of dogs were developed to be fast moving dogs. Note the American
standard for the Alaskan Malamute which states: "In judging Malamutes,
their function as a sledge dog for heavy freighting must be given
consideration above all else... He isn't intended as a racing sled dog
designed to compete in speed trials with the smaller Northern breeds."
Contrast this with the Siberian Husky whose required gait is quick and
light on its feet. The Basset Hound, for its part, was originally bred
to be a slow hunting dog to enable the hunter to follow him on foot
without difficulty; therefore, a Basset with its true and deliberate
movement should not be expected to compete in speed with the Sighthounds
in the same group whose original function and style of working are
entirely different. Again, compare it with the smaller French hound, the
Basset Fauve de Bretagne, whose movement differs from the heavier,
low-to-the-ground Basset Hound because it was created to work on a
different terrain, in the thick undercover in Brittany.
Conditioning
All show dogs need exercise and
conditioning beyond the few rounds around the show ring to keep them in
top form and peak condition, and to enable them to present their typical
movement to advantage. But the right exercise and proper muscle tone
will never mask basic structural weaknesses or shortcomings in breed
type. They will only enhance good, typical movement. With coated breeds
we, as breeders, exhibitors and judges often struggle to balance the
show ring requirements of keeping the coat in top condition with the
requirement to maintaining the dog underneath in peak physical condition
with proper exercise. Often we end up with a flabby dogs with flowing
coats, or well-muscled dogs with broken coats when we, in fact, should
be looking for a happy medium. (One of the ironies of life is that some
of the coated dogs who are kept in wire crates and exercise pens, as
they often do in America, have wonderful muscles -- could it be that
they spend their days bouncing up and down in their crates?)
The same applies to other forms of technology which are being introduced
into the world of show dogs. We need a happy medium between exercise
machines, or treadmills, and other forms of exercise. Some blame poor
front movement on the excessive use of treadmills, others tend to think
that treadmill exercise, if used excessively, may constrict the dog's
movement by shortening its stride, resulting in a peculiar gait behind.
Instead of condemning treadmills outright, it might be useful to see
them as excellent aids in exercising dogs in adverse weather conditions
when outside exercise is impossible, to be supplemented by other forms
of exercise -- walking, bicycling or letting the dogs gallop in the
fields.
Not many of us can go as far as a famous Afghan Hound kennel in the U.S.
where the dog runs include an L-shaped ring going up and down the hill,
forcing the dogs to turn and stretch when they gallop. Nevertheless,
versatility in exercise will ensure that the dog uses all its muscles to
the full and is in peak condition. But, to return to the point of this
article, a dog, however well muscled and however well moving, is not a
typical example of its breed if it does not have typical movement. And
if we accept small changes in the movement of a breed, we accept small
changes in conformation, proportions and overall breed type until we end
up with an identikit show dog. (And talking about proportions -- have
you noticed how many of today's show dogs are losing the length of leg?)
Understanding sound movement is
important, but understanding typical movement is essential if we are to
preserve breed type. Learning to quote the breed standard may not be
enough, because, to paraphrase the late Tom Horner, any child can learn
to recite the Lord's Prayer, but understanding it will take years.
Therefore, we should not be in too much a hurry.
About the authors:
Mr. Lehtinen is an international all-breed
judge who has been judging for more than 50 years. His assignments have
included all the prestigious shows in the world, with the exception of
the Westminster Show, from Crufts in Britain to the Royal Shows in
Australia and the FCI World Shows. He is an honorary member of the
Finnish Kennel Club and has served on several K.C. committees, including
its show and judges' committee and breed standard committee. He
continues to be involved in judges' examinations for several breed
clubs. He has bred English Cocker Spaniels and is now owned by Norwich
Terriers.
Ms. Lummelampi judges Hound, Terrier,
Nonsporting and Toy breeds and has had assignments in several European
countries as well as the U.S. and Australia. She has been a contributor
to several canine publications and mentions writing as one of her
hobbies. She is a longtime member of the Finnish Kennel Club council,
its highest decision-making body. She is past President of the Finnish
Basset Breeds Club and current President of the Finnish Toy Dog
Association, and judges' education coordinator for both clubs. She has
owned, exhibited and bred Basset Hounds, and, most recently, Lhasa Apsos.
This article is reproduced here by permission and is copyrighted 1999 by
its authors.