huskydo Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 i was out tonight and met up with miki's friend the gsd and me and the owner was talking about how they run as they where both totally differnt in styles. also saw this in my friends 1 yr old mal she seems to bounce on the rear legs but one just after the other. what i was wondering .... em let me think how i put this.......... is there a ideal "run" that all working dogs do? or something you look for in a running dog. or are all dogs different in their own styles (be it 2 sibes togther say..) it kind of hard to explain and hope you get what i mean lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 hmmmm good question my two when running together on the scoter tend to run together (in step / paw with each other) when running about in general it's noramlly just them bouncing about and tearing round the garden after each other lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 when they running are they both running with both back legs togther? as one so to speak? don't horses do that also???? it tricky to explain dogs running lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterling Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 I know what you mean. I believe you are talking about their gait. My boys rear legs gallop like a horse when he's at a trot, but it changes when he starts to run. By breed standard, they are supposed to have a smooth, effortless gait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 yeah i read the smooth effortless gait, thanks shawn. is this more a thing you see when showing at that pace? as read somewhere Mick picked his dog once he saw how it moved. sorry mick can't remeber what thread read that in. looked at that many lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocspirit Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 When I'm looking at a dog running I want to see a nice full reach and see the entire leg and body outstretched without a lot of moving up and down. I don't want to see the dog bounding upwards but rather outwards. It shouldn't hop down the trail like a bunny. All the drive should come from the rear end in a smooth and powerful motion. In a trot keep in mind that there is the regular trot and extended trot. The extended trot is the working trot that carries the dog over great distances with very little effort. Again you should see reach and power coming from the rear end. There is also what I call the "quick trot" which is shorter in step and the dog usually will use it just to casually move from say, one toy to another, or walking down the sidewalk if the human has a quick enough pace. my goober head OC has actually taught himself to pace by watching a Standardbred pacing horse that he used to play with as a pup! This is when both legs on the same side move together rather than the diagonal legs moving together. When he picked it up I instantly worried about his hips but my vet assures me that they are fine and it is simply a learned behaviour. He transitions from trotting to pacing and back again with effortless ease and uses each one depending on the speed we are traveling at. He can not go very fast at the pace. All I can say is I will never use the horse track as a place to socialize a puppy again! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterling Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Great info Ren....added to rep. Now would a judge at a show be looking for the same thing as someone who wants a good sled dog? And what would be some signs that may signal hip problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocspirit Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Silver, in movement kinda....thing is, a judge never sees the dog in a full outstretched run, only a trot. And here in North America at least, for some unknown reason judges seem to favour traits we mushers would avoid seeing in our stock. For example. judges like the plushier "teddy bear" look or at least thats what seems to be repeatedly put up. But us mushers want a thick dense but shorted coat that the dog wont overheat so quickly but can still keep warm in subzero temps. Judges up dogs with too much bone and chests too wide, backs too short and sloped etc. All these traits are not desirable in making a fast sled dog. Also remember though that I am a sprint musher and sprint mushers would be looking at different traits compared to mid-long distance mushers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 thankyou ren. you wouldn't have any vid clips(from your vast libary of course) that could show me good examples of these movements. As it still hard to get the picture in the mind while reading it even after reading it 4 times lol. reach and drive on sprint i get, as can see this in miki at full pace. well think i do basically her rear legs go into a tuck under the body for the drive and does a bit like a hurdler with her front legs for the reach as her both rears push the power threw? is this correct in what you mean.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Ren has described it pretty much as I would We look for good reach and overstride, with tail out or down and minimum topline movement: Effortless movement. The best gaits we have are the sprint-race dogs: Longer in the back and stifle and more angulation. We also have one who does the 'standard horse' gait and her conformation is very different to the sprinters. rather straight and square in the rear-end, and one of the most god-awful tailsets you'll find. Her gait is conformation, not hips, as she is hip scored and scored 4/4 (one over current breed average). She has a very short, stilted stride as her conformation does not lend itself to good reach. The one dog we have with 'suspect' hips cannot run and the problem becomes obvious at anything above a trot pace (Not worked in harness). We darn't risk anaesthesia for hip xrays though, due to medical problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidjk Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 i think i know what you mean, micha has what looks like an effortless trot/slow run, and only seems put effort in to run at very high speed(has anyone got a speedgun i swear she does around 30mph), it all looks very effortless, when she is running at normal speed there is hardly any movement in her body it all seems to be legs, it is very gracefull. saskia (a previous husky of ours) used to bounce at the rear end, reminded me of how a german shepherd dog runs. the thing i find amusing is sometimes both micha and suki will walk at a slight angle very amusing to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 yeah i read the smooth effortless gait, thanks shawn. is this more a thing you see when showing at that pace? as read somewhere Mick picked his dog once he saw how it moved. sorry mick can't remeber what thread read that in. looked at that many lol. Hi Jason, Yes I was talking about our Ute (Ch. U'Two of Baker Lake). This is him doing what Ren called the "extended trot" in the showring: and this is him at full gallop in harness: Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 thats the one Mick thankyou all very intresting stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocspirit Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 I looked through my videos quickly and sorry, I don't really have one that is slow enough to really show a good example or is at a good side angle to observe the movement. But Mick's pictures show a freeze frame of exactly what I was explaining Good reach meaning the dog stretches out as far as possible in mid-air whether in the trot or the gallop. Power in the rear mean he is launching himself with his back legs not "pulling himself along" with his front. A dog that can not launch out and have good reach may have hip problems (not a secure yes or no just a possibility). It could also be conformation (ie, a short back) or being out of shape (gotta teach the muscles to stretch out if the dog doesn't have a chance to do it on a regular basis - this can happen to a dog who spends most of his time in smaller enclosures or tethered and only gets walked on leash (so never gets a chance to fully stretch out). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 I'll see if i can get a small movie of Miki for tonight in the astroturf as it normally all nicely lit up still after the footy trainers have gone. if the camera sorts it's life out fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Wow this is all really facinating stuff.... I'm sooo gunna watch Nukka running the next time and see if I can see what your discribing.... You guys should teach my course... we've just discussed conformation and breed standards and my lecturer never mentioned anything like what you just did and I really wish she had its very interesting seeing what different people are looking for... judges, sprint drivers, mid and distance drivers all looking at similar but slightly different things! Very interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 well i did get some pics but they very poor to be fair and it more messing about than actual running as she should. (my daughter needs to run faster ) then the lights went lol. She does seem to bounce on the rear tho but maybe thats because she slowing down. I'll upload some very quick clips so don't blink and post em up. Also just a note when she was very young she jumped off a chair and landed funny and twisted her back right knee. Which has always worried me and i see fault in this still today, even if there is, or isn't, any fault. so would appreicate your thoughts on this from the pics. (if you get chance to see ) you lot know alot more than i or the vet i'm sure bear with me ill get em uploaded.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 here are the links sorry not best pics. make sure you don't blink Miki 1 Miki 2 Miki 3 Miki 4 Miki 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowdog Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 aaaaawww jase shes a lovely looking girl, im sure sum1 could give you some of their knowledge on miki's running, as i think what your looking for is an opinion on how she runs, best of luck, hope sum1 can help +1 rep for a interesting thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskydo Posted March 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 thankyou jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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