Page 42 - Chow Life - Summer 2018

Standards,Conformation,

and Genetics

By Dr. Peter Emily

It is generally accepted that the Occasionally some standards completes our judgment.
development of a breed’s initial became rather unclear. They The judging process begins by
standard was influenced by what may have used words from horse addressing static conformation—
fanciers wished for their particular conformation that, although the dog standing still in the ring.
breed at the time. Originally, these technically correct, simply did But ultimately it is the ability of the
people established structural and not apply to canine anatomy or dog to use the “orderly arrangement
mechanical proportions for their were not easily understood by the of his parts” to perform to the
breeds based largely on function. In average dog breeder. Observation desired efficiency that must
many cases, dog fanciers adapted and hands-on experience became be judged. Correct angulation
their standards—and many of the the primary way to educate the produces the best movement from
desired conformation features— breeder as to what the standard’s point A to point B, which is always
from knowledgeable breeders of wording was attempting to describe. to be desired.
working dogs (and horses) of the
era. They found physical reasons It is true that times have changed,
for the specific structure they Judging by the Standard but it is not the case that we no
wanted in their breed from a purely By definition, conformation is longer need to judge according
mechanical view. Working dogs a harmonious modification, an to longestablished standards.
were widely utilized in the breeding orderly shaping of an object or an Certainly, breed standards should
programs of the past and had a animal’s parts. In conformation not be revised to allow a loss of
strong influence on the contents of competition, we judge the locomotion. We must realize that
the standards. harmoniousness of the dog’s parts proper movement contributes to
health and longevity, while faulty
For example, fanciers and by his performance in the ring. movement shortens the dog’s
breeders could see that a horse with How does each dog compare to functional life. Incorrect structure
a beautiful layback of shoulder at or the others in the ring, and what causes poor locomotion, which in
near a 45- degree angle exhibited is each one’s ability to function at turn produces deleterious stress
the length of reach that produced the required level? This process, on the skeletal, muscular, and
a level gait, thereby reducing the along with the visual or cosmetic cardiovascular health of the dog.
number of steps needed to travel properties—such as coat, eye color, All breeds must move efficiently,
a given distance. This, they felt, and desired skeletal proportions— not only to work or perform to the
would be a useful characteristic
for the working dogs of that time,
and so the angle of shoulder
layback became a feature of breed
standards.
As interest in conformation
competition increased over the
years, the older “working” standards
were modified. Certain points
were clarified, additional desirable
characteristics were introduced,
and in some cases standards were
even revised to better describe
changes that had already occurred
in a particular breed. Certain
mechanical and physical properties
that were required in some
breeds became defined as
faults in others.
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