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BOXER BODYSTYLES

By Judy Horton

And how SMALL changes can make a BIG difference to both style and movement

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I will attempt to show how just how much small differences made to ….

Amount of, or lack of forechest Balance of shoulder and rear angulation Length or angle of upper arm Length or angle of shoulderblade Length of leg and pasterns Length of second thigh Incorrect pelvis angulation

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Can make a difference to a Boxer’s style and movement, and how to recognise it at

a glance

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First lets understand movement …

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Movement Cadence

PullThe shoulder

musculation pulls the his weight forward

The Trot

This is the normal show gait

ReachThe front leg

reaches forward as far as his

angulation permits

DriveThe rear leg drives through as far as

his angulation permits

PushThe rear

musculation takes over and

pushes his weight forward

TransitionThe middle of the

stride

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The angle of the shouldblade affects extension

•The “well laid back” shoulder blade gives more extension of the front leg

•Note that the length of upper arm does not affect the angle of extension, only the timing

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The angle of the shouldblade affects angle of extension

•The steeper the angle of the shoulder blade the less extension of the front leg

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More visible when you see them together

Now you can see the difference clearly

The first dog will need less steps and energy to cover the same distance

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The length of the upper arm affects timing

•This dog has well laid back shoulder blades, but shorter upper arm

•The front foot will hit the ground later than a dog with the correct length of upper arm – padding

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More visible when you see them together

There is more lift to the front foot

The first dog will need less energy to cover the same distance

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This dog has less rear angulation

but good front angulation

He will lift and bend his front pasterns to allow for

the lack of drive behind

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Again more visible when you see them together

You can see the difference clearly

The first dog will need less steps and energy to cover the same distance

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Now compare a dog with less front and rear angulation

To cover the same distance in the same time the second dog will have to take more steps and look to be “busier” – his legs will move quicker

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Front and rearThe legs move towards the centre of gravity = KINETIC BALANCE

There is no break in the straight line – shoulder to foot or hip to foot

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In these examples the straight line is broken…

both of these rear movements are commonly seen

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You can see how this dog reaches out well in front and has powerful rear drive. Note how the left front foot has left the ground allowing for the back left foot to take its

place Note the rear extension of the back rear leg and foot creating thrust or drive You can see the kinetic balance even in the side view (feet coming in to centre of

gravity)

Well angled live dog in action

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Now let’s look at the stacked Boxer

and the differences in structure

….. and how they affect movement

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Example 1 – Correct angulation

This dog is very well balanced and should reach out well in front and have powerful rear drive.

Note the angulation front and rear…. All angles are 90-110 degrees He is not extreme in any way…. Just a well balanced working dog!

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Example1

Front and Rear

Note the straight front legsNote also the fill between his legsToes pointing straight ahead

Note the hocks standing straight not turning in or out

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Example 2 – More forechest

In this drawing I have modified the front giving him more forechest. Still a nice dog but not as good as No 1 as he is looking a little out of

balance

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To enable you to see the difference between each dog and the correct Boxer I will overlay the above outline (in red) and angulation (in yellow) on top of each example.

Small differences can then be easily seen.

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Example 2 – More forechest

I have overlayed the outline over the second dog so you can see the comparison. Not a lot… but what a difference it makes!

It is his balance that is affected making him look heavy in the chest, but he should reach out well in front and have powerful rear drive

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Example 3 – “Pouter Pigeon” forechest - Correct angulation

This dog is similar to the last dog - but his chest instead of being nicely rounded cuts away sharply. He does not have the smoothly curving ribcage or depth of chest that would give him plenty of heart room. This won’t affect his reach and drive as he is still well balanced.Seen from the front the fill between his legs will be missing.

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Example 3 – “Pouter Pigeon” forechest - Correct angulation

Again I have overlayed the outline of the first dog over this dog so you can see the comparison. Not a lot again… but what a visual difference it makes!

His breastbone is too prominent and this is usually accompanied by hollows on each side – not good fill.

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Hollows on each side of chestFill is further back

Correct front

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Example 4 – “Heavy Fronted” - longer upper arm

Because this dog has a fuller, deeper forechest and a longer upper arm. He looks loaded in front and out of balance.

Because of the longer upper arm he may use rotary action in the rear to compensate for his long forward reach.

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Example 4 – “Heavy Fronted” - longer upper arm

Note the extra depth and slightly shorter more angled shoulderblade! Because of the longer upper arm his chest is slightly below his elbow. He will have a long forward reach and may have a rotary action to give his

rear legs time to catch up to the front legs

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Example 4 – “Heavy Fronted”

Note the extra width and depth of chest and his chest slightly below his elbow.

Correct front

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Example 5 – longer second thigh

This dog has a very good front but he is longer in the second thigh. His action will be uncoordinated and he will lack drive.

Because of his excess length in second thigh he may stop with his rear legs more under himself for balance.

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Example 5 – longer second thigh

You can see with this overlay that this dog’s rear feet are behind the original feet.

This dog will have a “sloppy” action looking from behind and will lack drive He may also bring his rear feet too far under himself in side view.

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He may move in either of the ways above or a combination of both

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Example 6 – “Terrier Fronted”

This dog has a short upper arm, but his shoulderblade is well laid back and of correct length. He is what is termed "Terrier Fronted".

His second thigh is long

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Example 6 – “Terrier Fronted”

He will reach well forward as the angle of his shoulderblade is correct but he will lift in the front due to his shorter upper arm and his long second thigh.

His timing will be uncoordinated as his front feet will take longer to strike the ground than his rear feet and his rear will lack drive.

He can look to be light on his feet and "Hover" as his front legs try to coordinate with his rear.

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Example 6 – “Terrier Fronted”

He will have a slight pause before his front feet hit the ground to allow for his rear dive

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Example 7 – “Longer legs”

This dog's front legs and rear pasterns are too long. He looks to be stylish and more elegant than the first three dogs, but he is off type and out of balance.

His long front legs make his body look "off square" and his back over-short.

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Example 7 – “Longer legs”

He will look to cover a lot more ground when moving than the correct Boxer, due to his longer legs, but the standard asks for length of leg and depth of body to be equal.

He may also “crab” when moving. Although it may be only an inch or two, the whole balance is incorrect

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Example 8 – “Overdone”

This dog's front legs are too short. He has "Leg-O-Mutton" hindquarters – over-developed first thigh and a

narrow second thigh. His short front legs make his body look "off square". He looks strong and powerful but he is off type. (More common in Europe)

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Example 8 – “Overdone”

His short front legs make his body look "off square" as his length looks longer than his height due to his heavier front.

Those overdeveloped hindquarters gives the dog a “squatting” look. He will cover ground because of his angulation but his hind legs will not

have the same drive as a dog with stronger second thigh He may lift and “rotary drive” in the rear to allow for his exceptional forward

reach

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Example 9 – “Short shoulderblade and upper arm”

This dog's shoulderblade and upper arm are shorter and straighter. His rear is strong but he is out of balance.

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Example 9 – “Short shoulderblade and upper arm”

This dog will lift his front feet when moving to compensate for his strong driving rear in a semi-hackney gait.

He will be padding or paddling coming towards you

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Movement with more upright shoulders and strong rear

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Example 10 – “Straighter angulation”

This dog also has a short upper arm, and his shoulder blade is even more upright.

Because his shouldblade is further up his neck there is an abrupt angle where the neck meets the withers and a longer back.

His rear angulation is also a little straighter but it balances his front.

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Example 10 – “Straighter angulation”

This dog will fool a lot of inexperienced judges as his lack of angulation allows the dog to track fairly true, coming and going.

Side movement will show that he does not reach out in front, nor drive as much as a dog with correct angulation.

Note the lack of “flow” from neck into withers

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Movement with more upright shoulders will be balanced but will not “cover ground” and his rear will not drive due to lack of angulation

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Example 11 – “Shorter upright shoulderblade”

This dog has a short but well angled upper arm and a shoulderblade which is shorter and more upright.

Because his shouldblade is shorter and more upright and his upper arm is angled correctly, his neck has wrinkles where his withers meet his topline.

He may also be wider across this area as the shouldblade has lost it “tent effect”

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Example 11 – “Shorter upright shoulderblade”

His rear is strong and well angulated so this dog will also lift his front feet (padding) to compensate.

Note here too the lack of flow of neck into the withers!

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Example 12 – “Shorter upper arm and pelvis”

This dog has a short upper arm and drops away behind the tail (short pelvis). He also lacks width of first and second thigh.

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Example 12 – “Shorter upper arm and pelvis”

His movement may look coordinated but without any power or drive and he will not cover a lot of ground as he will short step both front and rear.

Note the lack of “dog” behind the tail!

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Example 13 – “Long and wrong”

This dog is upright in shoulder, has a short upper arm, long back, long loin and weak rear quarters.

Looking for the positive he does have a good head, length of neck and feet!

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Example 13 – “Long and wrong”

As his poor front is in balance with his poor rear and his back is longer he may look to be covering ground, but it will be just an illusion.

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Example 14 – “Herring gutted”

This dog has the same type of front to Dog 11. He has a shorter back but with a short ribcage and is what is termed "Herring-Gutted". Short in ribcage and too

“tucked-up” He also has a steeper croup.

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Example 14 – “Herring gutted”

Because of his steep croup this dog will move his rear more under himself with a droop to his rear and lack any rear drive.

He will have limited front extension

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Examples 12, 13 and 14

Narrow through and lacks fill

Correct front

The shorter upper arm brings the legs more forward and pushes the chest back

V- fronted

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Example 1 – Correct angulation

Again we go to the correct dog! He may be a little heavier than what you are used to seeing, but he is a working dog and can do everything a Boxer was bred to do! And do it well!!!

He is “THE WORLDWIDE BOXER”