can not jump!!!!! - Page 2

about they can jump because they have a title to me does not mean they can jump. i have worked a fair share of dogs that were so called titled that when they seen a dumbbell they looked you like you had two heads.

Sounds like you have you mind made up so good luck to you in your quest.

I have a young show-line bitch (Ursus granddaughter) who can jump higher and longer than any GSD that I ever owned. And she is not the fastest runner, as another working/show-line cross can outrun her. This is the only bitch that I ever observed being able to jump "sideways". I guess that they need the desire to jump, and for some it is obviously more fun than say, playing with a ball. I would try some way to constructively build the desire to jump, and jump well. Bob-O

I believe that this is a growing problem as excessive hind angulation creeps in. A dog with a croup of average or shorter length and deep hind angulation does not have the leverage for strong fast efficient jumping. He should still be able with long term conditioning to overcome this angular disadvantage with muscular strength. 20 years ago it was widely understood that correct construction meant a balanced harmonious relationship of parts. While heads, bone, body mass, and front angulation have improved, we now have judges referring to severely overangulated rear quarters as "very good". Many show dogs have excellent athletic ability, and others overcome such a weakness with some other strength. Best Wishes, Jonah

allaboutthedawgs you might be right. maybe there is a back problem. maybe jdh is right about the angulation. i am no expert on either back problems or angulation. if this problem is just isolated to this dog then imo it is not that big of a problem (only for the dog if he has to jump for anything) but if it's not isolated to this dog then it's a big problem for the breed. jmo

Jonah, I think you make a good point about the modern show-line angulation and croup length/angle. The natural construction of the dog has been altered (old news) for the sake of the show ring, and while this alteration make provide a better quality of movement (per the judge's assessment) it could well be a hindrance on the ability of the spine to stay correct as a modified rear carriage trys to put the grest power to the ground for a nice jump. A body construction that is nowadays out-of-balance with the natural characteristics of the dog's anatomy that was evolved over eons. Bob-O

I know, I am a broken record - a working dog must be athletic, not heavy bodied, short in leg, no neck, roach backed, and overangulated with a squatty rear. Nice for the show ring, not so nice for the working world.

Interesting thread. My working line male loves to jump as much as he loves playing with his ball. I have a large pile of brush in the backyard that he will jump a dozen times a day just for fun. The way he twists and turns when he jumps up to catch his ball I worry that he will hurt himself someday. My showline female is just the opposite. Won't jump over anything. They will both chase the ball but while the workingline male will jump over obstacles the showline female will run around them. Could be as BOB-O suggests that the female just doesn't have the desire to jump.

Just could not resist posting here. I have the opposite problem. I have a Rikkor Bad-Boll son, mother from Karly Arminius, and he cannot be kept in. He does not recognize barriers or borders at all. And he loves to jump. I took him to a kennel for boarding and I guess they did not believe me. They had 8 foot high pens. They put him in one and the next morning found him in the pen with the pretty little girl next door. I cannot leave him turned out anywhere, but have to take him every day for a big run in a field near here for his exercise. When showed a jump, about 36 inches, he just popped over. He will go over, around, under, through almost anything. He simply just does not recognize anything as a barrier that he cannot go through. And this is really a pain in the butt. The good side is, that if I need a dog who will go anywhere, this is the one. He did not hesitate to go over a foot bridge grate in the mountains that was open to the raging river below. He did not think twice and he was not at all worried.

Your lucky, I love dogs like that! I know what type of bridge you are talking about. I know of one here that I take all of my dogs to for training. Very high, you can see right through to the raging waters below.