Sloping back...Why? - Page 1

I have been locking back to pictures of stud dogs as far back as the 40's and 50's and noticed that the conformation was very different. In particular backs seemed straight and have started sloping since the late 60's. Could you please tell me how this came about. Was this entirely due to a change in fashion or is there a morphological-functional reason for this selective breeing. Thanks.

Welcome to the birth of the showlines as we know them now~

Some say it happened because greater angulation gave longer stride and outstreaching gait. Long strided animals became the hallmark of the GSD in American show rings.I went to a book from the 60's and it said that the withers should be the highest point. Maybe that point was taken to the extreme. A friend showed me a video of a GSDCA national show of the 70s I think. A dog called "Aspen of Fran-Jo was the Grand Victor. The dog was not particularly spectacular standing, but had more slope and angulation than most. He literally left all the selects behind him in the dust while going around the ring. If a little angulation made the animal move better, people probably thought they should breed for more and more. WRONG, Extremes of any kind are usually a bad idea. The rears on some dogs were so angulated, new terms were born like "Locked Hocks", "Hock Walkers" and "Toe Draggers" the Top Breeders and Judges gave a Seminar at the GSDC of America National, and the problem was addressed. I made an animation of a Select American Champiom that had less angulation than most of his time. http://www.ferrum.8m.com/logotest4black212ferrumdarkb.gif Because the slope was more pronounced in most animals, this dog was often possed with the rear back leg as far back as possible, so the hock looks like "\" to give as much slope as possible. He was im my mind, one of the best moving dogs of his time. Not overangulated at all. Could have been more firm in back. Best Wishes, Jo-Ann

Does the angulation cause hip problems and or back problems. Is anyone aware if before the angulation fashion if dogs suffered hip probs etc. My personal view is that the angulation has had too much emphsis and quite often at the expense of other traits.

The only thing I know is that Penn Hip, a for profit organization found that the GSD was more likely to be Dysplastic with less hip laxity than other breeds. The argument that angulation places larger distractive forces on the hip joint was born. Yes, Dysplasia was a problem long before the GSD, the invention of the x-ray and more angulation. Hip displasia happens even in wolves and cats. The OFA now certifies the hips of Cats too. I was told some years ago, that 90% of Main Coon cats and Bulldogs were dysplastic. Best Wishes, Jo-Ann

The Americans are looking for "extreme sidegait", "extreme rears and forehand angulation" - and guess what? Now they have it!!

Caroline, are you asking about American breed? There is no other answer for me to the question "Why did Americans crippled their GSDs?" than just fashion and love for extremes in everything. And it’s not only back : (

Can't argue with you, Makosh, just be very careful that doesn't happen to the SV dogs too.

Chickens get HD too ;-)

Thank you all for your answers. Especially Jo-Ann. Your's is very comprehensive and makes sense. Makosh, This angulation phenomenon is not only obvious in US breeds. If you compare pictures of German dogs in the 40's to those of the present, the difference in morphology is striking. By the way, hip dysplasia is a problem as a function of the weight od the animal. e.g. a Maine Coon (I have 2) can function perfectly well with a moderate level of hip dysplasia because he has less weight to carry around relative to the angulation of the femoral head and acetabulum morphology, compared to a 90 pound German Shepherd.