Flying trot? - Page 6

I'll help out with a Pacing pic.

This is a very short coupled bitch pacing at low speed.

Yes, that is a true pace! Nice shot.

Above, Luca von Huerta Hof, one of Robin's bitches. Robin says Dr. Martin Goldfarb wrote a very nice critique of her which was published in the GSDCA-WDA magazine.

Nice reach in the front there, but you can see how she's straining on the leash, and the gait would look even better if she were gaiting free.

EuroShepherd's second dog is one of the few posted so far that is actually showing the flying trot at the moment of suspension.  Most of the others are showing a four beat trot where the excessive angulation causes a shuffling incoordination, admittedly made much worse by straining on the lead.  Note ES's dog is not excessively angulated.

Agree with Preston in that the pace is a natural gait.  Used for economy when the dog is tired and often seen in sled dogs working.  But it can also be used by the dog to alleviate discomfort eg as a result of injury.  I'm sure some judges do see the pace as a fault, but probably mostly because we like to assess movement at the trot.

The modern show GSD is not capable of single tracking because of excessive angulation.  The rear footfalls pass either to the right or the left of the fore feet.  This is easy to see on the Dingo video. 

Very good example of pacing, Thanks for that it helps others understand the difference.

Another dog that could flat out move was 90,91 Seiger Fanto v Hirshel. When he won the Seiger show the second time he just walked away from the two and three dogs never breaking his stride. Because of his lack of ability to produce top males I think he has never gotten his just dues...JMO.

Gustav

Agree totally, we were there 19 years ago and saw him - was totally mesmerised by his movement - a stunning animal.  His influence is still around in some of today's pedigrees and no doubt he is passing on his movement to this day.  He is definitely my all time favourite GSD having seen him in the flesh.

OFF LEAD GAITING AT EVENTS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SEE THE REAL MOVEMENT OF THE GSD and hopefully there will be more of this in the future.  We have young animals at our training that can off lead gait and they are not even in the adult classes yet - it is fantastic to see them doing it.

Aileen

hey ho

 Thank you guys for your comments 

Here's one of my very promising puppy until his testicules refused to show up!!  He was 5 months old a the time. He is now living as a pet...

I answered my own question, I found another breed known for the flying trot:

www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner~y2009m12d14-Bracco-Italiano-dog-wins-2009-Eukanuba-World-Challenge

(Hi Missbeeb, I haven't forgotten....)

I don't think Jemima is looking for this info because she is a fan. Seems my research including other sites, show dog-folk with opinions that includes the thinking that breeders are responsible for this exaggerated gait, and this would fit into Jemima's longstanding theme of pedigreed breeding (for this gait,) is ruining the breed. JMHO

IMO, watching those herding pictures leaves me with no doubt that I am watching something both beautiful and natural in the dog gait called a flying trot.