![]() Ooooh concussion! It makes me cringe when I see a dog leap from the backseat of a car down to the ground. Dogs are not built for such movement. Remember the invaluable book I touted years ago? McDowell Lyon's opus "The Dog In Action" (shown here) I call it "the other Red Book"...(Carl Jung's masterpiece being option 2). It is required reading for prospective puppy peeps in my world...for, the only way in which to understand movement is to know it. McDowell makes a proper overture. Truth be told...the best way to delve into knowledge of movement is atop the back of a really fine, well-balanced horse....I've been fortunate, in my horsey background, to be able to discern movement, foot placement, correct locomotion, balance & cadence from the saddle. I call it "listening with your butt". What do horses have to do with dogs? Everything. A really good dog no matter the size...will always cause a discerning horse person to say "I'd like to throw a saddle on that dog!"...this is the ultimate in flattery & means that the dog is balanced. Dogs are not built for daily acrobatics, however. We of course see them in agility events & IPO training (for example)...but, we also have a plethora of canine sports medicine borne from just these pursuits. Dogs do not have a clavicle. They lack that scaffolding that we have. They are a cursorial mammal, one designed to run. et al. Dogs have a shoulder which is surrounded by a complex lattice of 25 muscle systems, the dorsal aspect being attached to the spine by 4 muscle bands (from the 1st cervical to the 9th thoracic-& thus-to the first 7-8 ribs) . Incredible! Cartilage holds the dorsal relationship of the scapula as it follows the curve of the thorax. This is the penultimate nervine supernova! Woo. In the foto below...this statement is thusly illustrated. One bad move is all takes to change your dog's locomotion & nerve system...his spinal health, his being...forever. The sacred geometry of the shoulder assumes a fit, healthy, raw-fed dog of which the following armchair logic ensues: the angle of the scapula is determined by musculature & the thorax...however, no foot, no fido: it all starts with proper feet, excellent foot pads (for shock absorption), proper angulation of leg & pasterns...etc...very clearly, these formulaic breakdowns are great if we have a perfect scenario. But, whats perfect? Approaching a jump, for instance...the scapulae must angulate to perform in lifting the forelimbs, all while holding at least half of the weight of the dog; then the scapulae must tuck the forelimbs & finally, the scapulae must receive all of the responsibility in dispersion of the tension & energy of the concussion. Think of the force of your dog's full bodyweight at landing, then know that it's 4-5 times the bodyweight of your dog which is the weight-bearing load, accrued briefly on one forefoot...as your dog leaps from carseat to asphalt. In the foto-array above, at the gallop, you can clearly see that however briefly, the dog is momentarily suspended on one leg... I've selected the excellent dissection video for you which shows the impeccable design of the canine shoulder... Comments are closed.
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AuthorHowl-O! I'm Julia Jensen- devoted student of dogs & religious sampler of cheesecake, wheat beer, huehuetenango coffee & almost any chocolate out there. I indulge these fancies & more, in the remote silence of the pacific NW. *PLEASE NOTE* The videos selected for bloghism could be construed as "disturbing" to those of certain bents, sensitivities, natures, mind-sets, etc.. I have a distinct interest in relaying footage of dogs doing what they have been doing for centuries....& in some cases, I also include dog show footage just as a matter of interest. If you do not like my selections, by all means, do not view them. Archives
June 2024
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