Why Do They Walk Like That?
From the archives of Kathleen Salvucci, Pine Hill German Shepherds, Mohnton, PA
True story–I had four-month-old Rhett at an indoor show to socialize and visit with friends when I was approached by two very young junior handlers, dressed to the nines in hair, makeup, glitter, and bows.
(I want you to picture the dog show version of Toddlers and Tiaras).
“Did they break his knees yet?” one sweet young thing asked.
“His WHAT?!” I replied.
“His knees,” the second child said smugly. “That’s why they walk like that. They break their knees.”
“They most certainly do not!”
“So…why do they walk like that?”
This is a common question asked of German Shepherd enthusiasts and breeders regarding the rear angulation of our dogs. It’s a question that should be easy to answer, but there’s obviously a lot of confusion. So, let’s clear it up …
The first place to look for an answer is the breed standard. The breed standard (for any breed) is quite simply the blueprint for the breed. Knowing and understanding the breed standard gives us a definition of correct temperament, the original purpose of the breed, and the “mental picture” an enthusiast, breeder, or judge has in mind when contemplating the ideal dog.
And, as long as we are talking about breed standards, another common question is:
“Are your dogs German or American?”
Below are two German Shepherd breed standards, one from the country of origin and the standard approved by the GSDCA for use by AKC judges.
(For the purpose of this conversation I won’t consider any “made up” breed registries or slight nuances found in standards used in different countries):
Standard Approved by the GSDCA for Use by AKC Judges:
If you take the time to compare the written standards, the primary differences are that pastern angle, some measurements, and height and weight are defined in the SV/FCI standard. But despite what you may have heard, both standards describe the same dog. A good dog would be judged favorably under either standard — and in fact, quite a few dogs are.
Notice the German Shepherd is not a square dog with a level topline. He is longer than tall. The withers are higher than the back, which should be relatively short and strong without sag or roach.
The dog should be balanced front to rear and demonstrate efficiency of movement, covering the most ground with the fewest number of steps. The angle of croup and even the tail set (the tail is used like a rudder for balance) all play a critical role in that efficiency of movement.
WHY do we care?
Because the GSD is a herding breed — more specifically, a tending breed. Although they have done many things well over the years, the origin of the breed was to act as a moving fence for sheep.
Consider the illustrations at left. (This is the same dog.)
In the top photo, the dog is standing naturally. The middle illustration shows how we “stack,” or pose, a GSD in the American show ring, and the bottom illustration shows the dog trotting at a moderate speed, demonstrating how all of the parts work together.
If the dog in the bottom illustration were to accelerate, his head would extend and drop, his shoulder would open up, the powerful thrust from his hindquarters would increase, and his stride would lengthen.
I am occasionally asked why a dog is trained to stack a certain way for the show ring. The answer (for any breed) is so that, at a glance, a judge can compare the dog’s structure to the mental picture they have of the ideal dog for that particular breed.
Later, the dog will be asked to move, and that is the chance to verify that everything works together as it should!
When asked to accelerate, a correct GSD will lengthen its stride to cover more ground rather than break into a gallop. Notice the pads showing on Solo’s right rear paw. This is an example of a beautifully functional rear assembly.
So … why do they walk like that? Because the GSD is a trotting breed originally intended to be a utilitarian farm dog whose primary job was to tend sheep. Built correctly, they could (and still can!) work efficiently all day.
Over the years, we have unfortunately seen features of the GSD exaggerated by some breeders.
If a little is good, more might be better, right? No!
For a GSD, a “square” dog is not correct. A dog with a roach to the back is not correct and likewise a dog too tall in forearm, straight in shoulder, and/or with extreme rear angulation is not correct.
Each of these flaws negatively impacts the beautiful, efficient, tireless movement characteristic of the breed.
A few final thoughts about GSD puppies and the changes they might experience, particularly as it relates to angulation as they mature:
You want a GSD puppy to look “overdone,” and by that I mean very heavy bone, very deep in body, and obvious rear angulation. If a puppy looks “finished” as a puppy (think “little adult”), it will likely be too fine in bone as an adult.
I have rarely experienced a puppy that loses shoulder, but puppies do lose rear angulation as they mature. So if there is no angulation as a puppy, the dog will mature into a very square adult.
Shown below is Champion Breauhausen’s Code Red OFA h/e TC, PT, HT, illustrating the change in rear angulation from puppy to adult.
(Nobody would ever accuse him of having too much rear!)
Puppies go through stages as they mature. Some will get very loosey-goosey as they grow, and that’s usually when a nosey neighbor or know-it-all in-law will ask, “Oh my goodness, what’s wrong with your puppy? Is it their hips?”
Not at all! Study the examples from the illustrated standard above, particularly joint structure, and you’ll see that correct rear angulation has nothing to do with hip conformation. Young muscles need to strengthen, and a gawky stage will pass.
Another observation regarding medium- to large-breed puppies (across a variety of breeds) is that some owners allow their youngsters to get too heavy, do too much forced exercise, or spend too much time crated at a young age — and some dogs will go “down in pastern.”
In truth, most ligamentation is loose on such a puppy, but the pastern angle is what is easiest to see.
If that is the case, take a hard look at management. Puppy food too rich and the puppy growing too quickly? Too much forced exercise — i.e., jogging, biking, or walks that are too long on hard surfaces?
(Scuffs on the back of the hock? Walk the puppy on grass!)
Too much crate time?
This condition usually reverses with age and with corrections to how the puppy’s lifestyle and activity level are managed.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at the following from Dr. K. Hedberg:
Loose Ligamentation
German Shepherds tend to be more angulated than most breeds, and for this reason they can appear to be having serious problems when, in many cases, they are simply going through fairly normal stages of development.
Common problems are:
- Excessive looseness of hocks, can be secondary to excessive depth of hindquarter angulation or
- increasing length of hock.
- Down in pasterns (often seen with 1 above).
- Flat feet (can be with both 1 and 2).
- Roached backs – (often associated with 1 above).
- Lameness – both perception of and real
Symptoms can include soreness associated with roached backs, looseness in the hocks, and/or being down in pastern. These issues can appear as early as 12–14 weeks, though more commonly around 5–7 months of age.
Because some of these puppies can appear rather loose and/or sore, many veterinarians immediately assume the worst (HD, etc.) when in many cases it can be a relatively easily corrected problem.
The vast majority of the problems listed above are diet- and weight-associated, exacerbated in some cases by the perception of excessive angulation. Most conditions arise following an excessive rate of weight gain, usually secondary to the overuse of high-energy, high-density dry foods.
Breeders are generally more aware of feeding protocols and are more likely to keep weights within desirable levels. New owners (i.e., the general public) are far more likely to overfeed.
Source: Dr. K. Hedberg 2010, www.gsdcv.org.au
In closing, study the breed standard, don’t sweat it if you have a puppy going through a “stagey” period, DO correct weight and exercise management, and enjoy learning about the GSD!