This is Charlie – if you can see him for all the lines! It’s not a great photo at all unfortunately (although it’s better than the last one I had to try this with!) and I am SO embarrassed my dog will only stand still with the aid of a bread board – I SO must finish that stand off! The breadboard tilting him back, and him having his head down scoffing a treat both don’t help….. Ah well. I am going to try again with another one over the holiday period and actually paint the dots on him. I was feeling his bones as I placed the dots, but I’m not sure I’ve got the front right. His angulation at the front is too steep, and his thigh could be significantly broader. His back is too long but I don’t think that is quite as ‘bad’ as I thought it was after reading the book – although I don’t think (unlike a wolf) Charlie has a long back partly due to a well sloped shoulder and pelvis, although I don’t think his pelvis looks too bad. I think overall Charlie's rear is stronger than it looks here, looking down on him, he has substantial muscle, and his bum is quite wide. Perhaps through a specialist exercise regime rather than underlying conformation though. I like Charlie’s overall weight and level of ‘chunkiness’ and I like his head, I adore his face and his expression – I think it’s one of the best I’ve seen on a Chocolate Labrador, and his eye colouring is lovely, I think. But I will look for a better conformation on my next dog, at the front but particularly around the rear - I'd keep the same general build as Charlie. I don’t want a taller dog, but a less long back would be good (subject to me figuring out how shoulders and pelvis and long backs fit together). charlie lines by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr Of all the pictures I’ve looked at, I drew this one to illustrate what I think a really good rear looks like (this is a sketch of a Border Collie, an agility champion). It’s that turn of stifle at the front, plus the angles….obviously, on a Lab I’d expect this overall thing to be a bit ‘chunkier’. border collie rear by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr Charlie does not have a ‘skirt’ – this is a flap of skin that you see on some show dogs (I’ve not seen it on the forum dogs) at the top front rear leg. It gives the impression of a broader thigh (and is harmless, health wise) but also significantly reduces the appearance of ‘tuck’ in the waist. I do think I’ve seen this on some show Labs but not to the extent it appears on some breeds like Bassett Hounds!
I'm much less keen on a square look after reading the book though - but it does depend on why the dog is long.
Obi has the 'skirt'. It does make him look fatter than he is, because it obscures the 'tuck up', which I guess is the purpose (to give the appearance of a level underside). This is a bit out of focus (the skirt owner was quite bouncy this morning). Pretty much all of that triangular area is just skin, stretching between the end of his ribcage and the front of his thigh.
Isn't that interesting! It does indeed create the level underside. That's very strange. The US standard would require that, not the Australian standard or UK though.
Yes, it is interesting! Quite the useless accessory. In case it is hard to tell in the pic the head end is to the right and the tail end is to the left
Very interesting! Have taken a couple of photos of the boys, I guess Bramble is a bit young at 14 weeks!
Look forwards to seeing them, Kate @Beanwood - it's all very educational! Bramble isn't too young, no, you should still be able to see her underlying conformation.
This is the same area on Charlie as Rachael shows on Obi. I do think this one reason why I have often thought Obi looks to be heavier than Charlie - but Obi is the lighter dog (they are both almost exactly the same height if I remember correctly). no skirt by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
I have taken a couple of photos, but so far today have broken 2 laptops! Have had a go at the dots on ppt, then couldn't work out how to export from powerpoint. think I really need to understand exactly what to look for first. Bramble I think is going through a growth spurt, her back legs look too long for her at the moment, so she looks a bit out of proportion
What is it with the Aussies and the skirt thing! (I am joking, btw, I've seen this in the UK show ring).
Maybe they got jealous of the Scots having all the fun, flinging their kilts around, and wanted to get in on the action. Next thing you know, they'll be attaching a sporran.
