BOXER BODY STYLES

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BOXER BODYSTYLES
And how SMALL changes can make a BIG difference
to both style and movement

• By Judy Horton

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• I will attempt to show how just how much small
  differences made to .
• Amount of, or lack of forechest
• Balance of shoulder and rear angulation
• Length or angle of upper arm
• Length or angle of shoulderblade
• Length of leg and pasterns
• Length of second thigh
• Incorrect pelvis angulation

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Can make a difference to a Boxers style and
movement, and how to recognise it at a glance
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• First lets understand movement

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• Movement Cadence

The Trot This is the normal show gait
Reach The front leg reaches forward as far as his
angulation permits
Drive The rear leg drives through as far as his
angulation permits
Push The rear musculation takes over and pushes
his weight forward
Pull The shoulder musculation pulls the his
weight forward
Transition The middle of the stride
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• The angle of the shouldblade affects extension

• The well laid back shoulder blade gives more
  extension of the front leg
• Note that the length of upper arm does not affect
  the angle of extension, only the timing

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• The angle of the shouldblade affects angle of
  extension

• The steeper the angle of the shoulder blade the
  less extension of the front leg

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• More visible when you see them together

Now you can see the difference clearly The first
dog will need less steps and energy to cover the
same distance
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• The length of the upper arm affects timing

• This dog has well laid back shoulder blades, but
  shorter upper arm
• The front foot will hit the ground later than a
  dog with the correct length of upper arm padding

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• More visible when you see them together

There is more lift to the front foot The first
dog will need less energy to cover the same
distance
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• This dog has less rear angulation
• but good front angulation

He will lift and bend his front pasterns to allow
for the lack of drive behind
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• Again more visible when you see them together

You can see the difference clearly The first dog
will need less steps and energy to cover the same
distance
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• Now compare a dog with less front and rear
  angulation

To cover the same distance in the same time the
second dog will have to take more steps and look
to be busier his legs will move quicker
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• Front and rear
• The legs move towards the centre of gravity
  KINETIC BALANCE

There is no break in the straight line shoulder
to foot or hip to foot
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In these examples the straight line is
broken both of these rear movements are commonly
seen
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Well angled live dog in action

• You can see how this dog reaches out well in
  front and has powerful rear drive.
• Note how the left front foot has left the ground
  allowing for the back left foot to take its place
• Note the rear extension of the back rear leg and
  foot creating thrust or drive
• You can see the kinetic balance even in the side
  view (feet coming in to centre of gravity)

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• Now lets look at the stacked Boxer
• and the differences in structure
• .. and how they affect movement

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Example 1 Correct angulation

• This dog is very well balanced and should reach
  out well in front and have powerful rear drive.
• Note the angulation front and rear. All angles
  are 90-110 degrees
• He is not extreme in any way. Just a well
  balanced working dog!

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Example1Front and Rear

• Note the straight front legs
• Note also the fill between his legs
• Toes pointing straight ahead

Note the hocks standing straight not turning in
or out
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Example 2 More forechest

• In this drawing I have modified the front giving
  him more forechest.
• Still a nice dog but not as good as No 1 as he is
  looking a little out of balance

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• To enable you to see the difference between each
  dog and the correct Boxer I will overlay the
  above outline (in red) and angulation (in yellow)
  on top of each example.
• Small differences can then be easily seen.

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Example 2 More forechest

• I have overlayed the outline over the second dog
  so you can see the comparison. Not a lot but
  what a difference it makes!
• It is his balance that is affected making him
  look heavy in the chest, but he should reach out
  well in front and have powerful rear drive

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Example 3 Pouter Pigeon forechest - Correct
angulation

• This dog is similar to the last dog - but his
  chest instead of being nicely rounded cuts away
  sharply. He does not have the smoothly curving
  ribcage or depth of chest that would give him
  plenty of heart room. This wont affect his reach
  and drive as he is still well balanced.Seen from
  the front the fill between his legs will be
  missing.

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Example 3 Pouter Pigeon forechest - Correct
angulation

• Again I have overlayed the outline of the first
  dog over this dog so you can see the comparison.
  Not a lot again but what a visual difference it
  makes!
• His breastbone is too prominent and this is
  usually accompanied by hollows on each side not
  good fill.

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• Hollows on each side of chest
• Fill is further back

Correct front
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Example 4 Heavy Fronted - longer upper arm

• Because this dog has a fuller, deeper forechest
  and a longer upper arm. He looks loaded in front
  and out of balance.
• Because of the longer upper arm he may use rotary
  action in the rear to compensate for his long
  forward reach.

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Example 4 Heavy Fronted - longer upper arm

• Note the extra depth and slightly shorter more
  angled shoulderblade!
• Because of the longer upper arm his chest is
  slightly below his elbow.
• He will have a long forward reach and may have a
  rotary action to give his rear legs time to catch
  up to the front legs

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Example 4 Heavy Fronted

• Note the extra width and depth of chest and
  his chest slightly below his elbow.

Correct front
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Example 5 longer second thigh

• This dog has a very good front but he is longer
  in the second thigh. His action will be
  uncoordinated and he will lack drive.
• Because of his excess length in second thigh he
  may stop with his rear legs more under himself
  for balance.

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Example 5 longer second thigh

• You can see with this overlay that this dogs
  rear feet are behind the original feet.
• This dog will have a sloppy action looking from
  behind and will lack drive
• He may also bring his rear feet too far under
  himself in side view.

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He may move in either of the ways above or a
combination of both
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Example 6 Terrier Fronted

• This dog has a short upper arm, but his
  shoulderblade is well laid back and of correct
  length. He is what is termed "Terrier Fronted".
• His second thigh is long

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Example 6 Terrier Fronted

• He will reach well forward as the angle of his
  shoulderblade is correct but he will lift in the
  front due to his shorter upper arm and his long
  second thigh.
• His timing will be uncoordinated as his front
  feet will take longer to strike the ground than
  his rear feet and his rear will lack drive.
• He can look to be light on his feet and "Hover"
  as his front legs try to coordinate with his
  rear.

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Example 6 Terrier Fronted

• He will have a slight pause before his front feet
  hit the ground to allow for his rear dive

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Example 7 Longer legs

• This dog's front legs and rear pasterns are too
  long. He looks to be stylish and more elegant
  than the first three dogs, but he is off type and
  out of balance.
• His long front legs make his body look "off
  square" and his back over-short.

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Example 7 Longer legs

• He will look to cover a lot more ground when
  moving than the correct Boxer, due to his longer
  legs, but the standard asks for length of leg and
  depth of body to be equal.
• He may also crab when moving.
• Although it may be only an inch or two, the whole
  balance is incorrect

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Example 8 Overdone

• This dog's front legs are too short.
• He has "Leg-O-Mutton" hindquarters
  over-developed first thigh and a narrow second
  thigh.
• His short front legs make his body look "off
  square".
• He looks strong and powerful but he is off type.
  (More common in Europe)

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Example 8 Overdone

• His short front legs make his body look "off
  square" as his length looks longer than his
  height due to his heavier front.
• Those overdeveloped hindquarters gives the dog a
  squatting look.
• He will cover ground because of his angulation
  but his hind legs will not have the same drive as
  a dog with stronger second thigh
• He may lift and rotary drive in the rear to
  allow for his exceptional forward reach

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Example 9 Short shoulderblade and upper arm

• This dog's shoulderblade and upper arm are
  shorter and straighter.
• His rear is strong but he is out of balance.

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Example 9 Short shoulderblade and upper arm

• This dog will lift his front feet when moving to
  compensate for his strong driving rear in a
  semi-hackney gait.
• He will be padding or paddling coming towards you

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• Movement with more upright shoulders and strong
  rear

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Example 10 Straighter angulation

• This dog also has a short upper arm, and his
  shoulder blade is even more upright.
• Because his shouldblade is further up his neck
  there is an abrupt angle where the neck meets the
  withers and a longer back.
• His rear angulation is also a little straighter
  but it balances his front.

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Example 10 Straighter angulation

• This dog will fool a lot of inexperienced judges
  as his lack of angulation allows the dog to track
  fairly true, coming and going.
• Side movement will show that he does not reach
  out in front, nor drive as much as a dog with
  correct angulation.
• Note the lack of flow from neck into withers

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• Movement with more upright shoulders will be
  balanced but will not cover ground and his rear
  will not drive due to lack of angulation

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Example 11 Shorter upright shoulderblade

• This dog has a short but well angled upper arm
  and a shoulderblade which is shorter and more
  upright.
• Because his shouldblade is shorter and more
  upright and his upper arm is angled correctly,
  his neck has wrinkles where his withers meet his
  topline.
• He may also be wider across this area as the
  shouldblade has lost it tent effect

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Example 11 Shorter upright shoulderblade

• His rear is strong and well angulated so this dog
  will also lift his front feet (padding) to
  compensate.
• Note here too the lack of flow of neck into the
  withers!

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Example 12 Shorter upper arm and pelvis

• This dog has a short upper arm and drops away
  behind the tail (short pelvis).
• He also lacks width of first and second thigh.

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Example 12 Shorter upper arm and pelvis

• His movement may look coordinated but without any
  power or drive and he will not cover a lot of
  ground as he will short step both front and rear.
  
• Note the lack of dog behind the tail!

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Example 13 Long and wrong

• This dog is upright in shoulder, has a short
  upper arm, long back, long loin and weak rear
  quarters.
• Looking for the positive he does have a good
  head, length of neck and feet!

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Example 13 Long and wrong

• As his poor front is in balance with his poor
  rear and his back is longer he may look to be
  covering ground, but it will be just an illusion.

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Example 14 Herring gutted

• This dog has the same type of front to Dog 11.
• He has a shorter back but with a short ribcage
  and is what is termed "Herring-Gutted". Short in
  ribcage and too tucked-up
• He also has a steeper croup.

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Example 14 Herring gutted

• Because of his steep croup this dog will move his
  rear more under himself with a droop to his rear
  and lack any rear drive.
• He will have limited front extension

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Examples 12, 13 and 14
Correct front

• Narrow through and lacks fill

V- fronted
The shorter upper arm brings the legs more
forward and pushes the chest back
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Example 1 Correct angulation

• Again we go to the correct dog! He may be a
  little heavier than what you are used to seeing,
  but he is a working dog and can do everything a
  Boxer was bred to do! And do it well!!!
• He is THE WORLDWIDE BOXER