"His neck is on the line." This idiom is appropriate when conversing about show dogs but also specialized breeds. Yes, the neck is more than just another part of the canine skeletal structure that connects the trunk and the head. In truth, it seems to have fluctuating levels of importance depending on the breed.

In conformation events, the neck can be a showpiece as handlers or exhibitors accentuate or occasionally overemphasize it as exceptional while presenting the dog for examination. It is a familiar sight to watch a handler jerk the dog’s collar up behind the ears while the other hand is stroking downwards on the neck to attract a judge’s eye to both the upper and underlines, subliminally boasting on its length and crest. The Cocker Spaniel or Whippet breed rings are good examples of this as the handler removes the show lead from the dog conferring great flourish on this one aspect of the anatomy. In some cases, such embellishment may be warranted because, in truth, it may be the best part of the dog!

Before I get ahead of myself, a quick anatomy lesson is appropriate. Every dog has seven neck vertebrae, no matter the breed. Attaching the neck and skull are the Axis and the Atlas vertebrae (C1) which allow for head movement. The nape is the skull and neck junction while ‘the blending’ refers to the neck and shoulder junction. Many are unfamiliar with the word 'nape' and the related term ‘crest,’ yet both factor into a number of breeds. Various breeds' fanciers prize a crest; that is a shapely neck whose upper line curves or arches over the Atlas vertebra. Two excellent breed examples are the Scottish Deerhound and the Akita. The Deerhound possesses a prominent nape adding to the beauty of his sighthound curves, and the Akita has an emphasized crest, which blends in with the base of the head, and is reasonably characteristic of the breed.

On the other hand, the neck is a lot more than a showpiece. For some hunting breeds, the neck is instrumental in performance and outcome, as well as safety. The Scottish Deerhounds neck is essential to his function, which is to hold a Stag. His neck is to be powerful and strong, not short and stumpy, but not as long as the greyhound. The greyhound, who has a long, smooth, muscular neck, uses it to stoop while dispatching hare. An Irish Wolfhound will dispatch game by breaking the back of the neck. In order to do this, he must himself have an extremely powerful, hard muscled, long neck, without which, he could become the victim. I included Figure One of an Irish Wolfhound, who illustrates a beautiful, powerful neck whose underline and upper line epitomizes ideal ‘blending.’ The form of this exemplary neck portrays strength and depth — the latter being the distance between the upper line and the underline. The neck is not overly long, weak and
spindly or stuffy, coarse and bunchy. The observer’s eye follows the flow of the neck which enhances the fine topline.

The neck has central muscles coursing from the skull to the shoulder girdle, sternum and rib cage. The Splenius and Sternocephalicus muscles allow side to side motion, extension and lift of the neck. Other muscles lift and move the dog’s limbs, in particular, the Brachiocephalicus, Rhomboideus and Omotransversarius muscles. They work by stretching and contracting, allowing for circumduction of the scapula, shoulder, and upper arm. These are just a few of the vital neck mechanisms that permit the functional dog to perform and excel at his work.

There are approximately fourteen or so descriptions contemplating the varying shapes of the neck that we apply to the many breeds. A few common labels are the bull, ewe, goose, stuffy, 'reachy', and upright neck. Two others specify skin involvement, such as wet and dry necks. A wet neck’s skin is loose, showing wrinkles, throaty with excess dewlap. A dry or clean neck has tight fitting skin without wrinkles and dewlap. A few shapes, which fanciers should be very familiar with, describe either a virtue or a fault. Several are only the opposite of one another such as a reachy neck describes a neck that is of a good length, well-muscled, refined or elegant. This is radically different from a short, stuffy, bunchy, muscled neck. Fanciers tend to confuse ewe and goose neck descriptions, so an explanation is appropriate. The underline of an ewe neck has a slight convex shape (curving outwards) rather than a natural, concave appearance (curving inwards). A goose neck is elongated, round and tubular lacking depth and power. Both of these anatomically defective types have a circumference around the neck and shoulder base similar to that of the skull and neck junction.

In conclusion, breeders perceiving the neck as a mere ornamentation of the skeletal anatomy put their dogs' functional necks on the line.

This article was first published on the Canine Chronicle website,
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