Fanciers and Judges make a great to-do over the dog’s hindquarters but can they recognize a sound, strong pelvic girdle, and pelvic limb construction? Although breed blueprints revolve around specialization demanding differing angles to include descriptive terms, such as sweep of stifle or great length from hip to hock, unimpaired hindquarters construction is the same, no matter the breed.

First, we start with the basic technicalities to differentiate the thoracic from the pelvic limbs. The pelvic limbs are fused and joined to the vertebral column, whereas the thoracic limbs are connected by muscle and ligaments, that is to say not bone to bone. The pelvic limbs are heavily muscled, longer and more angular than the thoracic limbs as they are responsible for propulsion. Pelvic limb movements surge or throw body weight forward, and the thoracic limbs catch and support this weight no matter what the stride and gait. Please note that stride and gait are not the same but more on this in another essay. One more fundamental is that the arrangement of the pelvis girdle and rump muscles enables the simultaneous extension of the hip, stifle, and hock. I will delve into regional musculature in another series.

Moving on, the strength of the pelvic girdle and limbs, length, and angularity of its bones and quality of muscling, in almost all cases, ultimately determines successful running speed. Because the dog species are carnivores, Mother Nature constructed him for running. Unmistakably, humans have intervened in evolution creating significant variations in the species and their functions. Some breeds have substantially limited running abilities, i.e., today’s Bulldog, Pekingese. Despite this, even the Bulldog’s hind end should be strong and muscular.

Many fanciers have taken a great liberty, far too much, redesigning the hindlimbs. Frequently we see improperly angled croups, plus over and under angulated hindquarters. Evaluating ‘hindquarter angulation’ involves two methods, yet often fanciers confuse the two or sometimes do not consider the other. The first is determining the angle of the pelvis from the horizontal called the pelvic slope. To determine pelvic slope we estimate a straight line from the forward part or crest of the ilium, to and through the ischial tuberosity. This line intersects with the horizon, therefore, creating a determinable angle. The most significant point is that this slope of the pelvic girdle can directly affect the progression and ability of the hindquarters forward-drive and thrust, otherwise known as propulsion. A steeply angled pelvis usually will restrict back reach locomotion.

The second process of determining hindquarter angulation is estimating the stifle joint angle. This angle is created and defined by two lines of intersection. One line is running centerline through the femur that is articulating from the hip bone to the stifle (knee joint), and the other line runs centerline through the tibia bone which articulates with and is connected to both the stifle and the tarsal joint (hock). Notably, the tibia is one of the major weight-bearing bones in the hindquarters. This method is standard in ascertaining symmetry between the forequarter and hindquarter angulation establishing if a dog is balanced.

The average, desirable stifle joint angulation for functioning dogs is 90-110 degrees. Simplifying the term ‘overangulated’ is when the angles of the femur and or the tibia themselves are set too sloping. An angle created by the femur through the axis of the tibia that is narrow, or more closed, is less than 90 degrees and is over angulated. In contrast, open angles might be more than 110 degrees where such a straightened femur and tibia do not generate rear power and drive. Invariably, in numerous breeds we see an unequal length of bones in the hindlimbs where the tibia bone is both too long and steeply sloped. This faulty engineering and redesign draws out the distal (lower) tibia, tarsal joint and rear feet, placing them dramatically behind the ‘seat bones,’ thus, greatly weakening the rear assembly’s capacity, thrust, and strength.

I repeatedly emphasize that the angle of the pelvis is very influential. Since the pelvic angle affects the width of the stifle and first thigh, a faulty slope limits the area for muscle attachment, and the dog has narrow thigh muscles. This is because many important muscles and tendons originate, are housed and attached on the femur, one of the strongest and longest bones in the rear. Also, consider the width of the second thigh and the lack of resulting in the phrase, weak second thighs. Second thighs are located below the knee joint and should be broad on almost all dogs. Weak and narrow thigh muscles do not show promise of speed or power.

If the dog has a weak or poorly constructed posterior, the dog is handicapped. Many breeders are careless, often planning matings based on conformation show wins without much thought to the pesky details of anatomy. Some casually believe that trends, such as over angulated hindquarters, results in accumulating more ‘wins’ then so be it, if that is what they have to do to win. In these cases, I reasonably question their posterior judgment.

Here, I have included photos depicting ideal canine hindquarters for an Irish Wolfhound. This bitch's hindquarters exemplifies strength, power, all in moderation at different ages. Neither over or under angulated, her pelvic angle along with her 30-degree croup angle regulating her tail set, are all ideal. For larger images, please click on the photo to enlarge in a lightbox. I included the 'going-away' photo illustrating exemplary rear hindquarter construction with sound, strong hocks. In this photo, the student or fancier can draw an imaginary line beginning at the center of the communal pads of the feet, up through the metatarsus and its hock joint, towards the hip socket and further, up through the crest of the ilium or hip bone. Another is of Jane's perfect, yes perfect, side gait. Rarely seen in Irish Wolfhounds, Jane's side gait was flawless, notice her rear feet comportment drive as she glides effortlessly.

Rosslare's Jane of Ballyhara gaiting 12 months. Credit Steve Surfman

This article in a previous version first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website.

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