Sound Confirmation – The Key to Sound Function: To Be Beautiful Must Be Healthy

By Astrid Indrebø

One of our DogWellNet Experts

An article about functional anatomy by Astrid Indrebø, PhD, DVM, Veterinary scientific director, Norwegian Kennel Club
Adjunct professor, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science,
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences
Box 8146 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway
Illustrations from “Canine Terminology” by Harold Spira (with permission)

excerpt...
"Sound conformation is the key to sound function. Severe bite faults and lack of teeth, loose eyelids, forward placed shoulders, steep shoulder or upper arm, too long or too short loin, carp loin, sloping croup, bandy legged or cow hocked – these are the expressions that are used in the show ring in order to describe faults that cause deductions of the dog’s rating.
Not only do these words describe pure conformation faults – but these are faults that to a large extent affect the dog’s function and soundness.
A dog must be healthy to be classified as beautiful in the show ring – no matter the breed, purpose or size!"

This article is a MUST READ for dog breeders!