# Hunter at 8 months, critique please?



## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hey guys,

I am entering Hunter in his show survey this spring, and wanted to get opinions on his confirmation and our stacking. He is currently a little over 8 months in these pictures. Would you be so kind as to critique his comfirmation, and our stacking abilities? We know he tends to lean forward, but we're training a wait command for stacking and using the ball as a reward so it is hard to make it just right.

Huge thanks to anyone who offers their opinion!




























And one for his awesome temperament. :3










Thank you!


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

I don't know anything about it; but what a gorgeous dog!


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

He reminds me of my 9 month old. All legs and ears!


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Angelina03 said:


> I don't know anything about it; but what a gorgeous dog!


Thank you! I think he's pretty handsome.


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

I like the second stack better, but you could pull his leg closest to the camera a little farther back like you did in the first photo. But overall the second stack is much better. 

he has good rear angulation, topline is ok, flat withers with a dip behind his shoulders. Good underline. Good length to height ratio despite this age being a SUPER awkward age for L-H ratios. Good bone. The photo angles don't show it well so it could be the angle but I would like to see more forechest, but he is also still very young. 
East west, Prefer a tigher earset but the photo isn't to his advantage. Has a short upper arm.
Wonderful temperament! <3

the leaning forward is a good thing! The top photo he is bridging. His front legs are out in front of him instead of under him like they should be in the second photo. Stand a little closer to the camera so his head has a better angle towards the camera. And for the camera man, tell them to level themselves with his body/chest area, less of an above view like these photos show. 



otherwise great job! Balanced young male who looks very nice for this awkward age!

to be honest 8 months old is my least favorite age.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

4TheDawgies, could you explain east west?


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Falkosmom said:


> 4TheDawgies, could you explain east west?


I think it's referring to the feet. I very rarely see him standing easty/westy... He usually sits with paws very straight forward.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

4TheDawgies said:


> I like the second stack better, but you could pull his leg closest to the camera a little farther back like you did in the first photo. But overall the second stack is much better.
> 
> he has good rear angulation, topline is ok, flat withers with a dip behind his shoulders. Good underline. Good length to height ratio despite this age being a SUPER awkward age for L-H ratios. Good bone. The photo angles don't show it well so it could be the angle but I would like to see more forechest, but he is also still very young.
> East west, Prefer a tigher earset but the photo isn't to his advantage. Has a short upper arm.
> ...



Thank you for the critique! Do you know of any "amazing stack" photos I can look at to try and learn from?


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

Wild Wolf said:


> I think it's referring to the feet. I very rarely see him standing easty/westy... He usually sits with paws very straight forward.


I thought that was what was meant too, but I was just trying to determine what in the pictures made her suggest that. I am by no means experienced in this area and I was just trying to learn.


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

Usually looking at photos on the pedigree database of showline dogs are good examples of stacks. They will usually have "mendely"(sp?) and "URMA" at the bottom right hand of the corner water mark. People usually get REALLY nice stack photographs of their dogs there. 

I don't want to toot my own horn and post my own dogs but IDK if I am allowed to just post photos of dogs I don't own with good stacks.

But even with a "good stack" photo of a dog. The foot placement of that dog should be to its advantage, not on a cookie cutter type deal. Dogs with more length and better rear angulation will need their legs placed farther back than a dog with less of both. 

Here is a photo of my male stacked to his advantage for his body style:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/critique-my-dog/173323-18-months-3-days.html

Here is a stack photo of his sire, my favorite one of him:
http://cdn.pedigreedatabase.com/pictures/691824.jpg


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

Falkosmom said:


> I thought that was what was meant too, but I was just trying to determine what in the pictures made her suggest that. I am by no means experienced in this area and I was just trying to learn.


If you zoom into the stack photographs of the dog and look at the front feet, the left foot is facing off to the left, while the right foot is facing off to the right (two separate directions) 

You could have incorrectly placed the feet and put them there yourself. I am just going by what I see. Photographs are never completely accurate representations of the dogs.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

4TheDawgies said:


> If you zoom into the stack photographs of the dog and look at the front feet, the left foot is facing off to the left, while the right foot is facing off to the right (two separate directions)
> 
> You could have incorrectly placed the feet and put them there yourself. I am just going by what I see. Photographs are never completely accurate representations of the dogs.


Absolutely. Again, my husband does the stacks and I take the photos.. we are very new and inexperienced in proper positioning. He kept trying to lift Hunter's front end to straighten the legs, and I think that is why the feet got pointed outward... it was quite awkward, lol! I wish there were more videos on youtube about how to stack.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

I agree overall with Maris, but I don't like the leaning forward at all. Further flattens his withers, which you don't want. The second stack is better than the first. His proportions look much better. The first stack makes him look overly long


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Xeph said:


> I agree overall with Maris, but I don't like the leaning forward at all. Further flattens his withers, which you don't want. The second stack is better than the first. His proportions look much better. The first stack makes him look overly long


Thank you for the advice! It has been difficult thus far to keep him from leaning forward. Does anyone have suggestions for preventing the leaning forward?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I try to have someone stand in front of the dog (not too close) holding a toy to their chest. The dog should lean a bit as if he is naturally standing alert, but not lean and slouch or lean in such a way like he's stalking something.

For example, here is Pan leaning forward in a bad way. He's actually taking off after a ball the moment the pic was taken, but he's "stalking" forward so he's really flattened out:


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

The dog can lean forward, but it should be from the legs, not the neck. The dog needs to be taught to pull himself up and forwad


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Hunter is a very handsome boy. 

Pannnnnnn. :wub:


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

In the first picture he needs to have his front legs under him more like in the second photo. The second photo I would move the far rear hair more under him to show off his rear better. Not as much as in the first photo, but more than in the second. I would also work on stacking him the other way since the conformation rings run counter clockwise and the dogs will be stacked with the judge on their left side. 

Very young looking male with flat withers, OK topline, slightly flat croup that should be longer. Good angulation in front, very good behind. He is a bit open at the elbow right now (that can improve as he fills out), good pasterns, OK feet. Color is OK though I would like to see darker eyes. OK secondary sex characteristics, but, for a male, he could use more bone.

Make sure you don't just practice the stacking but also the gaiting and double handling and having his teeth and testicles checked.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

lhczth said:


> Make sure you don't just practice the stacking but also the gaiting and double handling and having his teeth and testicles checked.


This, definitely. Really you don't need to practice perfect stacking. The dog will not be expected to free stack and the handler should know how to stack individual dogs to best show them off. As long as the dog can hold still and doesn't mind being stacked (doesn't sit, tuck the tail, or flatten the ears) you'll be fine with stacking.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

lhczth said:


> In the first picture he needs to have his front legs under him more like in the second photo. The second photo I would move the far rear hair more under him to show off his rear better. Not as much as in the first photo, but more than in the second. I would also work on stacking him the other way since the conformation rings run counter clockwise and the dogs will be stacked with the judge on their left side.
> 
> Very young looking male with flat withers, OK topline, slightly flat croup that should be longer. Good angulation in front, very good behind. He is a bit open at the elbow right now (that can improve as he fills out), good pasterns, OK feet. Color is OK though I would like to see darker eyes. OK secondary sex characteristics, but, for a male, he could use more bone.
> 
> Make sure you don't just practice the stacking but also the gaiting and double handling and having his teeth and testicles checked.


Thank you for the critique! 

Hunter is great with handling, teeth and testicles. I have had many others do it for me, so I feel very confident about that.

About the eye colour, they are quite dark. We were taking pictures at sun set with the light in his eyes. I often get comments on how rich his coat colours are, as well. I think the light was working against me in these photos!


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Just to show eyes/fur without bright light.


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