# Trotting question



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Okay so I got this website from a previous thread. I'm reading down it and it shows two side gaits and one says "Optimum foot fall sequence for an endurance trotting dog

And the other says "optimum foot fall sequence for a German Shepherd dog"

can be seen here:

Anatomy - The German Shepherd Dog

I thought the GSD was a "trotter". It is not an endurance trotting dog? What breed is, then? Does anyone know?


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Also, if you look at the picture of the dog that says "VA Male 1920" on that same page, that dog appears much more wolfy in conformation, at least to my untrained eye.

What is the motivation in creating the shape of the current GSD vs the one from 1920? I guess if anybody wants to answer that question even just to a working line dog, even they aren't shaped like that dog anymore, at least a lot of them. Seems like the wolf ought to be a prime example of canine athlete, why deviate?

Just curious


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Here is that old GSD pic I was talking about for comparison....well it also pasted the wgsl dog.

I'm not trying to bring up showline conformation. I just wonder what was the motivation behind changing the dog from what it was in the 20s?


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## GSDguy4EVER (Sep 9, 2017)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Okay so I got this website from a previous thread. I'm reading down it and it shows two side gaits and one says "Optimum foot fall sequence for an endurance trotting dog
> 
> And the other says "optimum foot fall sequence for a German Shepherd dog"
> 
> ...


If you read his article "The Hindquarter of the German Shepherd Dog", he makes a comparison to the grey wolf. If I am reading it correctly, his assertion is that a well-constructed GSD covers more ground with the same number of steps as a larger canine (the wolf) which is also an endurance trotting dog. While he does not state it, I think it is implied that the GSD if well constructed, is a more efficient trotter than even the wolf. Anyone feel free to correct my interpretation.


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## GSDguy4EVER (Sep 9, 2017)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Here is that old GSD pic I was talking about for comparison....well it also pasted the wgsl dog.
> 
> I'm not trying to bring up showline conformation. I just wonder what was the motivation behind changing the dog from what it was in the 20s?


This article on the GSD back is very educational The Curved Back of the German Shepherd Dog - The German Shepherd Dog

The dog identified as possibly most influential in the development of the curved back is Dak von der Wienerau.

In my opinion, the backs of the 1960's VA dogs such as Bodo vom Lierberg were closest to ideal. As to the motivation in the change to curved back, not sure myself.


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