# Is this healthy? (Sorry if this is in the wrong spot!)



## LokiTheLady (Dec 7, 2013)

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, Mods! I couldn't find a better place to put it. Apologies :blush:

A friend sent me this image of a GSD, and told me it was her dream GSD. I took a look at the picture and kinda blanched. Sorry if this IS normal, and I'm overreaching but. Is this healthy? Or could it be a "King" GSD? 










Very sorry if this is normal and natural, it just looked odd and a bit rough on the hips/joints to me. But, I am a newbie! Thanks for your input


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

What are you thinking is abnormal about this dog? 
I am far from an expert, I see a stacked GSD. Stacking is a posed position for conformation photos and review.


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## LokiTheLady (Dec 7, 2013)

Sorry, didn't mean to offend! ^^ 

I guess the chest size to the leg size ratio kinda threw me off. Sorry once again, haha.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

he could be a little overweight
his pasterns are down making his front legs 
look shorter than they are


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Looks like a good dog to me. Your friend has good taste


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Some lines are very thick boned, and have broad heads and shorter heavier muzzles like the one in the pic. Nothing wrong with that dog, just a different look from what most people are used to seeing.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

We prefer not to critique dogs that weren't posted by their owner.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

I won't critique the animal, but I will respond to your thoughts no his proportions. He's a low stationed dog. Even if he had more upright pasterns, it wouldn't make his legs any longer. The breed is supposed to be longer than tall.

This dog looks to be of English style. Their animals do tend to be lower stationed more consistently than American lines, which can be quite leggy.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Liesje said:


> We prefer not to critique dogs that weren't posted by their owner.


Moved the thread from Critique to The Breed Standard.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

That was my first impression too, Jackie. English show lines.


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

Very nice dog to me, haven't seen that coat pattern/color before. What would you consider this pattern to be?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

He looks like a patterned sable. I have never had a sable though, so I could be wrong. I like the dog's looks. I guess he could be a black and tan saddle/blanket back, maybe blowing some of that thick coat on him.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah that's a patterned sable...

OP, not sure how you can tell the health of a dog from a picture, but ANGULATION of joints has nothing to do with the health of those joints. They can be a different/extreme angles and fit perfectly into their sockets and therefore you can have a perfectly healthy dog (in regards to hip/elbows).

This is a very very common misconception when looking at American show lines and I guess to some extent the English lines. People believe that because the dogs are angulated the way they are, their hips are bad. It's actually got less to do with the hips and more to do with the joints on the leg.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

And, this dog is in no way extreme when it comes to angulation. If he was standing normally or trotting his back would have even less slope. Even the working line dogs will have some slope in a stacked position like this. If they did not, when they trot or stand normally, their butt would be over their withers, and very incorrect.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I don't like the head of this dog much. Seems like not enough stop, and roman nose to boot -


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

LokiTheLady said:


>


I see what you are saying about the dog's front, it's odd looking to me too. Something about the elbow, shoulder and chest looks disproportionate. I think the dog is a little heavy and is carrying his extra weight in the chest.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

And of course, I find this dog quite nice looking. I don't think he lacks stop...the breed isn't supposed to have a ton. The roman nose bugs me a bit, but not the stop. Would certainly like to see his head from the front.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

> And, this dog is in no way extreme when it comes to angulation.


I actually disagree. Admittedly to my eye he would not *seem* extreme (because I am used to it), though he is. His leg could be pulled back a bit further and the hock would still remain perpendicular to the ground.

He has a very long upper thigh. The bones of upper and lower thigh look to match very nicely, but the dog does have quite a bit of rear angulation. This is a dog I'd like to see move, personally.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Xeph, I suppose I was thinking the angle of the slope of the back when I said extreme, because I have seen some really extreme slopes out there. This one does not seem extreme. He is angulated, yes. 

As for the chest shoulder area, one of the biggest conformation flaws in the breed today is lack of angulation in the front. I would also like to see the dog move.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

> Xeph, I suppose I was thinking the angle of the slope of the back when I said extreme


Perhaps, but that's not the part to look at, beyond checking to see if the back is straight


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