# Renji (for fun)



## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Renji is a GSD x chow mix so I know his anatomy isn't going to match any standard. But he is an incredibly agile dog with amazing acceleration and to me he has good, balanced movement, so I'd like details on what in his structure yields all that. If you think he is NOT balanced, I'd love to know that as well. I'm trying to develop my eye for this.

















Now this stack I am PROUD of. I did this by myself- positioning the dog and photographing him. Well, okay, the lab down the street helped maintain his focus.







Please pardon the heavy post-processing; I still need to be mindful of my backgrounds.


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## wildwolf60 (Apr 13, 2001)

Well, I'm not an expert, but I think he looks very balanced! Back looks good too. I like his appearance, very pretty! His legs look really long, to me, or is it just the picture? Seems as if his movement is placing the feet where they do the most good in his running, I always thought that they were supposed to meet under the body this way. He's gorgeous!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you.







He is very square so I guess that means his legs are long or they're normal and his body is short. He's small though, only 45 lbs, but he is VERY fast. He definitely has a structure for speed, but I wonder if his is more for bursts of speed rather than endurance.


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## wildwolf60 (Apr 13, 2001)

Well, he looks fantastic running! I wouldn't worry about the size, that will probably help him in the long run. Less strain on his hips, etc. The more I look at the pics, the better I think he's built. And I thought he looked fine the first time I saw them! I like them better on the square side, I think they're better able to handle agility. I have seen some GSDs that were bred for 'show' and thought that their hips were way exaggerated, and felt sorry for them. Renji looks just fine. I had a German bloodline Schutzhund male once who was very square and balanced, and his top weight was 75 lbs. And he could do anything you asked him too. Used to jump in my arms on command. I don't think I could have held him if he weighed more! LOL.
Anyway, you have a great looking boy there, enjoy him! (think you did a nice job with the stacking, too, if I didn't mention that before.)


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

The third running pic in the topmost really shows off how incredibly agile this dog is. Renji really is poetry in motion-- but he also looks strong to boot. Renji truly has the tight, compact catfeet that are so advantageous in so many breeds. I LOVE seeing his firm rounded paws-- no weakness there at all. The weird thing is, Renji always looks BIG to me in his pics. I honestly think some dogs just have tons and tons of hutzpah and 'tude and it emanates through pictures too. I have an enormous GSD (27.5") and Renji looks intimidating to me!! I honestly would be cautious in meeting him, he just looks like he can handle anything.. is just his carriage and expression. I like how he has a strong, short neck. Nothing on this dog looks anything but healthy and strong. He even just LOOKS fast, too. He has a nice trim waist-- nothing excess on him. Nothing on Renji looks extreme at all. I am just in love with Renji's stocky, well-furred ears and floofy tail furs! His rich russets and glowing golds in his coat are stunning, and a good testament to excellent care. 

WHOA-- just noticed his Concord-grape colored tongue! KEWL!!


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

i like his size, he looks "sturdy." my question is, what is his temperment like more chow or GSD??


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Thanks, all! Wildwolf, I'm not concerned about his size at all. In fact, I LOVE this size! And Patti, yes, he certainly exudes an air of "150 lb angry Rottweiler."







He can do without half of that! We're trying to get him to gain weight but somehow his body is happy staying at "cheetah weight," but he's still getting fed better than we are.







Yes, his tongue and mouth are both very purple!

Steve, Renji is more suspicious and territorial, very quick to put on the boxing gloves. He is what I would call a sharp dog and will bark loudly and menacingly if people or dogs get close to "his" territory. Even if I let people in, he's not very accepting of guests until I prove it to him that they're good; I have to hand them a toy or food for them to dish out to Renji, then he LOVES them. With repair crews, he's kept crated and I feed him goodies to help him learn that visitors are fine if *I* tolerate them. He is incredibly intelligent and quickly learns and picks up new things. I think he's a very even mix temperament-wise.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Oh, and he is VERY stubborn.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: DianaMOh, and he is VERY stubborn.


i think thats the GSD in him


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

No, that's the chow. They're well known for being independent and very obstinate. With a chow, you really have to motivate them. Thankfully when I train I see mostly GSD but when the chow comes out, it gets interesting. 

On to his structure, I know he doesn't have very good reach. What on him is limiting the reach? Does he have a short upper arm? Or is it the shoulder angles?


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## GranvilleGSD (Mar 28, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: DianaMOn to his structure, I know he doesn't have very good reach. What on him is limiting the reach? Does he have a short upper arm? Or is it the shoulder angles?


You can see in the running pictures that he can fully extend those shoulders as his front feet are way past his nose, so I would lean towards a short upper arm, however I am not an expert at this stuff. Also, his topline is not even, he looks like he has a wave in his back, high at the withers, then a dip, then back up in the hip area. In the trotting pictures his hips look higher than his withers.

I also tend to wonder sometimes if part of the reach thing is just in the training/handling. I know I cannot run fast enough with my dog to show off her optimum reach (and she as well is lacking on reach, short upper arm I've been told) However if I get on a bike and have her trot next to it at a faster pace, she has a much longer reach. I have taken pictures of both ways and the reach is far better when I can get her to a faster pace. In the show ring, a GSD is usually pulling the handler around at top speeds to show off their reach, my dog wants to heel in the show ring, clearly not showing off her reach.

Renji is a very nice looking dog, and IMHO has better conformation than some purebred GSDs that I've seen.


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## Emily (Nov 8, 2008)

He's adorable! If you hadn't said he was a cross, I wouldn't have thunk it!


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## triordan (Dec 5, 2008)

chow? I don't see it, does he have a dark tongue?


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

I second that! He doesn't look like a cross (from the photos) but like a young GSD! 

He's very handsome!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you all! Yes, his tongue and mouth are both dark purple. No, he's not THAT red/orange as in the photo; I was a little heavy-handed in the post processing, but this photo was taken with a different camera and also different white balance.












> Quote:You can see in the running pictures that he can fully extend those shoulders as his front feet are way past his nose, so I would lean towards a short upper arm, however I am not an expert at this stuff. Also, his topline is not even, he looks like he has a wave in his back, high at the withers, then a dip, then back up in the hip area. In the trotting pictures his hips look higher than his withers.


Is his upper arm short, steep, or both? I know what you mean about his back but I'm not sure what's going on with his back. Could his topline be pushed strangely because of his long legs and high hip? Is this a weakness in his back?

He looks VERY upright on his pasterns, just about straight. Granted, he's not standing calmly, he is standing stiffly due to staring at another dog so his pasterns may not be quite so straight, but I wonder if this is something I'll need to watch out for when jumping.









Anyone else for his actual conformation? "Dissecting" Renji is helping me with structure a lot.











> Quote:IMHO has better conformation than some purebred GSDs that I've seen.


That really says something about the breed, when a mix can be said to have better conformation than many purebreds.







After having him though, I can say that really long GSDs stick out for me like a sore thumb, and I am seeing a LOT of sore thumbs now!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

That glowing, vibrant golden-toned ember-RED just screams "Chow!" What a gorgeous, gorgeous boy!! (some help I am with this conformation stuff...







)


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

I don't know that the dip along his back really affects anything. Risa has a similar dip herself. Though she has a slight roaching as well.









I'd say he's a pretty well-balanced dog.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

"Spirit" isn't something you asked about, but, boy.. just wanna say that it is SO evident in all of Renji's pictures!!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Jamie, Risa and Renji have very similar structure! Interesting.







Renji has a very very slight roach in the first photo but he does roach in the trot. Our dogs both vaguely have a sighthound build- dip in back with slight roach, high rear, straighter shoulders, great uptuck, etc. Ris really looks like some sighthound hopped into her pedigree.







I guess our dogs' builds are definitely built for acceleration and speed and agility.










Patti, Renji certainly is full of life and piss n' vinegar.


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

I agree. Their structures are similar. I do think Ris has some sighthound in her. I know Border collies also have a slight roach over their hind end too.







Either way, I'd say both Renji and Risa are built for speed!








Trotting:
















Running:


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Our dogs even run similarly.







Go Ris, Go! Also, I love that Brittany in the one photo. They are great dogs.









Ris is VERY muscular. Awesome!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

WHOA!!!!! Look at Risa RUN!! She goes as all out as Renji!! Seriously, Renji holds NOTHING back when he runs, look at his pics! Both of these dogs really let their afterburners kick in, bigtime. WOW!

I wonder if this explosive outlet of channeling energy into running helps relieve stress for tense, reactive dogs?

Grimm doesn't run dramaticly like Ris and Renji. He instead does this thing where he springs straight upwards back and neck arched like a coyote hunting fieldmice, achieveing major hangtime, then SPROIIIINGS skyward again, major hangtime, etc. Weirdest? He does it on command.







If my cam didn't have a stupid delay, I would get a pic!

More Renji pics, pleeeease!!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: BrightelfI wonder if this explosive outlet of channeling energy into running helps relieve stress for tense, reactive dogs?


I dunno, but Dena ran like that too, and she was calm and didn't have a reactive bone in her body:










My two fuzzies, Ms Poised on the left, Mr Intensity on the right:


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## wildwolf60 (Apr 13, 2001)

Hope you know I didn't mean you sounded worried about his size, I thought it was great too!








I really like his looks, and he sounds like a fantastic boy! Definitely a "winner"!


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