Measuring a dog

[eric]

Just curious about something.

When a breed standard says "The dog shall measure between xxx and yyy at the shoulder", are they measuring to the very top of the dog's back at the front legs?

I was curious to see how Travis differed from the GSD standard and when I measured, I got 29.5" from the ground to the top of his back, which is like 2.5" more than the standard so I think I'm not measuring properly.

[Guest Anonymous]

From the withers....shoulder blades. I have a wicket to measure mine with. I found that the wicket measures 1/2 taller than a measuring stick!

[eric]

Thanks Gigi.

I'm a little slow today. That means that I should not measure to the top of the spine?

[Guest Anonymous]

Well, we were never properly trained, but we thought it was right where the sholders and neck meet...

[color=red][b][size=7]ROO.....WHERE ARE YOU?????[/size][/b][/color]

She can help!

[yellowlabsrule]

Yep that's right

Withers

Definition:
The highest point on a dog behind the neck, typically the point of the shoulder blades.

Pronunciation:
With*ers • (noun)

Examples:
Standard heights are judged by maximum acceptable heights at the withers.

Here's an example from the Labrador Retrievers standard:
The height at the withers for a dog is 22

[deepseasnake]

as I said in working breeds the squeeeling must stop

[Guest roo]

Withers :lol:
The highest part of the body, immediately behind the neck.

Sash,
in the uk they measure the toy and min poodles and the german spitz
in the ring,and some others they also weigh the mini dachs. and some others
as to disqualifying faults, like size etc, we do not have that over here,
it is all down to the judges view.
Eg, you have an absolutely fabulous specemin of the breed but it is 1 inch too big, but what it is up against is pure pet quality.
In some countries you would have to disqualify the bit big one and put up the crappy one.( Does seem silly)But in the uk it can still win, or you can withhold placings etc.

[Bensam]

(HOBBIT - DO NOT READ :lol: )

The show standards here have very few height/weight disqualifications, it is mainly worded "prefered" or "ideal" or "should be". Again it's up to the Judge to award or not.

(Oh, Hobbit, told you, there's that dirty word 'standards' :wink: )

[Bensam]

Meant to add - don't know where you are from Eric, I have probably missed it somewhere, anyway our standard in Aussie for German Shepherds reads---

The ideal height (measured to the highest point of the shoulder) is 56-61 cm (22-24in.) for bitches and 61-66 cm (24-26ins) for dogs. The proportion, of length to height, may vary between 10:9 to 10:8.5.

Again it says 'ideal' height. This seems to be the same as the standard you were refering to, so I'm probably telling you something you already know :lol:

[eric]

Hi Bensam. I'm Canadian. Quite the multi-national forum we got here. :D

I was very sorry to here about the attack in Bali. I like to think Canadians and Australians are not that different, and if it can happen to you it can happen to us.

I don't have the CKC standard in front of me, but I seem to remember 27" at the high end for males for some reason. Sounds pretty similar to your numbers.

[quote name='Bensam']Meant to add - don't know where you are from Eric, I have probably missed it somewhere, anyway our standard in Aussie for German Shepherds reads---

The ideal height (measured to the highest point of the shoulder) is 56-61 cm (22-24in.) for bitches and 61-66 cm (24-26ins) for dogs. The proportion, of length to height, may vary between 10:9 to 10:8.5.

Again it says 'ideal' height. This seems to be the same as the standard you were refering to, so I'm probably telling you something you already know :lol:[/quote]

[eric]

Just wanted to add that this is just my personal curiousity because Travis is so big for a GSD (29.5" at the whithers, 118 lbs as of last night's vet checkup). I don't really care whether he meets the standard or not, as he is solely a companion (and a wonderful one at that).

BTW, totally off-topic, but I was so proud of him yesterday. I took him by myself to the vet for his vaccination+check-up. Anyhow, I'm in the examination room and the vet is looking him over, feeling for lumps, looking in his mouth, etc...

Suddenly, she stops and says to me: "I can't believe how well tempered and well mannered he is for a Shepherd. We often have problems with GSDs here. He's so gentle. You've got a wonderful dog." I was so proud.

[Guest Anonymous]

When we *were* going to show Kenzo, we were very skeptical cuz we knew that judge would pull out that wicket and measure him. Our boy is HUGE. He's between 17 and 18 inches (can't be taller than 16.5)...he's intimidated by the dang wicket so he wont stand proud for us to get the exact measurement. Anyway, I was told that Shibas stop growing tall at 1 yr and will actuall shrink about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. Not our boy. He was right at 16.5 inches at 18 mths and now at 2 1/2 he's over that.... :roll:


Congrats on your compliment, Eric!

[Bensam]

This terrorism thing is getting bad, I wouldn't like to live in big city anymore, altho I grew up in one. The town? I live in now has a recorded population of 74, but I think who ever counted was suffering from double vision! :o and it's in the middle of the wheat and sheep country which is now gripped by a very bad drought. Nothing here anyone would want and certainly not newsworthy.

Nice bit on the news tonight - one of the guys who was severely burned at Bali was engaged to be married and he made it. Lovely pics of his wedding, he's still got a way to go but is going to get there :) . But it's scary, can happen anywhere.

[yellowlabsrule]

Winnie's right on the dot! 22 inches! YEA!
:lol: