Post by orangepeel on Mar 26, 2010 16:49:46 GMT -5
Ive written this so may as well post it. Its an extended chapter fom my book. If you disagree i would like to discuss any matter within the post, if you would like to call me a boring fakker thats ok too, Cheers, Neil 
Conformation
It should be understood by breeders and exhibitors’ of both sporting and show canines that the conformation, muscular and skeletal must be able to serve the original purpose of the breed and thus retention of type and physical characteristics is achieved. To provide a dog that has the correct mental attitude of the Bull and terrier with inferior physical construction to carry out the tasks of physical labour that breed would of endured is an injustice to a breed that has served many a man and his family with great dignity.
The conformation of many working Bull breeds vary compared to that of the show ring, and a ‘handsome is as handsome does’ attitude is employed. There are height and weight considerations when dogs are considered for various working tasks but if the dog is the best at the job that is the proof of quality. Your real workers become apparent after a few years of these trials, if still sound through no conformational degeneration their conformation is without doubt functional, there drive and mental attitude unquestionable, their athleticism proven.
The conformation of the dogs that attend athletic shows is generally different to those that you would see on the street or at dog shows. Excess fat is removed and muscle fibres are visible, toned and healthy, this is not due to lack of nutrition as the muscle is in prime condition. I grew up with a picture in my head that Bull breeds in general were heavily boned and muscled. This may be true but the genetic makeup of endurance quality is evident in the true Bull breed at a greater amount than one would expect. Without this prominent quality the working Bull breed would never have survived. The most balanced dogs are usually of an equal measurement between wither and brisket, and limb below the brisket to the ground. They have well angled low hocks, and are not as square in length and height as show dogs, being slightly longer in length(point of shoulder to the point of buttock) than the height of the dog(point of withers to the ground). The slightly longer back with flexible loin allows as much propulsion to the rear end as possible by allowing the hind limbs to comfortably conform to the correct angles for rear end drive. The length of the back should also retain high amounts of dorsal and ventral flexion with the advantage creating a more effective wrestling ability and general manoeuvrability.
In the hind limb people talk of high and low hock structure. These vary for different breeds and achieve various qualities. In the fighting Bull and terrier the angle of femur and tibia needs to be around ninety degrees with the bones of near equal lengths. The bones below the hock (the metatarsals) need to be fairly short and drop in a plumb line down from the hock complemented by well arched cat like feet. The hocks give different attributes to athletic make up by their position. Low hocks are good for endurance whilst a taller hock provide good mechanics for speed. There is massive advantage in the slight amount of endurance features within the Bull and terrier breeds which allow the deep conditioning of a fighting dog. Low hocks also allow the dog to plant its self into the ground when being pushed backwards by its opponent. The wide base of hind limbs along with the previous mentioned hind limb angulations provide an excellent base from which to absorb force from the front created by the dogs opponent and indeed provides the biomechanics to push forward for the offence.
Straight hind limbs are detrimental to endurance work, speed work, agility and long term soundness as are over angled limbs which severely reduce working life and capability. Draft type animals seem to be straight limbed, for instance huskies and shire horses. This would indicate weight pull Bull and terriers should be best when of this conformation type, but in my opinion this type of conformation would be contradictory to their original work type and detrimental to the vital pit dog qualities, endurance and strength which should be equal in quantities.
The fore limbs are carried on the outskirts of a fairly broad chest and fall from a natural plumb line from the shoulder when viewed from the front. This is possible only if the chest is not too wide. A balance of width and depth aids the correct position of the fore limb and maximum oxygen consumption and distribution from the chest cavity. This type of chest is known as a well sprung chest.
Retention of a good slope in the scapular of around thirty five degrees to the long axis of the limb, when static, combined with a Humerus of equal length if not slightly greater allows for adequate reach when conditioning. This must be complemented by a slightly more upright angle of the pastern in order to achieve optimum forces up through the limb during weight bearing. Long or sloping pasterns are detrimental to the tendons on the posterior of the limb. The joint spaces also become damaged and will generally suffer when worked with any consistency or over a longer period of time.
Limbs that are to upright in Scapular and Pastern are damaged over time in the joint spaces by an amplification of concussive forces through the limb, severely restricting working capabilities. The length of stride is shortened and a Hackney horse type gait may be seen. This sort of conformation is falsely displayed during conformation shows as people displaying dogs tend to raise the head and neck of the dog in order to make the dog appear more alert but in fact the muscles in the neck raise the scapular and give false forelimb angulations to the judge. If anything a poor conformational type is praised.
If The neck is slightly longer than certain show types display, it can still be immensely strong and taper into the shoulder allowing for a greater range of movement, as a fighting dog was useless if he could not mobilise his most vital tool, his mouth however we must consider the Stafford as a Bull dog, a ratting dog and a draw dog, not just a pit dog, he was originally a type not a breed. These functions were all different and required different construction to the pure pit dog. A shorter neck was considered an advantage for the Bull baiter as it was less likely to damage when tossed around. The draw dog would too be thought to be of advantage with a shorter neck as once the dog had hold of the Badger, short powerful contractions of the dogs musculature would get the job done quicker and reduce the risk of injury to the dog. Once in the pit however the short neck is considered a disadvantage and the long neck of the Pit bull terrier is preferred. The last thing I will mention is the head. Most people have an image of a Stafford’s head they deem correct. There is a rule of thumb that says the muzzle should one third of the total head. The standard states there should be a pronounced stop. This I believe is being taken by some judges in the United Kingdom seem to the extreme with stops becoming deeper and compressing nasal passages and muzzles becoming shorter severely effecting the dental structure of the show Stafford. These animals are praised on structure with ‘Ultra short muzzles’ written in critiques as a positive mark. Some in working/athletic circles say dental structure is not too important as there has been many a good dog with an undershot jaw! If we were to go along with this it would be the same thing as asking a soldier to fight his war with a bent gun, never mind the pain caused by ill fitting teeth.
The breeding considerations of ‘form follows function’ can be followed if the criteria of conformation, athleticism, drive, stamina and agility, combined with a kind human disposition proven by both sire and dam. This will inevitably produce the superior physical specimens. Breeding three generations or more of this criterion puts you onto a winner when reproducing type. Of course some dogs will have conformational faults, but these faults can be evaluated with regard to their detriment over the first few years of working the dog and by placing it in a strenuous keep. The positives can be weighed up against negatives with a much clearer view of the canine’s abilities if studied over time and under pressure. Neutering the weaker born is the best way to keep the breed true and retain type. If this does not happen a diluting of breed characteristics will undoubtedly occur. Mother nature’s role has now been largely replaced by humans and we need to be as selective as mother nature herself.
Most dogs of today are breed with little thought to the outcome, mainly for the pet market or they are bred in show homes with no consideration for performance and with different criteria in breeding to that of performance bred dogs. The fact is that the show dogs of today are bred and have been bred for many years with no proof of function. The standard of fitness expected at shows should be a lot higher and shows which have physical tests should be attended by true breed enthusiasts to see what the dog has as a complete package, with construction, drive and temperament all tested.
The K.C. standards that are in force today do have some very good aspects. Most of the conformational points are very important but some interpretations do not suit the original type in some very important areas. Many points have changed to suit ‘Joe public’ or can be interoperated as a breeder or judge wishes giving too much room for exaggeration. Short or ultra short muzzles being commented on as a positive by K.C. show judges is detrimental and fashion induced.
The all round athletic physique that blessed Bull and Terriers of yester year has all but been replaced by that of a heavier type that would struggle even in a fit state to keep up with its fore fathers. It is more suited to that of a weight carrier, square and short in body type, no longer providing the vitally important range of movement, lightness and speed of limb, missing the length of back and angle of limb that provides propulsion. The square shape provides rigidity, and an impression of strength, but not a true gladiatorial body type. More muscle is required to propel this body type placing enormous stress on the cardiovascular system and leading to what athletes would call “oxygen debt”, a condition in which the cardiovascular system cannot provide oxygen at the rate at which it muscles are using it. The dog would have no choice but to reduce its work rate in order to recover, this is not something a fighting/ bull baiting dog would be able to do without paying the consequences.
A misunderstanding or ignorance of true working characteristics has led to many working breeds being bred as show animals with no useful purpose other than to walk the mat or for the pet market. There are of course exceptions to the rule but they are few in number. It’s a must that the drive and work ethics of a Bull and Terrier be researched and tested. Is his body capable of his desire? Can it produce the levels of performance over and over again without breaking down? These qualities should not be guessed at and are tested at various clubs in the United Kingdom and actually measured by the Dutch Stafford Association. Working dog men and women have never lost sight of the qualities of their canines.
In both the past and present the importance of dog's conformation was also ignored in the single minded pursuit of ‘Gameness’. This I also find extremely short sighted as a working animal cannot have a prolonged working career without top quality tools to accomplish the job over and over again. If he does win over and over again it is because the competition is sub standard or he has won with a performance that would not match that of a correctly constructed animal with the same ‘gameness’. History remembers the athletes’ that repeatedly won, such as Red Rum, Mike Tyson etc. These are the correct and without doubt proven best physical specimens, which are indeed fit for purpose. Their body types are a mixture of natures amazing production of biomechanics and human engineering, something to truly stand back and admire.
The brutal tests that proceeded the present day, and in some areas of our planet still do required a never say day quality called ‘Gameness’. There is no need for the deep gameness today. Dogs of Bull breed type require high drive, extreme confidence and a gameness to a degree (a quality I believe means to refuse to be beat), along with excellent conformation. If a breeder is not aiming to achieve all these qualities equally, then they are doing the dogs a disservice and settling for a sub standard specimen.
Conformation
It should be understood by breeders and exhibitors’ of both sporting and show canines that the conformation, muscular and skeletal must be able to serve the original purpose of the breed and thus retention of type and physical characteristics is achieved. To provide a dog that has the correct mental attitude of the Bull and terrier with inferior physical construction to carry out the tasks of physical labour that breed would of endured is an injustice to a breed that has served many a man and his family with great dignity.
The conformation of many working Bull breeds vary compared to that of the show ring, and a ‘handsome is as handsome does’ attitude is employed. There are height and weight considerations when dogs are considered for various working tasks but if the dog is the best at the job that is the proof of quality. Your real workers become apparent after a few years of these trials, if still sound through no conformational degeneration their conformation is without doubt functional, there drive and mental attitude unquestionable, their athleticism proven.
The conformation of the dogs that attend athletic shows is generally different to those that you would see on the street or at dog shows. Excess fat is removed and muscle fibres are visible, toned and healthy, this is not due to lack of nutrition as the muscle is in prime condition. I grew up with a picture in my head that Bull breeds in general were heavily boned and muscled. This may be true but the genetic makeup of endurance quality is evident in the true Bull breed at a greater amount than one would expect. Without this prominent quality the working Bull breed would never have survived. The most balanced dogs are usually of an equal measurement between wither and brisket, and limb below the brisket to the ground. They have well angled low hocks, and are not as square in length and height as show dogs, being slightly longer in length(point of shoulder to the point of buttock) than the height of the dog(point of withers to the ground). The slightly longer back with flexible loin allows as much propulsion to the rear end as possible by allowing the hind limbs to comfortably conform to the correct angles for rear end drive. The length of the back should also retain high amounts of dorsal and ventral flexion with the advantage creating a more effective wrestling ability and general manoeuvrability.
In the hind limb people talk of high and low hock structure. These vary for different breeds and achieve various qualities. In the fighting Bull and terrier the angle of femur and tibia needs to be around ninety degrees with the bones of near equal lengths. The bones below the hock (the metatarsals) need to be fairly short and drop in a plumb line down from the hock complemented by well arched cat like feet. The hocks give different attributes to athletic make up by their position. Low hocks are good for endurance whilst a taller hock provide good mechanics for speed. There is massive advantage in the slight amount of endurance features within the Bull and terrier breeds which allow the deep conditioning of a fighting dog. Low hocks also allow the dog to plant its self into the ground when being pushed backwards by its opponent. The wide base of hind limbs along with the previous mentioned hind limb angulations provide an excellent base from which to absorb force from the front created by the dogs opponent and indeed provides the biomechanics to push forward for the offence.
Straight hind limbs are detrimental to endurance work, speed work, agility and long term soundness as are over angled limbs which severely reduce working life and capability. Draft type animals seem to be straight limbed, for instance huskies and shire horses. This would indicate weight pull Bull and terriers should be best when of this conformation type, but in my opinion this type of conformation would be contradictory to their original work type and detrimental to the vital pit dog qualities, endurance and strength which should be equal in quantities.
The fore limbs are carried on the outskirts of a fairly broad chest and fall from a natural plumb line from the shoulder when viewed from the front. This is possible only if the chest is not too wide. A balance of width and depth aids the correct position of the fore limb and maximum oxygen consumption and distribution from the chest cavity. This type of chest is known as a well sprung chest.
Retention of a good slope in the scapular of around thirty five degrees to the long axis of the limb, when static, combined with a Humerus of equal length if not slightly greater allows for adequate reach when conditioning. This must be complemented by a slightly more upright angle of the pastern in order to achieve optimum forces up through the limb during weight bearing. Long or sloping pasterns are detrimental to the tendons on the posterior of the limb. The joint spaces also become damaged and will generally suffer when worked with any consistency or over a longer period of time.
Limbs that are to upright in Scapular and Pastern are damaged over time in the joint spaces by an amplification of concussive forces through the limb, severely restricting working capabilities. The length of stride is shortened and a Hackney horse type gait may be seen. This sort of conformation is falsely displayed during conformation shows as people displaying dogs tend to raise the head and neck of the dog in order to make the dog appear more alert but in fact the muscles in the neck raise the scapular and give false forelimb angulations to the judge. If anything a poor conformational type is praised.
If The neck is slightly longer than certain show types display, it can still be immensely strong and taper into the shoulder allowing for a greater range of movement, as a fighting dog was useless if he could not mobilise his most vital tool, his mouth however we must consider the Stafford as a Bull dog, a ratting dog and a draw dog, not just a pit dog, he was originally a type not a breed. These functions were all different and required different construction to the pure pit dog. A shorter neck was considered an advantage for the Bull baiter as it was less likely to damage when tossed around. The draw dog would too be thought to be of advantage with a shorter neck as once the dog had hold of the Badger, short powerful contractions of the dogs musculature would get the job done quicker and reduce the risk of injury to the dog. Once in the pit however the short neck is considered a disadvantage and the long neck of the Pit bull terrier is preferred. The last thing I will mention is the head. Most people have an image of a Stafford’s head they deem correct. There is a rule of thumb that says the muzzle should one third of the total head. The standard states there should be a pronounced stop. This I believe is being taken by some judges in the United Kingdom seem to the extreme with stops becoming deeper and compressing nasal passages and muzzles becoming shorter severely effecting the dental structure of the show Stafford. These animals are praised on structure with ‘Ultra short muzzles’ written in critiques as a positive mark. Some in working/athletic circles say dental structure is not too important as there has been many a good dog with an undershot jaw! If we were to go along with this it would be the same thing as asking a soldier to fight his war with a bent gun, never mind the pain caused by ill fitting teeth.
The breeding considerations of ‘form follows function’ can be followed if the criteria of conformation, athleticism, drive, stamina and agility, combined with a kind human disposition proven by both sire and dam. This will inevitably produce the superior physical specimens. Breeding three generations or more of this criterion puts you onto a winner when reproducing type. Of course some dogs will have conformational faults, but these faults can be evaluated with regard to their detriment over the first few years of working the dog and by placing it in a strenuous keep. The positives can be weighed up against negatives with a much clearer view of the canine’s abilities if studied over time and under pressure. Neutering the weaker born is the best way to keep the breed true and retain type. If this does not happen a diluting of breed characteristics will undoubtedly occur. Mother nature’s role has now been largely replaced by humans and we need to be as selective as mother nature herself.
Most dogs of today are breed with little thought to the outcome, mainly for the pet market or they are bred in show homes with no consideration for performance and with different criteria in breeding to that of performance bred dogs. The fact is that the show dogs of today are bred and have been bred for many years with no proof of function. The standard of fitness expected at shows should be a lot higher and shows which have physical tests should be attended by true breed enthusiasts to see what the dog has as a complete package, with construction, drive and temperament all tested.
The K.C. standards that are in force today do have some very good aspects. Most of the conformational points are very important but some interpretations do not suit the original type in some very important areas. Many points have changed to suit ‘Joe public’ or can be interoperated as a breeder or judge wishes giving too much room for exaggeration. Short or ultra short muzzles being commented on as a positive by K.C. show judges is detrimental and fashion induced.
The all round athletic physique that blessed Bull and Terriers of yester year has all but been replaced by that of a heavier type that would struggle even in a fit state to keep up with its fore fathers. It is more suited to that of a weight carrier, square and short in body type, no longer providing the vitally important range of movement, lightness and speed of limb, missing the length of back and angle of limb that provides propulsion. The square shape provides rigidity, and an impression of strength, but not a true gladiatorial body type. More muscle is required to propel this body type placing enormous stress on the cardiovascular system and leading to what athletes would call “oxygen debt”, a condition in which the cardiovascular system cannot provide oxygen at the rate at which it muscles are using it. The dog would have no choice but to reduce its work rate in order to recover, this is not something a fighting/ bull baiting dog would be able to do without paying the consequences.
A misunderstanding or ignorance of true working characteristics has led to many working breeds being bred as show animals with no useful purpose other than to walk the mat or for the pet market. There are of course exceptions to the rule but they are few in number. It’s a must that the drive and work ethics of a Bull and Terrier be researched and tested. Is his body capable of his desire? Can it produce the levels of performance over and over again without breaking down? These qualities should not be guessed at and are tested at various clubs in the United Kingdom and actually measured by the Dutch Stafford Association. Working dog men and women have never lost sight of the qualities of their canines.
In both the past and present the importance of dog's conformation was also ignored in the single minded pursuit of ‘Gameness’. This I also find extremely short sighted as a working animal cannot have a prolonged working career without top quality tools to accomplish the job over and over again. If he does win over and over again it is because the competition is sub standard or he has won with a performance that would not match that of a correctly constructed animal with the same ‘gameness’. History remembers the athletes’ that repeatedly won, such as Red Rum, Mike Tyson etc. These are the correct and without doubt proven best physical specimens, which are indeed fit for purpose. Their body types are a mixture of natures amazing production of biomechanics and human engineering, something to truly stand back and admire.
The brutal tests that proceeded the present day, and in some areas of our planet still do required a never say day quality called ‘Gameness’. There is no need for the deep gameness today. Dogs of Bull breed type require high drive, extreme confidence and a gameness to a degree (a quality I believe means to refuse to be beat), along with excellent conformation. If a breeder is not aiming to achieve all these qualities equally, then they are doing the dogs a disservice and settling for a sub standard specimen.
;D LOL!!