"East/West" fronts in puppies.

BlackGSD · 10-30-2008, 11:39 AM

Wasn't sure what section to put this in so please move if it should have been somewhere else.

My question is: In some puppies that are "east/west", does this ever correct itself with age? The reason I ask is that with young horses, it typically does. (Providing it isn't too bad in the first place.)

As they age and develop a thicker chest/barrel, that basically pushes the elbows out, which in turn causes the feet to rotate inwards. And I have seen foals with perfectly straight legs become slightly "pidgeon toed" with age when the chest "fills out".

So I was wondering if the same happens with puppies?

**Chris Wild** · 10-30-2008, 11:54 AM

Yes, it often does, for the same reasons as with foals. Of course there's no guarantee, but if it's not too bad to begin with, it will often correct with maturity. Maybe not to the point of being perfectly straight, but there is usually improvement.

BlackGSD · 10-30-2008, 01:24 PM

Thanks Chris,

I thought puppies might do the same.
I was just looking thru the "critique" section and saw it (east/west) mentioned in a thread about a puppy and that got me to wondering if puppies were like foals.

Liesje · 10-30-2008, 02:58 PM

Is an east/west front obvious when the dog moves? B/c I've seen people correct it when placing the dog in a stack. The shows I've been going to are the German type, where the dogs are placed and not really free-stacked so the handler can keep placing the front until s/he is satisfied, but the judge watches each dog come and go from straight on and straight behind. Is it visible then?

**JakodaCD OA** · 10-30-2008, 03:54 PM

Dodge was somewhat east/westy when he was very young,,and he did tend to grow out of it..I was showing him in conformation starting at the 6-9 classes,,and yes stacking him straightened him out, and he didn't trot east/westy,,it was noticeable at times when he free stacked,,but whether it was from me stacking him constantly or growing out of it,,i dunno,,,it did disappear with age..

Diane

sungmina · 10-30-2008, 05:48 PM

I'm told Sofia might be a bit easty westy in her pictures in the crit section, so I hope she grows out of it since she is still just 18 weeks old. It might have been my poor stacking and the slippery tile, we will try again with cement or grass I guess!

JenM66 · 11-02-2008, 10:25 AM

Gracie's an "easty/westy" and it hasn't corrected. Doesn't seem to bother her in any way, just stands with her front feet funny. Should I be concerned?!!

GSDOwner2008 · 11-02-2008, 07:34 PM

Apollo isn't consistantly east-westy. He will stand straight, and walk/run straight, but sometimes when he sits, his front is east - westy. Zeus is perfectly straight.

WiscTiger · 11-03-2008, 10:59 PM

WOW Jen I think that is the most I have seen in a dog that is Easty/westy. That is really good that it doesn't bother her. I wasn't' sure if it is more of an aesthetic thing or structural thing in the standard because they saw a problem with it.

Val

JenM66 · 11-04-2008, 12:35 PM

Val, she's always stood that way so I never thought anything of it. This is when someone tried to stack her properly (she's only 6 months in this picture) but you still see it.

10-30-2008, 11:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
BlackGSD Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 7,795	"East/West" fronts in puppies. Wasn't sure what section to put this in so please move if it should have been somewhere else. My question is: In some puppies that are "east/west", does this ever correct itself with age? The reason I ask is that with young horses, it typically does. (Providing it isn't too bad in the first place.) As they age and develop a thicker chest/barrel, that basically pushes the elbows out, which in turn causes the feet to rotate inwards. And I have seen foals with perfectly straight legs become slightly "pidgeon toed" with age when the chest "fills out". So I was wondering if the same happens with puppies? __________________ Tracy Siren vom Banach { Sable female GSD 3-20-08} R.I.P. Wrangler male ACD/Aussie mix. 9-29-99 to8-29-11.

10-30-2008, 11:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
Chris Wild Administrator & Alpha Bitch of the Wild Bunch Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 12,604	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Yes, it often does, for the same reasons as with foals. Of course there's no guarantee, but if it's not too bad to begin with, it will often correct with maturity. Maybe not to the point of being perfectly straight, but there is usually improvement. __________________ *Wildhaus Kennels* Kaiser ~ SchH3 CGC TDI (HOT) Raven ~ SchH3 AWD2 PD1 P1 PA T1 UCD URO2 CGC TT (B/HOT) Della ~ SchHA TR1 PD1 P1 PA T1 URO2 CGC TT (B/HOT) Wulf ~ SchH1 PD1 P1 T1 URO2 CGC TT (B/HOT) Heidi ~ BH CD UCD RN URO1 (B/HOT) Jazz ~ Superpup In Training

10-30-2008, 01:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
BlackGSD Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 7,795	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Thanks Chris, I thought puppies might do the same. I was just looking thru the "critique" section and saw it (east/west) mentioned in a thread about a puppy and that got me to wondering if puppies were like foals. __________________ Tracy Siren vom Banach { Sable female GSD 3-20-08} R.I.P. Wrangler male ACD/Aussie mix. 9-29-99 to8-29-11.

10-30-2008, 02:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Liesje Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 12,962	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Is an east/west front obvious when the dog moves? B/c I've seen people correct it when placing the dog in a stack. The shows I've been going to are the German type, where the dogs are placed and not really free-stacked so the handler can keep placing the front until s/he is satisfied, but the judge watches each dog come and go from straight on and straight behind. Is it visible then? __________________ UCH Alta-Tollhaus-Krieger Lamb Chop FO OB1 CL1R CL1F RA TT HIT TDI CGC VPC's Coca-Cola HIT CGC SG UCH Alta-Tollhaus Bono SchH1 AD T1 FO PA CL1R UNJ UCA HIT TT CGC OFA SG Pantalaimon vom Geistwasser BH AD HIT CGC

10-30-2008, 03:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 14,237	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Dodge was somewhat east/westy when he was very young,,and he did tend to grow out of it..I was showing him in conformation starting at the 6-9 classes,,and yes stacking him straightened him out, and he didn't trot east/westy,,it was noticeable at times when he free stacked,,but whether it was from me stacking him constantly or growing out of it,,i dunno,,,it did disappear with age.. Diane __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

10-30-2008, 05:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
sungmina Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 207	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. I'm told Sofia might be a bit easty westy in her pictures in the crit section, so I hope she grows out of it since she is still just 18 weeks old. It might have been my poor stacking and the slippery tile, we will try again with cement or grass I guess! __________________ Asgard 12.17.08 http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/...ee/585721.html

11-02-2008, 10:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
JenM66 Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 7,939	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Gracie's an "easty/westy" and it hasn't corrected. Doesn't seem to bother her in any way, just stands with her front feet funny. Should I be concerned?!! __________________ Jen, proudly owned by Gracie (1/18/06), CGC, TD, TT, PThttp://i536.photobucket.com/albums/f...%202/sheep.gif

11-02-2008, 07:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
GSDOwner2008 Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: FL Posts: 1,321	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Apollo isn't consistantly east-westy. He will stand straight, and walk/run straight, but sometimes when he sits, his front is east - westy. Zeus is perfectly straight. __________________ Zeus "Zeusy" - GSD 2 year old DOB 3-19-08 Baby - Cat 5 years old Rhett - Cat 4 years old Max, Champ, and Apollo waiting at the bridge.

11-03-2008, 10:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
WiscTiger Crowned Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 15,171	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. WOW Jen I think that is the most I have seen in a dog that is Easty/westy. That is really good that it doesn't bother her. I wasn't' sure if it is more of an aesthetic thing or structural thing in the standard because they saw a problem with it. Val __________________ Wisctiger@msn.com Cheyenne-2/02 DeeDee Little Bit-6/02 Lakota-1/03 Raya-9/05

11-04-2008, 12:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
JenM66 Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 7,939	Re: "East/West" fronts in puppies. Val, she's always stood that way so I never thought anything of it. This is when someone tried to stack her properly (she's only 6 months in this picture) but you still see it. __________________ Jen, proudly owned by Gracie (1/18/06), CGC, TD, TT, PThttp://i536.photobucket.com/albums/f...%202/sheep.gif

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