Are Shepherds suppose to walk on their hocks?

[emjworks05]

I was wondering this because i went to a dog show this weekend and the shepherds there were walking on their hocks, it made their hips sway too. I was just wondering if all German Shepherds were suppose to do this or if it is only certain lines maybe showlines?

[DianaM]

No, they are not supposed to. No dog expected to work and perform strenuous activity every day for most of the day can do so with that structure without harm. That's an unfortunate effect of the show ring and the focus for the flying trot and how it looks from the side. You'll notice that GSDs working in schutzhund, military, and police do not have such a gait.

Some breeders breed for more moderate angulation and others for extreme. You'll find nice showline dogs that do not walk on their hocks and are pretty darn agile just like you'll find those that look drunk while walking.

[emjworks05]

Oh ok, so the dogs that do show do walk on their hocks? i would think this is very uncomfy. At first i thought there was something very wrong with his hips because of the way he was walking. I was told by someone at the show that this is how it is suppose to be and thats why i asked, it didnt seem right.

[DianaM]

http://www.shawlein.com/The_Standard...son_Types.html

It is normal in the AKC showing and the GSD specialty show ring but normal does not necessarily equate desirable. IMO, the most moderate dogs with the best structure closest to the standard are found in the V-rated German showlines and working lines but there are some very nice American lines with structure as originally intended by the standard. It's the *interpretation* of the standard that creates problems in the showline dogs, American *or* European.

...or any breed, for that matter.

[Jazy's mom]

I will probably get flamed for this by some of the show people, but I think this is the most disgusting and cruel thing. I can not believe that anyone in their right mind would purposely breed a dog to have the severe angulations that force dogs to walk on their hocks. There is not a single other breed of dog that I know of that looks like this. You would think that mother nature knows what she is doing.

I have heard show people say "wow, look at him run isn't it just beautiful" when watching a showline dog run. All I can think of is how pain that must be for the dog and how many problems is he/she going to have down the road. It literally makes me sick.

There is someone in my local GSD club that has a dog whose back legs practically cross each other when he walks. It looks like he is going to trip over his own legs. No one else in the club seems to think there is anything wrong with this. I think it is just sad.

[emjworks05]

So a dog that does not walk on the hocks can still be able to be shown?

[BJDimock]

And beautifully so! None of my Fidelco girls walk on their hocks, but boy, can my current foster stack for the breed!

Poor Frodo!! Such a handsome boy! But will always walk on his hock because its fused! He gives perfect stacks because he's physically unable not too.

[DianaM]

Any purebred, intact, pedigreed German shepherd dog that does not have a disqualifying fault may be shown in the AKC show ring. You can show a VA red and black German highline, a black sable DDR/Czech GSD, an almost malinois-like black and tan Belgian line GSD, a solid black West German working line, and a typical American show line GSD. The only difference is that all but the typical American line will likely be laughed out of the ring at worst and at best placed as low as possible unless the dog can stack and appear/move like the American lines.

Of course, many American line dogs would be laughed out of Schutzhund clubs as would many working lines be laughed out of the Siegers. Each has its preferential type. This is a very disjointed breed and each segment has fierce supporters.

[onyx'girl]

I've called my Pastors american line GSD a hockwalker since I met her. She runs beautifully though!

[Catu]

At least around here, in the German Showline ring, they do want angulation and long croups, but swaying hocks is severely penalized and no dog walking on his hocks can aspire to touch a podium.