[crazyboutdogs]

this sounds like a dumb question, but storm is my first gsd. i work at a pet nutrition center/grooming shop and this customer came in with her 2 gsd's today. both were almost 2 years old. they had such sloping rears, and i've seen many like that. storm's rear does not slope like that. is there a reason? is there something wrong if it doesn't slope? is that just a certain line like i've read?

 

[Liesje]

The west German show line dogs tend to have a curved/roach back and the North American show line dogs tend to have a straight back but a lot of angulation in the rear so their back legs seem to extend quite far back. Personally, I don't think one way is really better, but I'm not a fan of extremes in either case. Both have different purposes as far as what the lines are going for with regard to the dog's movement and conformation.

My current GSD is from working lines and has neither a sloped or extended rear and she is still a conformation champion and competes in various dog sports.

 

[crazyboutdogs]

thank you liesje, my storm doesn't have either one neither. he just looks like a regular dog from the side and behind. he does have a strong drive from the rear though.

 

[Liesje]

Here is my dog, a combination of German working lines:

Here is a west German line show dog, note the curved back and more distinct angulation than my dog:

Here is an American line show dog:

 

[tracyc]

Note that in the above photos, the bottom two are in a "stacked" pose, where one leg is intentionally set farther back than the other in order to exaggerate the topline and hindquarter angulation. The dog on the top is standing in a normal square pose.

 

[im4dogz]

And the bottom picture, her angles are exaggerated by the stack, that dog is not that extreme, but she does have a lot of rear angulation.

But yes, different lines have different conformation.

 

[Liesje]

Yep, those were the first pics I came across, maybe not the most extreme examples but I think the differences are there, especially in the back/topline.

Kenya set up is not too different than her free standing (first pic):

 

[glmuelle]

Would you share the contact details of where you bought Kenya?

Hi,

I've been desperately trying to find a GSD with a healthy body but no luck. This forum post is about the only picture I could find on the internet.

Please would share the contact details of where you bought Kenya? I am looking to buy a GSD. Thank you so much in advance.