One of my dogs have developed funny back movement.  Theyare tracking closing behind.  She is very young and we have been given tons of conflicting advice.  Some say let her of the lead more to give her free running others say roadwork and yet another rest.  I am totally confused now.  Other than that she is a lovely dog so I really would love some advice who must have suffered a similar problem.

Hi TTS,

Have you had direct advice from anyone who breeds/judges your breed and has been able to see her in person?  It's just that movement is obviously governed to a huge extent by construction and without physically seeing the hind action and going over the dog, IMO it's just guess work for anyone else to advise on how best to proceed :(

sorry to not be more helpful, Teri

As you know, a degree of convergence at the trot is acceptable (long discussions at AGMs about it!), but not so much as to be single-tracking. Personally I would try road walking (not trotting and not pacing) for a while, but also running. Trotting is the action which accentuates single-tracking so you want to build up the other muscles to counteract that.

But that's what logic tells me, rather than actual experience, and I could be talking a load of hot air! :(

That is interesting as the natural movement is to converge to a single track when speed increases, which is written into our breed standard, and they are not even a trotting breed.

It used to be considered that convergence at the trot shouldn't happen, but pressure has got that changed ... ;) However the hind and fore should converge to the same degree.

Sorry its not the dallies they all have excellent movement (even by the current change in breed standard ;) its the beagle.  I dont know if this is the norm for them.  Her construction and when on the stand is superb but I did notice that the beagles at the show I watched all had it to a certain degree I would just like some advice on how to improve it really.  Perhaps someone will tell me Terri once I start showing her.

Hi again TTS,

Since it's your little Beagle, she's very young still so I don't think I'd be concerned at all yet :)  When you think how little regulated exercise puppies get (mostly mad tearing around and us trying to calm them LOL) I don't think many in my own breed could be regarded as moving true at that age/stage - some very nicely balanced mature dogs have been almost laughable at the rolly polly stage (even the rolly skinny ones)  :D but it didn't stop them turning into beautiful swans!
I guess starting with a different breed it's natural to be overly aware of lots of different issues and I'd probably be the same but I'd be willing to bet it's not as big a deal as you currently think (see, suddenly I'm an overnight hound expert :P )

Good luck, Teri :)

 

Our breed do single track when on the trot, but judges put us behind in the numbers because of this.  It's so annoying when you read the critique and it says that the too close behind !