I was asked to move my dog again at a show the other day because she was "pacing".  What exactly does this mean, what can i do about it and how can i tell when i am moving her if she is pacing.

Thanks
Rose

Pacing is where the legs on one side move forward together rather than diagonal legs. CAN be a sign of hip problems but is usually caused by moving the dog a little slow. Usually a sharp 360 double about turn will take the dog off balance to the extent that it will change back into the correct gait. You will often see people at a show start moving their dogs by turning them first.

How can you tell? Because the legs on one side are moving together instead of diagonals the dog tents to have a rolling gait when viewed from above. Watch carefully and you will see what I mean. 

Regards, John

The dog rolls like john said...One way I have stopped it with pacing dogs is to tap under their heads just before we start moving.  If you go to a ringcraft they should be able to demonstart to you what it is and how to stop it!!!

Last year, when I started showing I was told that my dog was pacing at ringcraft and, me too, asked on here what that meant.  Someone said to me it was like watching the soldier walking out of the wooden tops!   Willow never paces in the show ring because I walk her fairly briskly, but out in the street she can pace for England.  I think it's a lazy walk, and it does look like they're rolling from side to side.

Thanks

I will get someone else to move her so I can watch how she moves, as an OES she is meant to have a rolling gait so it might be harder for me to spot when i', moving her

Rose

Camels pace, hence why they are so uncomfortable; so do some pacing horses who are bred to move that way either for racing (you can tell by the harnesses they wear to stop them trotting) or some particular breeds have this as a gait.

Dogs sometimes pace when they are tired too!