‍The Dynamics of

‍the Rear Assembly

‍By Steven Robinson

‍This is an important and timely article on canine rears, enriched with beautifully illustrated, easy-to-understand drawings of canine structures of both good and bad rears, both standing and in motion. These visual aids, along with the informative text, make this article, originally written about the Rottweiler breed, a captivating guide to understanding sound rears for many breeds. 

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‍"Throughout various breeds of dogs, it is common to see trends come and go. But some trends, unfortunately, are fundamentally flawed. It is such a travesty we are witnessing in the Rottweiler breed ring today. Over-angulated rears, many of which are actual deformities, such as sickle hocks, are being embraced, promoted, and awarded at shows by both breeders and judges alike.

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‍This persistent popularity of over-angulated rears cannot be explained other than as the result of judges and breeders not having a true understanding and appreciation for how the rear operates. The purpose of this article is to shed light on the basic operation of the rear and to demonstrate why having excessive angles is not desirable for a Rottweiler, especially since one of its traditional functions is that of a draft dog.

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‍I will assume that the reader already knows the difference between a gallop, pace, and trot, and that the Rottweiler’s primary mode of travel is as a trotter. The trot is a very efficient endurance gait used by coyotes, wolves, and other wild canines to travel vast distances without exerting too much energy. It is a ground-covering gait that animals use to keep moving for hours and is the typical gait of herding breeds."