"MOVEMENT IN THE SHOW RING"
Anne Mathers. Metewand Afghan Hounds
Northern Ireland 1994
Page 3
Next come the leg bones and their relative proportion. It is in these proportions and their
angles that we get the greatest difference between individuals and more especially
breeds. Afghans require long bones remember 'Great length between hip and hock, with
powerful, well bent and well turned stifles'. The femur, thigh, articulate with the pelvis
nearer the seat bone than the hip bones and finishes at the stifle (the equivalent of our
knee,) where it joins the tibia and fibula, or second thigh. This joint is protected by the
kneecap or patella and is a gradual bend, not a point like the elbow. The lower end of
the second thigh joins the 'foot' bones at the hock point. There should be 'comparatively
short distance between hock and foot.' The femur is long in Afghans - nearly as long as
the second thigh. I like to see the actual bend of stifle on the same level as the elbow
(given that the forehand is correct too.) This gives plenty of room for the muscles which
should be both pliant and hard giving a definite 'ham'. The second thigh should also
have good hard muscle but there is a lot less of it than in the first thigh. The angles and
relative lengths should be such that the hock, when perpendicular to the ground, does
not extend more than a little way past the line drawn downwards from the end of the seat
bones. Too long here and you get a rear end that is hard to strengthen and often results
in cow hocks (where the hocks incline inwards and the feet outward) or indeed vice
versa. This last more obvious on the move. The permutations of lengths and angles are
endless and really beyond the scope of this article. All I can advise you to do is LOOK
at not only lots of Affies, but other breeds too. Having got the basic structure, how should
it move? Firstly, all the points should be flexible and ALL should be used. There is very
little worse than seeing a hind leg swinging all of a piece like a pendulum from the hip
with the foot barely clearing the ground, like a Granny shuffling in slippers. The leg
should be picked up, bending at hock and stifle (see page 81 of Margaret Niblock's
book), brought well forward under the dog down and straightened, this being the bit that
pushes the dog up and forward. Once straightened there should be good follow-through,
the leg extending well behind, ready for the next stride. (Ask a golfer about follow-
through.) Too much slope to the croup will restrict the extension, too little will enhance
the pendulum effect.
"No foot no hoss" and old, old saying and just as applicable to dogs. Afghans should
have big feet especially the front ones, with well arched toes, thick pads and they should
stand well down on them. Small feet with thin pads or anything that looks as if it's
standing on tip toe is out. A terrier should stand up on it's feet, an Afghan the reverse.
The reasons are, size, the greater the area the better the purchase for running and
turning.
Cushioned pads for shock absorbency and spring and good firm angles (arched toes)
for strength and again to act as shock absorbers. The feet should be covered with hair
for protection against knocks and bangs and rough ground.
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