Angulation

Totally Balanced?


A totally balanced terrier will have the same angulation in both the front and the rear. The bones that make up the shoulder and the bones that make up the hip should be approximately the same length for each assembly. This, along with smooth-flat muscling, makes for the most efficient athlete possible.


The angles on each of the following photos were drawn independently, showing how angles can vary slightly according to the placement of the dots and lines drawn.
Drawing these angles is strictly to help you develop an eye and feel for angulation.

Keep in mind that this terrier, nor will yours, be perfect. Total balance and angle perfection belongs to GOD.
MEASURING ANGLES
ON A PHOTOGRAPH
(Note: The photograph needs to be a direct side profile taken at the level as the dog)
Step #1 Draw a line along the bottom of the feet
closest to you.

Step #2 Put a dot on the top and the front point of
the shoulder, also called the scapula. .

Step #3 Put a dot on the top and the rear point of
the pelvis bone.

Step #4 Attach those dots with the lines extending
down to the bottom horizontal line.
(A protractor is needed for the remainder of these steps)
Step #5 Using your protractor that has a hole at the bottom center, put the line that goes through the hole on the horizontal line you drew on the picture. Move the protractor from side to side (not getting off the horizontal line) until the 90 degree mark at the top is directly above the top shoulder
dot. Put a new dot in the hole that is on the horizontal
line and another dot above the 90 degree mark.

Step #6 Attach those 2 new dots with a line. This new line will be vertical and perpendicular to the bottom horizontal line you drew in Step #1.

Step #7 Turn your protractor sideways so that the line the hole has through it is now on top of the vertical line you just drew.
Put the hole over the dot that was at the top of the shoulder
making sure the line that goes through the hole is still on
top of the vertical line. (The line you drew from the dots in
Step #2 will tell you the angle of this dogs shoulder)

Acceptable angles are from 30 to 45 degrees depending on
how close you were to getting the dots on the right points.
Step #8 Draw another horizontal line attaching the
dots of the top of the pelvis and the top of the
shoulder. (This line should be directly on top of the pelvis dot and just slightly below the dot
on top of the shoulder)

Step #9 Turn the picture up side down and put the
hole in the protractor over the dot on top of the pelvis. Line up the protractor line that
goes through the hole along the new horizontal line you just drew in Step #8. The
line that goes from the dot at the top of the pelvis, through the dot at the rear point of the
pelvis will give you the angle of the pelvis.

This angle should be approximately the same
as the shoulder angle.
Step #10 Put a dot on the point of the stifle.

Step #11 Draw a line from the dot at the rear point of the pelvis bone to the dot on the point of the stifle. (This "L" shaped angle should be
between 80 - 90 degrees, depending on how
close you got your dots to the required points)

Step #12 Put a dot on the round bone, just in front of
the elbow. This is the lower end of the humerus.

Step #13 Draw a line from the dot at the front point of
the shoulder to the round bone. This line represents the humerus, or upper arm. (This
"L" shaped angle should also be between 80 - 90 degrees depending on how close you
got your dots to the required points)

Measuring angles on photographs and putting your hands on your terrier to find these points described above will help you develop an eye for angulation. It is meant to help you see if your terrier is balanced and will help you evaluate why he moves the way he does.

In order for angles to be as accurate as possible, the photographs MUST be taken on the same level as the dog and it must be of his direct side profile. If your dog is in proper stance, you will get more accurate measurements. BUT the measurements you do get will most likely NOT be the exact angulation of your terrier.

Good reading material for proper structure and movement can be found in these books:
K-9 Structure and Terminology by Gilbert and Brown
The Dog In Action by McDowell Lyon
(This book as well as the next book are no longer in print. But can usually be found on EBAY.)
The New Dogsteps by Rachel Page Elliott



(Portion of an article written for True Grit by Cheryl Hart,
submitted by Cson Johnson, Silverstone JRT's)




Jack Russell Terriers
Seagull Limited
History of the Jack Russell
Out of the Ring...into the Den
Grooming & Pens
Veterinarians