Cynologist
Cynology: Puppies DogsArchive for the ‘Canine Terminology’ Category
FALL
Hair falling over face.
FANGS
Canine teeth.
FEATHERING
Long hair on back of legs or underside of tail.
FEET, EAST AND WEST
Toes turned out.
FEMUR
Bone below pelvis; upper thigh bone; bone between pelvis and stifle joint.
FIBULA
Smaller of two bones between stifle and hock joints; located in lower thigh.
FLAG
Tail with long hair; a feathered tail as on an Irish Setter.
FLANK
Area between last rib and thigh; the area thinly covered with flesh and skin between the last rib and hindquarters.
FLASHY
Superficial traits that attract favourable attention.
FLAT BONE
Leg bone elliptical; not rounded or, put simply, 'straight'.
FLEWS
Pendulous upper lip, especially in the corners.
FLOATING RIB
The last or thirteenth rib, which is not attached to other ribs.
FLYING EARS
Ears that show excessive erective power are said to 'fly'. A dog with semi-prick ears, which stand up has 'flying ears'. Ears pricked up more than is correct for the breed.
FOREARM
The portion of the leg between the elbow and pastern.
FORECHEST
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| ELBOW | The joint between the upper arm and the forearm (humerous and radius). |
| ELBOWS OUT | Out at elbows; elbows not too close to body; upper arm and lower arm projecting out from the body. |
| EWE NECK | Neck concave; like the neck of a sheep; not an arched neck. |
| EYES | The shape of the surrounding tissues determines the apparent eye shape as called for in Standards. The eyeball is invariably round. |
| EYE TEETH | Upper canines. |
DAPPLED
Variegated with spots or patches of a different shade; marked with small spots; usually by a merling gene.
DEWCLAW
Unused digit (toe) on the inside of the leg. Dewclaws are usually removed at birth. In a few breeds (Pyrenean Mountain Dog and Briard) they must be present.
DEWLAP
Loose pendulous skin under the throat, as on a Bloodhound. A dog that is not supposed to have dewlap and does is said to be throaty.
DIAPHRAGM
The muscular tissue separating the thorax and the abdomen; the breathing diaphragm
DIGITS
Bones of the toes (first three bones of each toe).
DISH-FACED
The nose curves like a dish; the top line of the muzzle is concave.
DISQUALIFICATION
A fault that renders a dog ineligible to compete at a show.
DISTEMPER TEETH
Pitting of the tooth enamel; often caused by distemper or other illness occurring at time of teething.
DOCK
To surgically remove tail or portion of the tail; a docked tail.
DOMED
Domed skull; rounded in top skull; not flat; convex.
DOUBLE COAT
Two coats; a soft undercoat for warmth and waterproofing, along with a hard outer-coat Read more [...]
CAMEL BACK
Arched back like that of a one-humped camel. Usually a fault.
CANINE
Dog family (dogs, wolves, jackals and foxes).
CANINES
Fang-like teeth behind incisors.
CARPALS
Bones of the pastern joints.
CARTILAGE
A somewhat elastic tissue that often serves as bones in embryo; it forms a bearing surface in joints; gristle.
CASTRATION
The removal of testicles by surgery.
CAT-FOOT
A paw resembling a cat's foot (not including claws); foot is round and compact.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY
A point in the body at which the entire weight can be considered as concentrated; the centre of gravitational attraction; an imaginary point used in engineering calculations where the en- tire weight of a body can be considered as concentrated.
CERTIFICATE
Certificate award by a judge to Best of Sex at a championship show. See also Champion.
CHAMPION
A title bestowed upon a dog that has been awarded three Challenge Certificates under three different judges.
CHEEKY
Cheeks prominently rounded. Well- developed cheek muscles in retrievers are undesirable (retrievers should be soft-mouthed Read more [...]
BACK
The anatomical division of the spine is neck, withers, back, loin and croup, each variable in meaning depending upon the context of the Standard. In a few dog Standards, the five vertebrae between the withers and loin.
BELTON
A coat colour, especially of English Setters. A coat with ticking or flecking in the base colour (white): blue belton (dilute black or black ticking);orange Belton; liver Belton; or lemon Belton . Ticking is a genetic pattern that may carry any pigment as black, tan (brown) or yellow.
BITCHY
Effeminate male (derogatory) or typically feminine female.
BITE
Determined when the mouth is closed. The position of the upper and lower teeth relative to one another. Level bite is where the upper and lower teeth meet exactly. In a scissors bite the upper teeth extend beyond the lower teeth, but surfaces touch one another. See also overshot and undershot.
BLAZE
A white stripe or line extending up the centre of the face.
BLOCKY
Applied to the head or body; square or cube like.
BLUE MERLE
Coat in prime condition "blooms"; the sheen, glossiness of the coat.
BOBTAIL
Dog with tail bobbed (docked Read more [...]
ACHILLES TENDON
The large tendon extending to the oscalsis and formed by uniting small tendons of the lower thigh; muscles pulling on the achilles tendon straighten the hock.
ALBINO
An animal born with deficiency of pigments in the skin, eyes and hair; eyes, nose and eye rims are pink. Hair is always white.
ALMOND EYES
Eyes that appears shaped like almonds. The eyeball, of course, is round; it is the surrounding tissue that creates the almond shape.
ANGULATION
The angle formed between leg bones (including shoulder blades and pelvis), particularly applicable to the stifle, hock and shoulder angulations.
APPLE-HEAD
Roundness of top skull; like an apple. A Chihuahua has a well-rounded 'apple dome' skull, but several breeds call an apple head a fault.
ARCHED
Applied to the neck, back or toes when arched; rounded upwards. Muscles or bones may form the arch. Arched loin (caused by muscles); arched toes (caused by bones); arched back (camel back).
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