Straight front???

P

Phebe*DD

Forums Enthusiast
This came up in a discussion we were having yesterday about the build of Border Collies v. the build of Shelties. What exactly is a straight front? And, is it showing up and being rewarded more in the Sheltie breed ring?

I've always thought that it referred to a lack of angulation and would put a dog at a disadvantage in the show ring. The Border Collie person I was talking to seemed to think that straight fronts are becoming more common because it makes a dog's ruff stand out more. (Silly, to me, but she's an AKC agility judge and I wasn't going to argue with her.)
 
No, she is 100% correct. Dogs with straight fronts look "showier" than dogs with correct fronts. Yes, it is being rewarded in Shelties because judges ignore straight fronts in favor of perfect heads and showiness. In my opinion, Shelties and Standard Poodles have some of the worst fronts in purebred dogs, with the exception of maybe some of the Egyptian breeds who are bred with those fronts on purpose.

To see a Sheltie with a correct front is a beautiful thing, but it's rare.
 
My opinion probably won't be very popular, but I don't think it is so much that straight fronts are being rewarded as it is a pretty head tends to be placed at higher importance than about anything else in the conformation ring. So, a dog with a straight front, yet very nice head may be put up.
I think shelties in general don't have the best fronts. It can be hard to find dogs within the breed with truly nice fronts on them.
I found a good, comprehensive article on fronts, and thought it might be useful to post:
http://www.akc.org/breeders/resp_breeding/Articles/puttingupagoodfront.cfm
 
Thanks for the explanations, Rachael and Stacey. I'm glad I asked here before disagreeing with my friend.

It still seems to me that correct angulation would create a very 'showy chest', but I'm not in conformation so hardly an expert on what works in the ring.

Stacey, I'm certain the emphasis on correct skull is more important to some judges than correct fronts, or else we wouldn't be seeing so many straight fronts. And, yes, before someone says it, I know there's no such thing as the Sheltie that is perfect in all respects when it comes to the breed standard.

As a performance person, I would like to see more correct fronts because that structure lends itself to more efficient movement and less likelihood of injury.
 
Phebe*DD said:
As a performance person, I would like to see more correct fronts because that structure lends itself to more efficient movement and less likelihood of injury.
Click to expand...

I agree.

And to go back to what Rachael said, I find it very interesting. I know 3 dogs who have had to restrict (or end) their agility careers due to straight fronts. One is a poodle, and 2 are shelties.

Is this something that can be easily noticed/determined? I have a hard time "seeing" the angles.
 
Phebe*DD said:
It still seems to me that correct angulation would create a very 'showy chest', but I'm not in conformation so hardly an expert on what works in the ring.
Click to expand...

When the front angulation is straightened out, the neck comes up out of the shoulders - to the point of a ewe neck. When you add enough coat, this creates a "showier" outline. If the front angulation is correct, the neck isn't as vertical, and the outline is less showy. It's another case of correct, more moderate dogs being passed over for incorrect, more visually-arresting ones.
 
Great drawing you found!! So than, it would go to state that if you had the shoulder girdle at the 65 degree mark wouldnt that push the humerus up and straighter and almost on the same line as the radius and ulna???
 
Without putting your hands on the dogs, it's hard. When people take pictures, they tend to put the dogs at an angle, so you can't really tell what the front looks like.

EDIT: Even when you have your hands on the dogs, fronts are hard. If you can get to a Chris Zink seminar, even if you have to travel a little bit, it is well worth it.
 
Last edited:
Rachel is right. Putting your hands on the dog is the best way. You may need a couple of dogs to really get a feel for it, with fronts ranging from good to bad, and someone to explain what you are feeling.
It can also help to go to a conformation show (this is the one time to use sports mode if you don't know how to catch the right part of the stride) and take photos from the side of dogs gaiting. Or, take video, upload it, watch it, and pause the video at the point where the dog is extended most. By photographing/videoing a variety of dogs, you will be able to see the difference in the amount of reach each dog has. A dog with a poor front is not going to have as much reach as a dog with a correct front.
Sometimes it helps to photoshop the photos, or video stills with lines going from one paw to shoulder, from shoulder to paw, and do the same with the back legs. It should look like an M. The wider open the M, the more reach and drive the dog has. The narrower the space between each part of the M, the less reach and drive. I found this on a website a long while back. I wish I could remember which it was. It explained this with examples quite well.
I've had a bi-blue with a really nice front, and the AKC judges didn't seem to know what to do with her. The straight fronts kept placing above her, despite her being the much more correct dog.
Here is another interesting article, written by Nina Plail, who's dogs excel both in AKC conformation and agility at the highest levels. She has a section that describes the proper front, and how it affects the performance dog
http://www.sheltieranch.com/articles/structure.html
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top