Short Legged Terriers with Deep Chests
This section explains the short legged construction of terriers whose chest extends beneath the elbows which are set above the line of the sternum. This allows the dog to bear his weight on his chest, leaving the legs free to dig sidewards. This construction is also handy should the dog need to retreat backwards away from the quarry, the long gradual slant of the sternum helping it to slide more easily over rocks and tree roots [1].
These terriers were selected so they could work especially within the confines of tunnels like those created by badger setts. As the accompaning drawing illustrates.
The front assembly of any short legged terrier is particularly dependant on the shape and depth of it's ribcage. The front assembly is made up of two bones, the shoulder blade or scapula and the forearm or humerus. The front legs, although shortened should be as straight as possible and should not be crooked, so carrying the gene associated with the deformity causing dwarfism[2]. Lets look at the length and placement of these bones independently.
The length and placement of the shoulder blade or scapula determines what we call 'lay of shoulder'. However, the length and placement of the humerus and its relationship to the depth of the chest is the main factor that determines how straight the front legs are able to be.
The front legs are physically attached to the chest wall by sinews and muscles. When a chest extends below the elbows, the front legs may follow to some extent the contour of the ribcage. Otherwise, the front legs would be placed too wide apart to enable to terrier to work. The correct front is clearly seen in our attached diagrams which were drawn especially to explain this in our DVD production Terriers Then & Now. This DVD also demonstrates with moving footage the digging action of Terriers with this type of front end construction.
Here are 6 terrier breeds which allow to varying degrees, this type of construction.
- The Scottish Terrier
- The Glen of Imaal Terrier
- The Skye Terrier
- The Sealyham Terrier
- The Cesky Terrier
The most extreme is the Scotty where the breed standard actually calls for this dog's ribcage to be 'hung between the forelegs' and the Glen of Imaal whose standard requires the front legs to be 'bowed'. To a lesser extent, the Sealyham, Dandie Dinmont, Skye Terriers also allow this type of front construction. These terriers have a unique digging action whereby they lie on the spot where the hole is being dug and move the dirt to the sides of their body. So, a slight bow in their front legs actually assists with unique 'side digging' this action. This digging action is particularly useful when the dog is working within the confines of a burrow as the dog only has to make a hole that he can fit through. Note the difference in digging action between terriers with this type of construction to the remainder of the terriers, both short and the long legged terriers, which, when digging push the dirt backwards between their widely placed back legs. This is all demonstrated in our DVD 'TERRIERS THEN & NOW'
Interestingly, the Glen of Imaal standard actually demands bowed front legs. However, the remainder of these terriers should have front legs as straight as is possible with the chest extending below the sternum.
When judging, although I would prefer the front legs to be as straight as possible, I am prepared to forgive a slight amount of bow in the Scotty, Sealyham, Dandie Dinmont, and Skye. But any amount of bow in the front legs of any other terriers is not desirable. Having said that, the bowed front legs are not to be confused with the breed standard of the Cairn that allows the front feet to turn out a little. Like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, this slight turn out of the feet in the Cairn is from the pastern only and is allowed so the dog can balance. This has nothing to do with the front construction of the terrier adapted for digging purposes, or an incorrect bow in the front legs caused by excessive depth of chest [3].
May I respectively suggest breeders and judges alike take particular note of the depth of chest in all the terriers, particularly the short legged ones. Because, in my opinion, excessive depth of chest is a cause of the incorrect bowed front legs that plague many of today's short legged terriers.
[1] Rachel Page Elliot 'Dog Steps' Pub 1973
[2] Jane Harvey, "Dwarfism in Terriers" in Dog News Australia (Australian Canine Press Pty Ltd, Austral NSW) ISSN 1834-1837 January 2008 page 6
[3] Jane Harvey, "Incorrect Front Construction" in Lets Talk Terriers (Tracy Murphy, Dean Park NSW) Vol 2 No 2 2006 Pages 2-4