Dog movements/ types of step

LeonbergerLeonberger
edited May 2008 in General
Has any of the Akita owners noticed their dogs to amble much? I've always read ambling to be kind of a rare movement for dogs, actually there seems to be only one breed that does it frequently enough for it to have become a trait, it's the Bobtail. All other breeds, are supposed to have normal crossed step or trot or gallop.
I started noticing that Kuma ambles quite a lot, which came as a surprise. That's why I'm asking if any other Akita out there seems to do this much?

Ambling is supposedly a very energy efficient movement, where the dog takes both legs of the same side off the ground at the same time. Kuma seems to favour this when walking slowly. As soon as we pick up speed, he's back to his step or a light trot.

Comments

  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    I have never seen it... tho I dunno i would really know what it was if i saw it. You need to video that!

    ----
  • glacierglacier
    edited May 2008
    I think I know what you mean.

    Basically, in the usual trot, the dog lifts diagonal pairs of front and back legs, while in the 'amble' or 'camel trot' the dog steps forward with the legs on one side and then the other. Dogs have the same gaits as horses. Walk, trot, canter, gallop. And yes there are horses that amble, too.
  • LeonbergerLeonberger
    edited November -1
    yep, that's it. I tried to make a video of it, but I don't have enough of a wide angle lens to fully frame Kuma when walking him. I think he's actually starting to do it less, but at the same time it happens so fast, sometimes it's a bit confusing. I don't know what canter is...
  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    Brad, think pacing rather than trotting in horse racing.


    The canter is a three-beat pace like a gallop, but in a gallop only one leg touches the ground at a time. You can think of a canter as a slow gallop.
  • glacierglacier
    edited November -1
    In a canter, the dog or horse starts out with the hind leg hitting the ground. then, the other hind leg as well as the diagonal opposite front leg hit the ground. the other front leg, lands in the third beat, on its own and slightly ahead of the rest. this leg is called the leading leg. after that is a moment of suspension before the whole sequence repeats. if you know what to look for you can see which leg is leading just by looking at the dog/horse.
    The gallop is in the same pattern, except the front and back legs that landed together in the canter now land separately and the stride is longer, and becomes a four-beat pace. the instant when all four legs are off the ground becomes longer.
    sorry if I'm boring you guys! I ride horses, therefore knowing details of gaits, and often compare them to the gaits of a dog.
    I know of a catahoula leopard dog that ambles instead of trots.
  • baantonbaanton
    edited November -1
    So now I know why we often compare the sound of Josephine's running feet to that of a pony!
  • HarlowHarlow
    edited May 2008
    Sled dogs will pace when they want to take it easy on the trail- although I have never experienced it. I guess we never went far enough in one day to get them tired out.
  • HarlowHarlow
    edited November -1
    This is a great demonstration of gaites in dogs:

    http://accad.osu.edu/~hcaprett/COTA_741_sp04/CanineLO_090504.html
  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    That was very interesting. Thanks Patty!
  • LeonbergerLeonberger
    edited November -1
    Ah, the miracles of motion capture! Great link! Although they don't show all gaits, it's very interesting and a good knowledge base.
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    yea, that link is pretty cool!
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2024