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Terricom - Glossary of canine terms Category: Animals and Nature > Glossary of dog terms Date & country: 01/02/2011, USA Words: 177

Obliquely placed eyes
where the outer corners are situated higher than the inner corners (e.g. Bull Terrier)

Occiput
top point or peak of skull

Otter head
(e.g. Border Terrier)

Otter tail
strong, thick and tapering at tip

Oval eyes
(e.g. Dachshund)

Oval feet
similar to cat feet but with the two centre toes slightly longer.

Oval skull
gentle, curved contours from ear to ear

Pack
number of hounds which run together

Pads
Thick skin on underside of feet

Pear shaped head
(e.g. Bedlington Terrier)

Pedigree
Proven history of dog's breeding

Pigment
colour of skin

Pinched nostrils
narrow, closed nostrils (a fault in any breed)

Pips
Spots above the eyes (often referred to as eyebrows) usually found in black & tan breeds.

Plume
long hair hanging from underside of tail

Plumed tail
long haired tail carried over the back (e.g. Pomeranian)

Pot hook tail
held over the back in an arc (e.g. Shih Tzu)

Premolars
teeth between molars and canines

Prick ears
Stiff, erect ears either with rounded or pointed tips

Pure breed
a dog with parentage of same breeds

Racy
a dog which is streamlined and elegant in appearance (e.g. Greyhound)

Ram's head
convex profile (e.g. Bull Terrier and Bedlington Terrier)

Ram's Nose
straight and aquiline in profile (e.g. Deerhound)

Rat tail
sparse or hairless tail (e.g. Irish Water Spaniel)

Ridge
Strip of hair which grows in the opposite direction to the main coat

Ring tail
a long tail, all or part forming a ring

Roach back
slight arch over the loin

Roan
Fine mix of white hairs alternating with coloured ones

Rolled ears
long, pendant and folding ears with lower tip and edge curling in

Roman nose
convex in profile (e.g. Bull Terrier)

Rose ears
Small, drop ears which fold over and back exposing inside of ear canal

Round eyes
circular in shape (e.g. French Bulldog)

Round Head
broad, square or round, short skull

Runt
Weakest, smallest puppy of litter (often the last born)

Sable
Black-tipped hairs over different colour main coat

Sabre tail
carried upwards or downwards, it has a gentle curve

Saddle
Coat of different texture or colour over the back

Scimitar tail
as the sabre tail but with a more pronounced curve

Screw tail
a short tail with a twist or spiral

Self coloured
coat of one basic colour

Self coloured nose
pigment colour the same as the coat

Sickle tail
loosely carried over the back

Sloping back
height at withers is greater than height at the loins (e.g. German Shepherd Dog)

Smooth haired
short, close-lying coat

Snap tail
carried over the back with the tip making contact

Socks/stockings
white hair covering feet (socks) or leg (stockings)

Soft mouth
a gentle grip without "teething"

Spayed
neutering of a bitch (uterus & ovaries removed)

Spectacles
lighter, circular colouring around eyes of some breeds

Squared off head
a square muzzle or lip shape (e.g. Pointer)

Squirrel tail
long and sharply angled forward but without making contact with the back

Sternum
Central chest bone

Stop
depression between the eyes

Straight back
no dip between withers and loins (e.g. English Toy Terrier)

Stumpy tail
short

Sword tail
hanging straight down

Tail
Bee sting tail

Tapering tail
long, shorthaired and tapering at tip

Third eyelid
protective membrane at the inner corner of the eye which acts like a windscreen-wiper. Can be seen in sleeping dogs.

Top knot
Long hair on top of head

Tri coloured
Three coat colours together (black, tan & white)

Triangular ears
ears which form an equilateral triangle, pricked or dropped (e.g. Siberian Husky)

Triangular eyes
more angular than oval (e.g. Afghan Hound)

Tufted tail
long or short with a plume or tuft at the end

Tulip ears
Rose or semi-drop ears which are erect.

Undercoat
Soft, thick shorter hair concealed by top coat.

V shaped ears
long, triangular ears, usually dropped (e.g. Hungarian Vizla)

Wall eye
incomplete flecked or spotted melanin markings on a blue iris (often found in merle coated dogs)

Webbed feet
strong webbing between toes often found in breeds which retrieve from water

Wedge shaped head
triangular profile

Wheaten
Fawn to pale yellow colour

Wheel back
continuous arch from withers to tail (e.g. Bedlington)

Whelps
pups which are unweaned.

Whip tail
pointed and carried out stiffly in line with back

Wide front
wider than normal distance of chest between front legs

Winter nose
a normally black nose which in winter takes on a pinkish hue

Wire haired
Crisp, harsh and wiry textured coat.