Copy of `Purestock Aussies - Glossary of working dogs`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Purestock Aussies - Glossary of working dogs Category: Animals and Nature > Working dogs Date & country: 25/03/2011, AU Words: 116

Agility
a judged competitive timed event for dogs and their handlers.

Allele
One member of a pair or series of genes that occupy a specific position on a specific chromosome.

Alpha
Term used to describe the highest ranked or most dominant individual of the pack. Term can be used for a human and/or dog.

Alter
To spay or neuter

Balance
overall proportion and symmetry of conformation.

Bi-color
a coat of two distinct colors.

Bidable
Able to be trained or trainable

Bitch
female dog.

Bite
occlusion; relationship of the upper and lower jaws when the mouth is closed.

Bobtail
very short, almost stump-like tail.

Bowed front
forelegs that curve out between the elbows and pasterns.

Brindle
an even mixture of dark colors with lighter colors, usually as a striped, tiger-like coat.

Brisket
chest or sternum area.

Butterfly nose
spotted or partially un-pigmented nose.

Canine tooth
the first premolar; long grasping tooth or a dog's fang.

Close behind
moving with hocks close together.

Coefficient of inbreeding (COI)
The amount of inbreeding, common ancestors, in a pedigree

Conformation
physical make-up, based on a breed standard.

Cow-hocked
viewed from behind, the point of hocks point toward each other, resulting in the rear feet pointing outward.

Crest
Arched area near the top of the neck.

Crossing-over
when viewed from the front (or rarely, the rear), the legs converge beyond the midline.

Cull
To put down, euthanize.

Dam
female parent.

Dentition
canine tooth development and eruption. A full dentition is 42 teeth when the dog reaches adulthood.

Dew claws
extra toes on the insides of the front, and sometimes, rear legs.

Docked tail
tail cut to a shorter length.

Dominance
assertive characteristics of a dog and its influence over other dogs or people.

Dominant
alpha dog of a pack that displays a behavior superiority or dominance over other dogs of the pack, and exerts a rule influence.

Double Coat
fine undercoat of some dogs that is combined with a harsher outer guard coat.

Down
Command to have the dog lay down

Down in pastern
weak, overly sloping pastern.

Dudley nose
flesh-colored nose.

Ear Canal
external duct leading from the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to the outside.

Ear Canker
external ear ulceration and infection.

Ear foreign bodies
Any matter that finds its way into the external ear canals of dogs.

Ear Hematoma
pocket of blood that occurs between the layers of the ear pinna cartilage and skin. It is often caused by shaking head and whipping the ears due to ear mites or foreign bodies in the external ear canals.

Ear Leather
pinna or flap of the ear.

Ear Mange
redness and crustiness of the ear that is usually caused by ear mites, (Otodectes cynotis)

Ear Mites
Otodectes cynotis, a tiny mite that lives as a parasite in ear canals and causes intense itching and irritation.

Ear Ossicles
three bones of the middle ear

Ear Set
describing where on the head the ears are attached.

Earmark
tattoo that is impregnated in the ear leather as a means of permanent identification.

Ears Set High
placement of ears high on the crown of the head.

Ears Set Low
placement of the ears set low on the head.

Ears Set wide
placement of the ears on the head at the maximum distance apart.

Feathers
long hair on the back of front legs

Flews
upper lips.

Full dentition
no missing teeth - 42 teeth.

Gait
Left and right side views - back and front feet meet but don

Harlequin
normally seen on merles, patches of light and dark fur, often confused with dilute spots.

High in rear
a dog that is higher over its rear quarters than over its front quarters.

Hip dysplasia
a very common and debilitating genetic disease of the hips, where the junction of the femur head (large bone in the leg) and the hip socket do not fit as they should. Surgery can be performed to correct the problem.

Hock
Tarsus

Inbred
descriptive of offspring of mated dogs that are closely related to each other.

Inbreeding
practice of mating siblings to each other

Incisors
any one of the "biting off" or "cutting" teeth directly in the front of the mouth. There are six incisors in the upper jaw, six in the lower. They are named central, intermediate, and corner.

Knuckled over
steep pastern, or with a reverse slope.

Lay back
angle at which the shoulders is set on the dog's body.

Line
family of related dogs, usually bred by a single kennel.

Lineage
genealogical decent from a common ancestor; dog's pedigree or family tree.

Line-breeding
mating two dogs that have the same bloodline but are not closely related; a technique used to concentrate and fix genetic features in dog.

Loin
region between the ribcage and croup.

Loose movement
erratic movement suggestive of poor muscle development.

Lower thigh
area from stifle to hock, also called second thigh.

Mane
profuse growth of hair on the rear of the neck.

Merle
a mottled, marbled effect

Metacarpus
referring to bones leading from the carpus (wrist) to the toes; anatomical region of the fore pastern.

Mongrel
dogs of more than one breed, also known as cur, mutt, and mixed breed.

Occiput
highest point at the back of the skull, above where the neck joins the head; in many breeds it forms a crest and is quite prominent.

Off
to get off of something or someone

Over bite
when upper incisors overlap lower incisors, leaving a gap between the teeth.

Pacing
moving both legs on the same side of the body in unison, as though hobbled together.

Pastern
region of the metatarsus that extends from the hock to the foot in the hind leg, and the metacarpal area of the foreleg.

Phantom Merle
Solid looking dog that was born with merle makings. May not be obviously present when older.

Pinna
the part of the ear that outside the head; flap or leather.

Premolars
smaller teeth situated just to the rear of the fangs (canines).

Prick ears
ears that stand upright. Example

Puppy Mill
place in which puppies are bred, often in unsuitable and sometimes inhumane conditions. The parents of these puppies typically have not had proper health certifications conducted, i.e. OFA and CERF.

Pure Bred
a dog who has parents of the same breed. Also, often times puppies are produced with complete disregard to the standard and health.

Reach
length of forward stride.

Rear angulation
angles formed between the pelvis, thigh bone (femur), and second or lower thigh bone (tibia/fibula).

Red Carrier
Carries the red color gene, if crossed with a red dog or another red carrier can produce red puppies.

Red Factored
Carries the red color gene, if crossed with a red dog or another red carrier can produce red puppies.

Rib spring
arch formed by the ribcage; more spring refers to more arch.

Roach back
an overly arched, convex topline.

Rose ears
ears folded back in repose, slightly cast out from the head.

Ruff
profuse growth of hair on the front of the neck, or that surrounds the entire neck.

Sable
black tips on red or blue hairs.

Scissors bite
when upper incisors just overlap lower incisors, such that the rear surface of the upper incisors touches the outer surface of the lower incisors.

Shepherd Spots
Spots of copper above eyes, can be above eyes closer to stop.

Shoulder Angulation
angle formed between the scapula and humerus.

Sickle-hocked
viewed from the side, an over-angulated joint between the lower thigh and hock; an inability to straighten this joint when moving.

Single tracking
as viewed from the front or rear, the legs converge toward the center line of balance as the dog trots.

Sire
male parent.

Slab-sided
flat-ribbed.

Sound
good moment.

Splay foot
toes that are not close together.

Stack
To set-up in a stance to show a good side view. Also see stance

Stance
Square and level with front and rear legs/toes not tuning in or out

Standard
the official blueprint for a breed.