Aspects of Movement to Evaluate While Assessing the
Dachshund
Download This article

 

“Appearing Neither Crippled, Awkward, Nor Cramped in His
Capacity for Movement, The Dachshund is Well Balanced
with Bold and Confident Head Carriage..."
from the AKC Breed Standard

Viewed from the side:

There should be balance between front and rear extension.

There should be good reach in front with no wasted action or unnecessary lifting of the front legs.

Forward reach of each hind leg, with no wasted action upward toward the belly, and good follow-through should be evident. A lack of correct rear extension is referred to as the dog "moving under itself" and is undesirable.

There should be strength and level stability of the topline while moving.

Head carriage should be bold and confident.

Tail should not be carried too gaily.

Viewed from the front:

Movement should be clean and true coming toward you.

There should be proper width between front feet as they land with a slight inward inclination as speed increases.

Viewed from the rear:

Hind legs should drive on a line with the forelegs.

Movement should be clean and true going away, with hocks turning neither in nor out.

There should be no wasted action or sashaying.

Rear pads should be clearly exposed.

Movement Faults Listed in the Breed Standard:
Feet swinging out, crossing over or interfering with each other
Short, choppy movement
Rolling gait
High-stepping gait
Close or overly wide movement, coming or going
Hocks turning either in or out
Rear feet reaching upward toward the abdomen
Any appearance of walking on the rear pasterns

back to Index On to Function & "F" Words