Saarloos wolfhound - Cow Heel, why?
 

Reading the Saarloos Wolfhound standard I find something very curious, when we arrive at the hindquarters, is write in the standard:
The backhand is normally hooked, powerful and muscular and it may be slightly cow-heeled.


I never have noted wolves with cow-heeled backhand, in most breeds cow heel is a problem because affect directly in the movimentation, Cow-heel is cause because the unbalance of the hindquarters that make the dog expel the knees and joining the heels, some studies comprove that cow-heeled dogs have more possibilities to present Hip Displasia.
So, Why Saarloos Wolfhound may have a sightly cow-heel? In what it will improve the breed and help the dog in movimentation?


Greetings

Paula H.P

Extially it's not often shown. But sometimes when they are shy or in other words scared they are a bit low and it only looks like cow heeled. Actually i don't untherstand that they put it in the standard.
Jos

Can it be a translate error in Standard?

Slightly cowhooked is normal is wolves. that is only when standing erect. as they start to move the hindlegs position is straight again. so this is derived from the wolf and is the reason why some saarlooswolfhonds have this. I think it is more often seen in large wolves like the americans, the scandinavians and russians. I have seen wolves from poland and spain and the legs are slightly different.

Yes, when standing in erect and relax position not only wolves stay sightly cow heeled but all dog breeds, I think that the littlest breeds too, is very easy to see that in breeds as Borzoi's and Azawack's that have long legs and big size, as in Neapolitans Mastiffs and Bulldogs that are heavy with big bones, but that's is normal, you can see in the standard of all these breeds that cow heel is a big problem, no one accept that.
I not believe that was because of this that they have write "slightly cow heeled" in the standard, the biggest problem is that this "Slightly cow heeled" have been translate as "cow heeled" only in some others languages as the portuguese, but the two endto means that if you see a slightly cow heeled dog ( not only when stay erect and relax but when walking too) it won't be a problem when you evaluate it because the standard means that, that's the problem and why I think that must have a more "cientific" explanation.

In the original standard, dutch, it says: looking than at the official site of the FCI the english translation says:

Quote:

Slight cow-hocks are permitted when standing.

So i fear the translation you have is slightly off.. with that in mind i think the explanantion of fenris might be to the point!

I think the problem you see with many dogs that are cowhocked is that they loose rear thrust , in a breed like the SWD, where the typical lightfoothed movement is much valued, the ability to single track, that indeed it would be ununderstandable to allow cowhocks. But as with my boy, who is a fairly good mover if i might say so my self, he stands slightly cowhocked but i have seen no negative impact on his movement, and i have seen that in more SWD, in shows and outside.
What i have often seen what i think is also interesting is when cautious, scared, they seem to sink between the elbows, probably enabling to make them ready to make a run for it. Maybe than what Jos has mentioned sets in motion, offcoarse also creating a harder to judge picture of the bodystructure. Judging SWD from stand is dificult, but i think as soon as a SWD moves you can tell easy enough ;)

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!
This problem appear when I have reading the official Saarloos wolfhound standard in portuguese, the translate was made wrong as I have think, one big mistake that can cause serious problems for the breed.
That's for the english and for the understanding of the people is something like that:
In the description of the hindquarters of the portuguese standard have another problem with that, this description means that the saarloos must has a slightly cow hock's for be really in the standard.
So, the problem is really with the translation, I will enter in contact with who made these translations for see if change that for right.

Thank you again!!

a similair mistake can be found in the translation of the TWd standard FE here in this forum.
german as well as english standard says:

Quote:

VERHALTEN / CHARAKTER (WESEN) Temperamentvoll, sehr aktiv, ausdauerfähig, gelehrig, schnell reagierend, furchtlos und mutig. Seinem Herrn gegenüber zeigt er ungemeine Treue. Widerstandsfähig gegen Witterungseinflüsse. Vielseitig verwendbar.

Quote:

BEHAVIOUR-TEMPERAMENT:

the original FCI standard mentions one more , i think important ,word in the standard:

Quote:

Misstrauisch.//distrustful

As far as i could check in the original breedstandard in original language, the word 'misstrauisch/ distrustful is used as well!

I have learned that www.fci.be is the only reliable source for breedstandards, many breeders place their own interpretation of the standard, have their own translation, or summarize the standard.

(am still having some problems with the new forum, post looks chaotic:oops: )