Page 46 - JRT Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

Education

Many breeders claim that the front is the hardest Topline
thing to fix in breeding. They will say that once The definition of topline varies…or at least people’s
you introduce a bad front into your line, you common usage of the term varies. Most breed
will not be able to correct it in one, two or even standards will use topline to mean that part of
three generations. I have long wondered if the the dog from the withers to the base of the tail.
reason for this might be that the shoulder/upper Anatomists, however, use topline to refer to the
arm configuration seems to be the most difficult entire upper profile of the dog, from the top of the
area for breeders to accurately evaluate, and so head to the base of the tail, and then the backline
they unknowingly inbreed on bad shoulders and is that part of the topline from the withers caudally.
“fix” them into their line. Multiple generations The Russell Terrier breed standard states:
of questionable shoulder configuration become
common and judges get used to seeing incorrect Topline: Level while in motion.
shoulders and acclimate to them. We need to We know this does not mean that the head of the
make a cognizant effort to improve. Both the terrier is carried on a level with the back, such as
lengths and vertical orientations of the scapula might be seen with a Pointer at work. So, the topline
and the humerus can combine in several ways, in this breed standard refers to the back, loin, and
only one of which is ideal. croup.

Hindquarters …slight arch of the loin from muscling that is felt
The hindquarters should be strong, with flat as rather than seen.
opposed to bulging muscling. The width from
above should approximate the width of the oval The Russell Terrier has a straight and level back
chest and the width of the forequarters. that extends from the withers to the base of the tail.
It is not dipped nor arched nor sloped. This differs
Balance with the forequarters requires a nice slightly from the standard for the Parson Russell
length of pelvis that is neither too flat nor too Terrier which states that a “very slight arch over the
tipped in its orientation. The angulation of the loin is maintained”.
pelvis should approximate that of the scapula.
A line drawn from the point of the hip to the The back can be anatomically defined by the thoracic
stifle should be symmetrical with the length and vertebrae and the loin defined by the lumbar
lay of the humerus (upper arm) (See earlier Fig vertebrae, but the croup is an area represented
2). by the fused sacral vertebrae plus those caudal
vertebrae encompassed by the pelvic bones. All
The lay of the pelvis is approximately 30° and three parts together (back, loin, croup) should
the base of the tail is centered between the front be level, which means even and parallel with the
and rear points of the pelvis. The lay of the pelvis ground. The three parts are in a ratio of 2:1:1 per
and a line from the point of the hip to the stifle Yerusalimsky’s biomechanical model of the dog. He
joint creates a 90° angle. A plumb line dropped writes that the solid topline is necessary for motive
from the base of the tail intersects the stifle joint. thrusts to transmit the energy efficiently.
A plumb line dropped from the point of the hip
touches the rear foot when the hock/pastern are
perpendicular with the ground. Natural dip in vertebral column of all dogs
where the spines change orientation
A pelvis (croup) that is too steep will result in a Fig 14
low tail set, lack of shelf, and produce weak drive
for movement. Shelf refers to the “dog behind the
tail”. A good shelf balances well with a laid-back
shoulder and fore chest. A croup that is too flat
moves the femur caudally, resulting in deficient
thrust from behind.

46 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier • Issue 2/2023