Page 106 - Aussie Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

History

The Croup
The croup is not the pelvis. The croup sits above the The croup sits above
pelvis and is comprised of muscular attachments the pelvis and is com-
and bones of the sacrum. The croup is anchored prised of muscular
in the anterior/dorsal pelvis, through the sacroiliac attachments and bo-
joints, but the croup does not generate or transfer nes of the sacrum. The
energy during movement like the pelvis does. The croup is anchored in the ante-
croup only determines tail set. rior/dorsal pelvis, through the
sacroiliac joints, but the croup
The croup connects directly to the tail. Tail set does not generate or transfer
is affected by structure at the insertion of the energy during movement.
coccygeal vertebrae into the sacrum or croup. The
tail set is where the tail is attached. Tail set helps Pelvic girdle showing pelvic slope and croup (darker area) from
the side. A–Sacrum Illustration courtesy of Stephanie Hedgepath
define outline and is a component of breed type.

It would be logical to say that the tail of the Aus-
tralian Shepherd follows the natural line of the
croup (30-degree angle). Keeping in mind that the
tail is part of the structure (skeleton), it would be
physically impossible for a dog with the correct rear
structure to have a “gay” tail; a tail that curls up and
over the back of the dog. A tail set high on the croup
would not follow the natural angle of the croup and
would be an indicator of an incorrect croup angle.
If the base of a dog’s tail comes off the back in a
straight line, the croup angle is flat. If the base of the
tail has a dip, the croup angle is steep. As in most
herding breeds an upright tail over the back of the
dog is considered a severe fault and in some breeds
a disqualification. I would offer that this should also
be true of the Australian Shepherd.

Pelvic Girdle. A–Sacrum, B–Coccygeal Vertebrae, C–Hip Socket
(Acetabulum), D–Pin Bone (Ischial Tuberosity).
Illustration courtesy of Stephanie Hedgepath
According to breeder, all-round judge, writer, Deviations in the Croup Structure
illustrator and canine structural expert Stephanie
Hedgepath, “the three fused sacral vertebrae
(see Figure 1. A–Sacrum) and the first four-to-
five tail vertebrae (see Figure 1. B–Coccygeal
Vertebrae) form the muscular area just above
and around the set-on of the tail, which is
defined as the croup.”

106 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 2/2023