In 1994 I wrote a series of articles for the Afghan hound Club of NSW Inc. on construction and movement in the Afghan Hound. Those articles were to have been the basis of a paper I delivered at the 2^nd Afghan Hound World Congress in San Diego. Due to a severe truncation of the time I was allocated, that presentation was so shortened that the only message that seemed to be received by most was that brindles move better than other colours. That is definitely not what I said - rather I said that brindles moved differently from golds, who in turn moved differently from blacks, and so on.

I was fortunate to have been able to give the full paper at the Finger Lakes Afghan Hound Club, and later to have it published in "Afghan Hound Review".

Since then, I have continued my research and was particularly taken by a piece in "Architecture of the Afghan Hound", where the author, Barb Bornstein, addressed the question of speed as it affects movement. Most of us agree that the Afghan Hound stands four square ie. with parallel legs, and that as it moves off, the legs converge towards the centre line. Some would argue that the Afghan Hound should single track at a very fast trot, and indeed I think any breed can be taught to perform this gait, but observations suggest that left to its own devices, an Afghan Hound will break into a gallop before it will single track. "Out and back" movement will not be considered further.

The question of "correct" profile movement is a much more difficult topic. To make sure we are all agreed on terminology, I would like to review several definitions, as presented by Rachel Page Elliot:

"The trot is a rhythmic two-beat diagonal gait in which the feet at diagonally opposite ends of the body strike the ground together (my emphasis) ie. right hind and left front AND left hind with right front. At a normal (show ring) trot when the weight is transferred from one pair of legs to the other, there is a slight almost imperceptible period of suspension as the body is propelled forward. Some people call this "spring". For most normally constructed dogs, the imprint of the hind feet tend to cover the tracks left by the front" (Note: many in the fancy call this a flying trot: it is not).

"The flying or suspension trot is a fast gait in which forward thrust contributes to a longer and more plainly discernible period of flight during each half stride. Because of the long reach, the oncoming hind feet step beyond the imprint left by the front. Co-ordination and good foot timing are of great importance to avoid interference".

Note that by definition a dog cannot perform the flying trot and place the hind feet directly in the footprints of the front feet.

Thus, the major distinctions between the trot (which is a walking gait) and the flying trot (which is a running gait), are the trot it a slower gait than the flying trot, has no overstepping, and has at least one foot (theoretically two), on the ground at any time except for that almost imperceptible period during change over. In the flying trot, the period of suspension (all four feet in the air), is plainly discernible.

Let us now briefly review the relationship between construction and movement, as deduced by Curtis Brown.

1. Construction

• Shoulder and pelvis lay of about 30 degrees, to give balanced front and rear extension.
• Squarish shape to give required cross-step.
• All legs of equal stride length, for smoothness.
• Leg ratio of about 1.15:1 for a combination of speed and endurance.

1. Co-ordination of Movement

• Diagonal legs must move in cadence ie. Synchronously. If front left is on the ground, so must right rear. If front left is reaching the ground, so must right rear.
• Correct cross-step.
• Balanced or symmetric fore and aft extension.
• If the above are absent, suspect either poor construction or poor handling (being strung up or moved too fast) or both!!

Correct construction and co-ordinated movement will manifest themselves in the following observable features during the trot as determined by Robert Cole.

• Balanced forward reach and rearward extension
• Diagonal leg co-ordination (cadence or synchronicity) and spring
• Interference under the body at cross-over
• Pastern and hock flex - most common faults are flipping pasterns and sickle hocks
• Height each foot lifts off the ground - bounce
• Levelness of topline
• Carriage of head and neck
• Carriage of tail

Again I wish to re-iterate that in our great breed, we have a range of permissible constructions - from mountain to desert dogs. And we can have a range of trotting styles. But, to be sure, there are rules to help us as breeders, exhibitors and judges to determine what is technically correct and which is merely "fancy". I hope that this presentation brings us a little closer to that determination.

I now wish to present a video which starts off with trotting horses to illustrate that synchronous movement is the most efficient form of locomotion in terms of speed and endurance, and then looks at several Afghan Hounds moved at various speeds, to illustrate the deviation from "correct" technical movement as speed increases.

Finally, I would like to return to Barb Bornstein's: "How important does it become to possibly sacrifice the Afghan Hound's impression of dignity in favour of increased speed?"