XL Bully dogs: applying the conformation standard

Glossary

Bite

• The relative position of the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed.

Coat

• The hairy outer covering of the skin.

Croup

• Part of the back from the front of the pelvis to root of the tail.

Forequarters

• The front part of dog excluding head and neck.

Hindquarters

• Rear part of dog from behind the loin.

Loin

• The region between the last rib and the beginning of the pelvis.

Musculature

• The muscles on an animal’s body.

Muzzle

• The length from the tip of the nose to the stop.

Pasterns

• The pastern is the lower part of the foreleg, just above the foot and below the wrist. Similarly, in the hind leg, the pastern is the portion located above the foot and below the heel (also known as the hock). Every canine possesses a pair of front and rear pasterns.

Scissor bite

• The upper front teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Spring of rib

• Degree of curvature of rib cage.

Tail set

• The position of the tail on the croup.

Tapering

• Becomes progressively smaller towards one end.

Top line

• An outline after the withers to the tail set. Viewed from the side of the dog or from above.

Withers

• The highest point of body immediately behind the neck where height is measured.