Understanding gaits: what movement reveals

Gaits are the ways they move: the walk, the trot, the gallop… At shows, watching them helps you assess the movement against the requirements of the standard.

But a dog who moves fast doesn’t necessarily move better! Here are nine tips for learning to look beyond the first impression.

Beginner — Recognising and observing

1. Learn to tell the walk from the trot

At the walk, the feet land one after another, in a four-beat rhythm.

At the trot, the legs work in diagonal pairs: the left front with the right hind, then the right front with the left hind.

Your exercise: film a few seconds at the walk, then at the trot. Watch in slow motion and spot the feet that move forward together.

Once you understand this rhythm, you will more easily recognise a change of gait during the presentation.

2. Look for a comfortable speed

The trot doesn’t require running as fast as possible. Your aim is to find a speed at which your dog keeps that gait without being pulled along by the lead.

Your exercise: on a straight line, gradually speed up from the walk. As soon as your dog trots steadily, settle your pace.

If they break into a gallop or lose coordination, adjust your speed and start again calmly. Work over short distances to keep their attention.

3. Look at the “Gait” section of your breed

Not all dogs should give the same impression in movement.

The Poodle standard describes a light, springy gait. The German Shepherd standard looks in particular for a far-reaching trot, with no apparent effort.

Your exercise: remember two or three words from your breed’s standard. They will guide your observation more usefully than a comparison with a dog of another breed.

Intermediate — Looking from several angles

1. Watch the profile to understand the movement

From the side, look at how the front legs reach forward, how the hind legs contribute to the movement and how the body goes along with the whole.

Reach is the extent of the movement. Drive refers to the contribution of the hind legs to propulsion.

Your exercise: film a side-on pass, at the dog’s height, with their whole body in the frame. Watch first at normal speed, then in slow motion.

Avoid drawing conclusions from a single spectacular image: a gait is judged over the succession of strides.

2. Watch the up-and-back too

The profile doesn’t show everything. When the dog moves away, you mainly see the hind legs; when they come back, the front legs.

Your exercise: do an up-and-back in a straight line, with someone filming along the line. Look at where the feet land and whether the movement looks even.

Don’t look for a universal rule of parallelism: the interpretation must take account of the breed, the construction and the speed.

3. Give the dog the chance to show their movement

A lead that is too tight or a head held very high can alter the presentation. The handler also has to adapt their own stride.

Your exercise: compare two passes at the same speed, looking for supple handling, without pulling your dog upwards.

Also watch your position: are you leaving them enough room to move freely, without coming up against your legs?

Advanced — Interpreting methodically

1. Look for the coordination of the whole

Don’t concentrate all your attention on a big reach in front or an impressive drive from behind.

In the German Shepherd, the standard links the movement to the balance of the angulation and the lengths of the limbs, with a topline that does not noticeably oscillate.

Your exercise: look in turn at the legs, the trunk, then the whole dog. Do the different parts seem to work in a coordinated way, according to what the standard expects?

2. Tell an incident from a repeated observation

A dog can stumble, turn their head towards a noise or change a stride on a turn. That is not enough to characterise their gaits.

Your exercise: watch several passes in comparable conditions. Note what recurs, at what speed and in which direction.

Prefer “I see this movement on three passes” to “they always move like that”. This precision will make your conversations with a judge or an instructor more useful.

3. Adapt the presentation to the qualities sought

An effective presentation lets the movement expected for the breed be seen. It doesn’t mean copying another exhibitor’s speed or stride.

The Poodle standard thus lists a flowing, elongated gait among the serious faults: an impression admired in another breed does not automatically become a quality in them.

Your exercise: vary your speed slightly and compare the passes. Look for the one where your dog keeps their rhythm and best shows the characteristics described in their standard.

The habit to keep

The profile shows the reach; the up-and-back completes the observation; several passes let you refine your judgement.

Start by looking at the rhythm, then the feet, then the whole body. With practice, you will gradually see what a few seconds of movement can tell you.