Question about "roach back"
 

Percy seems to have ended up with a roach back, unless his front legs shoot up another inch which I don't think is going to happen at this point. :(

I am a little upset b/c when I was at the breeders I asked to see the parents and both of them had a nice top line. All the papers matched as well. There had been all the correct testing done on the bitch and stud. At the time, he seemed to be topping out nicely, the same as his litter mates. Now, not so much.

Since we will most likely be getting a brother or sister for Percy, i want to know how to avoid this in the future. Can parents that have a nice top line have a puppy that ends up roached? Percy was "older" when we got him, so I thought we were ok, at what age can you tell if this is going to happen?

I really thought i had done my homework.

Your chances of getting a puppy with a good topline with both parents having a good one were very good. But unfortunately a past ancestor must have put their two cents in:mad:
Alot of changes can happen especially before 6 months.
I wouldnt blame the breeder, not every dog turns out like we hope they will. If he had a good top line when he left Im sure the breeder thought it would stay that way, especially if your boy was older when you got him.
Maybe theres a chance the back will straighten out. How old is he?

He will be 7 months on the first. We got him at around 5 months. And he a had a little growth spurt right after we got him. Got a little taller and gained a tiny bit of weight. Beside his ears being a tiny bit to big, (and the back of course) he is really standard on everything else, not too tall, weight is right, eyes not buggy, ect.... And he seems to be holding now on weight and everything now.

I really didn't think that the breeder had mislead me or anything. I guess I thought maybe I had overlooked something when I was there and was upset at that.

Is that him on your avator? He sure is cute!
Maybe you could post a pic of him stacked and someone can tell you what they think of his back.

Well, I will sure give that a try..... I have a new found respect for show trainers and dogs though.... the way they just stand there stacked so nice! I can *barely* get mine to stand still.

But I will do my best and get one up today.

ok, I managed to find a few "good" ones, or as good as it is going to get. (we are still working on learning commands, like "Stay".) Also, please please please, forgive his coat, he was neutered last week and hasn't had a proper bath or grooming in a week.

haha! I know what you mean. Im not a show breeder and I dont work on stacking to much, so my dogs whther they have roach back or not, look like they do becuase they hunch all up! My hubby sis generally at work when I try to take pics and its hard to get them to cooperate if you dont work with them!!!

Im very interested to see what the more experienced breeders think, but that does not look like a roach back to me.

I wanted to add, it looks like his front legs havent caught up to his back legs....maybe they will!!!!!
BUt as I said, Im not the best one on this, the second pic is a good one to look at, Im sure someone with that knowledge will come along and give a better opinion, better knowledge and experience to let you know what they think.

You're boy is not roach backed.....he's high in the rear and has a tendency to tuck his rear; many things contribute to this he could be a lil close in hind quarters.....or sometimes they stand that way when they are unsure of their environment. A lil girl left my home about a month ago, perfect topline, wonderful gait, had I not already had her father, I would have kept her. Her owner brought her back for me to groom and pointed out her topline to me. I watched her and she looked like she was losing her topline...I asked whether she was carried around alot, she informed me that yes her teenage daughter loved putting her in a blanket and carrying her around. I told her not to allow to much of that, as she was making the dog into a baby, dependent on them, etc. I told her that although we see them as our lil babies, in the end they are still dogs and must be allowed to be just that. She heeded my advice brought her back a couple of weeks later.....what a difference....that lil girl was prancing around here with her tail & head up like she owned the world.....topline perfect....

This may not be the reason for your lil boy tucking.....but, remember he still has a lot of growing to do.

Oh! and his ears aren't big either.

Mary

OH! I thought a roach back was when their backs weren't straight and curved in any way. Thank you for clarifying it for me! He was carried around a lot when he first came home, but, that was mainly due to the fact that he was terrified. So we would bring him to his food, his water, his paper. He had also never been on a leash before, so, when we would put him on one, he was carried outside. Actually, now that he isn't being carried as much, his tail is finally up. Although, he is on the shy side still. And he is still adjusting to his new home. So maybe as the weeks go on, that will help. TY!

Oh wait, I meant to ask, they can lose their topline? Or is that just an expression for a bad gait?

Watch him gait....does the topline level off......

You said he was terrified, well by carrying him around and doing for him, you have reinforeced the behavior.....making him dependent on you. How we handle them affects their structure. So, play with him.....love him, just because he's lil doesn't make him helpless...he's a terrier.

Well that sure is good to hear for you and Percy!:)

No, they can loose their topline, especially girls, when they go through their seasons....I go nuts when I'm watching a young girl that I'm showing in Season, what was once a perfect topline, goes off and on for a matter of weeks.

I've seen dogs that are too skinny have a slight hump and after weight has been put on....they level off.

It does level off a bit when he is walking, especially when running. Although, his little bottom "swishes" if that makes any sense.

Yea, I realized my mistake after he was home a week. My husband actually pointed it out. He said "Alyson, why are you treating the dog like a baby? He is a dog, let him be a dog. You didn't treat any of our "big dogs" like this when they came home." And I realized, he was right. So.....we have stopped the carrying around like a baby thing, and Percy is actually adjusting much much better.