# Top line?



## StephanieY (Feb 13, 2021)

Hi everyone

I’m new the forum (but a long time reader) and had a question about my girl’s top line. She’s 8 months old from a breeder. She was originally bought as a pet but with my breeder’s blessing, Winnie is now my conformation showing learning dog 😊 Slowly but surely we’ve been learning together which has been awesome!

Lately, I’ve been stressing over her top line. First photo is her at about 7 weeks. Second and third photos were taken today and the third, last week (she’s posting unfortunately). She’s just about to finish her first heat cycle.

I understand she’s going through a really awkward stage of growth right now but is her top line roached? Is she rear high? Or a combination of both? If roached, will it lessen as she grows or just get more noticeable? I’ve been stressing over it so much 😂

All feedback welcome 😊 I’m always super keen to learn more about conformation and stacking. Thank you!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Bumping up


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## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

She’s unfortunately at a very awkward age  a lot of people joke that you have to put them away at this age and bring them back out after 2.
I can’t tell without putting hands on her but that might be the point of her pelvis; where her croup begins? I wouldn’t stress too much right now  it doesn’t look like her spine, she just looks a bit rear high. 
Pretty girl!


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I don’t think you have too much to worry about at this age. She does appear to be a little “butt” high as some of us say here in the states, but she is also stacked incorrectly, which is making her look higher in the rear than she really is. Her rear feet need go back a little so that the toes are lined up with her butt bones (idk the anatomical name) - imagine a vertical line straight down from her butt bones and you should hit the toes on the back feet.


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## gr56 (May 11, 2019)

ArkansasGold said:


> I don’t think you have too much to worry about at this age. She does appear to be a little “butt” high as some of us say here in the states, but she is also stacked incorrectly, which is making her look higher in the rear than she really is. Her rear feet need go back a little so that the toes are lined up with her butt bones (idk the anatomical name) - imagine a vertical line straight down from her butt bones and you should hit the toes on the back feet.











is this what your talking about in regards of toe placement? Does this diagram look correct.
Not the OP but just curious as well


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## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

Yes, the tip of the toes should line up with the dog’s “point of rump”

edit: and it should do this with the hocks perpendicular to the ground, not leaning either forward or backward


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

gr56 said:


> View attachment 880615
> 
> is this what your talking about in regards of toe placement? Does this diagram look correct.
> Not the OP but just curious as well


Yep, that's exactly it!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Strongly suggest having somebody who shows around your area do a hands on check of your dog. 

She looks roached to me - and I'm not crazy about her tuck up. Over here, excessive tuck up is to be faulted. 

It may be she's still growing, but I would want to talk to somebody familiar with her lines who might give you some input on what's going on with her. Might want to discuss things like growth, diet, etc.

Would not show her right now.


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## StephanieY (Feb 13, 2021)

Thank you everyone for your responses - it's been super helpful! Will definitely focus on lining up her toes properly next time we stack.

Her breeder will hopefully be at our first show at the end of this month to run her hands over her. She is my learning dog and I don't expect to win any points - just want to give it a go initially, learn some more and have fun.


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## StephanieY (Feb 13, 2021)

An update on my girl about 2 weeks after her first heat cycle!

Her breeder was happy with her and was pleased to see her top line improving as she grows.


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## gr56 (May 11, 2019)

that’s awesome definitely starting to see a difference she is growing into haveing nice structure what a beautiful girl you got there


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

StephanieY said:


> An update on my girl about 2 weeks after her first heat cycle!
> 
> Her breeder was happy with her and was pleased to see her top line improving as she grows.
> 
> View attachment 881275


Much better! She's growing nicely!


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

Her topline looks much better in that second picture! She also appears to have developed some more depth of body too. 8 months is just a horrible age to assess conformation. Some puppies look super together and some don't. And the ones that do could fall apart. You just never know!  I have a boy I co-own who was not attractive around 6 months old who finished his championship very quickly last year. Once he came back together he totally came back together. Just be patient


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