Frequency of Normal versus Support Trot in the Healthy German Shepherd Dog

Introduction: Current sports medicine textbooks suggest German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) utilize a support trot, lacking a suspension phase, due to instability from extreme angulation of the hindquarters. A standard (normal) trot includes a suspension phase between footstrikes. The GSD trot has never been scientifically evaluated. The objective of this study was to characterize the trot and describe morphometric relationships. The hypothesis was that GSDs have a standard trot with a suspension phase and thus no relationship with joint angulation.

Materials and Methods: Eighteen healthy, adult GSDs were enrolled in this study to date. Height, weight, body length, standing limb distance, and standing joint angles were measured. Dogs were trotted over a pressure walkway collecting five valid trials. Each trial was categorized by the presence or absence of the suspension phase and the percent of standard trot trials was calculated. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship of morphometric measurements and standard and support trotters.

Results: Of the dogs analyzed, 38.8% demonstrated a standard trot in all five trials, 55.6% of dogs utilized a support trot intermittently, and one dog solely utilized a support trot in all trials. Body length and weight influenced whether the dog used a standard or support trot (p < 0.01). There was no correlation between joint angles and utilization of a support trot.

Discussion/Conclusion: Most GSDs demonstrate a mix of support and standard trots, which is unrelated to standing joint angles.

Acknowledgement: No conflict of interest.