Totally Balanced?

	A totally balanced terrier will have the same angulation in both the front and the rear.  The bones that make up the shoulder and the bones that make up the hip should be approximately the same length for each assembly.  This, along with smooth-flat muscling, makes for the most efficient athlete possible.  The angles on each of the following photos were drawn independently, showing how angles can vary slightly according to the placement of the dots and lines drawn.  Drawing these angles is strictly to help you develop an eye and feel for angulation.   Keep in mind that this terrier, nor will yours, be perfect.  Total balance and angle perfection belongs to GOD.
	MEASURING ANGLES   ON  A  PHOTOGRAPH  (Note:  The photograph needs to be a direct side profile taken at the level as the dog)  Step #1  Draw a line along the bottom of the feet                  closest to you.  Step #2  Put a dot on the top and the front point of                  the shoulder, also called the scapula.        .  Step #3  Put a dot on the top and the rear point of                 the pelvis bone.  Step #4  Attach those dots with the lines extending                 down to the bottom horizontal line.  (A protractor is needed for the remainder of these steps)
	Step #5  Using your protractor that has a hole at the bottom center,                 put the line that goes through the hole on the horizontal                 line you drew on the picture.  Move the protractor from                  side to side (not getting off the horizontal line) until the 90                 degree mark at the top is directly above the top shoulder                  dot.  Put a new dot in the hole that is on the horizontal                 line and another dot above the 90 degree mark.  Step #6  Attach those 2 new dots with a line.  This new line will be                 vertical and perpendicular to the bottom horizontal line                 you drew in Step #1.  Step #7  Turn your protractor sideways so that the line the hole has                 through it is now on top of the vertical line you just drew.                 Put the hole over the dot that was at the top of the shoulder                 making sure the line that goes through the hole is still on                  top of the vertical line.  (The line you drew from the dots in                 Step #2 will tell you the angle of this dogs shoulder)                  Acceptable angles are from 30 to 45 degrees depending on                 how close you were to getting the dots on the right points.
	Step #8  Draw another horizontal line attaching the                 dots of the top of the pelvis and the top of the                shoulder.  (This line should be directly on top                of the pelvis dot and just slightly below the dot                on top of the shoulder)  Step #9  Turn the picture up side down and put the                  hole in the protractor over the dot on top of                  the pelvis.  Line up the protractor line that                 goes through the hole along the new                  horizontal line you just drew in Step #8.  The                 line that goes from the dot at the top of the                 pelvis, through the dot at the rear point of the                 pelvis will give you the angle of the pelvis.                  This angle should be approximately the same                  as the shoulder angle.
	Step #10  Put a dot on the point of the stifle.  Step #11  Draw a line from the dot at the rear point of                   the pelvis bone to the dot on the point of the                  stifle.  (This "L" shaped angle should be                   between 80 - 90 degrees, depending on how                  close you got your dots to the required points)  Step #12  Put a dot on the round bone, just in front of                  the elbow.  This is the lower end of the                   humerus.  Step #13  Draw a line from the dot at the front point of                  the shoulder to the round bone.  This line                   represents the humerus, or upper arm.  (This                   "L" shaped angle should also be between                   80 - 90 degrees depending on how close you                   got your dots to the required points)

Measuring angles on photographs and putting your hands on your terrier to find these points described above will help you develop an eye for angulation.  It is meant to help you see if your terrier is balanced and will help you evaluate why he moves the way he does. In order for angles to be as accurate as possible, the photographs MUST be taken on the same level as the dog and it must be of his direct side profile.  If your dog is in proper stance, you will get more accurate measurements.  BUT the measurements you do get will most likely NOT be the exact angulation of your terrier. Have fun and I hope you will enjoy learning, as I have over the years. Cheryl Hart Good reading material for proper structure and movement can be found in these books: K-9 Structure and Terminology by Gilbert and Brown The Dog In Action by McDowell Lyon This book as well as the next book are no longer in print.  But can usually be found on EBAY. The New Dogsteps by Rachel Page Elliott (My favorite!)