Dear Lynn,
As someone who competes and studies (standard) poodles in agility, here are my observations.
I have seen standard poodles bred for "conformation" that are too short backed to run and jump well. I have seen poodles who cannot lower their heads while running or doing weave poles. I have seen poodles who bound rather than run because their reach is so restricted by straight shoulders. I have seen poodles who cannot sit well or easily because their ewe necks throw their spine out. I know a fabulous agility poodle from conformation lines who tore up both her shoulders - did the straight front have anything to do with that?
Those cow hocked, parti colored (!), bad haired poodles frequently succeed where the overly typy, overly short backed, ewe necked, bad fronted "superior" bred poodles don't because those elements (how color and hair texture interfere with agility, I have NO idea!) do NOT cause a problem with a dog's overall soundness.
"One or two bones" can make the difference between a Poodle who is supple and graceful and playing hard at age 10 and one that is on Rimadyl. All three of my dogs are "conformation dogs" and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Two of the three were considered to be "long backed" compared to the "ideal" conformation dog - which means they are actually more capable of running and turning than my "short backed" dog. They are all, also, square rather than taller than long. I got very lucky indeed with my first girl - knowing close to nothing I ended up with a wonderful dog. The other two I chose with open eyes and after much study - and the feet and tailset and shape of the eye was far less important than their angles and balance and character. All of them have their faults, all have their virtues as well. I am thankful to their breeders for breeding them and continuing to be a part of their lives.
As far as Emily's question about how a generalist dog's underlying structure was made less important than soundness - I would say very few judges indeed look at a standard Poodle and ask "could this dog hunt?" I think they look at this breed as no more functional than any other "companion" dog and think their "function" is to stand around and look pretty.
On another forum I participate on, the question was raised about why AKC reps no longer enforce the rules regarding "banned" substances. The AKC seems to have decided that dog shows are more about the "show" than the dog and told the reps to back off - it was more important that the dogs look impressive than be functional. J. Q. Public is considered to be unable to detect the elements of soundness but they can sure tell how pretty the dogs are!
So as some breeders (not all!) press for longer necks, tighter feet, shorter backs, and "higher" tailsets, the "general appearance" of the poodle gets more and more like the caricature, And the result is dogs who cannot run, jump, turn, or sit. Who slip on their feet which will not spread for balance. Who cannot lower their heads for balance or reach forward for speed. Who end up stutter stepping because they have back problems because their tails are coming out of the top of their spines.
I read the breed standard regularly. I also read books and watch videos on basic dog structure. I observe dogs every weekend competing in agility. I also am a fan of the "Dog Locomotion" book and what I have gathered from that is that the placement and angulation of the shoulder are vital. While a "45 degree layback" may not be optimal, it is very important that the shoulder be aligned properly with the rib cage and withers. Many of the "straight fronted" poodles actually have their shoulders too far forward which restricts reach, impairs the ability of the structure to absorb shock, and inhibits the dog's ability to balance during high speed turns.
Just my honest Observations!
Lisa Greene, Josephine
, Flynn, and Charisse
P.S. Marie writes: Josephine is currently ranked as the #1 agility poodle in the nation. Lisa and her agility poodles are incredibly inspirational to watch run!
