Glossary of Terms used by Pet Parents & Pet Professionals

Glossary of Terms used by Pet Parents & Pet Professionals

 

Abdomen
The abdomen is that part of the body, lying between the chest and pelvis, containing the digestive organs (i.e. the belly)

Abscess
Localized accumulation of pus in a cavity; usually associated with infection. A common outcome of cat fights.

Acute
A rapid and often severe onset. (e.g. acute infection)

Addison’s Disease
Is a rare, disorder in which the adrenal glands produce insufficient steroid hormones (corticosteroids). Lifelong treatment with steroid replacement therapy is required, with regular follow-up treatment and monitoring for other health problems.

Alimentary
Pertaining to food or the digestive tract (alimentary canal).

Allergen
An allergen is a substance that can cause an allergic reaction. In allergic animals, the immune system recognizes allergens as “foreign” or “dangerous” and responds accordingly. In non-allergic animals these substances cause no immune response.

Alopecia
Loss of hair from the head or body. Hair loss, or alopecia, can have a variety of causes, including parasites, hormone imbalance, food allergies and infection. In order to treat your pet’s skin problem, it is important to identify the cause.

Analgesia
The relief of pain. An analgesic is something designed to relieve pain.

Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis refers to a rapidly developing and serious allergic reaction that afects a number of different areas of the body at one time. Severe anaphylactic reactions can be fatal.

Anaemia
A lower than normal level of red blood cells (also referred to as erythrocytes) carrying oxygen to the body.

Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia is the total loss of feeling or sensation. It is induced with drugs to allow surgery or procedures to be performed without causing pain. Anaesthesia may be applied to the whole body, when it is known as general anaesthesia, or to part of the body, when it is known as local anaesthesia.

Anorexia
Loss of appetite, whatever the cause.

Antibiotics
A compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections.

Antibody
Also known as an immunoglobulin is a large Y-shaped protein to identify and neutralize foreign antigens like bacteria and viruses.

Antiemetic
A medication used to treat vomiting and nausea.

Antifungal
A medication used to treat fungal infections such as ringworm.

Antigen
A substance that triggers the production of an antibody. The immune system recognizes an antigen as a foreign and potentially harmful invader (e.g. bacteria and viruses).

Antipruritic
A medication to relieve itching.

Antipyretic
A medication to reduce a fever or high temperature.

Antitussive
A medication to relieve coughing. Veterinarians often prescribe antitussive medications to pets that suffer from conditions that cause severe or intense coughing, such as canine cough

Anus
Opening at the end of an animal’s digestive tract where faeces are expelled.

Arrhythmia
Disruption in the regularity of the heartbeat. They occur when the electrical impulses to the heart that co-ordinate heartbeats are not working properly, making the heart beat too fast/slow or inconsistently.

Articular
Pertaining to a joint.

Ascites
The build-up of additional fluid in the abdomen, otherwise called the peritoneal cavity.

Aspirate
To draw in or out using a sucking motion. Aspiration can also mean breathing in a foreign object (such as inhaling food into the airway).

Asymptomatic
If a patient is a carrier for a disease or infection but is not experiencing clinical signs.

Ataxia
A neurological sign that consists of a lack of motor coordination of muscle movements. It often manifests as wobbliness or unsteadiness in animals.

Atopy
Is a predisposition toward developing certain allergic reactions. Commonly used to describe atopic dermatitis, which results in skin irritation and inflammation.

Atrial Fibrillation
An irregular heart rhythm associated with disorganized electrical activity in the upper two chambers of the heart (atria). Its name comes from the fibrillating (i.e. quivering) of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. The result of the rapid, irregular beats is ineffective filling of the ventricles, the bottom two chambers of the heart that pump blood out to the body.

Atrium
Most commonly refers to a chamber in which blood enters the heart, as opposed to the ventricle, where it is pushed out.

Atrophy
Atrophy is the progressive decrease in the size of an organ or tissue.

Attenuated
Weakened. Normally refers to an attenuated vaccine whereby the disease-causing abilities of the vaccine components are weakened or attenuated during the manufacturing process to make them safe upon administration.

Auscultate
Auscultation is a method used to listen to the sounds of the body during a physical examination, usually with a stethoscope.

Autoimmune
A medical condition characterized by an overactive immune system which attacks the body, mistaking normal tissues in the body for harmful substances.

Azotaemia
A medical condition characterized by abnormally high levels of nitrogen-containing compounds, such as urea and creatinine, commonly as a result of kidney malfunction or dehydration.

Bacterium
A bacterium is a unicellular microorganism which represents one of the most basic and primitive forms of life. Bacteria are everywhere.  Some bacteria are capable of causing disease in animals.

Benign
Harmless.

Bilateral
Meaning two sides.

Bile
A green/yellow liquid formed in the liver. Bile plays a vital role in the digestion of fats.

Biopsy
The removal of a sample of tissue or cells from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease.

Bitch
A female dog.

Bladder
A sac that receives and holds a liquid until it is excreted.  Often refers to the urinary bladder.

Bloat
A medical condition in which the stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas. Bloat is a very serious health risk for many deep-chested dogs.

Blood Glucose
The amount of glucose (sugar) present in the blood.

Bone Marrow
Bone marrow is a spongy, fatty tissue that houses stem cells, located inside a few large bones. These stem cells transform themselves into white and red blood cells and platelets.

Borborygmus
The rumbling noise caused by the movement of gas through the stomach and/or intestines.

Bradycardia
An abnormally slow heart rate.

Bronchi
The large airways within the lungs.

Bronchodilator
A substance that dilates the airways in the lungs.

BUN
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measures the amount of urea nitrogen, a waste product of protein metabolism, in the blood.  It can be used as an aid to measure kidney function.

Caecum
Part of the gastrointestinal tract between the small and large intestines. It is a small, coiled organ in dogs.

Calcified
The build-up of calcium salts in soft tissue, causing it to harden.

Calculus
A concretion of material, usually mineral salts, that forms in an organ of the body. Bladder or kidney stones are an example of calculus.

Cancer
A class of disease in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth and invasion that intrudes upon and destroys adjacent tissues. Cancers sometimes spread to other locations in the body. This term is normally used to describe malignant tumours.

Candida
This fungus or yeast can normally be found in areas of the body such as the mouth, the genital and intestinal tracts. It can cause disease in animals.

Canine
Pertaining to dogs.

Carcinoma
A subtype of cancer that arises from epithelial cells. Epithelial cells form the lining of our internal organs, cavities, glands, and skin.

Cardiac
Pertaining to the heart.

Cardiomyopathy
Literally means “heart muscle disease”.

Cardiopulmonary
A term relating to both the heart and lungs.

Cardiovascular
Refers to the circulatory system comprising the heart and blood vessels which carries nutrients and oxygen to the tissues of the body and removes carbon dioxide and other wastes.

Carpus
The animal equivalent of our wrist.

Castration
Removal of the testicles.

Cataract
White opacities in the lens of the eye. Cataracts are one of the most common problems affecting the eyes of the dog. There are many different forms and causes of cataract formation. Severe cataracts can cause blindness and may be an indicator of underlying diseases like diabetes.

Caudal
A term meaning toward the tail or the posterior end of the body.

Cerebellum
A region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control and co-ordination.

Cerebrum
A region of the brain that controls emotional, behavioural and learning functions.

Chemotherapy
Treatment of cancer with drugs. The drugs used are slightly more toxic to cancer cells than healthy cells, so the cancer is treated without causing permanent damage.

Chronic
A disease of slow onset and of long duration. (e.g. chronic osteoarthritis)

Cirrhosis
A chronic disease of the liver whereby healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue.

Central Nervous System (CNS)
Consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Coagulation
The process by which the body forms a blood clot (thrombus) that prevents further blood loss from damaged tissues, blood vessels or organs.

Coagulopathy
A defect in the body’s mechanism for making blood clots.

Coccidia
Coccidia are microscopic, single celled organisms that infect animal cells. They can cause watery or bloody diarrhoea in pets.

Colitis
Inflammation of the large intestine (colon).

Colon
The section of the large intestine extending from the caecum to the rectum.

Colostrum
Colostrum is an antibody-rich milk which is secreted by all female animals during the first few days of a newborn’s life.

Coma
A state of unconsciousness from which an animal cannot be awakened.

Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count (CBC), also known as full blood count (FBC) or blood panel, is a test that gives information about the cells in a patient’s blood. It is used to evaluate overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anaemia and infection.

Computerized Tomography Scan (CT Scan)
Also called computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, combines a series of X-ray views taken from many different angles to produce cross-sectional images of the bones and soft tissues inside your pet’s body.

Congenital
A condition that is present at birth.

Conjunctiva
The tissue lining the inner surface of the eyelids and covering the white of the eyes (sclera).

Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Constipation
A condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass.

Coprophagia
The eating of faeces. Is considered normal behaviour in some species, such as rabbits. However, in other species coprophagy can be related to certain diseases or behavioural problems.

Core Vaccine
Vaccines which are strongly recommended, and sometimes even required.  For example, parvovirus vaccine in dogs or panleucopenia in cats.

Cornea
The clear front part of the eye.

Corticosteroid
Any of the steroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland or their synthetic equivalents.

Cranial
Pertaining to the head or in the direction of the head.

Culture
The propagation of microorganisms in a growth media. Used to diagnose and guide treatment for infectious diseases.

Cushing’s Syndrome
A condition where abnormalities in either the pituitary gland or adrenal glands cause the release of too much natural cortisone (corticosteroid).

Cutaneous
Relating to, or affecting the skin.

Cyanosis
A bluish colour of the skin and the mucous membranes due to insufficient oxygen in the blood.

Cyst
A pathologic space in bone or soft tissue containing fluid or semi-solid material.

Cystitis
Inflammation of the urinary bladder.

Cytology
Refers to a branch of pathology that deals with making diagnoses of diseases based on the examination of cells.

Dehydration
The excessive loss of body water.

Dermal
Pertaining to the skin.

Dermatitis
Inflammation of the skin.

Diabetes Mellitus
A disease where the body is unable to absorb sugars (glucose). It is commonly treated with insulin.

Diagnostic Test
A test to determine the presence or cause of disease.

Diarrhoea
Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery faeces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder.

Digestive System
The organs responsible for the transit and metabolism of food in the body. These organs include salivary glands, mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, colon, rectum, and anus.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy
A disorder in which the chambers of the heart are dilated (enlarged). The heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump effectively.

Disinfection
A cleaning process which destroys most microorganisms, but not highly resistant forms.

Distemper
An infectious viral disease occurring in dogs.  Clinical signs include loss of appetite, a discharge from the eyes and nose, vomiting, fever, lethargy, partial paralysis and sometimes death.

Diuretic
A substance increases the production of urine.

Domestic Animal
An animal that is not wild and is kept as a pet or to produce food.

Dry Eye
Also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), is a condition that results from the inadequate production of tears.

Duodenum
The first part of the small intestine. The duodenum extends from the stomach to the jejunum (the second part of the small intestine).

Duration of Immunity
Length of time an animal is protected from a disease after vaccination. Vaccines for some diseases provide a long duration of immunity, others only provide immunity for up to a year.

Dysphagia
Difficulty in swallowing.

Dysplasia
A term used in pathology  meaning abnormal development of tissues.

Dyspnoea
Difficult or laboured breathing; shortness of breath.

Dystocia
Difficult birth.

Dysuria
Painful or difficult urination.

Ear Canal
The narrow tube, between the ear and ear drum, through which sound enters the ear.

Ear Drum
The thin membrane that separates the middle ear from the external ear. Also called the tympanic membrane.

Ear Mites
Mites that live in the ears of animals. They can just barely be seen as a small white dot with the naked eye.

ECG
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.

Echocardiogram
A test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart (i.e. an ultrasound of the heart).

Ectoparasite
A parasite, such as a flea, that lives on the exterior of an animal.

Ectopic
Meaning “out of place.” (e.g. an ectopic pregnancy is one that has implanted outside the reproductive system)

Electrolyte
In medicine, certain mineral elements that are critically important to life, including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and phosphorous.

Elizabethan Collar
A medical device that is shaped just like a cone and is used to prevent the animal from biting, licking, and scratching at wounds and injuries while they heal.

Emaciation
A wasted condition of the body.

Emesis
Vomiting.

Encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain.

Encephalopathy
Disease, damage, or malfunction of the brain.

Endocrine
Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make them. These hormones regulate an animal’s growth, physiology and sexual development.

Endoscope
A lighted medical instrument used to get examine organs such as the oesophagus, stomach or airways.

Endotracheal Tube
A breathing tube placed into the trachea. Commonly used during anaesthesia to facilitate delivery of oxygen and anaesthetic to the lungs.

Enteritis
Inflammation of the intestine, especially the small intestine

Envenomation
The act of injecting a poisonous material (venom) by sting, spine or bite.

Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that increase the rate of chemical reaction. Almost all processes in a cell need enzymes to occur at significant rates.

Epidermis
The outer layer of the skin.

Epistaxis
Technical name for bleeding from the nose.

Erythema
Redness of the skin resulting from dilation of blood vessels caused by irritation or injury to the tissue.

Erythrocyte
A red blood cell.

Faeces
Bodily waste matter derived from ingested food that is discharged through the anus; also called stool.

Feline
Of or relating to cats.

Foetus
An unborn animal in the later stages of development showing recognisable features of the mature animal.

Fine Needle Aspirate
A diagnostic procedure sometimes used to investigate superficial (just under the skin) lumps or masses. In this technique, a thin, hollow needle is inserted into the mass to extract cells that, after being stained, will be examined under a microscope.

FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)
A virus that specifically infects cats (not people).  It is transmitted by cats biting one another, especially during fights.  FIV is the cause of Feline AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) – a progressive deficiency of the immune system that can limit the ability of cats to fight off other infections.

Flatulence
Generating excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract

FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)
Describes a collection of conditions that can affect the urinary tract (bladder and/or urethra) of cats. Common clinical signs include straining to urinate and blood in the urine.

Follicle
A small cavity or deep narrow-mouthed depression (e.g. hair follicle)

Foreign Body
Any abnormal substance within the body.  Commonly used to describe foreign material under the skin (eg splinters, glass) or in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. toys, balls, bones).

Fracture
Breaking of hard tissue such as bone. May be caused by trauma or bone disease.

Gait
The manner of walking or moving. Assessed to determine the cause of lameness in animals.

Gastric
Relating to or involving the stomach.

Gastritis
Inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Gastrointestinal
Relating to the stomach and intestines.

Gestation
The carrying of an embryo or foetus

Gingival
Pertaining to the gums.

Gingivitis
Inflammation of the gums.

Glaucoma
A disease of the eye caused by increased pressure within the eyeball.  Glaucoma can lead to damage of the optic disk and gradual loss of vision.

Glucosuria
The excretion of glucose in the urine. Normally, urine does not contain glucose as the kidneys are able to reclaim glucose back into the bloodstream.

Granuloma
A mass or nodule of chronically inflamed tissue.

Haemangiosarcoma
A malignant tumour of the blood vessels, usually occurring in the skin, liver or spleen.

Haematocrit
The volume of red blood cells in a sample of blood after it has been centrifuged (spun at high speeds). The PCV (Packed Cell Volume), or haematocrit, is expressed as a percentage. For example, normal for dogs is 40-59% and for cats is 29-50%.

Haematology
The study of blood and diseases of the blood.

Haematoma
A localised swelling filled with blood outside the blood vessels. Usually occurs due to haemorrhage.

Haematuria
The presence of blood in the urine; often a clinical sign of urinary tract disease.

Haemorrhage
Bleeding.

Heartworm
Also known as Dirofilaria immitis, is a parasite that is spread from host to host via the bites of mosquitoes. The natural host is the dog but it can also infect cats and ferrets too. The worms mature in the heart and may cause a physical blockage as well as thickening of the heart and associated blood vessels.

Hepatic
Relating to, affecting, or associated with the liver.

Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver.

Hepatomegaly
Abnormal enlargement of the liver.

Hernia
Protrusion of an organ through a wall of the cavity in which it is normally enclosed.

Hormone
A chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the animal.

Host
A living animal on or in which a parasite lives.

Hybrid
The progeny of two animals of different races, breeds, varieties or species.

Hydrocephalus
An abnormal increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the cranial cavity. This may cause increased pressure inside the skull and progressive enlargement of the head, brain damage and even death.

Hyper
A prefix meaning more than normal.

Hyperglycaemia
High levels of glucose in the blood.

Hyperplasia
An abnormal increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ.

Hypersensitivity
An allergic condition in which the body overreacts to certain substances, such as a bee sting or medication.

Hypertension
High blood pressure.

Hyperthermia
Elevated body temperature.

Hyperthyroidism
Increased production of thyroid hormones caused by an overactive thyroid gland. This condition is more commonly seen in cats.

Hypertrophy
An enlargement of an organ or a tissue as a result of an increase in the size of cells (rather than the number as in hyperplasia).

Hyperventilate
To breathe excessively hard and fast causing blood gas disorders.

Hypo
A prefix meaning less than normal.

Hypoglycaemia
Low levels of glucose in the blood.

Hypoplasia
Incomplete formation of a structure or organ in the body.

Hypotension
Low blood pressure.

Hypothermia
An abnormally low body temperature.

Hypothyroidism
Decreased production of thyroid hormones caused by an underactive thyroid gland. This condition is more commonly seen in dogs.

Hypoxia
Deficiency in the amount of oxygen delivered to the body tissues.

Icterus
Also known as jaundice.  It is a yellow discolouration of the skin, mucous membranes or whites of the eyes due to excessive levels of bilirubin in the blood.

IDDM
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is a form of diabetes in which patients have little or no ability to produce insulin and are therefore entirely dependent on insulin injections.

Idiopathic
Disease arising from an unknown cause.

Ileus
Lack motility of the gastrointestinal tract.

Immune System
The system that protects the body from foreign substances, cells, and infections.

Immune-Mediated
Describes conditions which result from abnormal activity of the body’s immune system. For example, immune mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA), is a disease in which the body’s immune system destroys the body’s own red blood cells.

Immunity
A condition in which the animal’s immune system has been primed and is able to protect the body from a disease-causing agent such as a virus or bacteria.

Immunisation
The creation of immunity usually against a particular disease. Vaccination is a way to produce immunisation. However, a vaccinated animal is not always immune. If the body did not respond appropriately to the vaccine or if the vaccine was not administered correctly, immunity may not be stimulated.

Immunodeficiency
Immunological disorder in which the body’s immune system is inadequate and resistance to infectious diseases is reduced.  Can be caused by viral infections such as feline immunodeficiency virus in cats.

Immunosuppressive
Pertaining to a substance that suppresses the immune system.

Inactivated Vaccine
Vaccines which are made by taking the real, disease-causing viruses (or bacteria), killing them, and putting them into a liquid base. Also called a killed vaccine.

Incontinence
Loss of control over urination or defaecation.

Incubation Period
The period between infection and the appearance of clinical signs of the disease.

Infection
Pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses.

Infestation
Refers to the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites.

Inflammation
A local response to injury that is characterised by redness, heat, pain, swelling, and often loss of function.

Inherited
Tending to occur among members of a family. Genetically transmitted features.

Innate
Inborn. A permanent characteristic present since birth.

Insulin
A hormone secreted by the pancreas to regulate glucose in the body.

Insulin Resistance
A condition where insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars.

Intermediate Host
A host (animal, insect, snail etc) that harbours a parasite only for a short transition period, during which (usually) some developmental stage is completed.

Intestine
The portion of the gastrointestinal tract extending from the stomach to the anus. It is usually divided into two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine.

Intracellular
Inside the cell.

Intracranial
Inside the cranial cavity or head.

Intramuscular
Into the muscle.  Generally relates to the site an injection is given.

Intranasal
Into the nose.  This is an effective way of vaccinating dogs against canine cough.

Intravenous
Into the vein.  Generally relates to the site of injection of drugs or fluids.

Intussusception
Serious disorder in which part of the intestine slides, or telescopes, into another part of the intestine. This often blocks the intestine, preventing food or fluid from passing through.

Iris
The coloured portion of the eye is called the iris. In the centre of the iris is the black opening called the pupil.

Jaundice
Also called icterus, meaning that a yellow pigment is found in the blood and in the tissues. It is most easily seen in the gums and the whites of eyes.  It can be caused by destruction of red blood cells, liver disease and obstruction of the bile duct.

Jejunum
The second part of the small intestine. The jejunum extends from the duodenum (first part of the small intestine) to the ileum (the final part of the small intestine).

Jugular
Pertaining to the neck. The jugular veins carry deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart.

Keratitis
Keratitis is inflammation of the cornea (the clear part of the eye). The cornea becomes cloudy, resulting in loss of transparency. All types of keratitis must be treated by a veterinarian.

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Also known as dry eye, is a condition that results from the inadequate production of tears.

Ketoacidosis
A life-threatening condition associated with uncontrolled diabetes.

Killed Vaccine
Also known as inactivated vaccines. Vaccines which are made by taking the real, disease-causing viruses (or bacteria), killing them, and putting them into a liquid base.

Lactation
The secretion of milk from the mammary gland and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.

Large Intestine
The portion of the intestine that connects the small intestine to the anus. The large intestine is made up of the caecum, colon and rectum.

Larva (plural larvae)
A distinct juvenile form many animals (such as insects or parasites) undergo before metamorphosis into adults.

Larynx
Also known as the voicebox, it is located at the entrance to the trachea (or windpipe).  The larynx acts to control the flow of air to the trachea and food and water to the oesophagus.

Latent
A dormant stage of disease occurring between exposure to a disease-causing agent and the onset of the disease.

Liver
A large organ in the front of the abdomen that is responsible for the detoxification of blood, the production of certain digestive enzymes and bile.

Lymph Nodes
Are small glands composed of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes play a critical role in the immune system by destroying infectious agents (such as viruses and bacteria) and producing antibodies.

Malabsorption Syndrome
Defined as an animal’s inability to absorb the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs from food.

Malignant
Refers to becoming worse and even resulting in death. Malignant tumours are cancerous growths which expand quickly and can metastasize, or spread to other areas of the body.

Malnutrition
A condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess, or in the wrong proportions.

Mammary
Pertaining to the mammary gland or breast tissue.

Mandible
The lower jaw.

Mange
Any of several skin diseases of mammals caused by parasitic mites that burrow into the skin or hair follicles.  It is characterised by skin lesions, itching and loss of hair.

Mast Cell Tumour
Mast cell tumours are cancerous proliferations of mast cells that can spread throughout the body. These tumours are the most frequently recognised malignant or potentially malignant tumours of dogs. They may develop anywhere on the body surface as well as in internal organs. Mast cell tumours have varying appearances ranging from a wart-like nodule to an ulcerated mass to a small lump.

Masticate
Mastication or chewing is the process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth.

Mastitis
Refers to swelling, inflammation, and infection of the mammary glands.

Maternal Antibody
Antibodies acquired by a newborn animal via the placenta or colostrum (antibody-rich milk) of the mother.

Megacolon
A functional disorder that is defined as dilation of the colon or large intestine. This leads to infrequent and difficult passage of faeces and constipation.

Melaena
Darkening of the faeces by digested blood pigments. Typically the faeces look black in colour.

Metacarpus
The long bones in the front foot connecting the toes to the bones of the wrist (carpus).

Metastasis
The spread of disease from one area of the body to another.  Normally used in the context of a cancerous tumour spreading via the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Metatarsus
The long bones in the back foot connecting the toes to the bones of the ankle (tarsus).

Microfilaria
The larval form of some parasitic worms. For example heartworm microfilariae circulate in the bloodstream of infected dogs.

Microorganism
A microscopic, single-celled organism. Microorganisms include bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Modified Live Vaccine
A vaccine that utilises a live, attenuated (weakened) bacteria or virus to elicit an immune response.

Mucolytic
Medications capable of breaking down or reducing the viscosity of mucus.

Mucosa
Thin layer of tissue lining cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal environment (such as the mouth, urinary bladder, eyelids). Also known as mucous membranes.

Mucous Membranes
Thin layer of tissue lining cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal environment (such as the mouth, urinary bladder, eyelids).  Also known as mucosa.

Musculoskeletal
Pertaining to the muscles and skeleton (bones).

Myasthenia Gravis
Is a neuromuscular disease in which severe muscle weakness is the primary sign. It is caused by an inability of certain nerve receptors to function properly.

Mydriasis
Large or dilated pupil size.

Myelogram
Radiograph (x-ray) of the spinal cord taken after a radio-opaque dye has been injected into the space around the spinal cord.

Myocardium
Muscle of the heart.

Nebulise
To convert a liquid into a spray for inhalational treatments.

Necropsy
Also known as an autopsy or post-mortem examination.  It refers to the examination of an animal after death.

Necrosis
Is the premature death of cells and living biological tissue.

Nematodes
Also known as roundworms.

Neoplasia
A class of disease in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion that intrudes upon and destroys adjacent tissues, and sometimes spreads to other locations in the body. Can be used to describe malignant or benign tumours.

Neuropathy
A condition involving a dysfunction of the nerves.

Neuter
Also known as desexing.  It involves the surgical removal of the testes in males or the ovaries and uterus in females.

Nodule
Nodules are solid lumps or bumps found on an animal’s skin.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Medications with anti-inflammatory, analgaesic (pain reducing) and anti-pyretic (fever-reducing) effects. Non-steroidal distinguishes NSAIDs from other drugs which contain steroids, which are also anti-inflammatory.

Non-core Vaccine
Vaccines that should be administered to animals assessed to be at risk of that disease.  For example leptospirosis and canine cough in dogs or feline leukaemia and FIV in cats.

Non-pathogenic
Not capable of causing disease.

Nutraceutical
A term combining the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”. It is used to describe a food or part of a food that allegedly provides medicinal or health benefits.

Nutrient
Any substance which has nutritious qualities.

Nystagmus
A term describe involuntary eye movement. Nystagmus can be horizontal, vertical or rotary.

Obsessive Compulsive
A behavioural condition in which a pet repeatedly performs an action out of context.

Occult
Refers to a structure or process that is hidden or detected indirectly.

Ocular
Pertaining to the eye.

Oedema
The medical term for fluid retention in the body, causing swelling to occur in the affected area.

Oesophagus
The part of the intestinal tract between the mouth and stomach.

Off Label
Refers to a drug prescribed to treat a condition for which it has not been approved. Off-label use of a drug must be determined by the attending veterinarian.

Opioid
A synthetic narcotic that resembles naturally occurring opium.

Osteomyelitis
Term to describe an infection of the bone or bone marrow.

Otic
Relating to the ear.

Ototoxic
Damaging to the structures of the ear.

Ovulate
The release of an egg from the ovary of the female

Oxytocin
A hormone that stimulates the uterus to contract during birth and the mammary glands to release milk.

Packed Cell Volume (PCV)
The volume of blood cells in a sample of blood after it has been centrifuged  The PCV, or haematocrit, is expressed as a percentage. For example, normal for dogs is 40-59% and for cats is 29-50%.

Palatable
Acceptable to the taste; readily eaten.

Palpation
The act of feeling with the hand or fingers. A phase of the physical examination in which the sense of touch is used to gather information essential for diagnosis.

Pancreatitis
A term that describes inflammation of the pancreas. Clinical signs include vomiting, lethargy and a painful abdomen.

Pannus
Also known as chronic superficial keratitis, it is an inflammatory condition of the cornea in which blood vessels grow across the surface.

Papule
A small solid bump rising from the skin that is usually less than 1 centimetre in diameter.

Paralysis
Refers to loss of motor function due to impairment of muscles or nerves.

Parasiticide
A substance used to destroy parasites.

Parenterally
Refers to the administration of a drug into the body through some way other than the digestive tract, such as subcutaneous or intravenous injection.

Paresis
Refers to partial loss of motor function due to impairment of muscles or nerves.

Parturition
Term used to describe delivery of a baby or giving birth.

Passive Immunity
Is the transfer of antibodies from one individual to another. It can occur naturally, when maternal antibodies are transferred to the newborn animal in colostrum, and can also be transferred artificially, such as a plasma transfusion.

Pathogenic
Causing disease.  Usually used to describe bacteria which are capable of causing disease.

Pathologist
Person who specialises in the diagnosis of diseases through the examination of animal tissue and body fluids.

PCV (Packed Cell Volume)
The volume of blood cells in a sample of blood after it has been centrifuged. The PCV, or haematocrit, is expressed as a percentage. For example, normal for dogs is 40-59% and for cats is 29-50%.

Perianal Fistula
A painful condition of the skin surrounding the anus, in which small tracts open up, bleed and get infected.

Perineal
The region of the body between the genitals and the anus.

Peritoneum
A thin membrane that lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities, and covers most abdominal organs.

Peritonitis
Inflammation of the peritoneum.

Phalanges
The bones that are in the toes.

Pheromone
Chemicals released by an animal enabling it to communicate with other members of its own species.

Photosensitivity
Refers to an increase in the reactivity of the skin to sunlight. It can cause reddening and blistering of the skin.

Pica
A pattern of eating non-food materials (such as dirt or rocks).

Placebo
A dummy medication or treatment.

Plaque
A biofilm that develops naturally on the teeth. It is formed by colonising bacteria trying to attach itself to the smooth surface of a tooth.

Platelets
Are found in the blood of animals and functions to promote blood clotting. Also known as thrombocytes.

Polyarthritis
The term means inflammation of more than one joint. Often used in the context of infectious or immune-mediated diseases.

Polydactyl
Having more than the normal number of toes.

Polydipsia
Excessive thirst and drinking.

Polyp
An abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane.

Polyphagia
Excessive appetite and eating.

Polyuria
Excessive production of urine.

Postoperative
After surgery or an operation.

Prepuce
The fold of skin that covers the penis.

Progesterone
A hormone produced by the ovaries which is responsible for the continuation of pregnancy and a myriad of other functions.

Prognosis
The forecasted outcome of a disease process or treatment.

Prolapsed Rectum
Describes a medical condition where part of the rectum protrudes through the anus.

Protozoans
Any of a large group of single-celled organisms that live in water or as parasites. Examples include Giardia and Coccidia species.

Pruritus
Itchiness.

Psittacine
Relating to, resembling, or characteristic of parrots.

Pulmonary
Pertaining to the lungs.

Pulmonary Arteries
The artery that carries blood with low levels of oxygen from the heart to the lungs.

Pulmonary Oedema
The accumulation of fluid in the lungs.

Pustule
A small lump in the skin filled with pus.

Pyoderma
A bacterial infection of the skin.

Pyometra
An accumulation of pus within the uterus.

Queen
A breeding female cat.

Radiology
A branch of veterinary science dealing with the medical use of X-rays to diagnose and treat disease.

Recumbency
Lying down.

Regurgitation
Expelling food from the oesophagus.

Renal
Pertaining to the kidneys.

Renal Insufficiency
Also called renal failure, is when the kidneys no longer function well enough to maintain a normal state of health.

Respiratory
Pertaining to respiration, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Retina
Term referring to the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.

Ringworm
Refers to a fungal skin infection.

Sebaceous Glands
Microscopic gland in the skin that secrete an oily/waxy substance.

Separation Anxiety
Is a behavioural condition where dogs, when left alone, exhibit distress and behavioural problems.

Sepsis
A toxic state caused by the absorption of pathogenic microorganisms and their products into the bloodstream or tissues.

Septicaemia
A toxic state caused by the absorption of pathogenic microorganisms and their products into the bloodstream.

Serology
Refers to blood tests that detect the presence of antibodies against an antigen or microorganism.

Serum
The clear yellowish fluid obtained upon separating whole blood into its solid and liquid components after it has been allowed to clot.

Shedding
A term used to describe the release of organisms (bacteria, protozoa, viruses) into the environment from an infected animal.

Skin Cytology
The microscopic examination of cells that have been collected from the skin.

Skin Scraping
A diagnostic test used in almost every skin condition. The skin is scraped and the material examined under a microscope.

Smooth Muscle
A special type of muscle responsible for the contractility of hollow organs, such as blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract, the bladder, or the uterus.

Spay (ovariohysterectomy)
Term referring to the surgical removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries and uterus) of the female animal.

Sphincter
A ring of muscle which holds any kind of biological opening closed.

Spleen
A large abdominal organ with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system.

Stasis
Refers to the state in which the normal flow of a body liquid stops, for example the flow of intestinal contents through the digestive tract.

Status Epilepticus
A very serious neurological condition in which the brain experiences a prolonged seizure, or a series of prolonged seizures without a full return to consciousness in between.

Stenosis
Also known as a stricture, is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular or structure, such as the intestine.

Struvite
Also known as ammonium magnesium phosphate. Struvite can form stones in the urinary bladder.

Subcutaneous
Under the skin.

Subluxation
Refers to incomplete or partial dislocation of a joint.

Syncope
Is the sudden loss of consciousness, or fainting.

Synovial Joint
Is the most movable and widespread type of joint throughout the body. Examples include the knee, elbow and hip.

Systemic
Pertaining to or affecting the whole body rather than localised.

Tachycardia
Refers to a faster than normal resting heart rate.

Tachypnoea
Refers to a faster than normal resting respiratory, or breathing, rate.

Tarsus
The animal equivalent of an ankle. It is also known as the hock.

Tartar
A build-up of bacteria, saliva, and food on the teeth which becomes mineralised, forming a hard coating and eventually causing gum disease and possibly tooth loss.

Temporomandibular Joint
The joint where the lower jaw bone, or the mandible, meets the skull.

Thrombocytopaenia
The medical term that refers to a low or reduced platelet count.

Tissue
Is an organised group of cells, not necessarily identical, that together carry out a specific function.

Titre
Is a measure of concentration. Normally refers to the level of antibodies in blood to a particular antigen.

Topical
To be applied to external body surfaces such as the skin.

Toxaemia
A generic term for the presence of toxin in the blood.

Tracheobronchitis
Refers to inflammation of the trachea and bronchi.

Tumour
A tumour is an abnormal growth of body tissue. Tumours can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign).

Ulcer
A defect of the skin, cornea or mucous membrane caused by the loss of damaged tissue.

Ultrasound
A technique used to produce an image of a deep structure within the body by directing ultrasound waves at it and recording the reflections (echoes) from it.

Umbilicus
Also known as the belly button. The umbilicus is where the umbilical cord attaches to the foetus during pregnancy.

Urate
Is a salt derived from uric acid.  Urate can form stones in the urinary bladder.

Urea
Is a compound which is essentially the waste produced when the body metabolises protein.

Urinary Incontinence
Is the loss of voluntary control of urination.

Urinary Obstruction
A term to describe one of many different conditions that disrupt normal urine flow from the body.

Urticaria
Also known as hives. Raised, itchy areas of skin that are usually a sign of an allergic reaction.

Uveitis
Refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.

Vaccination
The administration of a vaccine to stimulate immunity to a disease.

Vaccine Failure
A vaccine failure is when an animal develops a disease in spite of being vaccinated against it. There is usually nothing wrong with the vaccine, but for some reason, the animal’s immune system did not adequately respond to it.

Vasculitis
Inflammation of blood vessels.

Vasoconstriction
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing (constriction) of blood vessels by muscles in their walls.

Vasodilation
Vasodilation is the widening (dilation) of blood vessels by the relaxation of the muscles in their walls.

Vena Cava
The cranial vena cava is the large vein which returns blood to the heart from the head, neck and both upper limbs. The caudal vena cava returns blood to the heart from the lower part of the body.

Ventricle
The large, muscular chambers of the heart that pump blood to the body or lungs.

Vestibular System
Is the system comprised of the inner ear, nerves and brain, that provides a sense of balance.

Virus
A small infectious agent that is unable to replicate outside a living animal cell.

Volvulus
Abnormal twisting of the intestines or stomach. This can be a life threatening condition due to the loss of blood supply and accumulation of toxic gases and fluids in the portion of the obstructed bowel segment.

Whelping
The act of a dog giving birth.

White Blood Cells
Are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) and foreign materials.

Window of Susceptibility
A time period in the life of a young animal in which the maternal antibodies are too low to provide protection against a certain disease, but too high to allow a vaccine to work and produce immunity.

X-ray
High-energy electromagnetic radiation used to take radiographs.

Zoonotic
A term used to describe any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from animals to humans.

Dog Synonyms & Slang

These canine terms are either slang or synonyms, some have more generalized terms and others are more breeder-specific.

Hound

A hunting dog especially used for scent tracking. Some may use the term hound as a general word to mean dog.

Canine

A scientific synonym for dog, originates from the term Canidae which groups certain carnivorous species.

Mongrel

A dog that is not a pure breed.

Pooch

A casual synonym for dog.

Fido

A casual synonym for dog as it is a common name for a male dog.

Doggo

A casual synonym for dog often used on social media.

Cur

Cur is a negative synonym for dog. Some may use this to depict a scruffy dog or a mixed breed.

Tyke

A synonym for mongrel, it means a mixed breed dog.

Bitch

A female dog.

Whelp

The term whelp is a synonym for puppy, whereas the term whelping means a dog giving birth.

Dog Coat Types

Coat type dog terminology is useful when you buy or sell a dog. These terms can more accurately describe the physical appearance of a dog’s coat. The AKC and kennel clubs use these terms to represent breed standards.

Guard Hairs

This refers to the outer fur of your dog, it is longer and often stiff.

Double Coat

A double coat consists of two layers, a thick undercoat and a fluffy top coat with the top layer consisting of guard hairs.

Single Coat

One coat layer consisting of all guard hairs covering the dog’s body.

Feathered

These dogs have short and sometimes coarse fur with long fringes on their legs, ears, and stomach.

Undercoat

An undercoat can only be found in dogs with double coats. This refers to the first, more coarse coat under the guard hairs.

Flag

This term refers to feathering on the tail, this will be visible from the base to the tip of the tail.

Mane

The mane is when a dog has long hair on their chest and neck which joins together.

Plume

The plume is long fringing on your dog’s tail.

Ruff

Coarse fur located around your dog’s face and neck. The face is often said to have this fur surrounding the facial features in particular as opposed to random placement.

Topknot

Long and soft hair on top of the dog’s head.

Standoff Coat

This is a double coat with much stiffer fur on the outer layer.

Smooth-Coated

This is exactly how it sounds. Smooth-coated dogs have a short and sleek coat that lies close to your dog’s skin and body.

Wire-Haired

A wire-haired coat is described as such due to the coarse outer layer and soft inner layer.

Jacket

The external layer of fur on your dog often refers to the area on the body in particular.

OUR COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF TERMS USED IN THE DOG WORLD.

Coat Colors

A dog’s coat color can be a single color, but it can actually have quite a range. These terms can be especially helpful when purchasing or selling a puppy and writing their description.

Brown

A brown coat can range from dark chocolate brown to an almost ginger coloring, moreover, the type of brown is often more predictable depending on the breed.

Black

All black breeds have a similar dark shade of black for their coat. In addition, sellers may not mention a dog’s natural patterning in ads, such as the brown of a Rottweiler.

Red

From the often dark red coats of an Irish Setter to the ginger tones of a Viszla, the term red refers to all of these colorings.

Yellow

Yellow refers to a pale coat, often more seen as cream with slight yellowish hints. Many confuse this coat with a gold coat.

Gold

Gold dog coats are much richer and darker in color. These coats can have slight red undertones and are often confused with the yellow coat.

Blue

The blue coat is regularly known as a dark gray coat with a blue tinting, often confused with gray.

Sable

The guard hairs of a dog are tipped black in a sable coat, the remainder of the coat is either brown, gold, yellow, or gray.

Gray

A gray coat can range from near black to an almost dusty gray color.

White

A white coat is fairly self-explanatory, these are pure white and all individuals have nearly the same tone.

Buff

This color is similar to yellow but has a light brown-yellow mix. The mix can be hinting towards gold in some individuals but this is rarer.

Hound-Colored

This is a coloring seen commonly in hound breeds where black and brown coloring is distributed across a white coat

Piebald

This is a dog that is mostly white with different colored spots on their body.

Lion-Color

Lion-color is a form of yellow-gold. It is when your dog has the same coat color as that of a lion, light yellow and cream.

Spectacles

When you have a dog with a gray coat with cream markings around the eyes. Therefore professionals refer to this as a “spectacles coat” due to the resemblance of glasses.

Ticked

These dogs are born with a white coat and as they age they develop spotting over their coat.

Speckled

Speckled is similar to a ticked coat but to a higher extent of spotting distribution.

Wheaten

A wheaten coat is often wheat-colored, it with have more yellow areas and even some whiter areas.

Coat Patterns

Coat patterning can be another important aspect of dog breeding, selling, and displaying in shows. This terminology will help you understand some of the most common patterning types.

Belton

A Belton coat has blended flecks of two different colors, most commonly the main coat of a Belton dog is white.

DID YOU KNOW WHAT THE BELTON COAT PATTERN WAS?

Brindle

This is where a dog had a brown undercoat with black, dark brown, and chestnut fur layers.

Bicolor

Bicolor is a dog coat composed of two different colors, a good example of this is a Border Collie with their common black and white coat.

Tricolor

Tricolor is a dog coat composed of three different colors, a good example of this is a Beagle that often has a red, white, and black coat.

Grizzled

Grizzled dog markings blend two colors together across the dog’s coat. This does not necessarily cover the whole coat but can do so, this is genetically specific to Salukis.

Harlequin

The harlequin pattern on a dog’s coat is a white base color with black-spotted areas over the top

Roan

Roan is generally described as a base white coat with tinted or pigmented hairs of a certain color. Therefore, this leads to the impression of a slight coloring.

Blenheim

Blenheim is a more simple patterning type, it refers to a dog breed that has a red and white coat.

Merle

Merle can affect many different coat colors but is a pattern of mottled marks. In addition, these marks can affect different base coat patterns.

Saddle

The saddle pattern refers to a dog that has a block color creating the impression of a saddle over the dog’s back, this can be seen commonly in German Shepherds.

Particolor

This is where there are areas of at least two colors across a dog’s body, they must also have some white in their coat coloring.

Tuxedo

This is a synonym for bicolor, but many use the term to represent a dog with one color being more dominant than another, although this is not the definitive definition.

Domino

This is the same in appearance as the grizzled pattern but is a dog pattern specific to Afghan Hounds.

Sable

This is the same in appearance as the grizzled pattern but is a dog pattern specific to Borzois.

Body Parts

Used mostly for the breed standard and grooming terminology, although sometimes used in breeding, here is the dog terminology for body parts and shapes.

Head

There are terms specific to different dog head and face shapes for general breeding and the breed standard.

Apple Head

An apple headed dog has a very round head and often a muzzle perpendicular to it, this is most commonly seen in Chihuahuas.

Chiseled

A chiseled head refers to one with no bumps or bulges. This can be from a strong jaw or even bulging eyes.

Dish Face

This is where your dog’s skull is concave slightly from the muzzle to eyes.

Brachycephalic

This represents dogs with short, compact skulls that can often have flatter faces and muzzles.

Dolichocephalic

The opposite of brachycephalic, a dog will have an especially long skull and muzzle.

Mesocephalic

The complete middle ground of dolichocephalic and brachycephalic. This is when a dog has a medium-sized skull and muzzle, often known as average.

Down-Faced

This is where the whole head and skull turn downwards so it gives the appearance of the dog’s nose tapering off.

Snipey Muzzle

The skull is round and of average proportions. However, the skull is angled downwards.

Nose

There are also different types of dog noses! Professionals use two keywords most commonly.

Butterfly Nose

This where areas of a black nose are pink. This can be one spot or a few patches.

Dudley Nose

A Dudley nose is one that is entirely pink. These are much rarer than butterfly or black noses.

Ears

There are many different shaped dog ears. Some believe there are just pointed or folded, but that is not the case!

Button Ear

This is a type of folded ear, if it is of medium size then it is referred to as a button ear

Bat Ear

Bat ears can be summarized as large pointed ears.

Drop Ear

Long ears, which dangle or drop down, are called drop ears, a good example can be found on Basset Hounds.

Natural

This refers to the natural wolf ear shape, upright and in proportion with the head and body.

Cropped Ear

There is a surgery that alters pointed ears into crop ears by cutting away a portion of the ear, this changes the tip into a true point.

Prick Ear

These are pointed ears which are very taunt and upright in shape.

Rose Ear

This is a type of folded ear, however, it folds backward as opposed to the regular folded ear which folds forward.

Hound Ear

This is a synonym for drop ear, however, it is only used for hounds.

Semi Prick Ear

This is where a usual pointer prick ear actually folds over at the top. It is the ultimate hybrid ear shape.

Ear Canker

This is a type of infection that leads to unpleasant smelling discharge and will always require a vet visit.

Ear Carriage

The ear carriage is a term used to describe the position of a dog’s ear, for example, a dog may be considered anxious if their ear carriage is pushed back.

Ear Clamps

Dog ear clamps are a type of tool used for cropping dog’s ears, it clamps and cuts away areas to shape them as wanted.

Ear Feather

Dog’s ears can also possess feathering of the fur, this can be well recognized on the Saluki, known for their long ears and ear fur.

Ear Foreign Bodies

A foreign body can be defined as something located where it shouldn’t be. In this case, it is where a dog has an object in the ear that will require removal.

Ear Clip

Using a pair of clippers to trim your dog’s ear fur can be called an ear clip.

Ear Fringe

This is a synonym for dog feathering, as the fur can also be called an ear fringe.

Ear Guide Dog

This is a much more casual term to refer to a hearing dog, which is a dog trained to aid deaf individuals.

Earmark

Some breeds will have numbers tattooed on their ears for easy identifications, these tattoos can be called an earmark.

Ear Leather

This is a synonym for your dog’s ear lobe, it is often used in dog shows for identification of faults.

Ear Hematoma

This is when an infection in the ear begins to swell into a large lump, this can be internal or external but usually affects the inside of the ear.

Ear Mange

Mange is a skin disease caused by mites that leads to hair loss, lesions and itching all over the body. Ear mange is where the ear is affected by this.

Ear Mites

This is a type of mite that attaches itself to your dog’s ear, the formal name of these mites are Otodectes cynotis.

Ear Notch

When a chunk of a dog’s ear is removed and then surgically cauterized shut, this is called having an ear notch.

Ear Set High

If a dog’s ears are set high, this means they are located above the level of their eyes. Moreover, this is the opposite of ear set low.

Ear Set Low

If a dog’s ears are set low, this means they are located below the level of their eyes. This is the opposite of ear set low.

Ear Set Wide

When a dog’s ears are set wide, this indicates ears that are located further back on the head than the average ear location.

Pinna

The external part of the ear is known as the pinna, this is the area of the ear usually covered in fur.

Pendant

A pendant ear is a synonym for drop ears. These are long, dragging ears.

Erect

This can be used to describe any upright or pointed ear on a dog, it is a more general term of the position.

Trowel

A trowel ear is one shaped like a trowel, it starts of large and becomes more narrow with a rounded end.

Tulip

A tulip ear is a type of pointed ear where the tip curves over, a synonym for the semi prick ear.

V-Shaped

This can be commonly seen in Vizslas, the ear is shaped perfectly like a v. It is folded and begins very wide and ends in a point.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING CANINE TERMINOLOGY.

Legs and Feet

There is also a lot of common terminology about a dog’s legs and feet. This can span from their shape to medical ailments.

Bandy-Legged

This is a synonym for being bow-legged, Which means a dog’s legs are bent outwards which can cause difficulties in walking. This is easier to spot in a dog’s forelegs.

Lower-Thigh

This is an area of your dog’s hind legs, it spans from the base of their knee to their hock.

Cow-Hocked

This is a medical condition where a dog’s paws face outwards whilst their hocks face inwards.

Sickle-Hocked

This is when a dog’s rump is pointed upwards as they are trying to apply less pressure on their legs. This is due to weak hock muscles.

Well Let-Down

This is a descriptor to indicate that the hock joint is close to the ground and that there is not a long-distance between it and a dog’s paw.

Dewclaw

Dewclaws are the fifth digit on a dog’s paw, some may be able to be used to help grip whilst others just hang there. Not every dog has a dewclaw.

Declaw

This is where a dog’s toenails are surgically removed, preventing them from ever regrowing.

Harefoot

These types of paws appear longer than other dogs’ due to the two middle toes being longer than the rest of the toes on the paw.

Cat Foot

These types of paws are well rounded and compact due to the toe and paw length.

Mops

Mops is a term used to describe a large amount of hair on the paws.

Splay Foot

Splay foot describes a dog foot with very spread apart toes, usually with a visible gap.

Paper Foot

This is a slang term for flat foot, which is when the arch of the foot has not properly formed.

Bowed Front

When the dog’s forelegs bend outwards after the elbow but above the wrist.

East-West Front

An east-west front is used to indicate when the paws of a dog are both facing outwards and in opposite directions.

Foreleg

Your dog’s forelegs are it’s front two legs.

Lay Back

This refers to the angle of your dog’s shoulders, such as forward-facing or turned outwards slightly.

Fiddle Front

This slang is used because the front of the dog’s body will resemble that of a fiddle. It is when they are affected by the east-west front as well as the legs bending outwards.

Down in Pastern

This is when the pastern, the area from the elbow to wrist in the dog’s foreleg, has weak muscles and is over-compensating.

Knuckled over

Where the pastern, an area from the elbow to the wrist is under-compensating and is at a steep angle.

Loaded Shoulders

Although it is particularly directed at the shoulders, this refers to the forequarters of a dog being excessively muscly or bumpy.

Returned

This term indicates that the upper arm of the dog is located under their body.

Out at Elbows

A dog affected by out at elbows has elbows that protrude from their sides.

Toed-in-Front

Where the feet point towards one another.

Shoulder or Scapula

This is a breed standard term used to target the upper arms.

Shoulder Angulation

This is where there is an angle between the legs and scapula.

Rear Angulation

An angle has formed in the latter half of the dog, targeted around the hindquarters.

Tail

There are also many different kinds of dog tail terminology.

Bobtail

A very short tail, such as a Corgi has.

Docked Tail

Where a portion of the tail has been surgically removed to leave a stump.

Gay Tail

When the dog is walking or standing, the tail is above back level.

Brush Tail

When hair covers the tail entirely and gives it a rounded appearance like a brush.

Saber Tail

A tail located at the lower half of the hindquarters with a slight curve in it.

Screw Tail

A tail like a corkscrew in appearance.

Odd Tail

This is where the tail is limp or has a lack of movement.

Wheel Tail

When a tail curves completely round and can often make a circle like a wheel.

Gait and Movement

The way a dog holds themselves and moves has also been labeled with canine terminology.

Single Suspension Gallop

When a dog moves by using the pattern: right front foot, left front leg, right hind leg, left hind leg.

Double Suspension Gallop

When a dog moves by moving their front two legs together and their back two legs together.

Close Behind

When viewing a dog from behind, their legs will have a narrow gap between them during movement.

Crabbing

This is where the spine does not point in the direction of travel, which leads to improper leg movements.

Crossing Over

As it sounds, crossing over is where the feet cross over one another during movement.

Hackney

When the forelegs overextend in motion.

Pacing

Opposite legs move as one during walking or running.

Single Tracking

As the dog speeds up to a running pace, the legs will angle inwards with each step.

Sound

Defines the mental and physical health both generally and, in this case, during movement.

The Kennel Club Glossary of Canine Terms

• AbdomenThe body cavity between the chest and pelvis
• ActionMovement, the way a dog walks, trots or runs
• AgoutiColour pattern comprising a mixture of grey, black and white hairs
• AlbinoLacking in pigmentation, usually with white coat, pink eyes and nose
• Almond EyeAperture basically of oval shape, bluntly pointed at both ends (see Eye)
• Aloof Stand offish
• AmbleFast rolling walk having an irregular, four-beat tempo, intermediate between a true walk and pacing. (e.g. Old English Sheepdog, Bouvier des Flandres) (see Gait)
• AngulationThe angles formed at a joint where bones meet e.g. shoulder or stifle, when dog is standing
• Apple HeadVery domed, rounded skull (e.g. Chihuahua) (see Head)
• Apricot  Light to mid-orange coat colour. (e.g. Poodle)
• Apron A ruff or frill of longer hair below the neck on the chest
• Aquiline Nose: A nose which has a downward tilt at the end (see Nose)
• AshLight grey coat colour (e.g. Chesapeake Bay Retriever)

• Back Region between withers and root of tail, but in some standards may refer to region between withers and loin
• Badger Colour A mixture of white/grey/brown and black hairs of varying intensity (e.g. Bloodhound), often occurring in patches about the head and/or body on a basic white background, which is termed badger pied (e.g. Sealyham Terrier)
• Balance A balanced dog is one whose proportions are harmonious, correct for the breed through lack of exaggeration of any part
• Bandy Legs Outwardly bowed fore or hind limbs
• Barrel Hocks Hocks placed far apart when viewed from behind, giving a bandy legged appearance (see Hock)
• Barrel Ribs Markedly rounded ribs (e.g. Labrador Retriever)
• Bat Ear Erect ear, rather broad at the base, rounded in outline at the top, and with opening directly to the front (e.g. French Bulldog) (see Ear)
• Beard Growth of hair on muzzle and underjaw (e.g. Bearded Collie, German Wirehaired Pointer, Wire Haired Dachshund)
• Beaver Mixture of white, grey, brown and black hairs (e.g. Pomeranian)
• Belly Underpart of abdomen
• Belton Intermingling of coloured and white hairs as blue belton, lemon, orange or liver belton (e.g. English Setter)
• Bitchy Feminine looking male dog
• Bite The relative position of the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed
  • Even
  • Incorrect [Irregular]
  • Level
  • Pincer
  • Overshot
  • Reverse Scissor
  • Scissor
  • Undershot 
• Blanket Solid colour of coat on back and upper part of sides between neck and tail. (Term used frequently in Hound breeds)
• Blaze White stripe running up the centre of the face (e.g. Bernese Mountain Dog)
• Blenheim Rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background (e.g. Cavalier King Charles and King Charles Spaniels)
• Blonde Shades of cream to pale gold coat colour (e.g. Hovawart)
• Bloom The sheen of a coat in prime condition
• Blown When the coat is moulting or casting
• Bobtail
  • 1. Naturally tail-less dog or a dog born with a short tail. (e.g. Swedish Vallhund, Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)
  • 2. Alternative name for the Old English Sheepdog (see Tail)
• Bodied Up Good substance, muscle and physical maturity
• Body Anatomical section between fore and hind quarters
• Body Length Generally taken as the distance from point of shoulder to point of buttock. In some breeds, taken from top of withers to set on of tail
• Bone The thickness, quality and strength of bone
• Bone Shape Shape cross-section of forearm. For example:
  • Bladed/Flat – narrow seen from the front (e.g. Borzoi, Gordon Setter)
  • Oval (e.g. Pointer)
  • Round (e.g. Australian Cattle Dog)
• Bossy in Shoulder Over development of the shoulder muscles
• Bowed Forelegs curved outward (e.g. Pekingese)
• Bracelets Rings of hair left on the legs of some breeds in show trim (e.g. Poodle)
• Breastbone Series of bones and cartilages which form the floor of the chest. Also known as sternum or keel (e.g. Dachshund)
• Breeching 1.Hair on outside of thighs (e.g. Chow Chow). 2. Undesirable intermingling of tan amongst black hair on outside of hindlegs (e.g. Manchester Terrier)
• Breed Standard A description of the ideal specimen in each breed approved by a governing body e.g. the Kennel Club, the FCI and the American Kennel Club
• Breed Standard (Interim) As above, for a breed not granted Kennel Club Challenge Certificate status
• Brindle Colour pattern caused by hairs forming a striped effect on differing background colours e.g. Whippet, Boxer, Cairn Terrier, Great Dane
• Brisket  Forepart of body below the chest, between the forelegs (see Fill in)
• Broad Hock Good width of hock joint when viewed from the side (see Hock)
• Broken Coat A coat which lies between a wire coat and a smooth coat. Found most frequently in Terrier breeds. (e.g. Parson Russell Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier) (see Coat)
• Broken Colour Self colour broken by white or another colour
• Bronze Rust, tan or brown at tips of black hairs.(e.g. Japanese Shiba Inu; Newfoundland)
• Brush A tail that is thick, rounded and well coated, resembling that of a fox. (e.g. Canaan Dog) (see Tail)
• Burr Inside of the ear (e.g. Pug)
• Bull Neck Short, thick, heavy neck. (see Neck)
• Butterfly Nose Parti-coloured nose; dark, spotted with flesh colour. (e.g. Great Dane (Harlequin), Otterhound). (see Nose)
• Button Ear The ear flap folding forward, the tip lying close to the skull so as to cover the opening, and pointing toward the eye. (see Ear)

 

• Carpus Anatomical term for wrist. Joint at the base of forearm adjoining pastern
• Carriage
  • Deportment and style on the move
  • The manner in which the tail is carried
• Candle FlameErect, broad at the base narrowing to slightly pointed tips giving a candle flame appearance (e.g. English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan)) (see Ear)
• Cat (like) FootShort, round, compact foot like that of a cat (e.g. Spaniel (Cocker)). (see Feet)
• Characteristics Combination of type, appearance, disposition and behaviour
• Cheek Fleshy part of the head at the side of the skull
• Cheeky Cheeks prominently rounded; thick, protruding
• Chest The forepart of the body enclosed by the ribs
• Chiselled Detailed lines and contours showing delicate structures in the foreface. (e.g. Fox Terrier (Smooth), Spaniel (Cocker) and Irish Terrier)
• Chops Jowls or pendulous flesh of the lips and jaw
• CleanA neck without loose skin. (see Neck)
• Cloddy Thickset, comparatively heavy
• CloseDescribed movement which is narrow in front or rear. (see Gait)
• Coarse Lacking quality and refinement
• Coat The hairy outer covering of the skin. The majority of breeds have two coats (double-coated) comprising an outer coat and an undercoat. (e.g. Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd Dog). Example of single-coated breed: Coton de Tulear
  • Broken
  • Corded
  • Curly
  • Double
  • Flocked
  • Linty
  • Open
  • Rough
  • Ruff
  • Rustic
  • Smooth
  • Stand-off Coat
  • Undercoat
  • Veiled
  • Wire Coat
• Cobby Short bodied, compact with good spring of rib (e.g. Pug, Chow Chow, Cocker Spaniel)
• Collar Marking around the neck, usually white (e.g. Boston Terrier)
• Compact Short coupled; not rangy (e.g. Japanese Chin)
• Condition Health as shown by the body, coat, general appearance and deportment. Denoting overall fitness
• Conformation The form and structure, physique, make and shape. The natural form of the body
• Conical Head Head that is shaped like a cone, i.e. head that is circular in section and tapers uniformly from skull to nose (e.g. Dachshund). (see Head)
• Conjunctiva A thin membrane lining the inner surface of eyelids and reflected onto the eyeball
• ConvergenceFootfall narrows when speed is increased. (see Gait)
• Corded CoatNarrow or broad ribbons of felted hair or tight twisted cords formed by the intertwining of top coat and undercoat. Cords should always be distinctly separated from each other, down to the skin (e.g. Hungarian Puli, Komondor,). (see Coat)
• Corkscrew curlLoose open curl of coat (e.g. Bichon Frise)
• Corkscrew TailTwisted tail, not straight. (see Tail)
• Coupling The part of the body between the last rib and the start of the hindquarter section;
  • Short-Coupled/Close-CoupledCoupling relatively short
  • Long-Coupled/Open-CoupledCoupling relatively long
• Cow-HocksPoint of hocks pointed inwards, causing the feet to turn out. (see Hock)
• Crabbing Dog moves with body at an angle to the line of travel
• Crank TailSharply bent or angled tail (listed as a fault in Bullmastiff). (see Tail)
• Crest
  • Upper, arched portion of the neck. (see Neck)
  • Hair starting at stop on head and tapering off down neck (e.g. Chinese Crested)
• Croup (Rump)Part of the back from the front of the pelvis to root of the tail
• Crown
  • Highest part of the head
  • Circular formations of hair at front of ridge as on the Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Cryptorchid Male dog with one (unilateral cryptorchid) or both (bilateral cryptorchid) testicle(s) not fully descended into the scrotum
• Crysanthemum like Unusual growth direction of hair on face to give appearance of chrysanthemum. (Shih Tzu)
• Culotte Longer hair on the back of the thighs (e.g. Chow Chow, Schipperke)
• Curly CoatA mass of thick tight curls, which trap air, protecting the dog against water and cold (e.g. Retriever (Curly Coated), Spaniel (Irish Water)). (see Coat)
• Cushioned
  • Thick deep pads of feet
  • Thickness of padding on muzzle or around head features

• Daisy Cutting A trotting action where the forelimb moves forward close to the ground. (see Gait)
• Dappled Mottled marking of different colours, no single colour predominant (e.g. Dachshund)
• Daylight The light showing underneath the body
• Dead Grass Straw to bracken colour. (e.g. Retriever (Chesapeake Bay))
• Dentition Teeth including number, size and arrangement. The total number of teeth is forty two, made up of:-
  • Upper jaw; six incisors, two canines (eye teeth), eight premolars and four molars
  • Lower jaw; six incisors, two canines, eight premolars and six molars
• Depth of chest The distance measured from the withers to the lowest point of the chest
• Dewclaw Fifth digit on the inside of pastern. Most breeds do not have rear dewclaws but some breeds require double rear dew claws (e.g. Beauceron, Briard, Pyrenean Mountain Dog)
• Dewlap Loose, pendulous skin under the throat
• Dilute Reduced depth of colour
• Dish-Faced A slight concavity in the foreface from the stop to the nose tip (e.g. Pointer)
• Dock Surgical shortening of the tail
• Doggy Masculine looking
• Domed Evenly rounded in skull (e.g. King Charles Spaniel)
• Double Coat Where the outer coat and undercoat are usually of different textures. (see Coat)
• Double Curl Tail curled over back with additional tight curl at end. (see Tail)
• Double dapple Varying amounts of white colouring occurring over the body in addition to the dapple pattern. Colour definitions may vary by breed
• Down-Face Downward divergence of the plane of the foreface relative to that of the skull
• Down on Pastern Weak or faulty pastern set at an exaggerated angle from the vertical
• Drive Forward thrust provided by the hindquarters during locomotion
• Drop pendant, pendulous (e.g Retrievers, Spaniels which include Lobular e.g. Spaniels (Cocker) and Spaniels (American Cocker)). (see Ear)
• Dry Skin without wrinkle or looseness
• Dudley Nose Nose lacking in pigment. (see Nose)
• Ear Consists of three parts: the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. Standards refer to the outer ear (ear lobe or leather). Types of ear shape and carriage:
  • Erect
  • Bat
  • Button
  • Candle Flame
  • Drop
  • Filbert
  • Flying
  • Hooded
  • Rose
  • Semi-drop or Tipped
• Ectropion Condition in which the eyelids are turned outwards
• Elbow The joint between the upper arm and the forearm
• Elbows, out at Elbows loose or turning out from the body. (see also Elbows, tied at)
• Elbows, tied at Elbows set too tightly together into the body. (see also Elbows, out at)
• Elbows, (well let down) Elbow positioned at the base of a long, sloping upper arm (See Setters)
• Entire Dog Male with two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum
• Entropion Condition in which the eyelids are turned inwards causing irritation
• Erect Pricked (e.g. German Shepherd Dog, Pomeranian). (see Ear)
• Even Bite The front teeth meet exactly edge to edge (e.g. Bullmastiff, Newfoundland). (see Bite)
• Ewe Neck A neck in which the topline is concave. (see Neck)
• Expression The general appearance of all features of the head as viewed from the front
• Extended Trot A noticeably long far-reaching trot (e.g. English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)). (see Gait)
• Eye All standards include an eye clause which usually comments on shape, size and eye colour. Shape and size describe the shape of the eye apertures. Eye aperture types include:-
  • Almond
  • Obliquely Set
  • Oval
  • Round
  • Triangular
• Eye Colour This is due to the presence of the pigment melanin in the iris. The more melanin the darker the eye
  • China
  • Merle
  • Ruby
  • Wall (Marbled)
• Eyebrow The skin and hair above the eye covering the projecting superciliary ridge
• Fako Hungarian term for any shade of fawn (see Hungarian Puli Standard)
• Fall Long hair falling from the head and face (e.g. Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire Terrier)
• Fallaway Marked slope of the croup
• Fallow Light reddish or yellowish brown
• Far Seeing Reference to the expression, giving the appearance of focusing into the distance (see Deerhound, Saluki)
• Fawn A light brown or red-yellow colour with hue of medium brilliance. Colour definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive colour description
• Feathering Longer fringe of hair on ears, legs, tail or body
• Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) An international canine body based in Belgium to which many Kennel Clubs throughout the world are affiliated
• Feet
  • Cat (like)
  • Hare
  • Oval
  • Pin Toed
  • Splayfoot
  • Spoon Shaped
  • Webbed
  • Well-Knuckled
• Femur Thigh bone which extends from hip to stifle joint
• Fiddle front Forelegs out at elbows, pasterns close, and feet turned out. French front
• Filbert Ear Rounded off triangular shape as in a Filbert nut (e.g. Bedlington Terrier). (see Ear)
• Fill in below the eyes / Well-filled in front of the eyes Well-padded on the muzzle under the eyes
• Fill in of brisket The depth of development of chest between the forelegs
• Flag Feathering on tail (e.g. English Setter, Gordon Setter)
• Flange Outward projecting edge of rib(s) (e.g. Basset Hound)
• Flank Fleshy side of the body below the loin between the last rib and the front of thigh
• Flat Ribbed A chest shape, in cross section, in which the centre portion of the rib is flattened rather than rounded (see Bedlington Terrier)
• Flecked Coat or eye lightly ticked with another colour
• Flesh-coloured Pale pigmentation in nose or lips
• Flews Pendulous upper lips (sometimes referred to as chops e.g. Bulldog). Some standards include the lower lips as flews (see Chow Chow and Hungarian Puli)
• Floating Rib The last (thirteenth) rib with skeletal attachment only to the spinal column sometimes found to project outwards at its tip
• Flocked Coat A soft coat of loose open ringlets. (see Coat)
• Fluffies (Woollies) Describes dogs with soft coats of excessive length with exaggerated feathering on ears, chest, legs and feet, underparts, and hindquarters. Considered undesirable
• Flush To drive birds from cover, to force them to take flight
• Flushing breeds Term commonly applied to those breeds that typically flush or force a bird from cover
• Fluting A mid-line indentation of the skull from stop backwards. (e.g. Spaniel (English Springer)), (see also Furrow, Median Furrow, Median Line)
• Flying Ears Ears held incorrectly either too high and / or away from the skull. (see Ear)
• Flying trot A fast trot with a very long stride in which all four feet are briefly off the ground together during each half stride. (See also suspended trot). (see Gait)
• Forearm The portion of the forelimb between the elbow and the wrist
• Forechest Front part of the chest (e.g. Boxer, Miniature Pinscher)
• Foreface The part of the head in front of the eyes. Muzzle
• Forehand Front part of dog, including neck, shoulders, upper arm, front legs and feet
• Foreign Expression Expression not typical of the breed
• Foreleg Front leg from elbow to foot
• Forequarters Front part of dog excluding head and neck
• Foxy Expression Sharp expression; pointed foreface and upright ears as in head shape of a fox (e.g. Schipperke, Pomeranian, Welsh Corgi)
• Frill Long hair hanging down from throat and chest (e.g Japanese Chin or Collie Rough, Australian Terrier). Sometimes used to describe a full mane around the neck
• Fringes Longer hair on ears (e.g. Papillon) (see Feathering)
• Front Forehand assembly including angulation, width of chest and front leg position. (see Forehand)
• Frontal Bone Bone of the skull above the eyes
• Frosting White or grey hairs intermingled with base colour mainly on head (e.g. Belgian Shepherd Dog, Griffon Bruxellois)
• Frown Facial expression caused by slight skin wrinkles on the skull
• Furnishings Long hair which may be on head, legs, breechings and/or tail
• Furrow A mid-line indentation of the skull from stop backwards (e.g. Bulldog, Eurasier). (see also Fluting, Median Furrow, Median Line)
• Gait The pattern of footsteps, each pattern distinguished by a particular rhythm and sequence of footfall
  • Amble
  • Daisy Cutting
  • Close
  • Convergence
  • Extended Trot
  • Flying Trot
  • Gallop
  • Goose Step
  • Hackney
  • High Stepping
  • Hover
  • Lame
  • Moving Close
  • Overreaching
  • Pacing
  • Paddling
  • Pinning
  • Plaiting
  • Pounding
  • Rolling
  • Single Tracking
  • Stilted
  • Suspended Trot
  • Trot
  • Walk
  • Weaving
• Gallop Fastest of the dog gaits with a four beat rhythm and with one or more periods of suspension in each stride. (see Gait)
• Gay Tail The tail carried very high or over dog’s back. Often indicates that the tail carriage is higher than approved in the breed standard. Some standards do ask for tails to be carried gaily (e.g. Fox Terrier (Smooth)). (see Tail)
• Gazehound See Sighthound
• Girth Measurement of the chest circumference taken just behind the withers
• Goose Neck An elongated, tubular-shaped neck. Also called Swan Neck. (see Neck)
• Goose Rump Too steep in pelvis: a sloping rump with the tail set very low
• Goose Step A high stepping, straight-limbed, strutting action. (see Gait)
• Grizzle Blueish-grey, red-grey or iron grey colour, due to a mixture of coloured hair with or without white. Colour definitions may vary breed from breed. Always check the specific breed standard
• Gun Barrel Front Having straight, vertical and parallel forelimbs when viewed from the front
• Guard Hairs Longer, harsher hairs which grow through the undercoat (e.g. Alaskan Malamute)
• Hackney High stepping front action with exaggerated flexion of the wrist (e.g. Miniature Pinscher). (see Gait)
• Haloes Dark pigmentation surrounding the eyes (e.g. Bichon Frise)
• Hard Bitten Gives the impression of being tough, rugged, uncompromising, strong-willed
• Hard Expression Harsh, staring expression
• Hare Foot Foot with the two centre toes appreciably longer than the outside toes. (e.g. Borzoi, Tibetan Spaniel). (see Feet)
• Harlequin
  • In Great Dane: Pure white background with irregular patches (black preferred but blue permitted) having the appearance of being torn
  • In Beauceron: Grey and black patches distributed over the body, black may predominate. Tan markings as in Black and Tan
• Harness markings A characteristic pattern on coat consisting of lighter or darker hair over forequarters, suggesting the outline of a harness
• Haw 1. The inside of the eyelid being visible caused by the looseness, sagging or drooping of the lower eyelid. 2. Third eyelid at the inner corner of the eye; more obvious in certain breeds (e.g. Spaniel (Clumber))
• Head
  • Apple
  • Conical
  • Proud
• Heart Room Volume of the lower half of the ribcage
• Height The vertical measurement from the withers to the ground; often referred to as height at the withers
• Heel The rear part of the paw
• Herring Gutted Narrow, slab sided body lacking depth throughout
• High Hocks Long in rear pastern. (see Hock)
• High Set Ears Ears set high on the skull (e.g. Wire Fox Terrier, German Shepherd Dog)
• High Set Tail Base of tail positioned at the end of a flat croup. (see Tail Set)
• High Stepping Marked lifting of the foreleg at the trot. (See Italian Greyhound). (see Gait)
• Hind Leg Leg from first thigh to foot
• Hindquarters Rear part of dog from behind the loin
• Hock The joint above the rear pastern
  • Barrel
  • Broad
  • Cow
  • High Hocks
  • Hocks well let down
  • Low Hocks
  • Sickle Hocks
  • Snatching Hocks
• Hocks well let down Short rear pasterns. (see Hock)
• Hollow back See Swayback
• Hooded Ear Pricked ear which curves forward at the tip and on the sides, thus forming a hood. (see Ear)
• Hound-Marked A colour pattern composed of white, black and tan, but sometimes lemon and/or blue. The ground colour, usually white, may be marked with coloured patches on the head, back, legs and tail. The extent and the exact location of such markings, however, differs in breeds and individuals. (e.g. Beagle)
• Hover At the trot, a slight suspension of the front feet before placing foot to ground (See Ibizan Hound). (see Gait)
• Incisors (see Dentition)
• Incorrect [Irregular] Bite (see Bite) Dentition which is not as described in the breed standard. e.g.:
  • Some or all of the front teeth positioned abnormally
  • Canine teeth set too straight to jaw and running up into roof of mouth
  • Incomplete dentition – lacking one or more teeth
• Interdigital Between the toes
• Iris Flat, circular, coloured membrane within the eye. The inner boundary forms the pupil, which adjusts to control amount of light entering eye
• Isabella Fawn colouration (e.g. Dobermann, Bergamasco)
• Jabot Frill or ruffle on the breast. (see Schipperke)
• Jaws The bones to which the teeth are attached forming the framework of the mouth
• Jowls Flesh of lips and jaws
• Keel Rounded outline of the lower chest, resembling the keel of a boat (e.g. Dachshund, Bloodhound)
• Knee-cap see Patella
• Knee Joint Stifle
• Knuckling Over Faulty structure of the carpal (wrist) joint allowing it to protrude forwards when dog is standing
• Lame Moving with irregular, uneven gait. (see Gait)
• Landseer White and black coat colour pattern in Newfoundlands
• Layback Angle of the shoulder blade, when viewed from the side
• Lay back of face The alignment of chin, nose and skull, when viewed from the side. (see Bulldog)
• Leather 
  • 1. The pendulous ear of certain breeds (e.g. Foxhound, Poodle, Spaniels)
  • 2. In certain breeds, the nasal area that is free of hair (e.g. Australian Terrier)
• Leggy Long in the leg
• Legs well under the body When viewed in profile, elbows set well back
• Leonine Resembling a lion (e.g. Chow Chow, Pekingese)
• Level
  • Bite The front teeth meet exactly edge to edge. (e.g. Bullmastiff, Newfoundland), (see Bite)
  • Of Topline/Back Approximately horizontal
• Linty Characteristic soft texture of coat (e.g. Bedlington Terrier) or undercoat (e.g. Dandie Dinmont Terrier). (See Coat)
• Lion Clip Style of coat presentation (e.g. Lowchen (Little Lion Dog), Poodle).
• Lippy Pendulous lips that do not fit tightly.
• Liver Light to dark shades of brown coat colour usually accompanied by a brown nose (e.g. Retriever (Curly Coated). Also referred to as chocolate in some breeds (e.g. Retriever (Labrador)).
• Loaded Shoulders Bulky, excess muscle development in the shoulder area.
• Loin Spine and surrounding muscles behind the last rib and the onset of the hindquarters.
• Low Hocks Short in rear pastern. (see Hock)
• Low Set
  • (Tail) 1. Base of tail positioned at the end of a sloping croup. (see Tail Set)
  • (Ears) 2. Ears set low on the skull. (e.g. Basset Hound)
• Lozenge Mark Marking on the skull of Blenheim King Charles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. (see breed standards)
• Lumber Overdone, cloddy
• Lumbering Heavy, ponderous stride
• Lung room Capacity of the ribcage
• Mane Long, profuse hair on top and sides of neck and chest. (e.g. Leonberger, Schipperke, Tibetan Spaniel, Pekingese.) Sometimes known as ‘cape’.
• Mantle
  • 1. Dark-shaded portion of the coat on shoulders, back and sides (e.g. Alaskan Malamute)
  • 2. A black and white colour pattern in Great Danes
• Marbled Eye See Wall Eye. (see Eye)
• Markings Pattern of coat colours
• Mask Dark shading on the face (e.g. Boxer, French Bulldog, Pug)
• Median Furrow A mid-line indentation of the skull from stop backwards. (See also Fluting, Furrow, Median Line)
• Median Line A mid-line indentation of the skull from stop backwards (e.g. Mastiff, Spaniel (American Cocker)). (See also Fluting, Furrow, Median Furrow)
• Melon Pips Tan spots above eyes. (e.g. Basenji)
• Merle Distinct colour pattern of splashed and marbled darker shades against a lighter background. (e.g. Collie (Rough and Smooth), Australian Shepherd) Referred to as dapple in some breeds. (e.g. Dachshunds)
  • An undesirable colour in some breeds due to health implications
• Merle Eye Iris flecked with brown, blue or white in any combination. (see Eye Colour)
• Mismarked Incorrectly marked
• Monorchid A term commonly (but technically incorrectly) used to describe a dog with only one descended testicle (see Cryptorchid)
• Mottle / Mottled A colour pattern found in some hounds (see Beagle), (see also Australian Cattle Dog)
• Moustache Furnishings on the upper part of the lip
• Mouth In Breed Standards, a term often used to describe dentition. (see Bite)
• Movement see Gait
• Moving Close Front and/or hind limbs moving close to each other. (e.g. Rough Collie).(see Gait)
• Multum in Parvo “Much in little” meaning a lot of substance in a small frame. (see Pug standard)
• Muzzle The head in front of the eyes; foreface
• Nape of the Neck Top of the neck adjacent to the base of the skull
• Nasal bone The bone which runs from the stop to the nose
• Nose
  • Aquiline
  • Butterfly
  • Dudley
  • Roman
  • Snow
  • Winter
• Neck
  • Bull
  • Clean
  • Crest
  • Ewe
  • Swan (Goose)
  • Well set on
• Neck well set on Good neckline, merging gradually with withers, forming a pleasing transition into topline. (see Neck)
• Nostrils External opening of the nasal cavity (nares)
• Oblique Shoulders Shoulders well laid back (e.g. English Setter)
• Obliquely Set Eye Eye aperture where the outer corners appear to be higher set in the skull than the inner corners. (see Eye)
• Occiput Upper, back point of skull
• Occipital Crest A midline ridge of bone extending forward from a pronounced occiput
• Occipital Process/Protuberance A well-defined occiput (e.g. Borzoi, Irish Setter)
• Open Coat A coat which is not close fitting and lacks density. (see Coat)
• Otter Tail Tail which is very thick towards base, gradually tapering towards rounded tip, medium length, free from feathering, but clothed thickly all round with short, dense coat giving a rounded appearance (See Retriever (Labrador)). (see Tail)
• Out at Shoulder Shoulders which appear loosely attached to the body, standing out from the ribs, increasing width of front. (e.g. Bulldog, Cesky Terrier)
• Oval Eye The most common eye aperture shape. Referred to as ‘elliptical’ in Irish Wolfhound Breed Standard. (see Eye)
• Oval Foot Foot that is slightly longer than wide (e.g Pointer, Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)). (see Feet)
• Overlay Coat characteristically double-pigmented, wherein tip of each light coloured hair is darker. (see Sable)
• Over nose wrinkle A fold of skin extending over the bridge of the nose. (e.g. Pekingese). If exaggerated, a highly undesirable feature, which may cause restricted breathing and/or irritation to the eyes.
• Overreaching Hind feet passing the front feet at the trot. (see Gait)
• Overshot Bite The upper front teeth overlap and do not touch the lower front teeth when the mouth is closed. A fault in all breeds. (see Bite)
• Pacing Movement where fore and hind legs on the same side move in unison. Many dogs pace slowly as an energy conserving measure. Some breeds typically pace at slow speeds (e.g. Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Spaniel (English Springer)). (see Gait)
• Padding / Cushioning Fleshy covering on the muzzle, cheeks or chin. (e.g. Shar Pei)
• Paddling The front feet thrown out sideways on the move often in a loose, uncontrolled manner. (see Gait)
• Pads Tough elastic pads of tissue covered with thickened skin on the underside of the feet
• Pantaloons Longer, thick hair on rear of thighs. (See Pyrenean Mountain Dog) (see Trousers)
• Particolour Colour pattern of two or more different colours (e.g. Spaniel (Cocker))
• Pastern
  • (Front) The part of the foreleg between the wrist and the foot
  • (Rear) The part of the hind leg between the hock and the foot
• Patchy/Patched Tongue Irregularly pigmented (e.g. Shar Pei)
• Patella (Knee-cap) A small bone at lower end of femur which forms part of the stifle-joint
• Pelvis Girdle of bones fused together, each half being composed of the ilium, ischium and pubis, the whole attached to the spine at the sacrum. On the lower sides are the hip-joints
• Pencilled Appearance of coat caused by harder hair coming through softer undercoat (see Dandie Dinmont Terrier)
• Pencilling Black lines on the toes (e.g. English Toy Terrier, Gordon Setter)
• Pepper and Salt Coat of banded light and dark hairs (e.g. Schnauzer)
• Pied Coat pattern consisting of white with another colour
  • Badger Pied (see Otterhound)
  • Fawn Pied (see French Bulldog)
  • Hare Pied (see Beagle)
  • Lemon Pied (see Beagle)
• Pigeon-Chest An overdeveloped forechest
• Pigmentation Natural colouring of skin and other tissues, especially of nose, eye rims and tongue in some breeds (e.g. Chow Chow)
• Pin Bones Upper bony protuberances of pelvis
• Pincer Bite The front teeth meet exactly edge to edge. (e.g. Bullmastiff, Newfoundland). (see Bite)
• Pinched Nostrils Narrow openings which restrict breathing. Highly undesirable trait
• Pinning Forefeet turned in when moving. (see Gait)
• Pin Toed Forefeet turned in when standing. (see Feet)
• Pinto Clearly defined, irregular body patches of colour superimposed upon a white background. (see Akita)
• Plaiting Movement where front legs cross whilst walking or trotting. (see Gait)
• Plume Long fringe of tail hair (e.g. Papillon)
• Point of Buttock Rearmost projection of the pelvic bones
• Point of Shoulder The front of the joint where upper arm and shoulder blade meet
• Points Designated sites where contrasting colour and markings are found, usually on face, ears, legs and tail. (e.g. Cairn Terrier)
• Pounding Gaiting fault where front feet strike the ground in a heavy footed manner. (see Gait)
• Profile Outline of a dog when viewed from the side
• Prosternum Forechest
• Proud High carriage of head or tail. (e.g. Poodle)
• Pump Handle tail which has a natural curve (See Staffordshire Bull Terrier). (see Tail)
• Punishing Jaw Strong and powerful (e.g. Kerry Blue Terrier)
• Quality The indefinable attribute denoting refinement and the absence of coarseness. Excellence of type, conformation and bearing giving close adherence to the breed Standard
• Queen Anne Front (Fiddle Front) Forelegs bowed and out at elbows, pasterns close and feet turned out

R

• RacyBuilt on flowing lines, giving an impression of speed and athleticism
• RangyTall, long in body often lightly framed and high on leg
• ReachFunctional length of the forward step of the front leg
• RefinedContaining quality and free from coarseness
• Reverse Scissor BiteThe upper front teeth close just inside the lower (e.g. Lhasa Apso, Tibetan Terrier). (see Bite)
• RidgeLine of hair growing in reverse direction to the main coat. (see Rhodesian Ridgeback)
• Ring TailA long tail which curls to form a circle at the tip (e.g. Afghan Hound)
• Roach BackConvex curvature of the back (e.g. Bulldog)
• Roan Colour pattern where the main colour is interspersed with hairs of another colour. (see Spaniel (Cocker))
• Rolling GaitDistinctive roll from side to side when moving (e.g. Pekingese, Spaniel (Clumber), Spaniel (Sussex)). (see Gait)
• Roman NoseWhere the upper line of muzzle to the nose forms a slightly convex curve (Bull Terrier). (see Nose)
• Rose EarSmall drop ear which folds over and back thus revealing the upper part of the external ear canal (burr) (e.g. Bulldog, Greyhound, Whippet). (see Ear)
• Rough Coat Harsh thick coat, with or without undercoat. (see Coat)
• Round Eye Aperture basically of rounded shape. (see Eye)
• Ruby EyeIris of dark red colour (e.g. Chihuahua). (see Eye Colour)
• RuffDense, harsher stand-off coat around the neck, framing the face (e.g. Keeshond, Norwich Terrier). (see Coat)
• RusticRugged or workmanlike in build, natural appearance of coat, without excessive grooming. (see Coat)

• Sable Commonly used description of coat colour. Definition varies with breed. Usually black-tipped hairs overlaid on a background of gold, silver, grey, fawn or tan basic coat (e.g. German Shepherd Dog), or each hair shaded with three or more colours (e.g. Pomeranian)
• Sabre Tail Tail carried in a slightly curved fashion either upwards (e.g. Basset Hound) or downwards (e.g. German Shepherd Dog). (see Tail)
• Saddle
  • 1. Variation in colour over back (e.g. German Shepherd Dog)
  • 2. Area of shorter coat over back (e.g. Afghan Hound)
• Scimitar Tail As sabre tail (e.g. Bloodhound, Gordon Setter) (see Sabre Tail), (see Tail)
• Scissor Bite The upper front teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. (The most frequently required dentition). (see Bite)
• Screw Tail A naturally short, twisted tail. (see Bulldog), (see Tail)
• Second Thigh The part of the hind leg from stifle to hock.
• Sedge Gold Red-gold colour (e.g. Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)).
• Self Colour Of uniform colour.
• Semi-drop or Tipped Semi-pricked (e.g. Collies, Fox Terriers). Top third falling forward. (see Ear)
• Sesame Even overlay of black guard hairs usually on red coat (e.g. Japanese Shiba Inu).
• Set On           
  • 1. Placement of tail on body
  • 2. Position of ears on skull
• Set of Ear Placement of ears
  • High Set Ears
  • Low Set Ears
• Shawl Longer hair around neck and shoulders (e.g. Tibetan Spaniel)
• Shelly Lacking substance, shallow and narrow in body;
• Short Coupled Short between last rib and the beginning of the hindquarters. (see Coupling)
• Shoulder Joint Joint between the shoulder blade (scapula) and the upper arm (humerus)
• Sickle Hocked Rear pasterns sloping inward under the body
• Sickle Tail One which is carried out and up in an arc (e.g. Basset Fauve de Bretagne). (see Tail)
• Sighthound A hound that hunts mainly by sight
• Sinewy Lean and muscular
• Single Tracking  Moving with all four feet placed along a single line (see Gait)
• Skirt Exaggerated amount of skin on underline (e.g. Basset Hound)
• Skull Bones of the head specifically that part from stop to occiput
• Skully Thick and coarse through skull
• Slab-Sided Flat ribs with little spring from spinal column. (see Flat Ribbed)
• Sloping Shoulder The shoulder blade set obliquely or “laid back”. (see Lay back)
• Smooth Coat Short smooth, close-lying hair (e.g. Bull Terrier, Dachshund (Smooth-Haired)). (see Coat)
• Snatching Hocks An exaggerated gaiting fault caused by quick outward snatching of the hock as it passes the supporting leg and twists the rear pastern far in beneath the body. (see Hock)
• Snipy (Pinched) Too pointed, narrow or weak in muzzle
• Snow Nose Nose showing loss of pigment resulting in a pink streak on nose in winter (e.g. Siberian Husky). (see Nose)
• Socks
  • 1. Hair from the feet to pasterns (e.g. Chinese Crested Dog)
  • 2. White colour on feet (e.g. Old English Sheepdog)
• Sooty Black hairs intermingling with tan or base colour (e.g. Elkhound)
• Soundness The normal state of temperamental and physical well-being, particularly applied to correct movement
• Span To measure the circumference of the ribs immediately behind the shoulders with two hands (referenced in border terrier BSF. Also Parson Russell Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier)
• Spectacles Light shadings around the eyes and dark marking from outer corner of eye to ear (e.g. Keeshond)
• Spitz Group of breeds that have wedge shaped heads with prick ears, usually straight and rather harsh outer coats with dense undercoats, moderate turn of stifle and tails usually carried over back
• Splayfoot Flat foot with toes spreading. (see Feet)
• Spoon Shaped See Oval Foot (e.g. German Shorthaired Pointer), (see Feet)
• Spring of Rib Degree of curvature of rib cage
• Stand-off Coat Long, harsh textured coat with hair standing out from the body supported by shorter, soft, dense undercoat (e.g. Keeshond). (see Coat)
• Steel Blue Desirable body colour of Yorkshire Terriers
• Stern Tail of a sporting dog or hound
• Sternum (currently defined under breastbone)
  • Breastbone Series of bones and cartilages which form the floor of the chest. Also known as sternum or keel
• Stifle The joint of the hind leg between the thigh and second thigh equivalent to the knee
• Stilted A short stepping gait, lacking reach. (see Gait)
• Stop The indentation between the eyes where the nasal-bone and skull meet
• Straight Shoulders Upright shoulder
• Straight Stifle (straight behind) Lack of angulation in the hind leg at the stifle
• Substance Mass of body and bone
• Suspended Trot A fast trotting gait in which all four feet are off the ground for a brief moment during each stride. Because of the long reach, the oncoming hind feet step beyond the imprint left by the front. (see Gait)
• Swayback Concave curvature of the back line between the withers and the hip bones.
• Swan Neck An elongated, tubular-shaped neck. (see Neck)
• Swirl A slight upward turn to the tip of the tail e.g. Collie. (see Tail)
• Symmetry Overall balance
• Tail
  • Bobtail
  • Brush
  • Corkscrew
  • Crank
  • Double Curl
  • Gay
  • Otter
  • Proud
  • Pump Handle
  • Sabre
  • Scimitar
  • Screw
  • Sickle
  • Stern
  • Swirl
  • Twist
  • Wheel
  • Whip
• Tail Carriage Position in which the tail is held
• Tail Set The position of the tail on the croup
  • High Set
  • Low Set
• Temperament Mixture of natural qualities and traits that produce character
• Tendon Tissue attaching muscle to bone
• Texture of Coat Quality or feel of a coat
• Thick Set Broad and solidly built
• Thigh Hindquarter from hip to hock. First Thigh / Second Thigh
• Third Eyelid see Haw
• Throatiness Excess of loose skin in the throat region
• Thumb Marks
  • 1. Distinctive marking on pasterns in some breeds (e.g. English Toy Terrier / Lancashire Heeler / Pug)
  • 2. Distinctive mark on forehead (e.g. Pug)
• Ticked A coat containing small, black or coloured flecks on a white background
• topknot Long, silky, fluffy or woolly hair on top of head
• Topline Outline from withers to tail set
• Trace Black line extending from occiput to twist (tail) on a Pug
• Triangular Eye Aperture more angular in contours than oval eyes (e.g. Afghan Hound). (see Eye)
• Tricolour Coat of three distinct colours.
• Trot A gait in which the diagonally opposite limbs move together. (see Gait)
• Trousers Breechings on rear legs. (see Pantaloons)
• True Movement Accurate footfall
• Tuck Up A marked upward curve of underline of belly
• Turn Up Upturned under jaw
• Twist Tightly curled tail (e.g. Pug). (see Tail)
• Type Characteristic qualities distinguishing a breed
• Undercoat Dense, soft coat concealed by longer top-coat
• Underline Outline from elbow to flank. (see Tuck Up)
• Undershot Bite The lower front teeth project beyond the upper front teeth and the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw. (e.g. Boxer). (see Bite)
• Upper Arm The foreleg between the shoulder and elbow joints
• Upright Shoulder Shoulder lacking layback
• Varminty Game and spirited, usually applied to Terriers. (e.g. Cairn Terrier)
• Veiled Coat Fine, long hair (e.g. Chinese Crested Dog). (see Coat)
• Veining Veins visually evident under the skin (e.g. Borzoi)
• Wall Eye Eye with blue, blue flecked or unpigmented iris. (Can be odd eyed). (see Eye Colour)
• Walk Gaiting pattern in which three legs are in support of the body at all times, each foot lifting from the ground one at a time in regular sequence. (see Gait)
• Weaving Feet crossing over, plaiting when moving. (see Gait)
• Webbed Foot Foot with well-developed webs between toes (Newfoundland, Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)). (see Feet)
• Weedy Light-bone structure, lacking substance
• Well-filled in front of the eyes Well-padded on the muzzle under the eyes. (See also Fill)
• Well Laid Shoulders Shoulders with good layback
• Well-Knuckled foot A foot where the toes are tightly knuckled. (see Feet)
• Well Ribbed Up Rib cage and sternum extending well back
• Well Sprung Ribs See Spring of Rib
• Wheaten Pale yellow or fawn colour
• Wheel Back An excessively roached topline
• Wheel Tail A tail which curves completely to make a full circle, usually when fully alert (e.g. Pyrenean Mountain Dog). (see Tail)
• Whip Tail Relatively long, thin tail. (see Tail)
• Whirl (Whorl) An irregularity in hair growth. Against the natural direction of the hair.
• Winter Nose A nose which seasonally loses its natural pigmentation. (see Nose)
• Wire Coat Consists of harsh and often wiry outer jacket with a softer dense undercoat (e.g. Wire Fox Terrier, Wirehaired Dachshund). (see Coat)
• Withers The highest point of body immediately behind neck where height is measured.
• Wrinkle Loose skin forming a crease, furrow or ridge
• Wrist Region of the forearm adjoining pastern
• Wry Mouth Lower jaw which does not line up with upper jaw, i.e. twisted to one side
• Zygomatic arch The bony ridge forming the lower, border of the eye socket

Dog Show Terms & Lingo: What Common Conformation Words Mean

Bait

Most dogs don’t work for free, so the use of food to motivate them in the ring is a common occurrence. “Bait” is any edible item used to animate a dog. While cooked liver is the gold standard, anything that drives a dog wild – from roast chicken to bagel slices – is fair game. Watching where exhibitors hide their bait always makes for an amusing pastime. Morsels have been known to emerge surreptitiously from brassieres and even exhibitors’ own mouths.

 

Benched dog show

Once upon a time, all dog shows were benched. Owners were required to have their dogs displayed on partitioned wooden stands, or benches, where the public could see and admire them. This wasn’t just an educational experience for spectators, but for dog-show folk as well.

Forced to stay at the show all day long, they shared conversations and information with their fellow competitors, gaining knowledge often by osmosis. But as modern life became more harried, and lifestyles more frenetic, benched shows became the exception rather than the rule. Today, only a handful of benched shows survive, the most famous of which is New York City’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held every February.

Best

Short for “Best in Show,” as in “Do you know what time they’re doing Best?” Best in Show is the ultimate competition at day’s end, between the winners of the seven AKC groups. In 2012, the AKC introduced “Reserve Best in Show,” which is essentially a runner-up to Best in Show. This is awarded before Best in Show, so as not to be anticlimactic.

Bitch

Long before “the B-word” became a borderline obscenity, it had a very straightforward meaning: a female dog. Drawing on the mores and language of bygone centuries, the dog sport uses this term freely and without self-consciousness. And, since female dogs are called into competition that way (“Bitches numbers 4 and 16 in the ring, please!”), prepare to hear it often.

Breed standard

Every breed, from the Alaskan Malamute to the Yorkshire Terrier, has a written document that describes exactly what an ideal specimen looks like, from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail, as well as how it should move and behave. Dog-show judges base their decisions on how well each dog meets their breed’s standard.

 

Class animals

Status-wise, there are two kinds of dogs at dog shows – those that are champions, and those that would like to be. Non-champions compete in the hopes of earning some of the 15 points required to complete their championships. They are referred to as “class” dogs and bitches because they are divided into various classes depending on their age or other criteria. Taken as a whole, the competitive field vying for these championship points is referred to as “the classes.”

Conformation

Be sure to spell this right. Confirmation is what you get when the cable guys calls to say he is on his way. Conformation is the judging of purebred dogs, based on how they “conform” to the standard for their breed.

Dog

Yes, we know, every entry at a dog show fits this description. But dipping back into our somewhat archaic lexicon, a “dog” at a dog show refers to the male of the species. Females are bitches, males are dogs.

DQ

Shorthand for “disqualification,” which is a trait that, if present, immediately eliminates a dog from competition. Some DQs apply to all dogs – such as the absence of two normally descended testicles in males. But others are specifically mentioned in a breed’s standard, such as blue eyes in a Samoyed.

Ex

Short for “exercise.” Often used as a verb, as in “I’m going to ex my dog,” which is common vernacular for pottying your dog. Portable, often metal enclosures, known as “ex pens” are usually set up outside an exhibitor’s RV, car, or other convenient outdoor space for these purposes.

Gait

Used as a noun, this refers to a dog’s movement, which in the show ring is almost always a trot. It’s can also be used as a verb, as in “gaiting my dog.” Dog show people never, ever say prance.

 

Groups

Dog shows are structured like a pyramid. At the base is the breed competition, where dogs vie against members of their own breed to win Best of Breed. At the very top, that pointy pinnacle, there is room for just one Best In Show dog. Sandwiched in between are the group competitions, where the Best of Breed winners from each breed compete in their respective groups. The AKC has seven groups – Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding – which are sorted based on function and history. The seven group winners are the final competitors for Best in Show.

Major

For class dogs, all wins at a dog show are not equal. The number of dogs in competition dictates how many points a win will carry, up to a maximum of five. Becoming a champion means earning 15 points, but this can’t be accomplished with 15 single-point wins. Instead, two of the wins must be “majors,” meaning they have a value of three, four, or five points.

Special

A noun used for a champion that an exhibitor is showing, typically as part of an organized, sustained “campaign” to break into and maintain a national ranking.

Stack

The term for the static pose a dog holds when the judge is watching. A “free stack” refers to a dog posing itself all on its own, without the help of its handler.

 

Golden Retrievers have never won the sporting group or gone Best in Show at the AKC National Championship, despite being the third most popular breed in the U.S. However, Goldens have gone Best Bred-By Exhibitor in Show three different times, and are the only breed to win Best BBE more than once.

Super

Short for superintendent, which is the organization that runs the event for the show-giving club. The superintendent provides armbands, judges books, catalogs and ring gates. Stowed under their tent or booth is other equipment you might never imagine necessary, including wickets and scales for those breeds that have disqualifications for height and weight (such as Whippets and French Bulldogs, respectively).

Winners

The non-champions who earn championship points at each dog show are called Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, respectively. The judge also chooses a runner-up in each sex — called Reserve Winners Dog and Bitch — in case one of the Winners is found ineligible for the points for some reason.

List of Dog Terms

Color Terms

• Belton: intermingled colored and white hairs.
• Bicolor: a coat of two distinct colors.
• Brindle: an even mixture of dark colors with lighter colors, usually as a striped, tiger-like coat.
• Domino: reverse facial mask.
• Fawn: color of a newborn deer.
• Grizzled: a roan pattern that is usually a mixture of black, bluish-gray, iron gray, or red with white.
• Harlequin: black or blue patches on white.
• Hound-colored: black, tan and white with a black saddle.
• Lion color: tawny tan coat color with darker shading, as seen in Ibizan Hounds.
• Merle: a mottled, marbled effect (usually red or black, sometimes blue).
• Parti-colored: variegated patches of two or more colors.
• Piebald: black and white or two other colors in patches.
• Roan: an even mixture of white and another color.
• Sable: black tips on silver, gray, gold, fawn or brown hairs.
• Saddle: dark patches over the back.
• Spectacles: dark markings around the eyes.
• Ticked: small areas of black or other dark colors on a white background.
• Tricolor: a coat of three distinct colors, usually black, white and tan.
• Wheaten: pale yellow or fawn colored.

Coat Terms

• Corded: coat that is intertwined in the form of long, narrow mats giving a mop-like appearance (example Komondor).
• Double coat: fine undercoat of some dogs that is combined with a harsher outer guard coat.
• Feathered: long hair on the ears, backs of legs and beneath the tail.
• Flag: long fringe on the tail.
• Jacket: tight body coat of a terrier.
• Mane: profuse growth of hair on the rear of the neck.
• Plume: profusely feathered tail carried over the back.
• Ruff: profuse growth of hair on the front of the neck, or surrounding the entire neck.
• Single coat: coat that is one layer thick, lacking an undercoat.
• Stand-off coat: coat that sticks out from the body rather than lying flat (example: Norwegian Elkhound).
• Topknot: tuft of hair on the top of head.

Head Terms

• Apple head: extremely domed skull.
• Brachycephalic: Broad head with short muzzle (example: Pug)
• Butterfly nose: spotted or partially unpigmented nose.
• Chiseled: clean-cut muzzle and foreface.
• Dish-faced: nose tipped up.
• Dolichocephalic: narrow head with long muzzle (example: Collie).
• Down-faced: muzzle curved downward.
• Dudley nose: liver- or flesh-colored nose.
• Fill: fullness beneath the eyes, not chiseled.
• Flews: upper lips, especially those that are pendulous.
• Haw: exposed nictitating membrane (third eyelid), especially if unpigmented.
• Mesatacephalic: medium-width head with medium-length muzzle (example: Beagle).
• Occiput: highest point at the back of the skull, above where the neck joins the head; in many breeds it forms a crest and is quite prominent.
• Stop: transition area from the back of the skull to muzzle, often demarcated by an abrupt depression.
• Snipey: weak, pointed muzzle lacking underjaw.

Teeth Terms

• Bite: occlusion; relationship of the upper and lower jaws when the mouth is closed.
• Canine tooth: the first premolar; long grasping tooth or a dog’s fang.
• Deciduous: temporary. Example: A puppy’s deciduous teeth are shed before maturity and replaced by permanent teeth.
• Dentition: canine tooth development and eruption. In the dog, there are 12 deciduous incisors that erupt at four to five weeks of age, three on each side, six in the upper jaw and six in the lower. Behind them are four deciduous canine teeth, one on either side, in the upper and lower jaws that erupt at about the same time as the incisors. The 12 deciduous premolars erupt about a week later, and are positioned behind the canines, three on each side, in the upper and lower jaws. They complete the set of 28 deciduous or milk teeth. At about three months of age, the central incisors are replaced by permanent teeth. The four permanent canine teeth are often the last to appear, and typically are not visible until about six months of age. Permanent premolars begin to erupt about four months of age. There are four on each side, on both the upper and lower jaws, and the rearmost is usually visible by six months of age. Those 16 permanent teeth take the place of the 12 deciduous premolars. The two upper molars on each side and three lower molars on each side also begin to appear at about four months, with the last of the ten erupting at about six months. Those 42 teeth make up the permanent set of adult teeth.
• Eruption: 1. breaking out of a visible, circumscribed lesion of the skin. 2. normal activity of the teeth as they break through the gums.
• Full dentition: no missing teeth.
• Incisors: any one of the “biting off” or “cutting” teeth directly in the front of the mouth. There are six incisors in the upper jaw, six in the lower. They are named central, intermediate, and corner.
• Level bite: when upper and lower incisors meet evenly.
• Overbite: when upper incisors overlap lower incisors, leaving a gap between the teeth.
• Scissors bite: when upper incisors just overlap lower incisors, such that the rear surface of the upper incisors touches the outer surface of the lower incisors.
• Premolars: smaller teeth situated just to the rear of the fangs (canines).
• Punishing mouth: strong, powerful jaws.
• Undershot bite: when lower incisors extend beyond upper incisors.

Ear Terms

• Bat ears: large, erect ears (example: French Bulldog).
• Bear ears: small erect ear.
• Blunt ears: ears that are too short and rounded at the tips.
• Button ears: semi-prick ears in which the top portion folds forward (example: Fox Terrier).
• Cropping: the surgical removal of a portion of a dog’s ear to make it stand erect. Cropping is cosmetic surgery.
• Drop ears: long, hanging ears. (example: Basset Hound).
• Ear: organ of hearing—inner ear, middle ear and external ear canal. 2. pinna or earflap.
• Ear canal: external duct leading from the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to the outside.
• Ear canker: external ear ulceration and infection.
• Ear carriage: 1. describing the way the ears are held, indicating the dog’s mood. 2. position of the ear’s attachment to the head.
• Ear clamps: templates or patterns that are attached to an anesthetized dog’s ears to outline where the surgical cropping cut is to be made.
• Ear clip: act of cutting off and rounding the pendulant ears of hounds to give them a shortened, uniform appearance and to lessen the probability of tearing the ear leather in the field.
• Ear feather: long hair on an earflap, typical of the Cocker Spanieland many other breeds.
• Ear foreign bodies: grass seeds and various other extraneous matter that finds its way into the external ear canals of dogs.
• Ear fringe: long hair on the tips of the ears that is seen in Bedlington Terriers
• Ear guide dog: canine specially trained to aid deaf humans.
• Ear hematoma: pocket of blood that occurs between the layers of the ear pinna cartilage and skin. It is often caused by shaking head and whipping the ears due to ear mites or foreign bodies in the external ear canals.
• Ear leather: pinna or flap of the ear.
• Ear mange: redness and crustiness of the ear that is usually caused by ear mites (Otodectes cynotis).
• Earmark: tattoo that is impregnated in the ear leather as a means of permanent identification.
• Ear mites: Otodectes cynotis, a tiny mite that parasitizes ear canals and causes intense itching and irritation.
• Ear notch: in foxhunting, a small notch, or notches, cut in the margin of the ear of the entire pack to immediately identify the dogs of that pack.
• Ear ossicles: three bones of the middle ear—malleus, incus and stapes. They transmit sound waves from the eardrum to the otic ganglion.
• Ear set: describing where on the heard the ears are attached
• Ears set high: placement of ears high on the crown of the head.
• Ears set low: placement of the ears set low on the head.
• Ears set wide: placement of the ears on the head at the maximum distance apart.
• Erect: perk ear; pinna of the ear that stands erect, either normally or assisted by ear cropping.
• Rose ears: small ears folded back in repose (example: Greyhound).
• Semidrop ears: ears that fall over the breaks at the tip.
• Semiprick: aural appendages that are carried erect with the tips breaking forward.
• Pendulant or Pendant: hanging down (example: Bloodhound’sears).
• Pinna: the part of the ear that outside the head; flap or leather.
• Prick ears: ears that stand upright (example: German Shepherd Dog).
• Trowel: ear that is wider in the middle than at the attachment of its tip.
• Tulip: ears that stand erect with a slight forward and inward curvature.
• V-Shaped: drop ear that tapers to a point.

Neck Terms

• Bull-neck: thick, muscular, often short neck.
• Crest: Arched area near the top of the neck.
• Ewe neck: Neck that is arched so that the topline of the neck is concave and the bottom is convex.
• Goose neck: overly long, thin neck lacking strength and shape.
• Throaty neck: neck with loose skin.

Body Terms

• Barrel chest: rounded ribcage.
• Brisket: chest or sternum area.
• Cape: long, thick hair covering the shoulders.
• Cobby: compact, short and square.
• Herring gutted: gradual slope from a fairly shallow chest to tuck-up.
• High in rear: a dog that is higher over its rear quarters than over its front quarters.
• High-stationed: tall and long-legged.
• Hock: Hock Joint: joint on the hind limb between lower thigh and pastern. Since the hock is a joint it cannot itself be long or short; terms such as long or short in hock refer to the distance between the hock joint and the ground.
• Loin: region between the ribcage and croup.
• Pastern: region of the metatarsus that extends from the hock to the foot in the hind leg, and the metacarpal area of the foreleg.
• Racy: long-legged with a slight build.
• Rangy: long-bodied with a shallow chest.
• Rib spring: arch formed by the ribcage; more spring refers to more arch.
• Roach back: an overly arched, convex topline.
• Shelly: narrow, shallow chest and body.
• Short-coupled: short loin area.
• Slab-sided: flat-ribbed.
• Swayback: a sunken, concave topline.
• Topline: line formed by the withers, back loin, and croup.
• Tuck-up: area under the loin in a small-waisted dog.

Forequarters Terms

• Bowed front: forelegs that curve out between the elbows and pasterns.
• Down in pastern: weak, overly sloping pastern.
• East-west front: when feet turn out to the sides, pointing away from each other.
• Foreleg: the front leg
• Fiddle front: east-west front combined with a bowed front, so that the assembly looks like a fiddle.
• Lay back: angle at which the shoulders are set on the dog’s body.
• Knuckled over: steep pastern, or with a reverse slope.
• Loaded shoulders: overly muscled or lumpy forequarters.
• Out at elbow: elbows that stick out from the sides of the ribcage.
• Returned: set-back of the upper arm under the dog’s body.
• Shoulder or scapula: also used (incorrectly) to refer to both the scapula and upper are (humerus) region.
• Shoulder angulation: angle formed between the scapula and humerus.
• Toed-in front: or pigeon toed: feet pointing toward each other.

Rear quarters Terms

• Bandy-legged: wide, bowed-legged rear quarters.
• Cow-hocked: viewed from behind, the point of the hocks point toward each other, resulting in the rear feet pointing outward.
• Lower thigh: area from stifle to hock, also called second thigh.
• Rear angulation: angles formed between the pelvis, thigh bone (femur) and second or lower thigh bone (tibia/fibula).
• Sickle-hocked: viewed from the side, an over-angulated joint between the lower thigh and hock; an inability to straighten this joint when moving.
• Well let-down: short hocks.

Foot Terms

• Cat foot: short, round foot.
• Dew claws: extra toes on the insides of the front and sometimes rear legs.
• Hare foot: long, narrow foot.
• Mops: 1. profuse hair on the paws 2. German name for the Pug.
• Paper foot: flat foot.
• Splay foot: toes that are not close together.

Tail Terms

• Bob tail: very short, almost stump-like tail (example: Pembroke Welsh Corgi).
• Brush tail: tail covered in hair in such a manner as to give it a bottled-brush appearance (example: Siberian Husky).
• Docked tail: tail cut to a shorter length (example: Doberman).
• Gay tail: tail carried above the level of the back.
• Saber tail: slightly curved, low-carried tail.
• Screw tail: short, twisted tail (example: English Bulldog).

Movement Terms

• Close behind: moving with hocks close together.
• Crabbing: sidewinding.
• Crossing-over: when viewed from the front (or rarely, the rear), the legs converge beyond the midline.
• Drive: strong thrust from the hindquarters.
• Gait: way of moving.
• Hackney: high-stepping front movement.
• Loose movement: erratic movement suggestive of poor muscle development.
• Lumbering: heavy, ungainly movement.
• Pacing: moving both legs on the same side of the body in unison, as though hobbled together.
• Pounding: front feet hitting the ground with a jarring reaction.
• Reach: length of forward stride.
• Single tracking: as viewed from the front or rear, the legs converge toward the center line of balance as the dog trots.
• Sound: good movement viewed from the front and rear.
• Trotting: moving diagonal legs in unison.

General Terms

• Adoption: to choose or take as one’s own; make one’s own by selection or assent. To adopt a pet.
• Agility: judged competitive timed events for dogs and their handlers in which dogs are trained to master different obstacles such as: tunnels, bridges, various types of high jumps, jumps through windows, board jumps and jumps through tires. The course also includes inclined planes, elevated planks to walk, A-frames to climb and more. Various agility titles are awarded to dogs that successfully complete the course in which they are entered.
• Balance: overall proportion and symmetry of conformation.
• Bitch: female dog.
• Bucketing: to bucket a puppy: Bucketing, to bucket a puppy: When a breeder tosses a newborn puppy into water, drowning it. The reason for the practice is often the breeder feels the dog is not worthy of life because it does not make the written club standards of the specific breed or the puppy does not display the preferred color or type even though it is accepted by the club.
• Conformation: physical make-up.
• Cynophobia: the fear of dogs.
• Dam: female parent.
• Dealer: one who buys and sells dogs bred by others.
• Dominance: assertive characteristics of a dog and its influence over other dogs.
• Dominant: alpha dog of a pack that displays a behavior superiority or dominance over other dogs of the pack, and exerts a rule influence
• Dysplasia: abnormality of development, especially of the hip or elbow, but it may refer to an organ of the body
• Dystrophy: abnormal behavior; behavior problems.
• F1: First generation or first cross—the result of two purebred dogs mated together. The puppies would be F1 puppies.
• F2: second cross—could mean any next step in the breeding program after F1. Often the F1 offspring bred back to a purebred dog.
• F3: third cross after F2 and so on.
• Feathering: whelping technique where breeder helps pregnant mother dog (dam) along in her contractions.
• Feist: Rat Terrier.
• Feral dog: a dog living in a fully wild state.
• Flock: 1. collected group of livestock (usually sheep) that are used in a herding trial. 2. farm birds or livestock that are gathered or herded together.
• Flyball: in agility trails, a competition that involves a course of jumping and ends with a treadle that the dog steps on to cause a ball to pop out of a box. The dog must catch the ball and return it to the handler.
• Game Dog: a working dog usually a hunting , herding or terrier type that will work until it drops, never gives up, perseveres and is ready and willing for anything. See Game Dogs
• High in rear: a dog that is higher over its rear quarters than over its front quarters.
• High-stationed: tall and long-legged
• Hip dysplasia: a very common and debilitating genetic disease of the hips, where the junction of the femur head (large bone in the leg) and the hip socket do not fit as they should. Often, surgery is necessary to correct the problem.
• In and In: inbreeding of dogs without regards to results
• Inbred: descriptive of offspring of mated dogs that are closely related to each other
• Inbreeding: practice of mating siblings to each other—father to daughter, mother to son, or other animals closely related to each other.
• Kennel: 1.backyard doghouse where family pets or breeding stock are kept. 2. commercial establishment used to maintain a group of dogs, such as a boarding kennel. 3. in foxhunting, fox’s lair. 4. foxhunting term for the hound pack’s lodging place.
• Kennel type: bloodline or strain of dogs that has been developed by an individual breeder in a specific kennel
• Line: 1. family of related dogs, usually bred by a single kennel. 2. in foxhunting, the track of a quarry that is indicated by scent. 3. a stripe, streak or lineal mark on a dog’s coat
• Linebreeding: mating two dogs that have the same bloodline but are not closely related; a technique used to concentrate and fix genetic features in dog.
• Lineage: genealogical descent from a common ancestor; dog’s pedigree or family tree.
• Metacarpus: referring to bones leading from the carpus (wrist) to the toes; anatomical region of the forepastern.
• Molossian dog: Greek sculpture of a Mastiff that belonged to Olympias, the daughter of King Pyrrhus. It is supposed to be a direct ancestor of the modern Mastiff.
• Mongrel: cur; mutt; mixed breeds; dogs of unknown ancestry and questionable parentage.
• Mops: 1. profuse hair on the paws. 2. German name for the Pug.
• OFA: Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
• OFA-certified: a dog’s hips have been x-rayed for hip dysplasia, a very common and debilitating genetic disease.
• Pariah dog: is used as a generic term for dogs with a more or less intensive human connection. Some scientists reserve the term for the Indian dog of a specific type, i.e. a Pariah dog: ownerless half-wild mongrel dog common around Asian villages especially India.
• Plucking: pulling out loose hair by hand
• Puppy Mill: place in which puppies are bred, often in unsuitable and sometimes inhumane conditions, for sale to dealers
• Purebred: a dog that has parents of the same breed.
• Schutzhund: dog that is specially trained and conditioned for guard and attack work.
• Schutzhund competition: tests of a guard dog’s training in attacking a well padded “enemy”.
• Sch: abbreviation for the sport of Schutzhund.
• Sire: male parent
• Square-proportioned: height at withers equal to length from point of sternum to point of croup.
• Stacking: teaching a dog to stand in a show stance that exhibits its characteristics favorably.
• Standard: the official blueprint for a breed.
• Stifle: knee joint; articulation between the tibia and fibula and the femur.
• Stray dog: a dog more or less associated with man who does not have a home; homeless; without a home.
• Stripping: the process of hand plucking the outer guard hairs either with your fingers or a stripping knife. removal of the undercoat and dead outercoat without losing the harsh texture; plucking.
• Substance: fairly heavy bone and musculature
• Typey: having a superior body conformation; meeting the breeds standard
• Variety: a subtype of a breed that is shown separately, but that can be interbred with other varieties of the same breed.
• Weedy: lacking sufficient bone and musculature
• Wicket: device for measuring the height of a dog, consisting of two vertical bars joined by a horizontal bar that can be adjusted for height.

 Reference-on request