BTCompass — Structure: The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Posts #1–#13)

This document compiles finalized copy for Facebook posts #1 through #13 in the series “Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters.” Figure references are retained for pairing with graphics. Landmarks referenced as blue in posts should be colored accordingly in visuals.

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #1)

Since this series focuses on form and function, we will primarily address the structures related to movement. This information was initially posted by Naralle Hammond and Stephanie Seabrook Hedgepath. The dogs in the depictions are not Bull Terriers, but the canine skeletal construction is the same.

When examining a dog, it would be far more precise if each of us had access to radiographic equipment so we could know that what we see on the surface is true. Since only some of us have this ability, we will search out the exterior landmarks we can see or feel to determine the skeletal structure beneath the coat, skin, and muscle. In our graphics, these landmarks are colored in blue.

To check the neck’s arch and length, put your hand behind the skull’s occiput (O)—a relatively easy landmark to find. (See Figures 1 & 1A, which show the skull’s outline and the occiput’s approximate point in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #2): Neck to Shoulder Blade (SB)

From this location, follow the line of the neck with your hand until it stops at the shoulder blades (SB)—another important landmark. See Figure 2, which shows the thumb resting on top of the shoulder blade, highlighted in blue.

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #3): Neck-to-Thorax Transition (C7 ? T1)

To find the end of the neck and the beginning of the thorax (ribcage), palpate gently with your finger or thumb to locate the last cervical vertebra (C7). Then feel for the higher projection of the first thoracic vertebra (T1)—a key landmark. In our graphics, this prominence is shown in blue. (See Figures 3 & 3A.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #4): Prosternum (Forechest)

Next, place your hand—palm up—beneath the neck and slide your fingers between the forelegs until you feel the bony prominence of the prosternum (forechest). (See Figure 4.) The landmark formed by the prosternum should fit into the cup of your palm. (In our graphics, this point is shown in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #5): Chest Shape & Sternum (Prosternum ? B1–B2)

With your hand on the dog’s chest, slide your fingers between the forelegs to feel how the ribs curve under the body and attach to the sternum (brisket) beneath the dog. For all but the most rounded chest shapes, this should feel like the keel of a boat as the ribs descend from the spine and meet the sternum.

This palpation helps you gauge chest width, depth, and overall shape—note how the prosternum (Arrow 5 A) seats into the cup of your palm. From there, the sternum (Arrows B1 & B2) continues backward under your fingers from the prosternum, running beneath the dog to provide the attachment for the ribs. (See Figure 5: Prosternum and Sternum, from B1 through B2 and back. In our graphics, these landmarks are shown in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #6): Shoulder Blade Layback (Scapula)

The next all-important step is determining your dog’s shoulder blade layback.

Why it matters

• The front assembly is attached to the body by muscles and ligaments (the shoulder girdle)—there’s no bony joint to the trunk.
• The rear assembly forms a much more rigid connection: the pelvis articulates firmly with the sacrum (three fused vertebrae) at the sacroiliac joint.
• Functionally, the front acts like a “pole vault”—supporting, steering, and absorbing impact—while the rear is the motor that pushes the dog forward. Front and rear angulation should be balanced.

What layback influences

• The angle (layback) of the scapula largely determines the reach your dog can achieve in front.
• More effective layback typically allows the forelimb to extend forward with less lift and better efficiency.

How to find it (hands-on)

• Place your flat fingers over the shoulder blade (scapula).
• Palpate gently through skin and muscle until you feel the ridge running down the center—this is the spine of the scapula (your key landmark).
• Follow that ridge to visualize the scapula’s angle on the body—this shows you the layback.
• Remember: the longer the shoulder blade, the more area for muscle attachment; the shorter, the less.

See Figure 6. In our graphics, the spine of the scapula—the landmark you’ll use to assess layback—is highlighted in blue.

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #7): Scapular Spine in Profile

The spine of the scapula is much easier to understand when seen in profile. (See Figure 7.) The spine of the scapula is marked “A” in Figure 7. From this illustration, it is easy to see how prominent it is and how it could support the attachment of many muscles. The surface marked “B” is the side of the scapula that lays flat against the ribcage and is smooth so that it more easily oscillates (rotates back and forth) against the ribs. The bone marked “C” is the top of the upper arm, and “D” is the ligament (on both sides) that enables the articulation of the two bones. The landmark of the top of the spine of the scapula is shown in blue.

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #8): Palpating the Scapular Spine (Layback)

Set-up (Figure 8)

In most breeds, place the dog four-square in a show stance with the elbow under the withers and the front feet correctly positioned. (Positioning a foot forward or back can change the apparent shoulder-blade angle; raising or lowering the head can, too.) In this position you can easily find the ridge (spine) of the shoulder blade—our landmark shown in blue.

Find the spine of the scapula (Figures 9 & 10)

Figure 9: Place your fingers along where you believe the spine of the shoulder blade lies.

Figure 10: To locate the actual ridge, gently move your fingertips back and forth (as indicated by the arrows) until you feel the bony protrusion—this is the spine of the scapula.

Why this matters (layback assessment)

1. By rotating the skin back and forth, you can feel the protruding ridge that is the scapular spine.
2. By following this ridge down toward the point of shoulder and up toward the withers, you’ll determine the scapula’s true layback.
3. This hands-on method gives a more accurate picture than simply “spotting” what you think are the top of the shoulder blade and the point of shoulder.

Interpreting what you feel (Figure 10)

Once you’ve traced the ridge, you can judge whether the scapula is well laid-back (pointing more toward the dog’s rear) or more upright (pointing more skyward than toward the tail).

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #9): Next Landmark — Point of Shoulder (Figures 11 & 12)

Place your fingers at the point of the shoulder; you can feel a notch at the joint where the shoulder blade meets the upper arm. (See Figure 11.)

• In Figure 12, what we call the point of shoulder is the outside “bump” at the end of the humerus (“B”), while the inside “notch” (“A”) is the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder blade/upper arm junction.
• In most breeds, the upper arm is longer than the shoulder blade, but the palpable landmarks can make them seem equal in length. (In our graphics, these landmarks are shown in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #10): “Return” of the Upper Arm (Elbow Position)

Figure 12. Location of the “Notch” at the junction of the shoulder blade and the upper arm.

From the point of the shoulder, it is easy to palpate the landmark formed by the end of the upper arm at the elbow. The upper arm should “return” back underneath the dog’s body so the elbow is positioned approximately under the withers at the highest point of the shoulder blade. (See Figure 12C.) This position is what is meant by “return of upper arm.” (See Figure 13.)

(In our graphics, these landmarks are shown in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #11): Bone vs. Muscle — What Actually Moves the Dog

When discussing a dog’s structure, remember: bone doesn’t create motion—it’s a support framework. Muscles move the bones.

Overall conformation is shaped by the condition, size, shape, and distribution of muscles working with the skeleton. Some dogs have shorter, “bunchy/weight-lifter–type” muscles; others have longer, sleeker, “runner–type” muscles. (Think Bull Terrier vs. Whippet.) You don’t want bunchy muscles on a Whippet, nor sleek, long-distance runner muscles on a Bull Terrier.

Key effects to watch:

• A dog with upright shoulders and straight stifles may have the same back length as a better-angled dog but will appear shorter overall.
• A dog with shortened front reach will often show bounce over the withers due to pounding—the front leg is driven into the ground by rear propulsion.
• A dog with less rear angulation will typically show less pounding/bounce when paired with straighter front angulation, simply because the ends are more in balance.

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #12): Shoulder Blade “Lay-On” (Placement on the Chest)

The final area to address in examining the front assembly is the placement of the shoulder blade on the side of the chest. When the shoulder blade is set correctly, there is a pleasant rounding of the chest.

If the shoulder blades are set too far forward, they tend to point toward each other. You will often see a dog out at the elbows that also toes in. (See Figure 14.) When shoulders are placed too far forward, the muscles holding the blade are usually not strong enough to prevent paddling or other time-wasting motions as the dog approaches at a trot.

In Figure 14, the shoulder blade on the dog’s left side shows proper placement (often referred to as how the blade is “laid-on” as opposed to merely “laid-back”). The dog on the right has shoulder blades placed too far forward on the chest; you can see how the blades point toward each other more, which can cause elbows to turn out and feet to toe in.

Viewing the left-side shoulder blade from this angle makes it easier to understand how the blade is laid onto the body. (See Figure 14.) This example shows a fairly well-laid-back shoulder blade, making its attachment to the body easier to visualize. The way the shoulder blade is laid onto the body (“lay-on”) also determines the distance between the two shoulder blades. (In our graphics, key landmarks are shown in blue.)

Structure — The Head, Chest & Forequarters (Post #13): Series Summary & Ringside Checklist

What this series covered

We focused on form and function, using external landmarks you can see or feel to understand the skeletal framework beneath coat, skin, and muscle—no radiographs required. In our graphics, key landmarks are shown in blue. This information was initially posted by Naralle Hammond and Stephanie Seabrook Hedgepath. The dogs depicted are not Bull Terriers, but the canine skeletal construction is the same.

Landmarks & concepts recap (Posts #1–#12)

1. Occiput (O): Start behind the skull to gauge the neck’s arch and length.
2. Neck ? Shoulder Blade (SB): Follow the neck into the scapula—a primary anchor for front assembly.
3. C7 ? T1: Find the last cervical vertebra and the higher T1 projection to mark the neck–thorax transition.
4. Prosternum: Hand palm-up between the forelegs; the forechest should seat into your palm.
5. Sternum & Keel: Feel ribs curving to the sternum (B1–B2)—like a boat’s keel—to read width, depth, and chest shape.
6. Scapular Layback: The spine of the scapula is your key ridge; its angle influences front reach.
7. Scapula in Profile: A = Scapular spine; B = smooth rib-side surface; C = top of upper arm; D = ligament/joint capsule enabling articulation.
8. Set the Dog Four-Square: Elbow under withers; head/feet correctly placed. Skin-glide palpation finds the scapular spine reliably.
9. Point of Shoulder: Outside bump at the humerus (“B”) and the inside notch (“A”) at the shoulder joint.
10. Return of Upper Arm: Elbow should return under the withers—that’s correct upper-arm placement.
11. Bone vs Muscle: Bone supports; muscle moves. Conformation depends on muscle type/condition and balanced angulation (reduces pounding and wither bounce).
12. Shoulder “Lay-On”: Proper placement on the chest yields pleasing rounding; too far forward can point blades inward, cause elbows out/toeing in, and waste motion (paddling).

How to use this at ringside

Read structure through landmarks ? predict function in motion.

Balanced angulation front to rear = smoother stride, less pounding, better endurance.

Scapular layback + upper-arm return = efficient reach and shock absorption.

Check shoulder lay-on to understand front alignment (elbows/feet) and overall efficiency.

Quick checklist

• Find O ? neck length/arch ? SB ? C7/T1.
• Confirm prosternum, sternum/keel, and chest width/depth.
• Palpate scapular spine (skin-glide), judge layback.
• Locate point of shoulder (notch/bump).
• Verify return of upper arm (elbow under withers).
• Evaluate muscle balance and shoulder lay-on.
• Watch movement—does what you felt match what you see?

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