Dog or Canine Terms +

(dogs are considered to be the companions and best friends of humans and this list of terms will help all of us understand the topics that exist about our canine friends)

abdomen
The belly or under surface between the chest and hindquarters.
acetabulum
The cup-shaped portion of the sacrum (region of the vertebral column) that articulates with the head or proximal portion of the femur (thigh bone) and which is anatomically important in evaluating hip dysplasia (unusual development or growth).
Achilles tendon
The longest and strongest tendon in a dog which is easily discernible in short-haired breeds; such as, the Greyhound and Whippet breeds.

The Achilles tendon forms an extension of the rearmost thigh muscle groups and anchors these muscles onto the fibular tarsal bone at the point of the hock or collection of bones of the hind leg forming the joint between the second thigh and the metatarsus or the collection of bones of the hind legs forming the joints.

achondroplasia
A form of genetic dwarfism specifically characterized by arrested development of the long bones.

A defect in most breeds and a requisite in others; such as, Dachshunds amd Basset Hounds.

acromegaly
A medical term for gigantism.

The result of abnormal growth patterns involving height, weight, skin, and at times, the head. Acromegaly is a result of pituitary gland abnormalities.

action
A term that describes component functions of locomotion; such as, "action of the hocks"; a synonym for "gait" in some standards.
Agility Excellent, AX
A suffix title conferred on dogs for qualifying the requisite number of times in the Agility Excellent class at The American Kennel Club Agility Trials.
agility trials
An organized competition at which dogs negotiate a series of obstacles and jumps in three classes of increasing difficulty.

Titles are earned at each level of Novice, Open, and Excellent by qualifying for a predetermined number of times.

agouti
Used to describe Siberian Huskies with reference to the aternating bands of light and dark color along each hair in the dog's coat.
albino
A relatively rare, genetically recessive condition characterized by the inability to synthesize melanin (dark pigment produced by the body which gives color to the skin, hair and eyes) or lacking pigmentation which results in white hair and pink eyes.
amble of dogs
A relaxed, easy gait in which the legs on either side move almost, but not quite, as a pair.

Often seen as the transition movement between a walk and other gaits.

angulation
The angles formed by the appendicular skeleton (body parts that are associated with the limbs), including the forequarters; such as, shoulders (scapula), upper arm (humerous), forearm (radius, ulna), wrist (carpus), pastern (metacarpus), toes (phalanges) and hindquarters (hip, pelvis), thigh (femur), second thigh (tibia, fibula), hock (tarsus), rear pastern (metatarsus), and toes (phalanges).
ankylosis
The abnormal immobility and fusion of a joint.
anterior
A reference to the front assembly of the body.
apron
The longer hair below the neck on the chest; a frill.