"Pacing" in dogs

Shantara

Shantara

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So, we all know how certain paces can be breed specific with horses - Standies pace, Walking horses have that odd walk and Icelandics tolt...but is that the case with dogs?

I mention it as I saw a Lab pacing like a standardbred, instead of trotting and I've noticed it in a lot of other single dogs (instead of whole breeds) pacing like that.

Does anyone know why?
 
One of our Salukis paces at times but I think its because he has damaged his back in the past. My old Irish Sport horse used to pace occasionally too. again I think it was back related as he developed kissing spine. I watched one of your jumping vids recently and I swear he went almost exactly the same as your boy and deffo had no Standardbred blood in him.:(

My OH was very interested in your horse as he has a wee Rocky Mountain Horse who does the 'walk' thing :)
 
My old GSD did it (I had a siggy pic of him which bugged the hell out of me!!), turned out as mentioned he had an issue with his back. They are a fast trotting breed but pacing is not desirable.

MasterBenedict, my friends show OES do it, they call it 'ambling' and they do usually try and get them back 'on the diagonal' by speeding up.

Can be laziness as much as a pain issue.
 
Pacing is often seen, in any breed, when the dog (from a pup) has been forced to match his walking speed to that of an owner who doesn't stride out much. The dog has no physical problems usually & can be encouraged out of pacing.
 
Mine collie x bull lurcher) has always preferred to pace but will trot if stopped and started sometimes, although will often go back down to pacing. It happens more and more these days, and is definitely a sign of discomfort in him if I can't get him to stop pacing. He has hip and lower back problems.

A lot of bull terriers seem to do it from what I've observed, not sure if it is to do with their build making it harder for them to move diagonally?
 
Oh, and when I was at an evening with Mary Ray, she implied that it was laziness as one of the first things she does when teaching heelwork is encourage the trot rather than pace. If I remember rightly that required some fairly fast walking at times until they learned the appropriate movement!
 
I have had whippets who paced when tired or going too slowly for their conformation. In my experience in whippets it seems to be linked with over angulated rear ends. ie: too much length of stifle. The same dog handled at the correct speed will trot perfectly!
 
One of my huskies paces but only ever in harness, not on walks. My current theory is that it's because he is the complete opposite of his team mate - he's short coupled, deep chested and has a very long pace, she is lanky, long but upright through both shoulder and stifle with a shorter trot. He can pace as fast as she can outright run and often does, particularly towards the end of the trail when he's tiring.

That or he's just fick and speshul. :p

Both dogs are the same height but she wears a harness 2" longer than him:

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A lot of mals we have met pace including ours. It seems to happen when we go at that awkward speed too fast for their walk but too slow for their trot. They have quite ground covering trot so I think the pacing is a low energy mid speed for them
 
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