Does conformation matter?

Much is made about conformation, particularly for show dogs. We all admire sportsmen and women or dancers with perfect posture but does it really matter for good health? Our young dog Louis recently had shoulder surgery and I must admit whilst he is a beautiful looking dog (I am a bit biased) his posture is not great and we are working hard to improve it.

Not a good sit!

We have had a lot of dogs over the years. Some with what would be called good conformation and others not so good. They have all had long healthy lives, and I am not really sure what part conformation has played. We could say the same about people too, but if you have a choice, good conformation is desirable, both from an aesthetic point of view but also to allow dogs to realise their ultimate athletic ability with minimal injury or chronic conditions along the way. The following article from “Breeding Better Dogs‘  is a good introduction to desirable traits of structure and movement.