Brisket?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Brisket?

    I have not really posted on here since my intro post, but I have a male labrador that I am planning in showing in conformation (and maybe some other types of events, when I get everything figured out). Therefore, I have been doing a LOT of reading about the breed standard for the labrador. One standard I found on the Labrador Retriever Club page had some information regarding the dogs' brisket. What is the brisket? I know a lot of the other parts of the body due to my involvement with horses, but I have never heard of a brisket other than it being a cut of meat, and googling on the subject didn't really get me anywhere. Can anyone help me understand what I should be looking at when examining the dog's brisket? Thanks very much.

    • Silver

    I believe it is the area of the dog's chest between the front legs?

    • Gold Top Dog

     That's sort of what I thought too, but on this page: http://www.thelabradorclub.com/subpages/show_contents.php?page=Breed%20Standard

     It says:

     "The brisket should extend to the elbows, but not perceptibly deeper." 

     WAIT! I think I understand all of a sudden. The chest (ribs) should not be below the elbows. Like on the skeletal outline drawing there, the line that is the dog's underline is coming out of just below the elbow joint. I get it now! *Runs to check if this is correct on Cooper*

     I guess I understand now. Thanks! 

    • Silver

    You got it!

    • Gold Top Dog

    I think it actually refers to the ribcage area, most commonly pictured from a side view, not a front view.  Basically, begins at the shoulder and ends where the ribcage/loin area meet.  Anyway, that's what I was able to find, after much digging, on a boxer website.