Structure, Function & What It All Means for Your Dog With Suzanne Clothier

Architects have a saying: form follows function. A bridge is shaped the way it is because of what it needs to do. A sprinter's body looks the way it does because of what it has been built to accomplish. The same principle applies, with remarkable precision, to dogs.

In this two-part recorded webinar with a live Q&A after both recordings, Suzanne Clothier takes you into the elegant and sometimes complicated relationship between how a dog is built and what that dog can do. This is foundational knowledge for anyone working with dogs professionally, whether you are a trainer, a bodywork practitioner, a behavior consultant, or someone who simply wants to understand the animal in front of you more completely.

Part One: Structure and Function  Structure is how a dog is built. Function is how a dog works. These two things are inseparable, and understanding their relationship changes how you see every dog you work with.  Structure sets the limits for function. A dog's conformation cannot be altered or modified. Function, on the other hand, is highly changeable. It can be improved. It can also be degraded. And when function changes, form eventually follows. The reverse is equally true. This is not a one-way street. It is a continuous loop with real consequences for every dog in our care.  Ideal structure is defined by the job the dog was built to do. The further a dog moves from that structural ideal, the greater the stresses placed on the body. The goal for any dog is great structure suitable to their needs, combined with full function in all critical aspects. Knowing where your dog falls on that spectrum is where everything else begins.  

Part Two: Differences  Not all dogs are built alike. Understanding the major body type categories gives you a practical framework for assessing the individual dog in front of you, recognizing what they are working with, and understanding why certain things come easily and others do not.  Suzanne walks through the primary morphological types and the achondroplastic forms, covering the structural characteristics of each, their functional advantages, and the trade-offs and vulnerabilities that come with the territory.  

Live Q&A  Following the two pre-recorded sessions, Suzanne will join live for a question and answer session. Bring your curiosity and your questions.  Who Should Attend  This webinar is designed for dog training professionals, behavior consultants, canine bodywork practitioners, and serious students of canine anatomy and movement. If you have ever looked at a dog and wondered why they move the way they do, why certain things are hard for them, or what their body is actually telling you, this webinar is for you.  

We would love to welcome you live, however the recording will be available for 30 days after the event for you to revisit.

CEUs details are pending with PPG and IAABC