Where is a Dog's Center of Gravity?
Knowing where a dog's center of gravity is found can help us make better owners, allowing us to better understand our canine companions and how their bodies work. Discover more about your dog's center of gravity.
What is Gravity?
Gravity is ultimately what keeps us and our beloved canine companions on the ground. Without any gravity, we would be, not only falling over, but literally falling off the surface of earth, floating away.
It is ultimately thanks to gravity that, when you toss a ball for your dog to fetch, it comes right back down allowing your dog an opportunity to grasp it rather than it taking off up the sky.
It is also thanks to gravity that your dog enjoys sitting under the table in hopes of some tasty morsels falling down.
Gravity is something that has attracted researchers for years. It wasn’t until 1666 that Isaac Newton described the force of gravity, creating what is known as Newton’s laws of universal gravitation.
There's belief that Newton was inspired to study gravity after watching an apple fall off from a tree. He started wondering why it would fall rather than float away!
Every planet (and even outer space) has different strengths of gravity. The earth has a very strong gravitational force that pulls everything towards its center like a magnet.
This pull is very potent compared to outer space which explains why we see astronauts floating when in outer space while instead we can comfortably keep our feet on the ground.
What is the Center of Gravity?
The center of gravity is an imaginary point where objects and living beings weigh evenly on all sides. If you have a ball, it can therefore be said that its center of gravity would be locate at the middle.
It is quite easy to determine the center of gravity in evenly shaped objects with uniform density such as a ball or ruler, but when it comes to living beings, things can get more complicated.
When it comes to us humans, for instance, we need to consider that our top half of the body tends to weigh more than the lower bottom half. Considering this factor, we can deduce that our center of gravity will be around the hip level or a little over the waist.
The center of gravity is what keeps things balanced and prevents them from falling over. For example, if you keep a box of cookies on the table, but too close to the edge, that box will likely fall if most of its weight is leaning that way.
It can be therefore said, in such scenario, that the box fell because it was off its center of gravity.
Where is a Dog's Center of Gravity?
In the dog, the weight tends to be more concentrated on the forelegs rather than the rear legs.
According to Linda P. Case, in most dogs the center of gravity will be located just behind the dog's shoulders, about one-third of the way up to the body.
Knowing where your dog's center of gravity is located can help you in many ways. For instance, knowing where a dog's center of gravity is can help you better understand your dog's balance and stability when your dog is navigating difficult terrains and for proper handling, while minimizing the risk of injury.
Understanding a dog's center of gravity can also be helpful for reading a dog's body language.
"When I first meet a dog, my primary attention is on the dog's center of gravity and his breathing. Is the dog leaning toward me, away from me or is standing square over all four paws? Is the dog frozen still, breathing normally or breathing too fast with shallow breathes?," says Patricia McConnell in the book: "The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs."
Center of Gravity Changes in the Lame Dog
Leach et al. in 1977 reported that dogs manifested with abnormal gaits when one or more legs did not bear the weight of the body. The weight shift towards the healthy legs led to a consequent shifting of the dog's center of gravity.
The authors also observed how in dogs suffering from osteochondritis dessicans, the hind legs took more responsibility for support of the animal, whereas in hip dysplasia, the front legs overreached leading to a dropping of the anterior part of body and the head was kept at a lower position than normal.
These compensations caused shifts to the dog's center of gravity.
Jayes and Alexander in 1978 found that a dog's center of gravity lies close to the front legs, probably close to the base of the dog's heart. When standing normally, 60 percent of the dog's total body weight was borne by front legs.
Riser et al. in 1969 discovered how when a dog suffers from lameness on the back legs it would carry more weight by the front legs, further back under the center of mass.
Shifting the Center of Gravity
Did you know? When dogs accelerate, brake, walk along narrow structures, jump and turn at fast speeds, they use their tail for balance in a similar fashion as tightrope walkers do when using an horizontal pole.
If you were to watch a dog jump over an obstacle in slow motion, you would notice how the tail lowers as he takes off, then flicks up in mid-flight, and ends up lowering again as he touches the ground.
All these well-orchestrated tail movements are meant to adjust the dog’s center of gravity so he can balance himself and avoid drastic falls. Amazing, huh?
References:
Position of centre of gravity in different species: A review A Soni · 2020 Anupam Soni, Sharad Mishra, AK Santra, VN Khune, Rupal Pathak, MD. Bobade, Ashutosh Dubey, Sudheer Bhagat and Subhrajit Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies
Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or behavioral advice. If your dog is acting sick or aggressive please consult with a qualified professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
