Though there are three basic categories that dog skulls fall into, dolichocephalic, mesaticephalic and brachycephalic, the size, shape and proportions of dog skulls is more varied than any other mammal on the planet.
There are those who say that every breed is a “head breed”, because the head is the one feature a breed dog that’s unique and instantly sets it apart from all other breeds (think Bull Terrier versus Affenpinscher). Others believe that every breed is a “head breed” because the dog’s head is what we look at most of the time. Some breeds really are known as “head breeds,” in part because their breed standard places emphasis on a good “head piece” (from the Collie standard: “The head properties are of great importance”) – but why? Usually (and very simplistically put), “head breeds” are the breeds that have a lot going on with their heads.
The Boxer standard devotes over 550 words to describe an ideal head, from its proportions and wrinkles, to eye placement, ear set, forehead and fore skull shape – and that’s not counting the lips, cheeks, muzzle shape and jaws. An old saw about a correct American Cocker Spaniel heads says that its muzzle has to be strong enough to carry a bird and a skull large enough to contain a brain, and in between are nuances that make this breed’s head distinctly from an English Cocker Spaniel’s head. When the head is correct, it’s a thing of beauty, and it’s not just a marvel of nature, its the efforts of a conscientious breeder.
For the record, the heads of the American Cocker and English Cocker Spaniels are quite different and one of the critical aspects that defines both breeds. The skull of the American Cocker Spaniel is much more rounded with no hint of flatness, and its stop is pronounced. The English Cocker’s skull is arched from the side, and slightly flattened on top. Its stop is more moderate.
Image: Boxer by John Carwithen (UK based artist)
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