Dog anatomy

Dog anatomy comprises the anatomical study of the visible parts of the body of a domestic dog. Details of structures vary tremendously from breed to breed, more than in any other animal species, wild or domesticated,[1] as dogs are highly variable in height and weight. The smallest known adult dog was a Yorkshire Terrier that stood only 6.3 cm (2.5 in) at the shoulder, 9.5 cm (3.7 in) in length along the head and body, and weighed only 113 grams (4.0 oz). The heaviest dog was an English Mastiff named Zorba, which weighed 314 pounds (142 kg).[2] The tallest known adult dog is a Great Dane that stands 106.7 cm (42.0 in) at the shoulder.[3]

External anatomy (topography) of a typical dog: 1. Head 2. Muzzle 3. Dewlap (throat, neck skin) 4. Shoulder 5. Elbow 6. Forefeet 7. Croup (rump) 8. Leg (thigh and hip) 9. Hock 10. Hind feet 11. Withers 12. Stifle 13. Paws 14. Tail
  1. ^ Scientists fetch useful information from dog genome publications, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 7 December 2005; published online in Bio-Medicine Archived 19 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine quote: "Phenotypic variation among dog breeds, whether it be in size, shape, or behavior, is greater than for any other animal"
  2. ^ Donald McFarlan (1 December 1988). Guinness Book of World Records, 1989. Sterling. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-8069-0276-0. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  3. ^ "Guinness World Records – Tallest Dog Living". Guinness World Records. 31 August 2004. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2009.