Understanding Physical Anatomy of a Dog Posted By : David Coax

Understanding Physical Anatomy of a Dog - By: David CoaxTo effectively understand dog training, a dog trainer must understand the physical anatomy of a dog.

Bone structure

Bone is a continually changing and actively metabolising tissue in the living animal. It is composed primarily of the minerals calcium and phosphorus, in an organic connective tissue framework which is mainly protein. The physical function of bone is to provide a skeleton structure which supports and protects the soft tissue, and to provide levers against which the various skeletal muscles move.

Other functions of bone are mineral storage - in the hard bone itself; fat storage and the formation of blood cells occur in the marrow. The dog has 319 bones in its skeletal structure

Digestive system

The digestive system consists of all the organs needed to ingest food and transform it by mechanical and chemical means into energy. The system comprises the digestive tract proper, beginning with the mouth (buccal cavity) and the glands linked to it.

The dog, a meat-eating mammal, uses its mouth - specifically, its 4-canine teeth - to seize prey. The flesh of the prey is then masticated through the movements of the lower jaw, or mandible. The premolar and the carnassial (the last upper idremolar and first lower molar, which are particularly developed) tear the meat to pieces, and the molars crush the bones. All of the dog's teeth become worn with age. Examining the incisors and canines can sometimes give a good idea of how old a dog is. However, the food given to domestic animals, and consequently the wear on their teeth, varies a great deal. Saliva is secreted by means of glands in the mouth. The saliva