On the variability of skull shape in German shepherd (Alsatian) puppies.

In this study the skulls of 32 German shepherd puppies (40-107 days old) were examined. They were divided into three age groups (40-49, 50-69, and 70-107 days) and the variability of their shapes was determined. Some geometrical shapes were drawn by joining the measuring points. Angle measurements were made on these shapes, which comprised the whole skull, neurocranium, and viscerocranium. The skull index was further calculated in order to assess the correlation, if any, of this index with the angle measurements. It was found that the length of the skull increased more than the width, and, accordingly, the skull became narrower and longer with age. Furthermore, the AZP and AZN angles widened with age, while the ZAZ, ZPZ, NcANc, NcPNc, NcBrNc, SwNSw, and SwPSw angles decreased. The decrease in the skull index, which was not proportionate to the age, showed that the zygomatic width did not increase as much compared to the length of the skull. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.