Where it is
The highest point of the trunk, between the shoulder blades, just behind the neck.
- Layer
- Exterior and regions
- System
- Body regions
- Region
- Trunk
What it is and what it does
The withers are the highest point of the trunk, between the shoulder blades. Under the skin lie the spinous processes of the first thoracic vertebrae and the upper edges of the two scapulae. They are the standard landmark for a dog's height: "height at the withers" is measured from here to the ground.
For how to measure correctly, see the module "How to measure a dog": the dog stands square on a flat surface and the measurement is taken at the highest point of the shoulder blades.
Names
- Also called: interscapular region.
- Latin term: regio interscapularis.
- In Romanian: Greabănul (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
Body regions: what is where (4 min):
The withers: the highest point of the trunk, between the shoulder blades. Height is measured from here.
How to measure, how growth works, what the coat is (5 min):
Height: from the ground to the highest point of the shoulder blades, with the dog standing square on a flat surface.
Read the dog's body (5 min):
The play bow restarts play after a pause (Byosiere 2016); raised hackles mean heightened arousal, not necessarily aggression.
Questions from the atlas
"Find it on the drawing" questions whose answer is this structure; in the atlas you will find them in the question bank and in the lessons.
- Show the withers on the drawing. (level 1)