The clusterflump we call a "breed standard"

[BostonBanker]

Oh, I wasn't trying to pass judgement on whether or not that is a good standard; my knowledge of APBT conformation is pretty much the same as my knowledge of nuclear physics. But it doesn't seem contradictory to me, as the OP implied, because it sounds like what I (tried) to draw.

To me, the standard describes four very distinct parts of the body (withers, back, loin, croup).

[Saeleofu]

To me, the standard describes four very distinct parts of the body (withers, back, loin, croup).

That's how I read it, too. I think it definitely CAN be confusing if you're reading it quickly and there are all these up/down/straight/arched/etc words in there.

The only bit I thought was odd was "inclines very slightly downward" - I'd reword it as "slopes very slightly downward" since incline is generally understood to be sloping upwards.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

*shrug* Like I said, I'm a horse person more than a dog person when it comes to this sort of thing. But it all sounds good to me, and much like what I would want in a sport horse, although the loin doesn't tend to narrow as much in a horse as a dog.

I'm not a horse person but I read it the same as you. To me, that is what is meant by those terms.