Part 1: Knowing What's What

Dogz are special - we all know that. They are so unique, in fact, that they have two different poses that they can do and each have standards. Both, however, are based upon four main factors: Head (alignment and adjustment), Legs, Tail, and Body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dali Pose is popular among dalmations (where the pose originated from) and hexed petz that use the dalmation file as a base. In this form, the whole dogz' body is shown in the picture, parallel to the camera and the his/her head is turned so that both eyes can be seen. The dogz should ALWAYS be facing to the right.

The Head	Should be centered and lined up at a 90 degree angle against the body. Dogz, unlike their feline counterparts, don't need to worry about eyelids, but eyes should be open and focusing directly at the camera with a candid expression. Starstruck faces and bug-eyes don't count as proper posing. The overall face should be symmetrical and ears should not portrude or stick unless hexed to do so.
The Legs	Should be as close together as possible, one right behind the other so that it looks like one leg. In the "perfect pose," the toes (and possibly part of the heel) from the opposite foot are visible, but not outdone.
The Tail	For normal standards, tails should curl nicely above the back in a tight "C" shape. Docked tails may just point strait up (or out at a 45 degree angle, depending on the breed), and addball tails are held accordingly (based on the specific breed).
The Body	The chest should be puffed out proudly, but not over/underdone. The tone of the torso should be proud and relaxed, but not lazy. The dogz should also be in good health, not to skinny and not too fat - but right in the middle.
Pneumonic Device	When I was getting used to all the different catagories to enter petz for shows, I found a way to remember what the "Dali Show" meant. It is this: Look at the word "Dali." The "i" reminded me that I should see both "eyes" in the photograph!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dane Pose is the other type of position a dogz can be in and is designed for any dog breedz (though, adult dalmations don't look so good in it). This form follows many of the same rules that the Dali form does, all except for the head -- which should be looking to the right (along with the rest of the body).

The Head	Should be facing forward so that only one eye and one ear is visible. The alignment should not be to far upwards or downwards, but level and completely in sync with the rest of the body.
The Legs	Should be lined up and as stait as possible, one right behind the other so that it looks like one leg. There may be a small amount of the foot (anything below the ankle) from the opposite foot visible, but not outdone.
The Tail	Follow the guidelines for the Dali tail and addball exceptions. Remember that the tail should be wrapped around the back in the tightest "C" shape as possible unless the dogz breed permits otherwise.
The Body	The overall conditions are the same as above. Make sure that the dogz is healthy, has a puffed chest, and wears a brisk, yet proud look about them that clearly shows an arrogent side beneath all that cuddly fur!
Pneumonic Device	To remember what the "Dane Show" meant, here is something to think about: Look at the word "Dane." The "ne" reminds me of the english spelling for the number 1. Remember that there should only be ONE eye and ONE ear showing in the photograph.

Part 2: Obvious Mistakes

	Attemped Pose: Dali The Head: Whoops - this is no showing face! It's a board face... and truthfully, is out of line completely. There is no symmetry in the face at all (look at those un-even ears, as if struck by a gust of wind) The Legs: Not too shabby! For the most part, they are lined up well, but I can still see a little bit of the left foreleg and the hind qurarters could be straiter. The Tail: It works... but this dog doesn't usually show pose with it at that angle. The Body: This dog is almost too relaxed - barely holding up the rear end well and slouchy front end. The chest has a limited puff to it, and does not hold the head on very well. It's pour posture overall, and says little to compliment anything but the health (which is perfect).
	Attempted Pose: Dali The Head: Ah, this is a mild case of the "bug-eye" syndrome. It has the look of shock and/or unpreparedness. The head alignment is way off, not over the body at a 90 degree angle, which causes a patch of fur just next to the jaw to be seen (which it shouldn't). symmetry is a little better, but not absolute. The Legs: The hind quarters arn't showing at all, that is what they look like at their relaxed state. Likewise applies to the front - and I can see part of the left left leg that should be lined up more carefully. The brown part of the right leg / paw should be turned a little, as well. The Tail: Better than my first example, but still off slightly. Needs work ;) The Body: Overall, this dog is not posing. There is no evidence of a puffed chest nor support for the other limbs, etc. The photo was probably snapped after the dogz finished a bark...
	Attempted Pose: Dali The Head: Can you say: "Lack of symmetry?" The main problem that this attempt is "faced" with is the long-neck syndrome. This tends to put every facial feature off balance, except for (in this case) the eyes - which, by themselves, couldn't look better. Otherwise... well... at least he's looking at the camera! The Legs: Don't drink too much milk, now! Seemingly broken legs with positions that have just gone-to-the-dogz are caused by overdoing the posture. See "Body" explanation for more detail. The Tail: Wow! Now that is what you call an attempt to reach for the sky and strech one's tail at the same time >O_o< The Body: Now, in this photo, we have clearly caught the attention of the dogz, but he is trying to hard. It is almost as if he's too stressed. The chest is far too puffy for its own good, and the shape of the overall torso is molded improperly. Waiting a few seconds after this pose would have been the ideal time to snap the photograph.
	Attempted Pose: Dali The Head: This is a cute pose. Unfortunately, it doesn't fly that well. Cute does NOT equal professional! Either way, the head should be straitened to a 90 degree angle over the body. Other than that, the symmetry has a nice flow to it. The Legs: The hind-quarters are pretty much perfect. But, the forelegs are quite a mess. Not only can I see the front of the left leg (all the way up), but I can see the back of it, too! My that's talented, just a little line issue. The Tail: I think the back-half of this dog is wonderful, and the tail is certainly something to be admired. Perfect for this dog, and exemplary for all docked tails! The Body: The chest could be a little more puffy, but other than that (and the head), it looks fantastic. The shape, especially near the tail, couldn't get any better and the belly shows a clear sign or good health.
	Attempted Pose: Dali The Head: Ah, the biggest problem. Looking down, away, up, or just not keeping an eye (or two) on the camera is a big no-no. Notice how the ears are un-even and lacks the vertical "punch" that would set this pose right. The Legs: They seem a little slouchy to me... and maybe off by just a pixel or two in some areas, but for the most part, this is not a bad posture. I've had dogz obtain in shows with legs messier than this... The Tail: Here is an example of an addballs tail. It's perfectly fine as it is. The Body: Overall, I think that this dogz is a little on the skinny side. She seems not to puff her chest much at all, which leads me to believe that she was to relaxed, or just recovered from a bug-eye syndrome event. The back-line looks very nice, however.
	Attempted Pose: Dane The Head: The level on this head is quite ideal, and there is only one eye / ear to be seen. Apart from facing the wrong way, it is perfect. The Legs: It's kind of easy to see -- I see all four of them, leg-ankle-foot-toes-and all. The legs are a critical point in this pose, simply because it sets just about everything else off. So, make sure to line them up! The Tail: Well, it's an attempt! It seems a little cock-eyed and bent out of shape due to the angle of the body - but if it were facing the correct direction and at the correct angle, it would have worked... The Body: Oops, wrong way! For a dogz, especially, facing this way can make subject for a number of critical errors... add on top of that the little mishap in the legs and you spell the recipe for another picture. As a whole, the torso seems to fade off really fast and the shape is un-even. Turning the petz around would help with that some.
	Attempted Pose: Dane The Head: Not bad - the eye concept has been nailed! However, there are two ears showing and the adjustment is slightly too low (by a pixel or two). Also, the picture was lined up correctly (with the legs), the head would actually be looking AWAY from the camara -- I was just lucky to catch it... The Legs: Here is the main problem -- becuase the legs are off, it throws a nasty kink in the proportions of the other features. Even the back legs show a little too much of the toes, and at the wrong angle. The front legs, I don't need to comment about - they are self-explanitory. The Tail: It has a nice "C" shape, but could be much tighter and less like an oval-curl. The Body: The good thing is that the chest on this dogz is nicely puffed and is in good health. The form for the back and belly is excellent, considering the breeds. All that needs to be fixed is the adjustment problem (angle-wise) and this pup is set.
	Attempted Pose: Dane The Head: We have a slight case of the "long-neck" syndrome going on here, and along with it this dogz is looking to the sky rather than directly in front of him. This causes me to spot his other eye and part of the left ear. The eyelids also look a little... um... funny. The Legs: Oh, nearly there! The feet / paws are O.K. - but show a bit much for comfort. However, I do see a bit of the upper legs - which is due to a lining issue. The Tail: Though it could be a SMIDGE tighter, I won't complain this time. :P The Body: Overall, this pup seems to be in relative health - but could improve some for the proportions of the legs, etc. The chest is exemplary and the back has a beautiful curve. However, the whole thing seems a little out of balance.
	Attempted Pose: Hmm... Good Question Commentary: And the moral of this story, ladies and gentlefolk, is that even when it gets to the point of ultimate frustration, there is always a pose out there somewhere that is worse than yours! I don't know, you tell me what's wrong with him. >^o^<

Part 3: Learn From the Best Examples

Below I have listed some poses that you may look at for reference. They are only sample poses, however, and are NOT to be taken for use outside of PixiMyst. Mouse over each one for more details. Note that not all of them are perfect.