A dog's framework is its skeleton, consisting of bones connected to each other by joints. Different types of joints allow varying ranges of motion: some joints are immovable (as between the bones of the skull), while others allow a full range of motion in three dimensions (as the joint between the skull and the vertebral column).
Striated muscle, which is attached to the bones by tendons, moves the skeleton. Contraction of the muscles moves the bones relative to each other, with motions such as flexion and extension. Muscular contraction is governed by nerves through the intermediary of the central nervous system: the cerebrum and cerebellum control voluntary movements, while the spinal cord controls reflexes. Neurons involved in controlling movement are called motor neurons, to distinguish them from the sensory neurons that carry information to the brain.
A dog can move at four different gaits, the walk, trot, gallop and pace, which may be more or less developed in different breeds. Dogs are good jumpers and fair swimmers, again, depending on the breed.
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