This is simply not true. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and English Setters are other breeds which sport an exceptionally noticeable bump. If you want to the about the ancestors of your dog breed dog tail shape gives you an indication. The dog tail is nothing but can give you an idea of the lineage of the dog. I think what you are describing is the dog's occiput, a bony bump at the back of the skull. This large bump on the dogs head is actually the occipital bone which can be more prominent in both breeds and individual dogs. I gave him an anitinflammatory med called Metacam for dogs and it went down but now it is back and he is still on the antinflammatory med. About the author: Adrienne Farricelli is a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant. One of the amazing thing about the domesticated dog is that every breed has a differing skull. The lump on top of the skull (Occipital Protuberance) is common with many breeds. I noticed that all of a sudden the occipital bone on my dogs head is 3X the size it was earlier in the day. So to this day it is prominent in most Scent Hounds. Some dogs like bloodhounds have a more prominent occiput. Myths in dog folklore believed that size of the occiputal protuberance was somehow a measure of the dog's sense of smell. But whatever maybe all dogs are good companions and they love their owner. "Her work has appeared in several print and online publications including E-how, USA Today, Every Dog Magazine, Daily Puppy and Connecticut Dog Magazine. The occiput in dog terms is the bump or protuberance clearly seen at the back of the skull in some breeds like the English Setter and Bloodhound. This is why it will not surprise you that some people often linked them to the dog’s level of intelligence. Since the bump was so large, and Bloodhounds’ sense of smell is so keen, some believed there was a correlation between the two. A more prominent occiput is indicative of this disease because dogs with masticatory myositis experience a loss of muscle mass all around the head area. Occiput. In some breeds, this is more pronounced than in others. The Old English Sheepdog owes his original name precisely to the peculiarity of being born with a very small tail. The Bobtail has a very cute face and seems to always be happy. She is also a former veterinarian assistant, and author of the popular online dog training course "Brain Training for Dogs. However, in other breeds it is barely perceptible. So when breed standards refer to the length of a dog's skull, this measurement does not include the occiput as this is part of the occipital … The head is somewhat lengthy and is domed at the occiput. The occipital bone is set at the rear of the cranium and articulates with the temporals, sphenoid, parietals, and the uppermost vertebra, the atlas.. a. Beagle. But the occipital bone itself actually extends right down the back of the head to where it articulates with the neck. The Beagle is a small hound bred for hunting rabbit and hare. It’s fur is dense and long, and white, black and grey in color. Because the occiput is a bone typically surrounded by muscle, a loss of muscle mass will “deflate” the typically muscular area around the occiput, thus making it appear larger. The foramen magnum is the large hole in the occipital through which the brainstem passes inferiorly into the vertebral canal.. b. I texted the vet and he thought he probably hit his head and it is simply a hematoma. Officially Called an “Occiput” This bony protuberance has an actual name: an “occiput.” It is a grazing and guard dog breed originating in Great Britain, and it’s large in size. Occiput which is the official name of the bony protuberance in the head of the dog is also known as wisdom bump, knowledge knot, or knowledge bump. Eyes are hazel or deep brown in color, large and set apart with a soft, "pleading" expression that is common to most hounds. So whatever breed is your dog, just give them love and they will return it with innocence. Labs Are “Pleasers” There is some argument among fans of the Labrador Retriever breed that certain lines of Labrador Retriever’s or even certain colors have better temperaments than others.