Rigging a Quadruped in Maya Part 1

Creating the Basic Body Rig

Creating the Skeleton:
In this part of the tutorial it shows us some quick basics in half the video. How to use Joints, the options, Orient Joints, and so on.
In the next of the video it shows that we already have been given a guide joints. (Picture)

Then lastly I have to create the same joints using the guide joints and then mirror them to the other side of the dog. (Picture)

Rigging the head, neck, and ears:
In the tutorial I had to parent one of the ear joints with the head part of the rig. ( Quick way to parent select the first main joint then selecting where you want it to be parent with and press P )
Then I have to create a circle curve and make it a group. Then freeze the transformation so the Control doesn't change and only the offset. Next I will use the connection editor.

(Video) * The video should of only been less than a minute long, but all I did was use the makeFKControls.mel script that was provided to add FK controls on one of the ears.

Rigging the front legs: 
(Video) Here I first Parent Constrain the leg joint on one side. Next in the tutorial It shows me an example of IK and FK behavior and I'm trying to replicate what the video shows. (In my video) Then I am creating an IK handle for the leg joint and another one for the foot. Lastly I parent each IK handle with the foot.

Rigging the hind legs:
(Videos) For this part of the video part of the rigging for the hind leg will be the same as the front legs but with a bit more work.


In this first video all I'm doing is using the Create IK handle tool to add IK handles in the Leg. (Process, Picture in between, & second video is just how it works)

This video below I forgot what its called, but I'm adding a different type of IK handle to the leg.