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General InformationGSDCA-WDA Hip Evaluation Guide (pdf) |
German Shepherd Breed Standards |
Choosing a Reputable Breeder
You have decided that a purebred dog is for you. What is your next move? What steps should you take to insure that your new dog meets your requirements? Your decision needs thoughtful consideration. The dog you choose will be a member of your family for a decade or more. Your first step is to seek out reputable breeders. Since it is almost impossible for you to know what a puppy will grow into physically and emotionally, you must rely entirely upon the breeder. In choosing a breeder there are three basic options available to you:
PET SHOP or DEALER—The worst possible choice. Puppies are poorly bred and raised. They are thought of as merchandise to be sold for a high profit. This high profit is possible because little has been put into the care of the puppies. Many are sickly. Pet shops rely heavily on impulse buying, which is no way to choose an addition to your family.
BACKYARD BREEDER—Also a poor choice. This person owns a “pet quality” purebred dog and thinks having a litter would be fun or a good experience for the children. These pet owners believe this is a quick and easy way to make money. This type of breeding is done without consideration of their dog’s health, history, and conformation. They are unaware of their breed’s standard and possible genetic problems and concerns. Their pet has not been certified free of disorders. Often their dogs are not even regularly checked by a veterinarian. Their goal is to produce puppies and sell them quickly at a very young age.
HOBBY BREEDER—The best choice. The serious and dedicated hobby breeder is passionate about their dogs and their breed. The hobby breeder’s goal is to produce superior dogs. They do this by breeding only the very best animals, keeping in mind the AKC breed standard and the background of their dogs. They do not make a high profit on their puppies, the money earned is reinvested into their breeding program in their continuous quest to improve their breed. These breeders have an undeniable dedication to the breed and stand behind their dogs.
Your wisest decision in purchasing a puppy will be to buy from a hobby breeder. Poor quality puppies from pet shops and backyard breeders are usually sold for the same price and sometimes even more than those from a serious hobby breeder. All three types of breeders sell puppies with AKC papers, however, this is not an assurance of quality.
How does one recognize the serious, dedicated hobby breeder? They should meet the following requirements, your breeder should:
1. Belong to a local all-breed club and their breed’s national club, this indicates participation and depth of involvement. This also exposes the breeder to other points of view. They keep up to date on breeding practices, health considerations, other bloodlines, and general dog care. They breed in accordance with the MPBDA Code of Ethics.
2. Show their dogs. This prevents the breeder from breeding in a vacuum. The breeder who does not show will have no idea how good or bad their dogs are. They deprive themselves of the opportunity to learn/share information and ideas with others. Showing provides the competition which encourages breeders to produce better dogs. The breeder who shows wants to prove their dogs in competition by putting their breeding program on the line. They do not allow the pedigree alone to indicate quality. Even though you are not buying a show dog, you want and deserve a puppy that resulted from a carefully planned litter, a puppy which has received the same care and attention as a potential champion. This breeder is very conscientious of their reputation and will be careful and honest with you in selling you one of their puppies.
3. Allow you time to have the puppy examined by a veterinarian, usually 48 to 72 hours. You do this as an assurance to yourself that the puppy's health is sound, even though the puppy has previously been checked by the breeder's veterinarian. This way if any problems are found they can be resolved quickly.
4. Give you written instructions on feeding, training, care, and grooming. You will receive a copy of the puppy's vaccine and health records. The breeder should provide you with information and resources about your puppies breed.
5. Show you proof that the sire and dam of your puppy have been x-rayed clear of hip dysplasia, preferably with an OFA certification number.
6. Make it clear to you that they will be available to you after you leave with your new puppy. Many dedicated breeders will ask that the dog be returned to them or placed with new owners who meet with their approval if you are unable to continue ownership.
7. Want to know what kind of dogs you have had in the past and what happened to them.
8. Ask questions of you. They will make you aware of the negatives of owning a dog as well as the positives.
9. Will have a clean environment, well socialized puppies and a dam with a good temperament—happy and self-assured.
10. May be hesitant to sell you a puppy until they know more about you. Will not pressure you into deciding immediately, and encourage you to see other litters before making your final decision.
11. Provide you with a contract and or conditions of sale.
12. Require spaying or neutering of pet quality puppies. Breeders spend a lot of time and effort planning breeding programs designed to improve the breed. They selectively carry on their programs with the best quality available. Pet quality puppies should be loved and enjoyed as pets. Reputable breeders do not want their dogs being used to just ‘make puppies,’ or have their bloodlines end up in a puppy mill. Therefore they will require your puppy to be spayed or neutered before being registered with AKC.
If your breeder meets the above criteria you are in good hands. If you have a negative response to any of the above, think twice. Do not be impulsive and ask questions. Keep in mind you will pay for quality, whether you get it— is up to you. Select your puppy's breeder carefully!
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Some Things to Consider Before Making a German Shepherd Dog Part of Your Family
There are many reasons why the German Shepherd Dog is one of the most popular breeds in the World. They are intelligent, versatile, loyal, great family members, and beautiful. However, they are not for everyone. In fact, many people purchase a German Shepherd Dog only to find they are more than they can handle.
Since they are so intelligent, they require a great deal of intellectual stimulation. As with many dog breeds, they need exercise to maintain physical fitness. They enjoy many activities, but most important to a German Shepherd is to be with their family. If not given enough attention, they can become restless and get into trouble by developing destructive and or annoying habits, which may include such things as excessive barking, digging, and chewing.
The German Shepherd is also notorious for its dominant nature. If their owner allows it (intentionally or not) they will become the “Alpha” or “Leader of the Pack.” If the owner lets the dog become master, they will lose control of the dog. This will lead to serious behavior problems. The owner of the German Shepherd Dog needs to be willing to assert themselves to a dog that many people fear.
They are naturally protective of their families and property. Unfortunately, the breed also has the undeserved stigma of being aggressive. As a result, carelessness on your part resulting in one wrong move on the part of the German Shepherd Dog could result in a costly lawsuit for the dog owner.
While it is not necessary that a German Shepherd Dog live on acreage, they do enjoy having a large yard in which to play. In addition, the German Shepherd Dog, or any other dog for that matter, should not be tied up with a chain or rope. This practice can lead to aggressive behavior. A fenced yard or kennel run is necessity!
The German Shepherd Dog requires a large time and financial commitment. Feeding a premium dog food can cost a small fortune. Other costs include veterinary services, licensing, obedience, and other training classes. Clean-up can be a chore. You also need to allow time or pay someone to regularly groom your dog. Grooming includes such things as brushing, bathing, cleaning ears and teeth, clipping nails, etc.
Please talk with a number of people familiar with the breed before choosing a dog. Many people make the mistake of getting a dog from someone who has had an “accidental” breeding, bred their dogs to “make a few bucks” (which is impossible to do if you do it right), or to “give their kids the experience of having puppies. A reputable breeder will guarantee the health of your animal and will be willing to help you with issues you may encounter in the future.
We consider the German Shepherd Dog the best breed in the world. This information is provided to you to help enable you to make an informed decision.
---Prepared by the German Shepherd Dog Club of Minneapolis-St. Paul
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What to Look for When Buying a German Shepherd Puppy
1) Do your homework. Be sure that a German Shepherd Dog is the right breed for you. Go to dog shows, talk to breeders, read as many books and magazines as you can on the German Shepherds and dogs in general.
2) Buy from a reputable breeder. You should see the dam (mother) of the puppies. If possible view the sire (father) of the litter. Many times, however, this is not possible as breeders often select stud dogs based on what best compliments their female, and that may mean breeding to a dog 3,000 miles away.
3) Reputable breeders breed quality animals that are free of health problems.. Ask about health clearances. The sire and dam of the puppies you are considering should have OFA certified hips and elbows. If you do not see the actual certificates get the OFA numbers and verify them either by calling the OFA directly 1-800-442-0418 or checking their web site: offa.org, you will need the dogs registered name to do this.
4) Never take home a puppy before eight weeks of age. Do not consider getting a dog from a breeder who will let a puppy go that young. It is extremely important that the puppy stay with its litter mates and its mother to help learn desirable behavior and develop socialization skills.
5) Look for a clean, bright-eyed puppy, one that comes to you readily without shying away. Look carefully at the puppies surroundings; are they clean? Is the puppy exposed regularly to different people, situations, and environments. This “socializing” is very important and must be continued throughout the dog’s life.
6) You should receive a four or five generation pedigree, health records, and a written contract. Have your puppy examined by a DVM shortly after you bring him/her home, preferably within a week. If anything is seriously wrong you should be given a full refund or another puppy.
7) If you want a show dog, expect to pay accordingly. Some breeders say they can pick a show dog at 8 weeks, but often that is a show potential puppy. When selecting an animal for show the older the better.
8) Do not buy the first cute puppy you see. Look at more than one litter from different breeders. Make sure the parents have acceptable temperament and are the “type” of German Shepherd you are looking for.
9) Know why you are buying your German Shepherd. Is it for showing, companionship, etc.
10) Never buy a puppy as a gift for an unsuspecting friend. A dog is a serious commitment. All family members need to be in agreement as to the actual purchase, breed and dog care responsibilities.
---Prepared by the German Shepherd Dog Club of Minneapolis-St. Paul
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How to Read a Pedigree
by Julie Richards-Mostosky
What is a pedigree? No it is not a degree that allows you to do pedicures. Simply stated a pedigree is the lineage of a particular animal, it is a "family tree."
Have you heard people refer to a dog as a "pedigreed dog?"? Now that you know what a pedigree is do you see how ridiculous that statement is? Even a mutt can be a pedigreed dog - all that is required is for someone to put down on paper who the sire and dam, and the grand sire and the grand dam, etc. This reminds me of something else, slightly off the topic of pedigrees; have you ever seen classified advertisements in the newspaper or spoke to someone who has "thoroughbred dogs?" This is a sure sign of a very ignorant person and someone who does not even have the smallest clue as to what they are doing. Any person who chooses to do business with a "breeder" (I am using that term very loosely) who advertises pedigreed or thoroughbred dogs is demonstrating their own stupidity and deserves whatever they get. But you are neither stupid nor ignorant or you would not be reading this! By the way, a thoroughbred is a breed of horse and has nothing to do with dogs other than a thoroughbred may be owned by someone who also owns dogs.
Pedigrees can either give you lots of information or very little. It depends on the knowledge of the person looking at the pedigree and the pedigree itself. A basic pedigree is a record of a dog's lineage, which includes the names of consecutive generations of sires and dams and their respective titles and health certifications. This is the basic form from which breeders work from. Much more complex pedigrees are often used by scientists (researchers, geneticist, etc.). These more complex pedigrees are used to track genetic traits (good or bad) often including all progeny within a pedigree. These pedigrees become massive and complex.
The pedigrees you will examine will be limited to names of direct descendants, titles, and health certifications. Getting the most from a pedigree comes only with experience and knowledge of the dogs and the dogs related to the ones listed on a particular pedigree. At that point a pedigree is like looking at a book which is loaded with information. It tells you a story about the genetic makeup of that pedigree; limited to the personal knowledge you have of the dogs in this pedigree. Sounds rather covert doesn't it? Not really, it is all a matter of interpretation, knowledge, and that elusive combination of science and art. I don't know if science will ever fully replace the "art" of breeding. I doubt it. There are many subtleties to the art of breeding, and many of them are too intangible to quantify by science. One of the most promising scientific tools on the horizon is the promise of DNA analysis which hopefully will be able to tell us all the positives and negatives carried in the genes of an individual dog.
In your quest of knowledge you must start somewhere, and the first place to start is with the basics. Let's begin!
A pedigree is read left to right, but instead of starting at the top like you would normally do when reading, you start at the far left center and branch out from there. The name that appears farthest to the left is generally the name of the dog whose pedigree you are looking at. Sometimes there may be two names that are foremost to the left. In this case, these are the sire and dam of the animal (or litter) whose pedigree you are looking at.
This is a simple pedigree of "Champion Rebel Without A Cause," his sire is "Champion Rebel," his dam is "Lost Cause ROM."
CH Rebel CD
CH Rebel Without A Cause OFA
Lost Cause ROM
The sire is always listed above the name of the progeny, therefore the dam is always listed below the progeny's name. From this short pedigree above we know that "Rebel Without A Cause" is a champion and OFA certified. From this pedigree we can not tell "what" is OFA (Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals) certified. It could be his hips, elbows, cardiac, thyroid, patellas, and many other things that are certified by the OFA. Generally, when all it says is OFA, I assume that it is an OFA certification on the dog's hips.
Lets expand the above pedigree:
Duke von dadogue CDX
CH Rebel CD
Sheba of Belle
CH Rebel Without A Cause OFA
CH Many Causes OFA GS-10 Good, OFA EL-12
Lost Cause ROM
Can CH Happy Girl CERF
We now see the grand sires and the grand dams of Champion Rebel Without A Cause OFA. We now have information on three generations. We can see that in three generations there are three AKC champions and one CKC (Canadian) champion. Two of the dogs have performance titles - a CD and a CDX (companion dog and a companion dog excellent - both obedience titles). We also can see that in three generations we only have two dogs with OFA certification. One is not clearly marked as to what is OFA certified and the other is clearly marked. Champion Many Causes is OFA certified hips with a "good" rating and this OFA number is included, enabling anyone who desires to verify this information. Also OFA certified elbows, again with the OFA number for verification. We have one other health certification on this pedigree, that of Canadian Champion Happy Girl. According to this she has received a CERF certification.
Some of these dogs are not titles because their owners did not put the time and effort into the animals to earn some breed or obedience titles; or was it because the dog couldn't cut it in either the breed or the performance rings? Or was because the dog died an untimely death, and if so why?
Some of these dogs have health clearance certifications and others do not. Why? Because they couldn't pass the health tests? Because the owners never did the testing? In my opinion, it is ridiculous to spend the time and money to do health checks and then not follow them up by certifying the results with an outside certification registry such as OFA (Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals). The fee to complete this last step is minimum in comparison to the expenses already incurred. The certification process gives credibility to the health claims asserted by breeders. A dog with a OFA number on its hips and a dog whose owner says the dogs hips are good are two very different realities.
OFA certification establishes a permanent record as to the health status for that particular dog for the health item being certified. This is very important as each breeder is merely a guardian of the breed and work with that past breeders have developed. The more information that is available to all the better for the breeders of the here and now and in the future.
Hopefully, you can now look at a pedigree, gather information, and start asking some informed questions. In the world of dogs, you are always learning.
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The Standard of the German Shepherd Dog
The Standard of the German Shepherd Dog as adopted by the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, Inc. and approved by the American Kennel Club
General Appearance
The first impression of a good German Shepherd Dog is that of a strong, agile, well-muscled animal, alert, and full of life. It is well balanced, with harmonious development of the forequarter and hindquarter. The dog is longer than tall, deep-bodied, and presents an outline of smooth curves rather than angles. It looks substantial and not spindly, giving the impression, both at rest and in motion, of muscular fitness and nimbleness without any look of clumsiness or soft living. The ideal dog is stamped with a look of quality and nobility-difficult to define, but unmistakable when present. Secondary sex characteristics are strongly marked, and every animal gives a definite impression of masculinity or femininity, according to its sex.
Character
The breed has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence, and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them. It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as companion, watchdog, blind leader, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand. The dog must not be timid, shrinking behind its master or handler; it should not be nervous, looking about or upward with anxious expression or showing nervous reactions, such as tucking of tail, to strange sounds or sights. Lack of confidence under any surroundings is not typical of good character. Any of the above deficiencies in character which indicate shyness must be penalized as very serious faults, and any dog exhibiting pronounced indications of these must be excused from the ring. It must be possible for the judge to observe the teeth and to determine that both testicles are descended. Any dog that attempts to bite the judge must be disqualified. The ideal dog is a working animal with an incorruptible character combined with body and gait suitable for the arduous work that constitutes its primary purpose.
Head
The head is noble, cleanly chiseled, strong without coarseness, but above all, not fine, and in proportion to the body. The head of the male is distinctly masculine, and that of the bitch, distinctly feminine. The muzzle is long and strong with the lips firmly fitted, and its topline is parallel to the topline of the skull. Seen from the front, the forehead is only moderately arched, and the skull slopes into the long, wedge-shaped muzzle without abrupt stop. Jaws are strongly developed.
Ears
Ears are moderately pointed, in proportion to the skull, open toward the front, and carried erect when at attention, the ideal carriage being one in which the center lines of the ears, viewed from the front, are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. A dog with cropped or hanging ears must be disqualified.
Eyes
Eyes of medium size, almond shaped, set a little obliquely and not protruding. The color is as dark as possible. The expression keen, intelligent, and composed.
Teeth
Teeth 42 in number, 20 upper and 22 lower, are strongly developed and meet in a scissors bite in which part of the inner surface of the upper incisors meet and engage part of the outer surface of the lower incisors. An overshot jaw or a level bite is undesirable. An undershot jaw is a disqualifying fault. Complete dentition is to be preferred. Any missing teeth other than first premolars is a serious fault.
Neck
The neck is strong and muscular, clean-cut and relatively long, proportionate in size to the head, and without loose folds of skin. When the dog is at attention or excited, the head is raised and the neck carried high; otherwise, typical carriage of the head is forward rather than up, but a little higher than the top of the shoulders, particularly in motion.
Forequarters
The shoulder blades are long and obliquely angled, laid on flat and not placed forward. The upper arm joins the shoulder blade at about a right angle. Both the upper arm and the shoulder blade are well muscled. The forelegs, viewed from all sides, are straight and the bone oval rather than round. The pasterns are strong and springy and angulated at approximately a 25 degree angle from the vertical.
Feet
The feet are short, compact, with toes well arched, pads thick and firm, nails short and dark. The dew claws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs. Dew claws on the forelegs may be removed, but are normally left on.
Proportion
The German Shepherd Dog is longer than tall, with the most desirable proportions as 10 to 8 1/2. The desired height for males at the top of the highest point of the shoulder blade is 24 to 26 inches; and for bitches, 22 to 24 inches. The length is measured from the point of the posternum or breastbone to the rear edge of the pelvis, the ischical tuberosity.
Body
The whole structure of the body gives an impression of depth and solidity without bulkiness. Chest: Commencing at the posternum, it is well filled and carried well down between the legs. It is deep and capacious, never shallow, with ample room for lungs and heart, carried well forward, with the posternum showing ahead of the shoulder in profile. Rib: Well sprung and long, neither barrel-shaped nor too flat, and carried down to a sternum which reaches to the elbows. Correct ribbing allows the elbows to move back freely when the dog is at a trot. Too round causes interference and throws the elbows out; too flat or short causes pinched elbows. Ribbing is carried well back so that the loin is relatively short. Abdomen: Firmly held and not paunchy. The bottom line is only moderately tucked up in the loin.
Topline
Withers The withers are higher than and sloping into the level back. Back: The back is straight, very strongly developed without sag or roach, and relatively short. The desirable long proportion is not derived from a long back, but from overall length with relation to height, which is achieved by length of forequarter and length of withers and hindquarter, viewed from the side. Loin-Viewed from the top, broad and strong. Undue length between the last rib and the thigh, when viewed from the side, is undesirable. Croup: Long and gradually sloping. Tail: Bushy, with the last vertebra extended at least to the hock joint. It is set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high. At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve like a saber. A slight hook-sometimes carried to one side-is faulty only to the extent that it mars general appearance. When the dog is excited or in motion, the curve is accentuated and the tail raised, but it should never be curled forward beyond a vertical line. Tails too short, or with clumpy ends due to ankylosis, are serious faults. A dog with a docked tail must be disqualified.
Hindquarters
The whole assembly of the thigh, viewed from the side, is broad, with both upper and lower thigh well muscled, forming as nearly as possible a right angle. The upper thigh bone parallels the shoulder blade while the lower thigh bone parallels the upper arm. The metatarsus (the unit between the hock joint and the foot) is short, strong, and tightly articulated.
Gait
A German Shepherd Dog is a trotting dog, and its structure has been developed to meet the requirements of its work. General Impression: The gait is outreaching, elastic, seemingly without effort, smooth and rhythmic, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps. At a walk, it covers a great deal of ground, with long stride of both hind legs and forelegs. At a trot, the dog covers still more ground with even longer stride, and moves powerfully but easily, with coordination and balance so that the gait appears to be the steady motion of a well-lubricated machine. The feet travel close to the ground on both forward reach and backward push. In order to achieve ideal movement of this kind, there must be good muscular development and ligamentation. The hind quarters deliver, through the back, a powerful forward thrust which slightly lifts the whole animal and drives the body forward. Reaching far under, and passing the imprint left by the front foot, the hind foot takes hold of the ground; then hock, stifle and upper thigh come into play and sweep back, the stroke of the hind leg finishing with the foot still close to the ground in a smooth follow-through. The overreach of the hind quarter usually necessitates one hind foot passing outside and the other hind foot passing inside the track of the forefeet, and such action is not faulty unless the locomotion is crab wise with the dog's body sideways out of the normal straight line. Transmission: The typical smooth, flowing gait is maintained with great strength and firmness of back. The whole effort of the hindquarter is transmitted to the forequarter through the loin, back and withers. At full trot, the back must remain firm and level without sway, roll, whip or roach. Unlevel topline with withers lower than the hip is a fault. To compensate for the forward motion imparted by the hindquarters, the shoulder should open to its full extent. The forelegs should reach out close to the ground in a long stride in harmony with that of the hindquarters. The dog does not track on widely separated parallel lines, but brings the feet inward toward the middle line of the body when trotting in order to maintain balance. The feet track closely but do not strike or cross over. Viewed from the front, the front legs function from the shoulder joint to the pad in a straight line. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs function from the hip joint to the pad in a straight line. Faults of gait, whether from front, rear or side, are to be considered very serious faults.
Color
The German Shepherd Dog varies in color, and most colors are permissible. Strong rich colors are preferred. Nose black. Pale, washed-out colors and blues and livers are serious faults. A white dog or a dog with a nose that is not predominantly black, must be disqualified.
Coat
The ideal dog has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and Lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is permissible. The head, including the inner ear and fore face, and the legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of the forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock, respectively. Faults in coat include soft, silky, too long outer coat, woolly, curly, and open coat.
Disqualifications
Cropped or hanging ears; undershot jaw; docked tail; white dogs; dogs with noses not predominantly black; any dog that attempts to bite the judge. Revised 1978 - American Kennel Club disqualifications: Monorchidism; Cryptorchidism; Any dog that, in the opinion of the judge, attacks any person in the ring.
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FCI Breed Standard of the German Shepherd Dog
| 1 | Head | 10 | Paw | |
| 2 | Withers | 11 | Pastern | |
| 3 | Neck | 12 | Upper arm | |
| 4 | Back | 13 | Shoulder | |
| 5 | Loin | 14 | Elbow | |
| 6 | Croup | 15 | Throat | |
| 7 | Thigh | 16 | Upper Jaw | |
| 8 | Hock | 17 | Lower Jaw | |
| 9 | Angle |
|
German Shepherd Dog Standard
General Appearance
The first impression of a good German Shepherd Dog is that of a strong, agile, well-muscled animal, alert and full of life. It should both be and appear to be well balanced, with harmonious development of the forequarter and hindquarter. The dog should appear to the eye, and actually be, longer than tall, deep bodied, and present an outline of smooth curves rather than corners. It should look substantial and not spindly, giving the impression both at rest and in motion of muscular fitness and nimbleness without any look of clumsiness or soft living.
The Shepherd should be stamped with a look of quality and nobility, difficult to define but unmistakable when present. The good German Shepherd Dog never looks common.
Secondary sex characteristics should be strongly marked, and every animal should give a definite impression of masculinity or femininity, according to its sex. Dogs should be definitely masculine in appearance and deportment; bitches, unmistakably feminine, without weakness of structure or apparent softness of temperament.
The condition of the dog should be that of an athlete in good condition, the muscles and flesh firm and the coat lustrous.
Temperament
The breed has a distinct personality marked by a direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, and self-confidence and a certain aloofness, which does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The Shepherd Dog is not one that fawns upon every new acquaintance. At the same time, it should be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and a willingness to meet overtures without itself making them. It should be poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert, both fit and willing to serve in any capacity as companion, watch dog, blind leader, herding dog or guardian; whichever the circumstances may demand.
The Shepherd Dog must not be timid, shrinking behind its master or handler, nervous, looking about or upward with anxious expression or showing nervous reactions to strange sounds or sights, or lackadaisical, sluggish, or manifestly disinterested in what goes on about him. Lack of confidence under any surroundings is not typical of good character. Cases of extreme timidity and nervous unbalance sometimes give the dog an apparent, but totally unreal, courage and it becomes a "fear biter," snapping not for any justifiable reason but because it is apprehensive of the approach of a stranger. This is a serious fault subject to heavy penalty.
Size
The ideal height for dogs is 25 inches (64 cm), and for bitches, 23 inches (58 cm) at the shoulder. This height is established by taking a perpendicular line from the top of the shoulder blade to the ground with the coat parted or so pushed down that this measurement will show the only actual height of the frame or structure of the dog. The working value of dogs above or below the indicated height is proportionately lessened, although variations of an inch (3 cm) above or below the ideal height are acceptable, while greater variations must be considered as faults. Weights of dogs of desirable size in proper flesh and condition average between 75 and 85 lb. (34 and 39 kg); and of bitches, between 60 and 70 lb. (27 and 32 kg).
Coat
The Shepherd is normally a dog with a double coat, the amount of undercoat varying with the season of the year and the proportion of the time the dog spends out of doors. It should, however, always be present to a sufficient degree to keep out water, to insulate against temperature extremes, and as a protection against insects. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is equally permissible. The head, including the inner ear, foreface, and legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock respectively. Faults in coat include complete lack of any undercoat, soft, silky or too long outer coat and curly or open coat.
Colour
The German Shepherd Dog differs widely in colour. Generally speaking, strong, rich colours are to be preferred, with definite pigmentation, and without appearance of a washed-out colour. White dogs are to be disqualified.
Head
Clean-cut and strong, the head of the Shepherd is characterized by nobility. It should seem in proportion to the body and should not be clumsy, although a degree of coarseness of head, especially in dogs, is less of a fault than over-refinement A round or domey skull is a fault. The muzzle is long and strong with the lips firmly fitted, and its topline is usually parallel with an imaginary elongation of the line of the forehead. Seen from the front the forehead is only moderately arched and the skull slopes into the long wedge-shaped muzzle without abrupt stop. Jaws are strongly developed. Weak and too narrow underjaws, snipey muzzles, and no stop are faults Teeth: The strong teeth, 42 in number (20 upper and 22 lower) are strongly developed and meet in a scissors grip in which part of the inner surface of the upper teeth meets and engages part of the outer surface of the lower teeth. This type of bite gives a more powerful grip than one in which the edges of the teeth meet directly, and is subject to less wear. The dog is overshot when the lower teeth fail to engage the inner surfaces of the upper teeth. This is a serious fault. The reverse condition - an undershot jaw - is a very serious fault. While missing premolars are frequently observed, complete dentition is decidedly to be preferred. So-called distemper teeth and discoloured teeth are faults whose seriousness varies with the degree of departure from the desired white, sound colouring. Teeth broken by accident should not be severely penalized but worn teeth, especially the incisors, are often indicative of the lack of a proper scissors bite, although some allowance should be made for age. Eyes of medium size, almond shaped, set a little obliquely and not protruding. The colour as dark as possible. Eyes of lighter colour are sometimes found and are not a serious fault if they harmonize with the general colouration, but a dark brown eye is always to be preferred. The expression should be keen, intelligent, and composed. The ears should be moderately pointed, open towards the front, and are carried erect when at attention, the ideal carriage being one in which the centre lines of the ears, viewed from the front are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. Puppies usually do not permanently raise their ears until the fourth or sixth month, and sometimes not until later. Cropped and hanging ears are to be discarded. The well-placed and well-carried ear of a size in proportion to the skull materially adds to the general appearance of the Shepherd. Neither too large nor too small ears are desirable. Too much stress, however, should not be laid on perfection of carriage if the ears are fully erect.
Neck
The neck is strong and muscular, clean-cut and relatively long, proportionate in size to the head and without loose folds of skin. When the dog is at attention or excited, the head is raised and the neck carried high, otherwise typical carriage of the head is forward rather than up and but little higher than the top of the shoulder, particularly in motion.
Body
The whole structure of the body gives an impression of depth and solidity without bulkiness. Forechest, commencing at the prosternum, should be well filled and carried well down between the legs with no sense of hollowness. Chest should be deep and capacious with ample room for lungs and heart. Well carried forward, with the prosternum, or process of the breastbone, showing ahead of the shoulder when the dog is viewed from the side. Ribs should be well sprung and long; neither barrel shaped nor too flat, and carried down to a breastbone which reaches to the elbow. Correct ribbing allows the elbow to move back freely when the dog is at a trot while too round a rib causes interference and throws the elbow out. Ribbing should be carried well back so that loin and flank are relatively short. Abdomen firmly held and not paunchy. The bottom line of the Shepherd is only moderately tucked up in flank, never like that of a Greyhound.
Legs
The bone of the legs should be straight oval rather than round or flat and free from sponginess. Its development should be in proportion to the size of the dog and contribute to the overall impression of substance without grossness. Crooked leg bones and any malformation such as, for example, that caused by rickets, should be penalized. Pastern should be of medium length, strong and springy. Much more spring of pastern is desirable in the Shepherd Dog than in any other breeds, as it contributes to the ease and elasticity of the trotting gait the upright terrier pastern is definitely undesirable.
Metatarsus (the so-called "hock"): short, clean, sharply defined, and of great strength. This is the fulcrum upon which much of the forward movement of the dog depends. Cow-hocks are a decided fault, but before penalizing for Cow-hocks, it should be definitely determined, with the animal in motion, that the dog has this fault, since many dogs with exceptionally good hindquarter angulation occasionally stand so as to give the appearance of cow-hockedness which is not actually present.
Feet
Rather short, compact, with toes well arched pads thick and hard, nails short and strong. The feet are important to the working qualities of the dog. The ideal foot is extremely strong with good gripping power and plenty of depth of pad. The so-called cat-foot or terrier foot is not desirable. The thin, spread or hare-foot is, however, still more undesirable.
Topline
The withers should be higher than, and sloping into, the level back to enable a proper attachment of the shoulder blades. The back should be straight and very strongly developed without sag or roach, the section from the wither to the croup being relatively short (The desirable long proportion of the Shepherd Dog is not derived from a long back but from overall length with relation to height, which is achieved by breadth of forequarter and hindquarter viewed from the side.) Loin: viewed from the top, broad and strong, blending smoothly into the back without undue length between the last rib and the thigh, when viewed from the side. Croup should be long and gradually sloping. Too level or flat a croup prevents proper functioning of the hindquarter, which must be able to reach well under the body. A steep croup also limits the action of the hindquarter.
Structure
A German Shepherd is a trotting dog and his structure has been developed to best meet the requirements of his work in herding. That is to say, a long, effortless trot which shall cover the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps, consistent with the size of the animal. The proper body proportion, firmness of back and muscles and the proper angulation of the forequarters and hindquarters serve this end. They enable the dog to propel itself forward by a long step of the hindquarter and to compensate for this stride by a long step of the forequarter. The high withers, the firm back, the strong loin, the properly formed croup, even the tail as balance and rudder, all contribute to this same end.
Proportion
The German Shepherd Dog is properly longer than tall with the most desirable proportion as 10 is to 8%. We have seen how the height is ascertained; the length is established by a dog standing naturally and four-square, measured on a horizontal line from the point of the prosternum, or breastbone, to the rear edge of the pelvis, the ischium tuberosity, commonly called the sitting bone.
Angulation
Forequarter: the shoulder blade should be long, laid on flat against the body with its rounded upper end in a vertical line above the elbow, and sloping well forward to the point where it joins the upper arm. The withers should be high, with shoulder blades meeting closely at the top, and the upper arm set on at an angle approaching as nearly as possible a right angle. Such an angulation permits the maximum forward extension of the foreleg without binding or effort. Shoulder faults include too steep or straight a position of either blade or upper arm, too short a blade or upper arm, lack of sufficient angle between these two members, looseness through lack of firm ligamentation, and loaded shoulder with prominent pads of flesh or muscles on the outer side. Construction in which the whole shoulder assembly is pushed too far forward also restricts the stride and is faulty.
Hindquarters
The angulation of the hindquarter also consists ideally of a series of sharp angles as far as the relation of the bones to each other is concerned, and the thigh bone should parallel the shoulder blade while the stifle bone parallels the upper arm. The whole assembly of the thigh, viewed from the side, should be broad, with both thigh and stifle well muscled and of proportionate length, forming as nearly as possible a right angle. The metatarsus (the unit between the hock joint and the foot commonly and erroneously, called the hock) is strong, clean and short, the hock joint clean-cut and sharply defined.
Tail
Bushy, with the last vertebra extended at least to the hock joint and usually below. Set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high, at rest the tail hangs in a slight curve like a sabre. A slight hook sometimes carried to one side - is faulty only to the extent that it mars general appearance. When the dog is excited or in motion, the curve is accentuated and the tail raised, but it should never be lifted beyond a line at right angles with the line of the back. Docked tails, or those, which have been operated upon to prevent curling, disqualify. Tails too short, or with clumpy end due to the ankylosis or the growing together of the vertebrae, are serious faults.
Gait
General Impression: The gait of the German Shepherd Dog is outreaching, elastic, seemingly without effort, smooth and rhythmic. At a walk it covers a great deal of ground, with long step of both hind leg and foreleg. At a trot, the dog covers still more ground and moves powerfully but easily with a beautiful co-ordination of back and limbs so that, in the best examples, the gait appears to be the steady motion of a well-lubricated machine. The feet travel close to the ground, and neither fore nor hind feet should lift high on either forward reach or backward push.
The hindquarter delivers, through the back, a powerful forward thrust, which slightly lifts the whole animal and drives the body forward. Reaching far under, and passing the imprint left by the front foot, the strong arched hind foot takes hold of the ground; then hock, stifle, and upper thigh come into play and sweep back, the stroke of the hind leg finishing with the foot still close to the ground in a smooth follow-through. The overreach of the hindquarter usually necessitates one hind foot passing outside and the other hind foot passing inside the track of the forefeet and such action is not faulty unless the locomotion is crabwise with the dog's body sideways out of the normal straight line. In order to achieve ideal movement of this kind, there must be full muscular co-ordination throughout the structure with the action of muscles and ligaments positive, regular and accurate.
Back Transmission
The typical smooth, flowing gait of the Shepherd Dog cannot be maintained without great strength and firmness (which does not mean stiffness) of back. The whole effort of the hindquarter is transmitted to the forequarter through the muscular and bony structure of the loin, back, and withers. At full trot, the back must remain firm and level without sway, roll, whip or roach. To compensate for the forward motion imparted by the hindquarter, the shoulder should open to its full extent - the desirability of good shoulder angulation now becomes apparent -and the forelegs should reach out in a stride balancing that of the hindquarter. A steep shoulder will cause the dog either to stumble or to raise the forelegs very high in an effort to co-ordinate with the hindquarter, which is impossible when shoulder structure is faulty. A serious gait fault results when a dog moves too low in front, presenting an unleveled topline with the wither lower than the hips. The Shepherd Dog does not track on widely separated parallel lines as does the terrier, but brings the feet inward toward the middle line of the body when at trot in order to maintain balance. For this reason a dog viewed from the front or rear when in motion will often seem to travel close. This is not a fault if the feet do not strike or cross, or if the knees or shoulders are not thrown out, but the feet and hocks should be parallel even if close together. The excellence of gait must also be evaluated by viewing from the side the effortless, properly coordinated covering of ground.
Summary
It should never be forgotten that the ideal Shepherd is a working animal, which must have an incorruptible character, combined with body and gait suitable for the arduous work which constitutes its primary purpose. All its qualities should be weighed in respect to their contribution to such work, and while no compromise should be permitted with regard to its working potentiality, the dog must nevertheless possess a high degree of beauty and nobility.
Evaluation of Faults
Note: Faults are important in the order of their group, as per group headings, irrespective of their position in each group.
Very Serious Faults
Major faults of temperament; undershot lower jaw.
Serious Faults
Faults of balance and proportion; poor gait, viewed either from front, rear or side; marked deficiency of substance (bone or body); bitchy male dogs; faulty backs; too level or too short croup; long and weak loin; very bad feet; ring tails; tails much too short; rickety condition; more than four missing premolars or any other missing teeth, unless due to accident; lack of nobility; badly washed-out colour; badly overshot bite.
Faults
Doggy bitches; poorly carried ears; too fine in head; weak muzzles; improper muscular condition; faulty coat, other than temporary condition; badly affected teeth.
Minor Faults
Too coarse head; hooked tails; too light, round or protruding eyes; discoloured teeth; condition of coat, due to season or keeping.
Disqualifications
Albino characteristics; cropped ears; hanging ears (as in a hound); docked tails; male dogs having one or both testacles undescended (monorchids or cryptorchids); white dogs.
February 1996 (Revision #4 -January 1998)