Standard
Brief historical
overview:
According to the official documentation of the Verein für
Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) e.V. (Society for the German Shepherd
Dog, “SV” for short) – legal domicile in Augsburg, Germany,
member of the Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen (VDH, German
Kennel Club) – the "SV" as the founding club of the breed is
responsible for the breed standard of the German Shepherd Dog.
Established in the first General Meeting at Frankfurt/Main on 20
September 1899 according to suggestions by A. Meyer and Max von
Stephanitz and in addition to the amendments of the 6th General
Meeting on 28 July 1901, the 23rd General Meeting at
Cologne/Rhineland on 17 September 1909, the Executive Board &
Advisory Board Meeting at Wiesbaden on 5 September 1930 and the
Breeding Committee & Executive Board Meeting on 25 March 1961,
revisions were resolved within the framework of the World Union
of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV) Meeting on 30 August 1976.
Revisions and catalogued measures were resolved with the
Enabling Resolution through the Executive Board and Advisory
Board from 23/24 March 1991, amended through the Federal
Conventions from 25 May 1997 and 31 May/1 June 2008. St-FCI
n°166/23.12.2010
The German Shepherd Dog, whose methodical breeding was started
in 1899 after the foundation of the society, had been bred from
the central German and southern German breeds of the herding
dogs existing at that time with the ultimate objective of
creating a working dog inclined to high achievements. In order
to achieve this objective, the breed standard of the German
Shepherd Dog was determined, which relates to the physical
constitution as well as the traits and characteristics.
General appearance
The German Shepherd Dog is medium-size, slightly elongated,
powerful and well-muscled, with dry bone and firm overall
structure. Important dimensional ratios
The height at the withers amounts to 60 cm to 65 cm for male
dogs and 55 cm to 60 cm for female dogs. The trunk length
exceeds the dimension at the height at the withers by about 10 –
17 %.
Character
The German Shepherd Dog must be well-balanced (with strong
nerves) in terms of character, self-assured, absolutely natural
and (except for a stimulated situation) good-natured as well as
attentive and willing to please. He must possess instinctive
behaviour,
resilience and self-assurance in order to be suitable as a
companion, guard, protection, service and herding dog.
Head
The head is wedge-shaped, and in proportion to the body size
(length about 40 % at the height at the withers), without being
plump or too elongated, dry in the overall appearance and
moderately broad between the ears.
Seen from the front and side, the forehead is only slightly
arched and without any or with only a slightly indicated middle
furrow. St-FCI n°166/23.12.2010
The ratio from the cranial region to the facial region is 50 %
to 50 %. The width of the cranial region more or less
corresponds to the length of the cranial region. The cranial
region (seen from above) tapers evenly towards the nasal bridge
with gradually sloping, not sharply depicted stop in the
wedge-shaped facial region (foreface) of the head. Upper and
lower jaws are powerfully developed.
The nasal dorsum is straight, any dip or bulge is undesirable.
The lips are taut, close well and are of dark colouring.
The nose must be black.
The teeth must be strong, healthy and complete (42 teeth
according to the dental formula). The German Shepherd Dog has a
scissor bite, i.e. the incisors must interlock like scissors,
whereby the incisors of the upper jaw overlap those of the lower
jaw. Occlusal overlay, overbite and retrusive occlusion as well
as larger spaces between the teeth (gaps) are faulty. The
straight dental ridge of the incisors is also faulty. The jaw
bones must be strongly developed so that the teeth can be deeply
embedded in the dental ridge.
THE EYES are of medium size, almond-shaped, slightly slanted and
not protruding. The colour of the eyes should be as dark as
possible.
Light, piercing eyes are undesirable since they impair the dog’s
impression.
EARS
The German Shepherd Dog has erect ears of medium size, which are
carried upright and aligned (not drawn-in laterally); they are
pointed and with the auricle facing forward.
Tipped ears and drooping ears are faulty. Ears carried rearward
when moving or in relaxed position are not faulty. St-FCI
n°166/23.12.2010
Neck
The neck should be strong, well-muscled and without loose
neck
skin (dewlap). The angulation towards the trunk
(horizontal) amounts to approx. 45 %.
Body
The upper line runs from the base of the neck via the high, long
withers and via the straight back towards the slightly sloping
croup, without visible interruption. The back is moderately
long, firm, strong and well-muscled. The loin is broad, short,
strongly developed and well-muscled. The croup should be long
and slightly sloping (approx 23° to the horizontal) and the
upper line should merge into the base of the tail without
interruption.
The chest should be moderately broad, the lower chest as long
and pronounced as possible. The depth of the chest should amount
to approx. 45 % to 48 % of the height at the withers. The ribs
should feature a moderate curvature; a barrel-shaped chest
is just as faulty as flat ribs.
The tail extends at least to the hock, but not beyond the middle
of the hind pastern. It has slightly longer hair on the
underside and is carried hanging downward in a gentle curve,
whereby in a state of excitement and in motion it is raised and
carried higher, but not beyond the horizontal. Operative
corrections are forbidden.
Limbs
Forequarters
The forelimbs are straight when seen from all sides, and
absolutely parallel when seen from the front. St-FCI
n°166/23.12.2010
Shoulder blade and upper arm are of equal length, and firmly
attached to the trunk by means of powerful musculature. The
angulation from shoulder blade and upper arm is ideally 90°, but
generally up to 110°.
The elbows may not be turned out either while standing or
moving, and also not pushed in. The forearms are straight when
seen from all sides, and absolutely parallel to each other, dry
and firmly muscled.
The pastern has a length of approx. 1/3 of the forearm, and has
an angle of approx. 20° to 22° to the forearm. A slanted pastern
(more than 22°) as well as a steep pastern (less than 20°)
impairs the suitability for work, particularly the stamina.
The paws are rounded, well-closed and arched; the soles are
hard, but not brittle. The nails are strong and of dark colour.
Hindquarters
The position of hind legs is slightly backwards, whereby the
hind limbs are parallel to each other when seen from the rear.
Upper leg and lower leg are of approximately the same length and
form an angle of approx. 120°; the legs are strong and
well-muscled.
The hocks are strongly developed and firm; the hind pastern
stands vertically under the hock.
The paws are closed, slightly arched; the pads are hard and of
dark colour; the nails are strong, arched and also of dark
colour.
Gait
The German Shepherd Dog is a trotter. The limbs must be
coordinated in length and angulations so that the dog can shift
the hindquarters towards the trunk without any essential change
of the top line and can reach just as far with the forelimbs.
Any tendency
towards over-angulation of the hindquarters reduces the
stability and the stamina, and thereby the working ability.
St-FCI n°166/23.12.2010
Correct body proportions and angulations results in a gait that
is far reaching and flat over the ground which conveys the
impression of effortless forward movements. The head pushed
forward and the slightly raised tail result in a consistent,
smooth trot showing a gently curved, uninterrupted upper line
from the ear tips over the neck and back to the end of the tail.
Skin
The skin is (loosely) fitting, but without forming any
folds.
Coat
Hair texture
Hair:
The German Shepherd Dog is bred in the hair varieties double
coat and long and harsh outer coat – both with undercoat.
Double coat:
The guard hair should be as dense as possible, particularly
harsh and close fitting: short on the head, including the inside
of the ears, short on the front side of the legs, paws and toes,
some-what longer and more strongly covered in hair on the neck.
On the back side of the legs the hair extends to the carpal
joint or the hock; it forms moderate ‘trousers’ on the back side
of the haunches.
Long and harsh outer coat:
The guard hair should be long, soft and not close fitting,
with tufts on the ears and legs, bushy trousers and bushy tail
with downward formation of tuft. Short on the head, including
the inside of the ears, on the front side of the legs, on the
paws and toes, somewhat longer and more strongly covered in hair
on the neck, almost forming a mane. St-FCI n°166/23.12.2010
On the back side of the legs the hair extends to the carpal
joint or the hock and forms clear trousers on the back side of
the haunches.
Colours
Colours are black with reddish-brown, brown and yellow to
light grey markings; single-coloured black, grey with darker
shading, black saddle and mask. Unobtrusive, small white marks
on chest as well as very light colour on insides are
permissible, but not desirable.
The tip of the nose must be black in all colours. Dogs with lack
of mask, light to piercing eye colour, as well as with light to
whitish markings on the chest and the insides, pale nails and
red tip of tail are considered to be lacking in pigmentation.
The undercoat shows a light greyish tone. The colour white
is not allowed.
Size/weight
Male dogs:
Height at the withers: 60 cm to 65 cm
Weight: 30 kg to 40 kg
Female dogs:
Height at the withers: 55 cm to 60 cm
Weight: 22 kg to 32 kg
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault
should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree
and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Serious faults
Deviations from the above-described breed characteristics
which impair the working capability. St-FCI n°166/23.12.2010
Faulty ears: ears set too low laterally, tipped ears, inward
constricted ears, ears not firm
Considerable pigment deficiencies.
Severely impaired overall stability.
Dental faults:
All deviations from scissor bite and dental formula insofar as
it does not involve eliminating faults (see the following)
Disqualifying faults
a) Dogs with weak character and weak nerves which bite
b) Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural
abnormalities.
c) Monorchid or cryptorchid dogs as well as dogs with clearly
dissimilar or atrophied testicles
d) Dogs with disfiguring ears or tail faults
e) Dogs with malformations
f) Dogs with dental faults, with lack of:
1 premolar 3 and another tooth, or
1 canine tooth, or
1 premolar 4, or
1 molar 1 or molar 2, or
a total of 3 teeth or more
g) Dogs with jaw deficiencies:
Overshot by 2 mm and more, undershot, level bite in the entire
incisor region
h) Dogs with oversize or undersize by more than 1 cm
i) Albinism
j) White hair colour (also with dark eyes and nails)
k) Long Straight Topcoat without undercoat St-FCI
n°166/23.12.2010
l) Long-haired (long, soft guard hair without undercoat, mostly
parted in the middle of the back, tufts on the ears and legs and
on the tail)
N.B:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles
fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed
typical conformation, should be used for breeding.
Our Team

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