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Standards Of The German Shepherd Breed
The American Kennel Club (AKC) establishes the standard of every dog breed recognized in the United States. The standards of the German Shepherd breed specify what makes a German Shepherd a competition grade German Shepherd. The closer a dog comes to matching the standards of any particular breed, the greater chance that dog has of winning a dog show or becoming an American Kennel Club champion.
The categories that make up the standard of the German Shepherd breed include: appearance, temperament, size and proportion, coat and color and gait, the way the dog moves. A German Shepherd who meets the appearance standard of the breed gives the impression of a strong animal, alert and full of life. A good German Shepherd looks substantial and muscular, with an expression of nobility and quality breeding. The standard of the German Shepherd breed calls for a confident personality, slow to make friends. German Shepherds are alert and eager, ready to be report for duty as guide dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, herding dogs or loyal family companions.
American Kennel Club standards require German Shepherd males to stand twenty four to twenty six inches tall at the shoulder. Females should stand twenty two to twenty four inches tall at the shoulder. A strong appearance of nobility marks the German Shepherd head. The appearance of the head should communicate the sex of the animal, masculine for males and feminine for females. The head must be proportional to the body. The eyes should be almond shaped and dark, American Kennel Club judges score the most points for the darkest possible eye color. The ears should be moderately pointed and the muzzle long, strong, and pronounced. The nose must be predominantly black.
The standard for the German Shepherd's neck is long and strong, with the head held high and proud. The rib cage is deep, with long ribs, a firm underbelly and a full tail held high in the air. The shoulders and forearms show muscular strength, with short, compact feet carrying the German Shepherd in its signature trotting gait. The upper thigh should run parallel to the shoulder blade and the lower thigh should run parallel to the upper arm are parallel. Hindquarters should be broad, with dewclaws absent from the back legs.
The German Shepherd standard of the breed calls for a short, double coat with an extremely dense outer coat on the main body and a short coat on the head, legs and paws. German Shepherds with soft, silky, wooly and curly coats are disqualified. Variations in color are permissible, although a white dog must always be disqualified. Rich colors are preferred, and a tan face with black body is a commonly accepted color combination.
Surprisingly, a variety of color combinations are permitted. White dogs, however, are instantly disqualified. Judges prefer rich colors; virtually any combination of black and tan is favored. Faults of the gate are grounds for disqualification, and for good cause.
These are the American Kennel Club standards of the German Shepherd breed against which show dogs are judged. Many of these traits have no bearing whatsoever on what kind of pet a German Shepherd will make. Usually, German Shepherds who don't meet American Kennel Club standards make excellent pets and working dogs.A dog with cropped or hanging ears will be disqualified from competition, as will a dog with a nose that is not predominantly black. The neck should be strong, muscular and relatively long, carrying the head high and forward.
The body should be deep with long ribs, a firmly held abdomen and a high, bushy tail. The forequarters are well muscled, with short, compact feet. The upper thigh should run parallel to the shoulder blade. The hindquarters are broad, with dewclaws removed from the hind legs.
About the Author About the author: Jan Ryan is an avid lover of the German Shepherd and has a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved German Shepherd. Among other topics at this website, you can also learn all about German Shepherd Breed Standards plus a whole lot more. |
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