The
World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV)
FCI
Breed Standard
1)
General Appearance
The
German Shepherd Dog is medium sized. With the hair pressed down, the
height at the withers is measured by a stick along the vertical as it
follows the line of the elbow from the withers to the ground. The ideal
height at the withers is 62.5 cm for males and 57.5 for females. An
allowance of 2.5 cm over or under is permissible. Exceeding the maximum as
well as not meeting the minimum diminishes the working and breeding value
of the dog.
The
German Shepherd is slightly long, strong and well muscled. The bones are
dry and the structure firm. The ratio of height to length and the
placement and structure of the limbs (angulation) are so balanced that a
far-reaching, effortless trot is guaranteed. He has a weatherproof coat.
A
pleasing appearance is desired as long as the working ability of the dog
is not called into question.
Sex
characteristics must be pronounced, e.g., the masculinity of the males and
the femininity of the females must be unmistakable.
The
German Shepherd that corresponds to the Standard offers the observer a
picture of rugged strength, intelligence and agility, whose overall
proportions are neither in excess or deficient in any way. The way he
moves and behaves leaves no doubt that he is sound in mind and body and so
possesses physical and mental traits that render possible an every-ready
working dog with great stamina.
With
an effervescent temperament, the dog must also be cooperative, adapting to
every situation, and take to work willingly and joyfully. He must show
courage and hardness as the situation requires defending his handler and
his property but otherwise being a fully attentive, obedient and pleasant
household companion. He should be devoted to his familiar surroundings,
above all to other animals and children, and composed in his contact with
people. All in all, he gives a harmonious picture of natural nobility and
self-confidence.
2)
Angulation and Movement
The
German Shepherd Dog is a trotter. His gait exhibits diagonal movement,
i.e., the hind foot and the forefoot on opposite sides move
simultaneously. The limbs, therefore, must be so similarly proportioned to
one another, i.e. angulated, that the action of the rear as it carries
through to the middle of the body and is matched by an equally
far-reaching forehand causes no essential change in the topline. Every
tendency toward over angulation of the rear quarters diminishes soundness
and endurance. The correct proportions of height to length and
corresponding length of the leg bones results in a ground-eating gait that
is low to the ground and imparts an impression of effortless progression.
With his head thrust forward and a slightly raised tail, a balanced and
even trotter will have a topline that falls in moderate curves from the
tip of the ears over the neck and level back through the tip of the tail.
3)
Temperament, Character and Abilities
Sound
nerves, alertness, self-confidence, trainability, watchfulness, loyalty
and incorruptibility, as well as courage, fighting drive and hardness, are
the outstanding characteristics of a purebred German Shepherd Dog. They
make his suitable to be a superior working dog in general, and in
particular to be a guard, companion, protection and herding dog.
His
ample scenting abilities, added to his conformation as a trotter, make it
possible for him to quietly and surely work out a track without bodily
strain and with his nose close to the ground. This makes him highly useful
as a multipurpose track and search dog.
4)
Head
The
head should be in proportion to the body size (in length approximately 40%
of the height at the withers) and not coarse, over refined or
overstretched (snipey). In general appearance, it should be dry with
moderate breadth between the ears.
The
forehead when viewed from the front or side is only slightly arched. It
should be without a centre furrow or with only a slightly defined furrow.
The
cheeks form a gentle curve laterally without protrusion toward the front.
When viewed from above, the skull (approximately 50% of the entire head
length) tapers gradually and evenly from the ears to the tip of the nose,
with a sloping rather than a sharply defined stop and into a long, dry
wedge-shaped muzzle (the upper and lower jaws must be
strongly developed.)
The
width of the skull should correspond approximately to the length of the
skull. Also, a slight oversize in the case of males or undersize in the
case of females is not objectionable.
The
muzzle is strong; the lips are firm and dry and close tightly.
The
bridge of the nose is straight and runs nearly parallel with the plane of
the forehead.
5)
Dentition
Dentition
must be healthy, strong and complete (42 teeth, 20 in the upper jaw and 22
in the lower jaw). The German Shepherd Dog has a scissors bite, e.g. the
incisors must meet each other in a scissors like fashion, with the outer
surface of the incisors of the lower jaw sliding next to the inner surface
of the incisors of the upper jaw.
An
undershot or overshot bite is faulty, as are large gaps between the teeth.
A level bite is faulty, as the incisors close on a straight line.
The
jaws must be strongly developed so that the teeth may be deeply rooted.
6)
Ears
The
ears are of medium size, wide at the base and set high. They taper to a
point and are carried facing forward and vertically (the tips not inclined
toward each other). Tipped, cropped and hanging ears are rejected. Ears
drawn toward each other greatly impair the general appearance. The ears of
puppies and young dogs sometimes drop or pull toward each other during the
teething period, which can last until six months of age and sometimes
longer.
Many
dogs draw their ears back during motion or at rest. This is not faulty.
7)
Eyes
The
eyes are of medium size, almond shaped, somewhat slanting and not
protruding.
The colour of the eyes should blend with the colour of the coat. They
should be as dark as possible. They should have a lively, intelligent and
self-confident expression.
8)
Neck
The
neck should be strong with well-developed muscles and without looseness of
the throat skin (dewlaps).
The neck is carried at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal. It
is carried higher when excited and lower when trotting.
9)
Body
The
body length should exceed the height at the withers. It should amount to
about 110 to 117% of the height at the withers. Dogs with a short, square
or tall build are undesirable.
The
chest is deep (approximately 45 to 48% of the height at the withers) but
not too wide. The under chest should be as long as possible and
pronounced.
The
ribs should be well formed and long, neither barrel shaped nor too flat.
They should reach the sternum, which is at the same level as the elbows. A
correctly formed rib cage allows the elbows freedom of movement when the
dog trots. A too round rib cage disrupts the motion of the elbows and
causes them to turn out. A too flat rib cage draws the elbows in toward
one another. The rib cage extends far back so that the loins are
relatively short.
The
abdomen is moderately tucked up.
The
back, including the loins, is straight and strongly developed yet not too
long between the withers and the croup.
The
withers must be long and high, sloping slightly from front to rear,
defined against the back into which it gently blends without breaking the
topline.
The
loins must be wide, strong and well muscled.
The
croup is long and slightly angled (approximately 23 degrees). The ileum
and the sacrum are the foundation bones of the croup. Short, steep or flat
croups are undesirable.
10)
Tail
The
tail is bushy and should reach at least to the hock join but not beyond
the middle of the hocks. Sometimes the tail forms a hook to one side at
its end, though this is undesirable. At rest the tail is carried in a
gentle downward curve, but when the dog is excited or in motion, it is
curved more and carried higher. The tail should never be raised past the
vertical. The tail, therefore, should not be carried straight or curled
over the back.
Docked
tails are inadmissible.
11)
Forequarters
The
shoulder blade should be long with an oblique placement (the angle at 45
degrees) and lying flat against the body. The upper arm joins the shoulder
blade in an approximate right angle. The upper arm as well as the shoulder
must be strong and well muscled.
The
forearm must be straight when viewed from all sides. The bones of the
upper arm and forearm are more oval than round. The pasterns should be
firm but neither too steep or too down in pastern (Approximately 20
degrees).
The
elbows must be neither turned in nor turned out. The length of the leg
bones should exceed the depth of the chest (approximately 55%).
12)
Hindquarters
The
thigh is broad and well muscled.
The
upper thighbone when viewed from the side joins the only slightly longer
lower thighbone at an angle of approximately 120 degrees. The angulation
corresponds roughly to the forequarter angulation without being over
angulated.
The
hock joint is strong and firm.
The
hock is strong and forms a firm joint with the lower thigh. The entire
hindquarters must be strong and well muscled to be capable of carrying the
body effortlessly forward during motion.
13)
Feet
The
feet are relatively round, short, tightly formed and arched. The pads are
very hard, but not chapped. The nails are short, strong and of a dark
colour.
Dewclaws
sometime appear on the hind legs and should be removed within the first
few days of birth.
14)
Colour
Colour
should be black with regular markings in brown, tan to light grey, also
with a black saddle, dark sable (black cover on a grey or light brown case
with corresponding lighter marks), black, uniform grey or with light or
brown markings. Small white markings on the fore chest or a very light
colour on the insides of the legs are permissible though not desired.
The
nose must be black with all coat colours. (Dogs with little or no masks,
yellow or strikingly light eyes, light markings on the chest and insides
of the legs, white nails and a red tip of the tail or washed out weak
colours are considered lacking in pigment.)
The
undercoat or base hair is always light grey, with the exception of that on
black dogs. The final colour of a puppy is only determined when the outer
coat completely develops.
15)
Coat
a)
The medium smooth coated German Shepherd Dog
The
outer coat should be as thick as possible. The individual hairs are
straight, coarse and lying flat against the body. The coat is short on the
head inclusive of the ears, the front of the legs, the feet and the toes
but longer and thicker on the neck. The hair grows longer on the back of
the fore- and hind legs as far down as the pastern and the hock joint,
forming moderate breeching on the thighs. The length of the hair varies,
and due to these differences in length, there are many intermediate forms.
A too short or a mole like coat is faulty.
b)
The long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog
The
individual hairs are longer, not always straight and above all not lying
close to the body. The coat is considerably longer inside and behind the
ears, on the back of the forearm and usually in the loin area. Now and
then there will be tufts in the ears and feathering from elbow to pastern.
The breeching along the thigh is long and thick. The tail is bushy with
slight feathering underneath. The long smooth coat is not as weatherproof
as the medium-smooth-coat and is therefore undesirable; however, provided
there is sufficient undercoat, it may be passed for breeding, as long as
the breed regulations of the country allow it.
With
the long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog, a narrow chest and narrow
overstretched muzzle are frequently found.
c)
The long coated German Shepherd Dog
The coat is considerably longer than that of the long smooth coat. It is
generally very soft and forms a parting along the back. The undercoat will
be found in the region of the loins or will not be present at all. A long
coat is greatly diminished in weatherproofing and utility and therefore is
undesirable.
Faults
Faults
include anything that impairs working versatility, endurance and working
competency, especially lack of sex characteristics and temperament traits
contrary to the German Shepherd Dog such as apathy, weak nerves or over
excitability, shyness; lack of vitality or willingness to work; monorchids
and cryptorchids and testicles too small; a soft or flabby constitution
and a lack of substance; fading pigment; blues, albinos (with complete
lack of pigmentation, e.g. pink nose, etc.) and whites (near to pure white
with black nose); over and under size; stunted growth; high-legged dogs
and those with an overloaded fore chest; a disproportionately short, too
refined or coarse build; a soft back, too steep a placement of the limbs
and anything depreciating the reach and endurance of gait; a muzzle that
is too short, blunt, weak , pointed or narrow and lacks strength; an
over-or undershot bite or any other faults of dentition, especially weak
or worn teeth; a coat that is too soft, too short or too long; a lack of
undercoat; hanging ears, a permanently faulty ear carriage or cropped
ears; a ringed, curled or generally faulty tail set; a docked tail
(stumpy) or a naturally short tail.
The
above standard was approved and put into effect for the countries and
clubs of the FCI. The name of the breed is the German Shepherd Dog. The
country of origin is Germany.
:
+44 (0)1905 830900
