The German Shepherd Dog, sometimes known as the Alsatian herders (in France, the UK and Ireland) or more common in France "Berger Allemand", Schäferhund (in other parts of Europe) and by the acronym GSD or simply German Shepherd, is a breed of dog originally bred for herding sheep. Today, based on 2006 Kennel Club figures, German Shepherd Dogs are the most popular breed in the UK, with 12,857 registrations and are the most popular breed in the United States with 43,575 registrations. They can also be found working as guide dogs for the blind, police work, guarding, search and rescue, therapy and in the military. Despite their suitability for such work, German Shepherds can also make loyal and loving pets inside the home. They enjoy being around people and other animals, although socialization is critical for young puppies in order to prevent aggressive and dangerous behavior as an adult. German Shepherds are well-suited to obedience, with advanced and prestigious titles available to test both the handler and dog in various schutzhund trials.

Characteristics

German Shepherd Dog appearance
Build:     Sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated, with a light but solid bone structure
Weight:     75-110 pounds (32-50kg)
Height:     24-26 inches (60-65cm)
Coat:     Three varieties: Short-, medium- and long-haired
Color:     Black with tan, sable or all black also white(Blue, liver and white considered a fault)
Head:     In proportion to its body, with the forehead a little convex
Teeth:     A very strong scissors bite
Eyes:     Almond-shaped, never protruding, dark brown, with a lively, intelligent expression
Ears:     Wide at the base, pointed, upright and turned forward
Tail:     Bushy, reaching almost to its hocks and hanging down when the dog is at rest
Limbs:     Front legs and shoulders are muscular, its thighs thick and sturdy
Feet:     Round with very hard soles
Life span:     ~15 years

Exact standards for the breed vary by country and organization, but the following criteria are generally part of the definition.

The German Shepherd Dog is a large and strong dog, typically between 75 and 110lbs, but have been known to reach 130lbs. The height for males is typically 24-26in (60-65cm); for females it is 22-24in (55-60cm). The fur is a double-coat (under coat and outer coat). While some organizations accept long-haired German Shepherds, short-haired dogs are typically (and historically) preferred.

German Shepherds are easily identifiable by their large head, ears which stand straight up, wedge-shaped muzzle and compact legs. They also have a distinctive gait, as well as other breed-specific features.

Disqualifications for conformation-line dogs include white nails, a nose which isn't all-black, a muzzle which isn't predominantly black, non-erect ears, and very light-toned eyes.

Controversy over the modern appearance

German Shepherds are sparingly bred, by the efforts of a great few, for work function ("working line") as was originally intended by the breed inventor Max von Stephanitz. Most often they are bred to conform to breed appearance standards ("conformation line"). Though Max von Stephanitz distinctly stated, "Our shepherd dog is a service dog, and he must only be bred as a service dog. He must only be judged as a service dog. With service dogs, suitability ranks higher than beauty."

Appearance in working versus show lines

In Germany, Conformation line dogs are bred to not only proper physical appearance, but must also have working instincts (herding, prey drive) They are bred to conform to the published breed standards for appearance, health and workability, hence the strict rules of the German SV Schaeferhunde Verein for dogs in their Pink Paper breeding program to be titled and Köred (critiqued by a Judge). However, because they are bred for Conformation/beauty, these dogs are most often found as quality pets, in breeder environments, and in sport (Schutzhund, IPO, AKC agility)and as volunteer Search and Rescue dogs.

Working line German Shepherds are typically excluded from the show ring, as most don't conform to the highest levels of the breed standard for physical appearance. These dogs are bred to have an enduring work drive, and unwavering obedience. Of critical importance is the dog's ability to distinguish what constitutes a threat and what does not constitute a threat. Dogs that cannot make that distinction are eliminated from police and military programs. Extremely well-suited for police and military work, these dogs are less suitable as pets for home environments, and owners should be familiar with their dog's abilities and needs. Working line dogs are now employed in many police departments and government organizations across the globe such as the UK Police Service and the Metropolitan Counter Terrorism Command in the United Kingdom, and the ATF, the U.S. Marshals, and Customs in the USA.

Appearance in national breed lines
A German Shepherd puppy. The ears do not stand erect until several weeks or months of age, and go through phases of both-ears-down, one-ear-up, etc., until then.
A German Shepherd puppy. The ears do not stand erect until several weeks or months of age, and go through phases of both-ears-down, one-ear-up, etc., until then.

There are typically four recognized breed lines.

The West German Lines contain both working and confirmation lines and are the most well known of the various lines. The split between the working line and confirmation line bred dogs has affected this line also. The confirmation line specializing in beauty while the working line dogs are targeted towards performance and working related activities.

The DDR lines. In the former East Germany, German Shepherds adhered more closely to the old pre-war standard, marked by a straighter back, a longer and denser coat, and a darker color. The government sponsored breeding program fell when the wall fell thus there are no longer any true DDR dogs being produced although there are current attempts to preserve this distinct line amongst certain breeders.

The Eastern European lines were very similar to the DDR lines due to the close contact between the former Easter Bloc countries. Czech and Slovak dogs are often prized for working applications. Although many are attempting to preserve this line type the government sponsored breeding programs fell when these countries broke from communism similar to the DDR dogs.

Most Czech dogs had their origins in the government kennels of Z Pohranicni straze (z PS), Z Jirkova dvora CS and Z Blatenskeho zamku. One of the most prolific kennels Z Pohranicni straze (Z PS) was founded in the year 1955 for the strict purpose of production and training of the dogs that would be solely used for the protection of Czechoslovakian People's Republic's, since 1968 Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic's borders. The majority of dogs were acquired from former East Germany.

The American lines are recognized by AKC and the UKC, and they have a noticeably different appearance from the international conformation-line (German line) German Shepherds. The most obvious difference is the sloping back and "collapsed" hips, which is a disqualification for dogs in international competitions. This has led to the creation of the Shiloh Shepherd in the United States, which was originally a line of German shepherd whose breeder did not favor that feature in the American lines and wanted to preserve the way the breed originally looked.
Variant sizes and coats

There are many color variations. For conformation-line dogs, the most common ones are black-and-tan and black-and-red. Combinations containing very light hues such as cream are typically considered faulty. All-black is usually, but not always, accepted. A white German Shepherd is automatically disqualified from entering the show ring.
A solid black German Shepherd
A solid black German Shepherd

Working-line dogs are typically sable, black-and-tan or black-and-brown.

There are several different color-marking patterns. For conformation-line dogs, the "saddle" marking is probably the most well-known. This consists of a large black patch on the upper and mid back, extending partway down the dog's sides. The "sable" marking, which consists of one color with randomly-sized and -shaped patches or swaths of different-colored hair mixed in, is typical for working-line dogs. Some sable-pattern dogs have three colors in their coat; this is called agouti. The other popular marking is called "bi-color", and consists of a dog that is all one color (typically black) save for differently-colored paws and lower legs, and sometimes a swath on the belly.

Some groups or breeders have focused on variants of the breed that are not recognized by most kennel clubs as standard show German Shepherds. White Shepherds or Berger Blanc Suisse are recognized as a separate breed.


Dogs with the long haired coat variation look somewhat like the Tervuren type of Belgian Shepherd Dog. The long hair gene is recessive. Popular myth holds that long-haired GSDs (sometimes called "fuzzies") are more affectionate, but there is little evidence for this beyond owner impressions. Long coats can cometter club treatment of long-haired German Shepherds varies. It is considered a fault under American Kennel Club and FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale, i.e. International Canine Federation) standards. Under other standards, such as Germany and the United Kingdom,long-haired German Shepherds are actively bred, registered, and shown, and specialized long-haired breeders exist. There is also a variation known as 'long, stock-haired German Shephard'; stock hair isn't registered directly as a fault and such dogs are able to participate.

The recessive gene for white coat hair was fixed in the German Shepherd Dog breed DNA by the late 19th and early 20th century German breeding program that extensively used "color coated" dogs that carried a recessive gene for "white coats." The maternal grandfather of Horand von Grafrath, the first entry "SZ 1" in the SV Stud Book, was a white-coat German shepherding dog named Greif von Sparwasser. White was designated a disqualifying conformation fault by the SV (German Shepherd Club of Germany) in the 1933 and by the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) and the German Shepherd Dog Club of Canada (GSDCC)in the mid-1960's.


The Shiloh Shepherd was bred by Tina M. Barber of Shiloh Shepherds Kennel; it resembles other German shepherd lines without a sloping back. Initially the breed's stock consisted only of German shepherds that did not have much of a sloping back, and as a result, it was only considered a distinct line of German shepherd for a time. However, the line was later infused with an Alaskan malamute to achieve the build desired by breeders.

The King Shepherd is a larger variation of the German Shepherd but is not accepted in the AKC ring nor the majority of other registries worldwide. When shepherds are bred this large, their size prevents them from fitting the AKC's breed standard description of "Size, Proportion, Substance".

Neither the Shiloh Shepherd nor the King Shepherd is officially recognized as a German Shepherd Dog by any major registry.

Temperament

German Shepherds are highly intelligent and agile dogs, with a strong work drive. They are often deployed in various roles such as police, guarding, search and rescue, therapy, service-dog, and in the military applications.

The breed has a personality marked by direct, fearless willingness to protect what it considers its "den" (i.e. house, car, and property in a home situation) and "pack" (i.e. human family in a home situation). It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as a companion, watchdog, guide dog for people who are blind, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand.

Proper socialization as a puppy is one of the two key factors which determines what a dog's temperament will be as an adult. Genetics is the other. They go hand-in-hand; a dog with certain genetics cannot be trained to be stable and friendly, and by the same token the genetics most fit for training are meaningless if the dog is not well-socialized as a puppy. The "ideal" German Shepherd should be alert and fearless in defense of its den and pack, but loving and non-aggressive within the home environment.

Health

As is common of many large breeds, German Shepherds are susceptible to elbow and hip dysplasia. Proper breeding is needed to breed these traits out of their dogs, so that the dog may enjoy a pain-free life and stay suited for work situations. These breeders typically require that their puppies' hips and elbows be x-rayed, and the x-rays approved and certified by the OFA when the puppy is fully-grown (age 2), in order for the puppy to be allowed to be bred.

Other health problems sometimes occurring in the breed are von Willebrand's disease, skin allergies and canine degenerative myelopathy. German Shepherds, like all large bodied dogs, are also prone to bloat. They have an average lifespan of 10-12 years.

German Shepherd's are also prone to pancreas deficiency, which is where the pancreas stops creating enzymes so that the animal is unable to pass any feces. There is available medication, but it is not 100% effective. Unfortunately, it does not cure the problem, and the treatment is fairly expensive.

Name

The proper English name for the breed is German Shepherd Dog (a literal translation from the German Deutscher Schäferhund) but they are usually informally referred to as GSDs or as "German Shepherds". In addition, the sobriquet police dog is used in many countries where the GSD is the predominant or exclusive breed used by the police force.

Anti-German sentiment was still high in the wake of World War I (1914 - 1918), and change of German-oriented names in the UK - including that of the Royal Family - were common at the time when a few dogs were taken to Britain and the United States. In 1919, the English Kennel Club gave the breed a separate register. Since it was feared that the name German Shepherd Dog could be an impediment, the name Alsatian wolf dog was introduced, from Alsace, a traditionally German-speaking French area on the west bank of the Rhine which had been annexed by the German Empire in 1870 but restored to France in 1918. The 'wolf dog' part was dropped shortly thereafter for fear of causing undue criticism of the breed. This name is still occasionally used in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and the Commonwealth. Only in 1977 did the British Kennel Club authorize the breed to be known again as the German Shepherd Dog.

In the United States, the breed was originally known as the 'German sheep dog' by the AKC despite its breed club calling it the 'German shepherd dog.' Initial requests to change the name were denied. Part of the problem with calling the dog 'sheep dog' is that in Germany there is a separate breed whose name translates as 'German sheep dog.' In the fall of 1917, the name was changed to 'Shepherd dog' due to WW1 anti-German sentiments. The breed club also did this, calling themselves the Shepherd Dog Club of America. It wasn't until 1931 that 'German' was once again added back on and accepted by the AKC, finally giving the breed the proper translation of its German name.

In Germany, northern and eastern Europe the breed is still most commonly known by the original name Schäferhund.

History

The German Shepherd breed was invented by "Captain Max" von Stephanitz in 1899. His first German Shepherd, named Horand von Grafrath, is the genetic basis for the German Shepherd as we know it today.

The German Shepherd was originally conceived as a sheep-herding dog, hence its name. Throughout the years, the specific working drives of tracking, obedience, and protection have been intentionally highlighted in the breed by selective breeding, making German Shepherds very well-suited for active working environments. German Shepherds first came to the attention of the British authorities at the beginning of the 20th century where they were already being used extensively by German forces on the Western front during the first world war.

Titling/competitions

There are many prestigious titles available for German Shepherds, covering everything from conformation to herding abilities. Schutzhund trials were invented for evaluation German Shepherds, and measure the dogs' abilities in the areas of protection, tracking, and obedience. Most world-class conformation dogs are titled to the 2nd or 3rd (which is the highest) level of Schutzhund before they're bred.

Scent-work

The German Shepherd dog is one of the most widely-used breeds in a wide variety of scent-work roles. These include search and rescue, cadaver searching, narcotics detection, explosives detection, accelerant detection, and mine detection dog, amongst others.

Appearances in films and on television

    * Rin-Tin-Tin, a German Shepherd dog, was considered to be one of Hollywood's top stars during the 1920's and 30's. At the peak of his career, Rin-Tin-Tin received as many as 10,000 fan letters a week.
    * In a 1972 film version of Jack London's book, The Call of the Wild, which starred Charlton Heston.
    * The Littlest Hobo was a live-action popular television series in the 1980's airing on CTV in Canada. It featured a German Shepherd that travelled from place to place, performing some good deed, and then moving on.
    * Koton, a German Shepherd, starred as Jerry Lee, a police dog, in the 1989 movie K-9.
    * From 1994 to 2005, the Austrian television show Kommissar Rex, (English Inspector Rex) featured a resourceful German Shepherd police dog.
    * The manga Ginga Nagareboshi Gin and its sequel, Ginga Densetsu Weed have many German Shepherd characters, including the very popular black-and-white Shepherd, Jerome, and Gin's right-hand dog, John.
    * In the 2000 film, The Cell, the antagonist of the film, a serial killer, owns an unusual, albino colored German Shepherd named Valentine, played by a dog named Tim.
    * In the 2007 film, I Am Legend, a female German Shepherd named Abbey plays Sam (short for 'Samantha'), the companion of main character Robert Neville (played by Will Smith).
    * Charlie B. Barkin, voiced by Burt Reynolds, from the 1989 animated film, All Dogs go to Heaven.
    * In the 2005 film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Jean Girard's husband is a world trainer of German Shepherds.

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German Shepherd Dog Breed Standard
Herding Group

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.

Temperament

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.

Size, Proportion, Substance
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 German Shepherd Dog is longer than tall, with the most desirable proportion as 10 to 8½. The length is measured from the point of the prosternum or breastbone to the rear edge of the pelvis, the ischial tuberosity. 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.

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 expression keen, intelligent and composed. Eyes of medium size, almond shaped, set a little obliquely and not protruding. The color is as dark as possible. 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.

Seen from the front the forehead is only moderately arched, and the skull slopes into the long, wedge-shaped muzzle without abrupt stop. The muzzle is long and strong, and its topline is parallel to the topline of the skull. Nose black. A dog with a nose that is not predominantly black must be disqualified. The lips are firmly fitted. Jaws are strongly developed. 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, Topline, Body
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 shoulders, particularly in motion.

Topline-- The withers are higher than and sloping into the level back. The back is straight, very strongly developed without sag or roach, and relatively short.

The whole structure of the body gives an impression of depth and solidity without bulkiness.

Chest--Commencing at the prosternum, 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 prosternum showing ahead of the shoulder in profile. Ribs 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.

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.

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. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed, but are normally left on.
The feet are short, compact with toes well arched, pads thick and firm, nails short and dark.

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. The dewclaws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs. Feet as in front.

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 foreface, 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.

Color
The German Shepherd Dog varies in color, and most colors are permissible. Strong rich colors are preferred. Pale, washed-out colors and blues or livers are serious faults. A white dog must be disqualified.

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 hindquarters 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 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.

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.

Disqualifications
Cropped or hanging ears.
Dogs with noses not predominantly black.
Undershot jaw.
Docked tail.
White dogs.
Any dog that attempts to bite the judge.

Approved February 11, 1978
Reformatted July 11, 1994

German Shepherd Information Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd

www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/index.cfm