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The German Shepherd Standard as defined by the FCI.
23.12.2010/EN
FCI-Standard N°166
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
(Deutscher Schäferhund)
TRANSLATION:
Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) E.V. / Original version: (D).
Double coat
Long and harsh outer coat:
ORIGIN:
Germany.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF
THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD:
11.08.2010.
UTILIZATION:
Versatile working, herding and service dog.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION: Group 1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Mountain
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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. 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
Testicles
Male dogs should have two obviously normally developed testicles
which are completely in the scrotum.
Faults
Any deviation from the aforementioned points should be considered as
a fault whose evaluation should be in exact proportion to the degree
of deviation.
Serious faults
Deviations from the above-described breed characteristics which
impair the working capability.
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)
Eliminating faults
a)
Dogs with weak
character and weak nerves which bite
b)
Dogs with proven
“severe hip dysplasia”
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
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)