MOUTH - Dentition must be strong, healthy and complete (42 teeth in accordance with the dentition formula). Scissor bite. FEET rounded, well closed and arched. Hind feet are closed and slightly arched. Pads are hard but not rough and of dark colour. Nails are strong, arched and of dark colour EYES are medium sized, almond shaped, slightly oblique and not protruding. The colour should be as dark as possible. Light piercing eyes are not desirable as they detract from the expression of the dog HEAD & SKULL The head is wedge shaped, proportionate in size to the body without being coarse or over long. The forehead is only slightly domed. Skull to muzzle ration is 50:50. Upper & lower jaws strongly devleoped, tight fitting lips. EARS - erect and of medium size that are carried upright and almost parallel. They run to a point and are set with the orifice to the front. Tipped & drop ears are faulty. Carried laid back during gaiting or when at rest. NECK should be strong, well muscled and free from throatiness. The angle to the body is about 45 degrees (during stance). FORELEGS are straight viewed from all sides, absolutely parallel viewed from the front. PASTERN approximately 1/3 of the lenght of the forearm and has an angle of approx 20 to 22 degrees to the forearm. Too sloping pasterns or too steep pasterns diminish the dog's working ability and especially its endurance ELBOWS should be neither turned out or pinched in, either in stance or during movement. FOREQUARTERS - Shoulder blade and upper arm are of equal length with strong musculation. The angulation of should & upper arm in the ideal is 90 degrees but as a rule 110 degrees WITHERS - should be well defined. The neck flows into the withers and into the topline without a noticeable break. BACK is firm, strong and well muscled, sloping slightly from the horizontal to the slightly sloping croup without a noticeable break. LOIN is broad, strongly developed and well muscled. CROUP should be long and gently sloping (approximately 23 degrees to the horizontal) into the set on of tail without disrupting the topline. CHEST should be moderately broad, the underchest as long as possible and well developed. The depth of chest should be about 45% to 48% of the height at the withers RIBS should be moderately sprung. Barrel chested is as equally faulty as is slab sided. HOCKS are well developed and firm; the rear pastern stands perpendicular under the hock. HINDQUARTERS - the position of the hindlegs is slightly set back, whereby the hindlimbs, viewed from the back, stand parrallel to each other. Upper & lower thighs are of almost equal length & form an angle of 120 degrees; the thighs strong & well muscled. TAIL reaches at least to the hock. Slightly longer haired on the underside and is carried curving down gently, higher in excitement and during movement but not above the horizontal.
THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
 
Short Historical Overview
According to the official records of the Breed Club for the German Shepherd Dog (Verein fur Deutsche Schaeferhunde Inc., Augsburg.) - (SV)), in the Association for German Dog Matters (VDH). The SV, as the founding association of the breed, is responsible for the Standard of the German Shepherd Dog, which was drawn up at the first meeting of members in Frankfurt am Maine on 20th September 1899, on the proposals of A Meyer and Von Stephanitz.
The German Shepherd Dog, whose planned breeding commenced in the year 1899, after the founding of the GSD Verein, was bred from the central and southern German starins of the existing herding dogs of those times, with the final goal of creating a working dog, predisposed to high working aptitude. In order to reach this goal, the Breed Standard was laid down, which relates to the physical attributes, as well as to those ot temperament and character
 
General Appearance
The German Shepherd Dog is medium sized, slightly elongated, powerful and well muscled, the bones dry and overall structure firm.
 
Important Proportions
The height of withers:
for dogs is 60-65cm and
for bitches 55-60cm
The length of the body is greater than the height at the withers by about 10 to 17%
 
Temperament
The German Shepherd Dog must be of well balanced temperament, steady of nerve, self assured, absolutely free and easy and (unless provoked) completely good natured, as well as alert and tractable. He must have courage, combative instict and hardness, in order to be suitable as companion, watch, protection, service and herding dog
 
Colour
Black with reddish tan, tan gold to light grey markings. All black and all grey; in greys with dark shadings, black saddle and mask. Unobtrusive, small white markings on chest as well as very light colour on sides of legs permissable but not desirable. The nose must be black in all colour types. Lacking mask, light to piercing eyes, as well as whitish markings on chest and inner sides of legs, light nails and red tip of tail are to be rated as lacking in pigment. The undercoat is of a light grey toning.
The colour white is not permitted.
 
Gait/Movement
THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG BREED STANDARD

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The German Shepherd Dog is a trotter. The limbs must be of such length and angulation that the hindquarters may be thrust well forward under the body and the forequarters reache equally far forward without noticeable change in the topline. Any tendency towards overangulation of the hindquarters lessens their firmness and endurance and thus the dogs utmost working ability. With correct structural proportions and angulations, a roomy, smooth, ground covering gait results, that gives the impression of effortless forward propulsion.
With the head pushed forward and a slightly raised tail, an even calm trot results in a softly curving and unbroken topline, running from tips of the ears, over the neck and back to the tip of the tail.
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