Official ICCF Breed Description
Brief Historical Overview:
The German Shepherd is a working breed developed in Germany at the end of the 19th century through the dedicated efforts of Captain Max von Stephanitz. Its foundation consisted of diverse local herding dogs known for endurance, working drive, and trainability. Stephanitz aimed to create a universal dog with a stable psyche, a strong protective instinct, and high learning ability. The breed quickly gained recognition for its reliability, obedience, and ability to work under various conditions. By the early 20th century, the German Shepherd was widely used in police, military, border service, and rescue operations. Today, it remains one of the most in-demand working breeds in the world, preserving its clear working type, intelligence, and strong bond with humans.
General Appearance:
The German Shepherd is a large, well-proportioned, strongly muscled working dog of a slightly elongated format, combining strength, endurance, and agility. The body lines are smooth and harmonious, without coarseness or looseness. The head is dry, wedge-shaped, and balanced in relation to the body. The back is firm, the croup slightly sloping, and the chest deep with moderate width. The limbs are straight and strong, with correct angulation ensuring energetic, free, and enduring movement. The tail is saber-shaped and naturally lowered. Overall type emphasizes functionality, working ability, and adaptability to various service conditions.
Important Proportions:
The German Shepherd has a slightly elongated format: the body length exceeds the height at the withers by approximately 10–17%. The head accounts for about 40% of the dog's height and must retain clear wedge-shaped lines. The chest depth reaches 45–48% of the height at the withers, ensuring functionality and endurance. The shoulder blade is set at about a 45° angle, the upper arm at 90–100°, creating correct forequarter balance. The croup is moderately elongated with a slight slope for effective drive. At rest, the tail reaches the hock joint. The ratio of limb length to body length emphasizes the working type and ability to maintain long, economical movement.
Behavior and Character:
The German Shepherd is known for a balanced, stable, and confident temperament, combining high trainability, a strong protective instinct, and reliable manageability. The dog is attentive, focused, and quick to respond to commands, maintaining self-control in various environments. Courage, persistence, and strong attachment to its owner are characteristic features. The breed is naturally wary of strangers but without unjustified aggression. Its work ethic, intelligence, and discipline make it highly versatile for service, sport, and protection. With proper training, the German Shepherd demonstrates a stable psyche, confidence, and predictable behavior.
Head:
The German Shepherd’s head is dry, wedge-shaped, proportional to the body, with a smooth taper from skull to nose. The skull is moderately broad and slightly convex; the stop is defined but not sharp. The muzzle is strong and straight, lips tight. The nose is large and pigmented. The jaws are powerful with a complete scissor bite. Overall expression is intelligent and attentive, emphasizing the breed’s working type.
Facial Part:
The German Shepherd’s muzzle is elongated and strong, with a straight nasal bridge and even tapering toward the nose. Lips are dry and tight, without looseness. The nose is large, black, and well pigmented. Cheeks are dry and not protruding. The jaws are strong, with a broad base and a full set of teeth. The facial expression is strict and attentive, highlighting the breed’s working qualities.
Eyes:
The eyes are medium-sized, almond-shaped, slightly slanted, with tight eyelids and a calm, confident expression. The color is predominantly dark, harmonizing with the overall type and pigmentation. Light eyes are considered undesirable as they detract from the breed's expression. The gaze is attentive and focused, reflecting intelligence, balance, and working purpose.
Ears:
The ears are erect, medium-sized, set high and symmetrically, with a broad base and pointed tips. The cartilage is firm, and the shape stable without folds. At rest, the ears are directed forward, emphasizing alertness and readiness. Soft, dropped, or outward-turned ears are unacceptable as they alter breed expression and working format.
Neck:
The neck is of medium length, muscular, dry, with a smooth transition from the withers. The set is slightly inclined, providing body balance and freedom of movement. The skin is tight without dewlap. The neck must be strong enough to support the head and ensure confident, energetic movement. A short, weak, or overly thick neck disrupts the breed’s harmonious silhouette.
Body:
The body is strong and slightly elongated, with a straight, firm back and a moderately long loin. The withers are high and well defined. The chest is deep, moderately wide, with long, well-curved ribs. The croup is slightly sloping and muscular, providing powerful drive. The topline and underline must be smooth and harmonious, emphasizing the working type.
Tail:
The tail is natural, saber-shaped, reaching at least the hock joint. At rest it is lowered, slightly curved at the tip; during movement it may rise but never above the topline. The tail is well covered with hair, without breaks or curls. An overly high or low set, short tail, or deformation is considered a fault that affects the overall type.
Forequarters:
Forelimbs are straight, dry, and strong, with well-developed musculature. Shoulder blades are long, sloping, and close-fitting, forming correct angles with the upper arm for free reach. Upper arms are strong, forearms straight and firm. Pasterns are elastic and slightly slanted for shock absorption. Feet are oval, compact, with strong pads and dark nails.
Hindquarters:
Hind limbs are powerful and well angulated, with developed musculature and strong bone. Thighs are long and broad, lower thighs moderately long and dry. Knees and hocks are well defined, providing powerful drive and stability. Hocks are firm and nearly vertical. Feet are slightly oval and compact. Insufficient angulation or weak hindquarters detract from the working type.
Gait and Movement:
Movement is free, wide, and enduring, with powerful rear drive and good forward reach. The breed should demonstrate a steady, economical trot without excessive lift or exaggerated motion. The topline remains stable during movement. Short stride, sticky movement, body swaying, or loss of coordination are unacceptable as they impair working ability.
Coat:
The coat consists of a dense, harsh outer hair and thick undercoat providing reliable protection from the elements. The outer coat is medium length, close-fitting, covering the body and limbs well. A more pronounced neck ruff is acceptable. The coat must maintain proper structure, ensuring protection and functionality. Soft, wavy, or long hair without undercoat is considered a fault.
Acceptable Colors
Traditional working colors are allowed: all shades of sable (agouti), black and red, black and tan, black and brown, as well as solid black. Variations in tan intensity are permitted but must be clear and harmonious. White markings, washed-out pattern, uneven pigmentation, or excessively light tones are undesirable. The nose and eye rims must be dark.
Size:
Males are larger and heavier: height 60–65 cm, weight around 30–40 kg. Females are lighter and more compact: height 55–60 cm, weight 22–32 kg. The dog must retain harmonious proportions, sufficient bone and musculature without heaviness. Excessive lightness or overmassiveness is considered a deviation from breed type.
Faults:
Faults include deviations that impair harmony, functionality, or breed type. Weak bone, looseness, narrow or overly massive format reduce working ability. Incorrect topline, soft back, short or overly long croup, insufficient chest depth are significant faults. Short or elongated muzzle, light pigmentation of the nose, light eyes, soft or unstable ears disrupt breed expression. Movement faults include short stride, body sway, weak drive, insufficient angulation, narrow or crooked limbs. Coat faults include excessive softness, waviness, lack of undercoat, or excessive length. Non-standard colors, faded tan, or weak pigmentation are also faults.
Disqualification:
Disqualifying faults include severe structural, behavioral, or health defects making the dog unsuitable for breeding or nonconforming to the standard. Unprovoked aggression or extreme fearfulness are critical temperament faults. Structural issues include evident limb deformities, severe hip or elbow dysplasia, significant spinal defects, cryptorchidism, incorrect bite, missing teeth beyond allowed limits, skull deformities, alopecia, skin disorders, and any signs of artificial alteration. Non-standard colors, lack of pigmentation, blue eyes, partial or complete albinism are disqualifying. Cropped ears or docked tail, as well as any surgical modifications, are prohibited. Dogs with hereditary diseases affecting breeding quality cannot be used.
Important Notes:
For the German Shepherd, maintaining working type, stable psyche, and functional movement is essential, as the breed was historically created for service work. Evaluation must consider the dog’s age, development stage, shedding, and overall condition, but temporary changes must not conceal innate faults. Special attention is paid to correct bite, stable ear set, developed chest, and strong topline. The dog must show confident, balanced behavior without unjustified aggression or fearfulness. Breeding prioritizes health, absence of hereditary diseases, and stable nervous system. Dogs with traces of plastic or corrective interventions are forbidden. Evaluation must follow the ICCF standard strictly, ensuring genetic integrity of the breed.
Conclusion:
The German Shepherd is a versatile working breed combining intelligence, endurance, stable character, and high performance. It requires responsible breeding aimed at preserving health, temperament, and breed type. In the ICCF system, participation in shows and approval for breeding are possible only with official ICCF documents confirming origin, identification, and absence of disqualifying traits. The dog must conform to the standard, demonstrating a stable psyche, correct behavior, and functional movement. Only physically healthy, fully developed dogs without hereditary diseases or serious structural faults may be used for breeding. Compliance with the standard and ICCF rules ensures preservation of breed purity, working qualities, and international recognition.
