What does each club give for Height at the withers in the German Shepherd?

FCI, Male: 60–65 cm; AKC, Male: 61–66 cm; UKC, Male: 61–66 cm; KC, Male: 60.5–65.5 cm; CKC, Male: 61–66 cm; FCI, Female: 55–60 cm; AKC, Female: 55.9–61 cm; UKC, Female: 55.9–61 cm; KC, Female: 55.5–60.5 cm; CKC, Female: 56–61 cm.

German Shepherd breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Height at the withers, male	60–65 cmover 66 cmDisqualifyingunder 59 cmDisqualifying	61–66 cm	61–66 cm	60.5–65.5 cm	61–66 cm
Height at the withers, female	55–60 cmover 61 cmDisqualifyingunder 54 cmDisqualifying	55.9–61 cm	55.9–61 cm	55.5–60.5 cm	56–61 cm
Weight, male	30–40 kg	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	34–38.5 kg
Weight, female	22–32 kg	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	27.3–31.8 kg
Height to length	0.9–0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9–0.9	No ruling
Skull to muzzle	1	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Shoulder angle	under 110°	No ruling	No ruling	90°	No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“The German Shepherd Dog has a scissor bite”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“meeting in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors grip”)
BiteUndershot	Disqualifying (“Overshot by 2 mm and more, undershot”)	Disqualifying (“An undershot jaw is a disqualifying fault.”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Undershot; wry mouth.”)	No ruling	Fault (“an undershot jaw is a very serious fault”)
BiteOvershot	Fault (“Occlusal overlay, overbite and retrusive occlusion ... are faulty”)	Fault (“An overshot jaw or a level bite is undesirable.”)	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or level mouth”)	No ruling	Fault (“Overshot ... This is a serious fault.”)
BiteLevel bite	No ruling	Fault (“An overshot jaw or a level bite is undesirable.”)	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or level mouth”)	No ruling	No ruling
BiteWry mouth	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Undershot; wry mouth.”)	No ruling	No ruling
DentitionFull dentition	Standard (“strong, healthy and complete (42 teeth”)	Standard (“Complete dentition is to be preferred.”)	Standard (“Complete dentition is preferred.”)	Standard (“Full dentition of 42 teeth is desirable.”)	Standard (“complete dentition is decidedly to be preferred”)
DentitionMissing teeth	No ruling	Fault (“Any missing teeth other than first premolars is a serious fault.”)	Fault (“Faults: ... missing first premolars, gaps between the teeth.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear carriageErect (prick)	Standard (“erect ears of medium size, which are carried upright”)	Standard (“carried erect when at attention”)	Standard (“Ears are erect, moderately pointed”)	Standard (“carried erect, almost parallel”)	No ruling
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	Fault (“Tipped ears and drooping ears are faulty.”)	Disqualifying (“A dog with cropped or hanging ears must be disqualified.”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	Not recognized (“Never hanging.”)	Disqualifying (“Cropped and hanging ears are to be discarded”)
Ear carriageTipped	Fault (“Tipped ears and drooping ears are faulty.”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	Not recognized (“never pulled inwards or tipped”)	No ruling
Ear setHigh	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“broad at the base, and set high”)	Standard (“broad at base, set high, carried erect”)	No ruling
Eye shapeAlmond	Standard (“medium size, almond-shaped, slightly slanted”)	Standard (“Eyes of medium size, almond shaped”)	Standard (“of medium size, almond-shaped”)	Standard (“Medium-sized, almond-shaped, never protruding”)	No ruling
StopSlight	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“joined at a very slight stop”)	No ruling	No ruling
StopNone	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“snipey muzzles, and no stop are faults”)
ToplineLevel	No ruling	Standard (“sloping into the level back”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
ToplineSloping to the rear	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“The line of the back slopes downward from the withers”)	Standard (“falling away slightly in a straight line”)	No ruling
ToplineRoach (arched)	No ruling	Not recognized (“The back is straight ... without sag or roach”)	Fault (“Serious Faults: Any measure of a roached or sagging back.”)	Fault (“Weak, soft and roach backs highly undesirable”)	No ruling
ToplineSwayback	No ruling	Not recognized (“The back is straight ... without sag or roach”)	Fault (“Serious Faults: Any measure of a roached or sagging back.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail carriageSabre	No ruling	Standard (“At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve like a saber.”)	Standard (“carried in a slight curve like a saber”)	Standard (“At rest tail hangs in slight sabre-like curve”)	No ruling
Tail carriageCurled over the back	No ruling	Not recognized (“never be curled forward beyond a vertical line”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Tail setLow	No ruling	Standard (“set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high”)	Standard (“a low-set natural tail”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail lengthShort	No ruling	Fault (“Tails too short ... are serious faults.”)	No ruling	Fault (“Short, rolled, curled ... or stumpy from birth, highly undesirable”)	No ruling
FeetCat foot	Standard (“The paws are rounded, well-closed and arched”)	No ruling	Standard (“Feet are round and tight”)	Standard (“Rounded toes well closed and arched”)	No ruling
Front dewclawsPresent	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Front dewclaws may be removed but are normally left intact.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Neck lengthLong	No ruling	Standard (“clean-cut and relatively long”)	Standard (“The neck is relatively long but strong”)	Standard (“Fairly long, strong, with well-developed muscles”)	No ruling
DewlapNone (clean throat)	Standard (“without loose neck skin (dewlap)”)	Standard (“without loose folds of skin”)	Standard (“The skin is tight.”)	Standard (“free from throatiness”)	No ruling
ChestBarrel	Fault (“a barrel-shaped chest is just as faulty as flat ribs”)	Not recognized (“neither barrel-shaped nor too flat”)	Fault (“Faults: Barrel ribs; ribs too flat”)	Not recognized (“neither barrel-shaped nor too flat”)	No ruling
ChestDeep	No ruling	Standard (“It is deep and capacious, never shallow”)	Standard (“the chest is moderately broad, deep, and well filled”)	Standard (“Chest deep (45-48%) of height at shoulder”)	No ruling
Tuck-upModerate	No ruling	Standard (“only moderately tucked up in the loin”)	Standard (“Tuck-up is moderate.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Head shapeWedge	Standard (“The head is wedge-shaped”)	No ruling	Standard (“The head is wedge-shaped”)	No ruling	No ruling
HocksCow-hocked	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“cow hocks or sickle hocks, highly undesirable”)	No ruling
HocksSickle-hocked	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“cow hocks or sickle hocks, highly undesirable”)	No ruling

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Star	Fault (“small white marks on chest ... permissible, but not desirable”)	No ruling	Alternate (“Small white marks in colored dogs on the chest or tips of the toes”)	No ruling	No ruling
Chest patch	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Light markings on chest or very pale colour on inside of legs permissible but undesirable”)	No ruling
Tan points	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“may have tan or gold markings on head, chest, legs and feet”)	No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Ear cropping	No ruling	Disqualifying (“A dog with cropped or hanging ears must be disqualified.”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Cropped and hanging ears are to be discarded”)
Tail docking	Not recognized (“Operative corrections are forbidden.”)	Disqualifying (“A dog with a docked tail must be disqualified.”)	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Docked tails ... disqualify.”)
Dewclaw removal	No ruling	Standard (“dewclaws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs”)	Alternate (“Removal of rear dewclaws is preferred but not mandatory.”)	No ruling	No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

German Shepherd colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every German Shepherd color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the German Shepherd in Black, White, Gray, Silver, Tan, Red, Gold, and Cream. Standard patterns: Solid, Bicolor, Sable, and Tan point.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“single-coloured black”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“all black”)	Standard (“single-coloured black”)
White	Disqualifying (“white hair colour (also with dark eyes and nails)”)	Disqualifying (“White”)	Standard (“pure white”)	Fault (“whites (i.e. almost pure white dogs with black noses) and near whites highly undesirable”)	Disqualifying (“white hair colour (also with dark eyes and nails)”)
Gray	Standard (“grey with darker shading”)	Standard (“Gray”)	Standard (“Sable (gray ... with black tips)”)	Standard (“all grey”)	Standard (“grey, with darker shading”)
Silver	Standard (“black with ... light grey markings”)	Standard (“Black & Silver”)	Standard (“Black and Silver”)	Standard (“gold to light grey markings”)	Standard (“black with ... light grey markings”)
Tan	Standard (“black with reddish-brown, brown and yellow to light grey markings”)	Standard (“Black & Tan”)	Standard (“Black and Tan”)	Standard (“black or black saddle with tan”)	Standard (“black with reddish-brown, brown, and yellow, to light grey markings”)
Red	Standard (“black with reddish-brown ... markings”)	Standard (“Black & Red”)	Standard (“Black and Red”)	No ruling	Standard (“black with reddish-brown ... markings”)
Gold	Standard (“black with ... yellow to light grey markings”)	Standard (“most colors are permissible”)	Not recognized	Standard (“Black & Gold”)	Standard (“black with ... yellow, to light grey markings”)
Cream	Standard (“black with ... yellow to light grey markings”)	Standard (“Black & Cream”)	Standard (“Black and Cream”)	Standard (“gold to light grey markings”)	Standard (“black with ... yellow, to light grey markings”)
Isabella	Not recognized	Fault (“pale, washed-out colors ... are serious faults”)	Disqualifying (“pale, washed-out colors”)	Alternate (“Isabella”)	Not recognized
Albino	Disqualifying (“albinism”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“albinism”)	Fault (“albinos ... highly undesirable”)	Disqualifying (“albinism”)
Blue	Not recognized	Fault (“Blue”)	Disqualifying (“blue”)	Fault (“blues ... highly undesirable”)	Not recognized
Liver	Not recognized	Fault (“Liver”)	Disqualifying (“liver”)	Fault (“livers ... highly undesirable”)	Not recognized
Patterns
Solid	Standard (“single-coloured black”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“Black ... or pure white”)	Standard (“all black, all grey”)	Standard (“single-coloured black”)
Bicolor	No ruling	Standard (“Bi-Color”)	Standard (“Bi-color (Black with tan markings)”)	Standard (“Bi-colour: predominantly black, may have tan or gold markings”)	No ruling
Sable	Standard (“grey with darker shading”)	Standard (“Sable”)	Standard (“Sable (gray, tan, red, or silver with black tips)”)	Standard (“with lighter or brown markings referred to as Sables”)	Standard (“grey, with darker shading”)
Tan point	Standard (“black with reddish-brown, brown and yellow to light grey markings; black saddle”)	Standard (“Black & Tan”)	Standard (“Black and Tan”)	Standard (“black or black saddle with tan, or gold to light grey markings”)	Standard (“black with reddish-brown, brown, and yellow, to light grey markings”)
Brindle	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“brindle”)	No ruling	No ruling
Piebald	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Panda (characterized by white markings on the muzzle, chest, legs, neck and tip of the tail) ... piebald”)	No ruling	No ruling
Reverse brindle	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“brindle”)	No ruling	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Dark brown	Standard (“as dark as possible”)	Standard (“as dark as possible”)	Standard (“as dark as possible”)	Standard (“dark brown preferred”)	Standard (“as dark as possible”)
Light brown	Fault (“light, piercing eyes are undesirable”)	No ruling	Fault (“light eyes”)	Standard (“lighter shade tolerated”)	Fault (“light, piercing eyes are undesirable”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“the nose must be black”)	Standard (“nose black”)	Standard (“the nose must be black”)	Standard (“nose black”)	Standard (“nose must be black”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Alternate: Registrable with the club but not described by its breed standard, such as an AKC alternate color.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a German Shepherd's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGray
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Tan pointchanges toSaddle
Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks
Tan pointchanges toSaddle
Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the German Shepherd guide Grooming styles for the German Shepherd