What does each club give for Altura a la cruz in the Pastor Alemán?

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.

Pastor Alemán 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
Altura a la cruz, male	60–65 cmover 66 cmDescalificanteunder 59 cmDescalificante	61–66 cm	61–66 cm	60.5–65.5 cm	61–66 cm
Altura a la cruz, female	55–60 cmover 61 cmDescalificanteunder 54 cmDescalificante	55.9–61 cm	55.9–61 cm	55.5–60.5 cm	56–61 cm
Peso, male	30–40 kg	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	34–38.5 kg
Peso, female	22–32 kg	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	27.3–31.8 kg
Relación altura-longitud	0.9–0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9–0.9	No ruling
Relación cráneo-hocico	1	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Ángulo escapulohumeral	under 110°	No ruling	No ruling	90°	No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
MordidaMordida en tijera	Estándar (“The German Shepherd Dog has a scissor bite”)	Estándar (“meet in a scissors bite”)	Estándar (“meeting in a scissors bite”)	Estándar (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	Estándar (“meet in a scissors grip”)
MordidaPrognatismo inferior	Descalificante (“Overshot by 2 mm and more, undershot”)	Descalificante (“An undershot jaw is a disqualifying fault.”)	Descalificante (“Disqualifications: Undershot; wry mouth.”)	No ruling	Falta (“an undershot jaw is a very serious fault”)
MordidaPrognatismo superior	Falta (“Occlusal overlay, overbite and retrusive occlusion ... are faulty”)	Falta (“An overshot jaw or a level bite is undesirable.”)	Falta (“Faults: Overshot or level mouth”)	No ruling	Falta (“Overshot ... This is a serious fault.”)
MordidaMordida en pinza	No ruling	Falta (“An overshot jaw or a level bite is undesirable.”)	Falta (“Faults: Overshot or level mouth”)	No ruling	No ruling
MordidaBoca torcida	No ruling	No ruling	Descalificante (“Disqualifications: Undershot; wry mouth.”)	No ruling	No ruling
DenticiónDentición completa	Estándar (“strong, healthy and complete (42 teeth”)	Estándar (“Complete dentition is to be preferred.”)	Estándar (“Complete dentition is preferred.”)	Estándar (“Full dentition of 42 teeth is desirable.”)	Estándar (“complete dentition is decidedly to be preferred”)
DenticiónAusencia de dientes	No ruling	Falta (“Any missing teeth other than first premolars is a serious fault.”)	Falta (“Faults: ... missing first premolars, gaps between the teeth.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Porte de las orejasErguidas (tiesas)	Estándar (“erect ears of medium size, which are carried upright”)	Estándar (“carried erect when at attention”)	Estándar (“Ears are erect, moderately pointed”)	Estándar (“carried erect, almost parallel”)	No ruling
Porte de las orejasCaídas (colgantes)	Falta (“Tipped ears and drooping ears are faulty.”)	Descalificante (“A dog with cropped or hanging ears must be disqualified.”)	Descalificante (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	No reconocido (“Never hanging.”)	Descalificante (“Cropped and hanging ears are to be discarded”)
Porte de las orejasCon la punta caída	Falta (“Tipped ears and drooping ears are faulty.”)	No ruling	Descalificante (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	No reconocido (“never pulled inwards or tipped”)	No ruling
Inserción de las orejasAlta	No ruling	No ruling	Estándar (“broad at the base, and set high”)	Estándar (“broad at base, set high, carried erect”)	No ruling
Forma de los ojosAlmendrados	Estándar (“medium size, almond-shaped, slightly slanted”)	Estándar (“Eyes of medium size, almond shaped”)	Estándar (“of medium size, almond-shaped”)	Estándar (“Medium-sized, almond-shaped, never protruding”)	No ruling
StopLeve	No ruling	No ruling	Estándar (“joined at a very slight stop”)	No ruling	No ruling
StopNinguno	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Falta (“snipey muzzles, and no stop are faults”)
Línea superiorHorizontal	No ruling	Estándar (“sloping into the level back”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Línea superiorDescendente hacia atrás	No ruling	No ruling	Estándar (“The line of the back slopes downward from the withers”)	Estándar (“falling away slightly in a straight line”)	No ruling
Línea superiorDe carpa (arqueada)	No ruling	No reconocido (“The back is straight ... without sag or roach”)	Falta (“Serious Faults: Any measure of a roached or sagging back.”)	Falta (“Weak, soft and roach backs highly undesirable”)	No ruling
Línea superiorEnsillada	No ruling	No reconocido (“The back is straight ... without sag or roach”)	Falta (“Serious Faults: Any measure of a roached or sagging back.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Porte de la colaEn sable	No ruling	Estándar (“At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve like a saber.”)	Estándar (“carried in a slight curve like a saber”)	Estándar (“At rest tail hangs in slight sabre-like curve”)	No ruling
Porte de la colaEnroscada sobre el dorso	No ruling	No reconocido (“never be curled forward beyond a vertical line”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Inserción de la colaBaja	No ruling	Estándar (“set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high”)	Estándar (“a low-set natural tail”)	No ruling	No ruling
Longitud de la colaCorta	No ruling	Falta (“Tails too short ... are serious faults.”)	No ruling	Falta (“Short, rolled, curled ... or stumpy from birth, highly undesirable”)	No ruling
PiesPie de gato	Estándar (“The paws are rounded, well-closed and arched”)	No ruling	Estándar (“Feet are round and tight”)	Estándar (“Rounded toes well closed and arched”)	No ruling
Espolones anterioresPresentes	No ruling	No ruling	Estándar (“Front dewclaws may be removed but are normally left intact.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Longitud del cuelloLargo	No ruling	Estándar (“clean-cut and relatively long”)	Estándar (“The neck is relatively long but strong”)	Estándar (“Fairly long, strong, with well-developed muscles”)	No ruling
PapadaNinguna (cuello seco)	Estándar (“without loose neck skin (dewlap)”)	Estándar (“without loose folds of skin”)	Estándar (“The skin is tight.”)	Estándar (“free from throatiness”)	No ruling
PechoEn barril	Falta (“a barrel-shaped chest is just as faulty as flat ribs”)	No reconocido (“neither barrel-shaped nor too flat”)	Falta (“Faults: Barrel ribs; ribs too flat”)	No reconocido (“neither barrel-shaped nor too flat”)	No ruling
PechoProfundo	No ruling	Estándar (“It is deep and capacious, never shallow”)	Estándar (“the chest is moderately broad, deep, and well filled”)	Estándar (“Chest deep (45-48%) of height at shoulder”)	No ruling
Retracción del vientreModerada	No ruling	Estándar (“only moderately tucked up in the loin”)	Estándar (“Tuck-up is moderate.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Forma de la cabezaEn cuña	Estándar (“The head is wedge-shaped”)	No ruling	Estándar (“The head is wedge-shaped”)	No ruling	No ruling
CorvejonesCorvejones de vaca	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Falta (“cow hocks or sickle hocks, highly undesirable”)	No ruling
CorvejonesCorvejones en hoz	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Falta (“cow hocks or sickle hocks, highly undesirable”)	No ruling

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Estrella	Falta (“small white marks on chest ... permissible, but not desirable”)	No ruling	Alternativo (“Small white marks in colored dogs on the chest or tips of the toes”)	No ruling	No ruling
Mancha en el pecho	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Falta (“Light markings on chest or very pale colour on inside of legs permissible but undesirable”)	No ruling
Marcas fuego	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Alternativo (“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
Corte de orejas	No ruling	Descalificante (“A dog with cropped or hanging ears must be disqualified.”)	Descalificante (“Disqualifications: Cropped ears; drop or tipped ears.”)	No ruling	Descalificante (“Cropped and hanging ears are to be discarded”)
Caudectomía (corte de cola)	No reconocido (“Operative corrections are forbidden.”)	Descalificante (“A dog with a docked tail must be disqualified.”)	No ruling	No ruling	Descalificante (“Docked tails ... disqualify.”)
Extirpación de los espolones	No ruling	Estándar (“dewclaws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs”)	Alternativo (“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.

Pastor Alemán colors and patterns

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

Breed standards describe the Pastor Alemán in Negro, Blanco, Gris, Plateado, Fuego, Rojo, Dorado y Crema. Standard patterns: Unicolor, Bicolor, Sable y Con fuego.

Pelaje: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Negro	Estándar (“single-coloured black”)	Estándar (“Black”)	Estándar (“Black”)	Estándar (“all black”)	Estándar (“single-coloured black”)
Blanco	Descalificante (“white hair colour (also with dark eyes and nails)”)	Descalificante (“White”)	Estándar (“pure white”)	Falta (“whites (i.e. almost pure white dogs with black noses) and near whites highly undesirable”)	Descalificante (“white hair colour (also with dark eyes and nails)”)
Gris	Estándar (“grey with darker shading”)	Estándar (“Gray”)	Estándar (“Sable (gray ... with black tips)”)	Estándar (“all grey”)	Estándar (“grey, with darker shading”)
Plateado	Estándar (“black with ... light grey markings”)	Estándar (“Black & Silver”)	Estándar (“Black and Silver”)	Estándar (“gold to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“black with ... light grey markings”)
Fuego	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown, brown and yellow to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“Black & Tan”)	Estándar (“Black and Tan”)	Estándar (“black or black saddle with tan”)	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown, brown, and yellow, to light grey markings”)
Rojo	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown ... markings”)	Estándar (“Black & Red”)	Estándar (“Black and Red”)	No ruling	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown ... markings”)
Dorado	Estándar (“black with ... yellow to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“most colors are permissible”)	No reconocido	Estándar (“Black & Gold”)	Estándar (“black with ... yellow, to light grey markings”)
Crema	Estándar (“black with ... yellow to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“Black & Cream”)	Estándar (“Black and Cream”)	Estándar (“gold to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“black with ... yellow, to light grey markings”)
Isabela	No reconocido	Falta (“pale, washed-out colors ... are serious faults”)	Descalificante (“pale, washed-out colors”)	Alternativo (“Isabella”)	No reconocido
Albino	Descalificante (“albinism”)	No ruling	Descalificante (“albinism”)	Falta (“albinos ... highly undesirable”)	Descalificante (“albinism”)
Azul	No reconocido	Falta (“Blue”)	Descalificante (“blue”)	Falta (“blues ... highly undesirable”)	No reconocido
Hígado	No reconocido	Falta (“Liver”)	Descalificante (“liver”)	Falta (“livers ... highly undesirable”)	No reconocido
Patterns
Unicolor	Estándar (“single-coloured black”)	Estándar (“Black”)	Estándar (“Black ... or pure white”)	Estándar (“all black, all grey”)	Estándar (“single-coloured black”)
Bicolor	No ruling	Estándar (“Bi-Color”)	Estándar (“Bi-color (Black with tan markings)”)	Estándar (“Bi-colour: predominantly black, may have tan or gold markings”)	No ruling
Sable	Estándar (“grey with darker shading”)	Estándar (“Sable”)	Estándar (“Sable (gray, tan, red, or silver with black tips)”)	Estándar (“with lighter or brown markings referred to as Sables”)	Estándar (“grey, with darker shading”)
Con fuego	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown, brown and yellow to light grey markings; black saddle”)	Estándar (“Black & Tan”)	Estándar (“Black and Tan”)	Estándar (“black or black saddle with tan, or gold to light grey markings”)	Estándar (“black with reddish-brown, brown, and yellow, to light grey markings”)
Atigrado	No ruling	No ruling	Descalificante (“brindle”)	No ruling	No ruling
Manchado	No ruling	No ruling	Descalificante (“Panda (characterized by white markings on the muzzle, chest, legs, neck and tip of the tail) ... piebald”)	No ruling	No ruling
Atigrado inverso	No ruling	No ruling	Descalificante (“brindle”)	No ruling	No ruling

Ojos: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Marrón oscuro	Estándar (“as dark as possible”)	Estándar (“as dark as possible”)	Estándar (“as dark as possible”)	Estándar (“dark brown preferred”)	Estándar (“as dark as possible”)
Marrón claro	Falta (“light, piercing eyes are undesirable”)	No ruling	Falta (“light eyes”)	Estándar (“lighter shade tolerated”)	Falta (“light, piercing eyes are undesirable”)

Nariz: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Negro	Estándar (“the nose must be black”)	Estándar (“nose black”)	Estándar (“the nose must be black”)	Estándar (“nose black”)	Estándar (“nose must be black”)

What the rulings mean

Estándar: Described by the club's breed standard.
Alternativo: Registrable with the club but not described by its breed standard, such as an AKC alternate color.
Falta: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Descalificante: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
No reconocido: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Pastor Alemán's colors can change over its life.

Negrochanges toÓxido
Pelaje · Con el estado corporal · can change back
Negrochanges toGris
Pelaje · Progresivo
Negrochanges toMarrón
Pelaje · Al sol · can change back
Blancochanges toRoano
Pelaje · Con la edad · from 2 weeks
Con fuegochanges toEnsillado
Pelaje · Con la edad · from 6 to 156 weeks
Con fuegochanges toEnsillado
Pelaje · Con la edad · from 6 to 156 weeks
Negrochanges toNariz de nieve
Nariz · Con la estación · can change back
Negrochanges toRosa
Nariz · Con la estación · can change back

Sources

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

Published standards

Back to the Pastor Alemán guide Grooming styles for the Pastor Alemán