The
standard of the German Shepherd Dog has changed very little from the original
written by von Stephanitz in 1899: "to breed Shepherds is to breed working
dogs." What follows is the standard of the World Union of German Shepherd
Dogs (WUSV) that was established under the auspices of the SV. There has been a
movement toward greater uniformity in the standard. There is still nothing that
will help you decide what the length of croup should be, or whether a dog is
over-angulated in the rear.
Keep
in mind that the original use of the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) was that of a
herding dog, and required that the structure was necessary to trot with ease
and endurance. Since it acted as a mobile fence to keep the flock away from
adjacent crops in a largely unfenced countryside. Because of this, it had to
move at a relatively fluent, even pace, with a minimal wear and tear on the
dog's physique. The Shepherd also had to be able to stand for a reasonable time
without tiring. The body weight must be correctly distributed and supported by
his limbs. Any weakness in the ligaments and joints force the body to
compensate and consequently lead to a loss of endurance must be faulted.
