The German Shepherd dog - understanding the different types of German Shepherds to help you select the one that is right for you.

People often ask me why there seem to be such differences in the breed, why some are large, or black or really angulated. The German shepherd is a very popular breed and several different types have evolved, some going as far as starting a new breed onto itself.

I will try to draw a picture of the major types of German shepherds found commonly in North America. To better understand the situation, it is necessary to have some background knowledge on the breed, its origins and purpose.

The German shepherd breed was created in 1899 by Captain Max von Stephanitz, in Germany. The captain wished to create a single breed that could serve instead of the several different highly specialized breeds farmers were using to work their flocks of sheep. He dreamt of a single, multi-purposed dog that could herd sheep, protect boundaries, defend against predators, protect the shepherd, his property and his family and still lie down in the house to play with the children at the end of the day. He set out with determination to select the best dogs exhibiting the desired traits and started building his breeding program. He was a very methodical man with a plan, and he produced some very detailed documents to guide breeders in their efforts.

He devised a breed worthiness test, to insure that all German shepherd dogs used in breeding were of good temperament, and possessed pronounced working drives and exhibited a correct structure. All dogs have to obtain this certification in order to be breed-worthy. It is called a breed survey and gives us a detailed assessment and recommendations in regards to the dog’s breed worthiness. It entails a working title, (herding, or schutzhund ) an endurance test, a temperament test, an obedience test, a conformation title and a courage test. This is a very tedious, expensive and time- consuming process, but it insures that only the best dogs are used in breeding, therefore protecting the standards of this breed we love so well.

The standard and breed worthiness requirements are recognized internationally and most countries in the world abide by the German standards. So basically, the German shepherd dogs we find worldwide are pretty much the same and compete side by side in local shows and at the World Sieger Show in Germany once a year.

There are two major different types of German Shepherd dogs within the recognized world standard; the working lines and the show lines.

The working lines are dogs that are developed by breeders who are mainly concerned with the dog’s ability to work and compete in schutzhund. These dogs exhibit a high level of drive, their structure is usually adequate, the physical appearance is very diverse, and colors vary widely. We find blacks, black and tans, bi-colors and sables.

The show line German shepherd was developed by breeders who are very focused on the structure and appearance of the dog. Although these dogs do have to obtain working titles in order to qualify for breeding, their working drives are usually lower than those of the working lines. The conformation lines are dogs that are generally easy to live with, trainable, stable, and calm, yet possessing enough drive to work and protect. The structure of these dogs is excellent, balanced, harmonious and efficient, and their general appearance is quite homogenous. They are mainly black and red, black and tan or occasionally sable.

Working and show lines are still similar in temperament, with the working line exhibiting a higher drive and more intensity, but keep in mind the German shepherd is a working breed and that even the milder show lines are to be treated with much respect. This is a breed made for protecting, defending and working long hours in harsh conditions. The show lines are not just pretty toy versions of the working lines. They require exercise, appropriate training, socialization and an understanding of what it takes to live with and raise a working breed.

In North America, we find American / Canadian shepherds. They are very different from the original German shepherds. Although these dogs have common ancestry to the German shepherd, they have become almost a breed onto themselves. These dogs are bred for show purposes, the breeders focusing almost exclusively on looks and movement. They have adapted the standard to their own preference; the result is that these dogs differ greatly from German shepherds found in the rest of the world.

They are generally larger, softer, heavier, and have a lighter bone structure.  There is often less differentiation of the two sexes, the males having less masculine heads and bodies, their angulations being quite extreme and their very structure being different from German shepherds. Aside from their appearance being quite different, the major distinction is the temperament; The Canadian / American shepherd is not a working dog. Most of these dogs do not have the required temperament to do any sort of work, with the exception of an occasional herding dog. They have gone a long way off from the temperament described in the breed standard.

The American / Canadian shepherds are not required to pass any temperament test, or to do Schutzhund, to undergo the endurance test, to acquire a breed survey or any other requirement. They are not even required to be free of dysplasia. The only registry is the CKC or the AKC, which do not control the quality of the animals being bred.
These animals retain a potential for protective behavior and responses, but without the courage, stability and clear headedness to temper their actions. They are often fear-biters, nervous and stressed, showing inappropriate aggressive tendencies. They lack the courage for true protection work, their aggressive behavior being a result of defensiveness and fear for themselves and not an instinct to protect their master. This can be confusing to a novice, but the end result is very different; you cannot count on this type of dog to protect and defend you in a threatening situation.

My goal is not to pass derogatory judgment, but simply to point out the major differences in the breeds. This is not to say they are necessarily bad dogs, but they are not German shepherds as the rest of the world sees them and as the founder of the breed intended them to be.

The others - Whites, Shilohs, King Shepherds, Giant and other deviations

Oversized dogs are more prone to injury, hip dysplasia and have shorter life spans. They lack the agility and speed to do any sort of sport or work. Bigger is better? Not for the German shepherd!

Whites are a natural recessive gene in the German shepherd and they are not albino. This color is not recognized by the FCI and since the gene pool is much smaller, we are more likely to encounter animals of lesser quality in this breed.

Shiloh Shepherds are a different breed, large and not possessing an undercoat as the long coated German shepherd. They are very prone to hip dysplasia and all sorts of health problems.

There are breeders who are producing deviations of the breed, way outside the recognized standard. They claim these dogs are German shepherds, yet they are so far removed from the standard that they may not even compete along side the German shepherd in any event. There are breeders who are improvising new versions of our breed to fit the trend of the day, or simply their own personal preference.