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German Shepherds are large-sized dogs. The breed standard height at thewithers is 60–65 cm (24–26 in) for males and 55–60 cm (22–24 in) for females.[1][8][9] The weight standard is 30–40 kilograms (66–88 lb) for males and 22–32 kilograms (49–71 lb) for females.[1] They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle and a black nose. The jaws are strong, with a scissor-like bite. The eyes are medium-sized and brown with a lively, intelligent and self-assured look. The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement. They have a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace. The tail is bushy and reaches to the hock.[8]

German Shepherds have a variety of colors, the most common of which are tan/black and red/black. Most color varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic "saddle" to an over-all "blanket." Rarer colour variations include the sable, pure-black, pure-white, liver and blue varieties. The all-black and sable varieties are acceptable according to most standards; however, the blue and liver are considered to be serious faults and the all-white is grounds for instant disqualification from showing in conformation at All Breed and Specialty Shows.[10]

German Shepherds sport a double coat. The outer coat, which sheds all year round, is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants; medium and long. The long-hair gene is recessive, making the long-hair variety rarer. Treatment of the long-hair variation differs across standards; they are accepted but not competed with standard coated dogs under the German and UK Kennel Clubs while they can compete with standard coated dogs but are considered a fault in the American Kennel Club.[8][10][11] The FCI accepted the long-haired type in 2010, listing it as the variety b—while short-haired type is listed as the variety a.[12]
 * German Shepherds are large sized dogs.
 * Close-up of a German Shepherd's face showing the long muzzle, black nose and brown, medium-sized eyes
 * The adult German Shepherd's ears are large and stand erect, but 14-week-old puppies' ears are often not completely erect yet.
 * A 2 year old black German Shepherd

Intelligence
German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence,[13] a trait for which they are now famous.[5] In the book The Intelligence of Dogs, author Stanley Coren ranked the breed third for intelligence, behind Border Collies and Poodles.[14][15] He found that they had the ability to learn simple tasks after only five repetitions and obeyed the first command given 95% of the time.[5] Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.[16]

Temperament
A German Shepherd with a baby

German Shepherds are highly active dogs and described in breed standards as self-assured.[10] The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. They are curious, which makes them excellent guard dogs and suitable for search missions. They can become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly. They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers.[17] German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient.[18]

Aggression and biting
Well-trained and socialized German Shepherds have a reputation of being very safe. However, in the United States, one 1996 source suggested that German Shepherds are responsible for more reported bitings than any other breed and have a tendency to attack smaller breeds of dogs.[19] An Australian report from 1999 provides statistics showing that German Shepherds are the breed third most likely to attack a person in some Australian locales.[20]

According to the National Geographic Channel television show Dangerous Encounters, the bite of a German Shepherd has a force of over 1,060 newtons (238 lbf) (compared with that of a Rottweiler, over 1,180–1,460 newtons (265–328 lbf), a Pit bull, 1,050 newtons (235 lbf), a Labrador Retriever, of approximately 1,000 newtons (230 lbf), or a human, of approximately 380 newtons (86 lbf)).[21]

Modern breed
The modern German Shepherd breed is criticized by some for straying away from von Stephanitz's original ideology for the breed:[22] that German Shepherds should be bred primarily as working dogs and that breeding should be strictly controlled to eliminate defects quickly.[23] He believed that, above all else, German Shepherds should be bred for intelligence and working ability.[24] Although the show dogs have been bred for traits that do not help or even hurt their working abilities, and many pets have misbred by irresponsible breeders who have caused many diseases for the breed, the working dogs, such as the ones used by police and militaries, have maintained their performance and stuck to the original intentions of the breed.

Some critics believe that careless breeding has promoted disease and other defects.[22] Under the breeding programs overseen by von Stephanitz, defects were quickly bred out.

Controversy
The show-line dogs usually have an extremely sloping topline

The Kennel Club, in the United Kingdom, is involved in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show-strain breed.[25][26] The show-strains have been bred with an extremely sloping topline (back) that causes poor gait in the hind legs. Working-pedigree lines, such as those in common use as service dogs, generally retain the traditional straight back of the breed.

The debate was catalyzed when the issue was raised in the BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which said that critics of the breed describe it as "half dog, half frog". An orthopedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were "not normal".

The Kennel Club's position is that "this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed's essential conformation and movement."[25] The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalize dogs suffering these problems.[27]

It is also insisting on more testing for hemophilia and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.