Long, Shaggy and/or Wolly Coats are incorrect to the Breed Standard for the German Shepherd Dogs and are a Genetic Fault within the genetics of the Breed. When the German Shepherd Dog Breed was first developed there were a couple of dogs used that had long hair. The overall design for the Breed was NOT to breed the Long Hair/Coats into the gene pool, that means, to NOT breed dogs that had the longer hair.

Long Coated/Haired/Wooly GSD DO HAPPEN IN LITTERS FROM TIME TO TIME. As Pets, when coming from well bred litters that they 'pop up' in, they are no different than any other GSD, except, They should come with a Limited Registration, meaning, they should NOT be used for Breeding.

Worse! So called 'breeders' who are purposely breeding FOR long coats in GSD. Most, if not all, are not only just breeding dogs that have one fault, but many, faults that you can see when looking at the dogs, such as GSD with Round Eyes (very common in long coated GSD), as well as White Markings on the GSD, usually toes and chest, and Square Body Types....GSD Body Styles should be 'longer than tall, 8 1/2 x 10' Many long haired GSD also have the unattractive, for their breed, 'Ewe Necks", also a fault according to the GSD Standard For The Breed.

Photo is of a Post Card. WE DO NOT OWN THIS DOG.

From the Official Breed Standard of the German Shepherd Dog 1968: "Coat - The ideal dog has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is permissible. The head, including the inner ear and fore-face, and the legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair,. The rear of the forelegs and the hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pasterns and hock respectively. Faults in coat include soft, silky, too long outer coat, wooly, curly and open coats." An open coat = No Undercoat.

White Markings, chest, toes, tail tips, ARE UNDESIRABLE In the GSD. White color should only be on White Shepherd Dogs. Read the Standard for the Breed. White Markings often 'show' a Breeding Fault. White toes and on the chest can and often does mean that the dog carries the White Gene. Many times when two dogs that carry the White Gene are bred together, white puppies can be within the litter. Each of the puppies from this litter will also be White Gene Carriers. For the entire litter to be White, usually, both parents need to be white.

German Shepherd Dog eyes should be very dark in color, the closer to ebony the better, and Almond Shaped. Round eyes and or light colored eyes are a Fault.

If you want a Long Coated Shepherd Dog, THERE ARE SEVERAL BREEDS TO CHOSE FROM, FROM REPUTABLE BREEDERS that are breeding to the Standard For Those Breeds! As well as Breeding for Health and Temperament.

Read up on, and the Standard of the Breed for: Belgian Shepherds,Groenendael, Collies, and others I do not have listed here.

-- The Working German Shepherd Dogs Team
Tue, 07 Mar 2017 11:51:48 -0500