One of the biggest questions asked at dog shows comes near the ring where German Shepherd Dogs are being shown: “Why do they stand like that?” is commonly asked by many spectators.
It’s a valid question, considering that German Shepherds are stacked three-point as opposed to four-point, like literally every single other breed in the show ring.
So, what exactly is the answer? Long-time German Shepherd breeder and Conformation dog show judge Bob Drescher explains how this “GSD stance” truly came to be. And it’s something that helps the breed to do its original job—to herd.
“The GSD is a trotting dog that is a tending breed of sheep herding dog,” Drescher says. “Traditionally, they were used as a living, moving fence to prevent the herd from straying where they were not wanted. Proper angulation enables the dog to cover more ground with less steps, thus, contributing to the endurance necessary to trot at a medium speed for extended periods of time.”
The German Shepherd is also not forced to stand that way. They naturally pose that way if they have the angulation that is required of the breed.
“A properly angulated GSD will usually self-pose in a three-point stance,” notes Drescher. It is a natural stance which assists in balance and stability. A dog with a straight rear would find it difficult to not stand four-square.”
There is a common misperception among the general public that the angulation of German Shepherd Dogs signifies some type of health issue like hip dysplasia. That could not be further from the truth, especially considering that show dog breeding prospects are so responsibly health-tested.
Drescher does see how the false misperception has become less common, though. And really, it has to do with a lot of backyard breeders marketing pet-quality (or even poorly bred) dogs as “straight-backed.”
“Many ‘pet’ GSDs that the public is typically exposed to are under-angulated, so when they see a correctly angulated one, especially if it has a sloping topline, they conclude there is something wrong with its hips, i.e., hip dysplasia,” he said.
“In fact, there is no correlation between the degree of rear angulation and hip dysplasia. There is a lack of general education on the subject.”
At the same time, there is a limit to the amount of angulation that a German Shepherd should have. Too much angulation, which is sometimes bred into the breed as a sort of flashy trend that’s taken too far, can negatively affect the structure of the dog.
There are examples of over-angulated German Shepherds that twist in the rear whenever they move, or cannot properly work or jump on tables, among other things that can come with that type of anatomical weakness.
“The GSD is a rear-drive dog with 65-70% of its forward propulsion coming from the hindquarter,” Drescher explains. “But balance, rear to front, when gaiting, is necessary for peak efficiency.”
“The upper thigh and lower leg should be approximately the same length. When the hind legs are positioned back with the hock perpendicular to the ground, the angle made by the upper and lower leg should be approximately 120 degrees. A greater angle than 120 degrees is indicative of under-angulation, and less than 120 degrees is a sign of over-angulation. Often, an over-angulated dog will have a longer lower leg bone than the upper.”
With the variety of different lines and breeders that exist in the German Shepherd community, it is always important for anyone who is considering the breed as a prospective pet to make sure their breeder of choice honors the Breed Standard and performs the proper health testing on their dogs. A reputable breeder will stand behind their dogs just as confidently as a German Shepherd Dog stands in the breed’s trademark three-point stack.
