German Shepherd types (5 GSD Lines & Photos)

The German Shepherd dog also known as the Alsatian is one of a kind that few breeds compare with. He is valued and popular for his devotion, work ethic, courage, imposing presence, athletism, and general family friendliness.

Since his breeding began in the 19th century, this furry friend has had a huge impact on dog domestication.

They come in different styles, heritage, sizes, appearances, coat types, and colors. In general, different German Shepherd types are somewhat similar but also unique for various reasons but are all purebred GSDs. Most if not all GSDs are believed to be the progeny of the founding dog, Horand von Grafrath.

In this guide, we will look at the various German Shepherd lines, colors, and coat types that you should know if you fancy this breed.

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German Shepherd lines

The different German Shepherd lines are based on their origin, breeding heritage, history, breeding intentions, appearance, and temperament. There are 2 main categories, Show and Working lines, but 5 subcategories.

Show lines are valued for their body types, coloration, and general appearance while working lines mainly focus on behavioral traits, stamina, and health over their appearance.

These 5 lines include;

  • American and Canadian Show lines
  • West German Show lines
  • West German Working lines
  • East German or DDR working lines
  • Czech Working lines

Some argue their lines are superior to others but this is purely subjective depending on personal taste and specific purpose for breeding or buying the pooch.

Based on personal preference, some breeders and owners protect their preferred lines. They believe that their lines should not be mixed with other lines but it is not uncommon to see various mixed lines

GSD lines history

The German Shepherd dog was initially bred as a working dog for German farmers who need a helping hand with sheep herding. All GSDs can be traced back to their founding dog Horand von Grafrath bred by Max von Stephanitz an ex-cavalry captain in 1899.

Max believed that dogs should be bred for work. He met Horand von Grafrath then known as Hektor Linksrhein at a dog show and was pleased by what he saw and renamed him. He also founded the Society for the German Shepherd dog (Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde) under which Horand was registered.

Horand was bred with other dogs under the organization with preferred traits. Of his many offsprings, a pup named Hektor von Schwaben was the most successful. Hektor was inbred to another of Horand’s offspring and produced Beowulf. Beowulf later father a total of 84 pups through inbreeding with Hektor’s other offspring. The produced offspring were also inbred forming the foundation for all German Shepherd descendants

Farmers quickly realized these dogs were natural at animal management and word of his fantastic field performance and strength spread.

People were also attracted by the dog’s beauty, speed, intelligence, loyalty, and strong sense of smell. With this impressive repertoire, this dog’s breeding and domestication expanded as time went on.

However, over the years, the breed diverged from the original as the dog spread across Europe and other countries from Germany after WWII. This is because most breeders were not able to mate GSDs with others of their kind leading to the development of different lines. Some were bred exclusively as working dogs, others as pets or even hybrids of both.

Different breeders, exhibitors, and show judges from various countries had differing preferences.

First split (DDR Lines):

The first split occurred after WWII after the division of East and West Germany during the cold war. During this time the East German government controlled the DDR (Deutsches Demokratische Republik) German Shepherd breeding and registration mostly for military use.

This led to dogs developing a distinct look due to a cutoff from the outside for about 40 years and rigid breeding rules.

These dogs are strong, stocky, heavy-boned, large-headed, lean, dark pigment with a strong temperament, low prey drive, and strong work ethic. They are known as East German GSDs.

DDR German Shepherd declined after East and West Germany was reunited in 1990 as many dogs were put down, abandoned, or sold off.

Second split (Czech Lines):

An almost similar event led to the second split with working and protection GSDs bred in Czechoslovakia.

This dog’s breeding revolved around one kennel controlled by the Czechoslovakian Army’s border patrol (Pohranicni Straze). They focused on work ethic, heavy bone, dark pigmentation, protective abilities, endurance, and pain tolerance.

The GSDs in this breeding program were predominantly acquired from East Germany. However, Czech GSDs have less bone density and slightly higher prey drive than their DDR counterparts.

These dogs are mostly sable, black and tan, and all black.

Third split (West German Lines) :

West German GSDs had the largest divergence from the original. This line was controlled by a group of people focused on appearance and form and lost the original working dog plot.

These are predominantly black and red saddlebacks, heavy-boned with a roached back structure, and plush coat German Shepherds. The West German showing GSD is the most recognizable.

However, some parts of West Germany still retained the prized working traits closest to the original Max’s dogs. West German working lines have a solid and good bone structure, higher prey driver and colors include sable, bicolor, and blacks.

As such West German lines are split into show and working lines.

Fourth Split (American Lines):

The fourth split occurred during WWII when the American German Shepherds shifted from their German roots but with close-line breeding. Over time, this line of GSDs developed their own distinct look as American Show judges developed a unique taste for appearance and good movements with no regard for working abilities.

These dogs have a more refined look with exaggerated hind leg angulation and floating side gaits. They come in all sorts of colors and patterns including off-white and panda

The American GSDs are noticeably different from their European counterparts. As such European GSD fanciers refer to the American lines as American Shepherds.

Show Lines

Show line German Shepherds are bred for their physical attraction and sheer beauty and aesthetics but can still work.

They are more stable and can switch off when they are not required to work which working lines have a harder time with. This means they are better for households and family pets and for homes with children due to their lower prey drive and amiable temperaments.

There are 2 main GSD show lines;

  • American and Canadian Show lines
  • West German Show lines

1. American & Canadian Show lines

  • Height: 24 to 26 inches for males, 22 to 24 inches for females
  • Weight: 60 to 90 lbs for males, 50 to 75 lbs for females
  • Colors: Black, sable, saddleback, black and tan, black and cream, panda, off-white & more
  • Cost: $2000 to $3000

This is the most popular GSD line in North America since the 1970s. North American breeders focus on looks, build, and good movement.

You can spot American and Canadian Show lines at first glance they are noticeably different from their European counterparts. They are larger, taller, longer, heavier, narrower heads, more angulated with broader faces but less bone density and plush coats.

Although their sloping back is ideal for shows, it makes it difficult for them to jump or climb walls. It also hurts their ability to be considered healthy as they are prone to loose ligaments and weaker hips. A hip certification is not required in the US or Canada.

Temperament & Personality

American GSD lines are family-oriented, friendly, more laid back, loyal, loving, goofy, and playful. This is because they are bred for showing but not as working or herding dogs. These traits do not make them very suitable for security and protection.

They are thus less energetic and have less work and prey drive. But they are still intelligent and good enough for herding and tracking small animals. They also retain their protective instincts and can be wary of strangers.

But remember, every dog is an individual with a unique personality.

american showline
American Show Line German Shepherd

2. West German show lines

  • Height: 24 to 26 inches for males, 22 to 24 inches for females
  • Weight:
  • Colors: Predominantly black and red or black and tan saddlebacks but occasionally sable
  • Cost: $2000 to $3000

Unlike American lines, West German Show lines focus on appearance, balance, authenticity, and breed greatness. They have a reputation for being handsome when compared to other varieties due to their attractiveness. But similar to the American lines, they are typically larger with pronounced builds than working lines.

West German Show lines must double as working dogs but tend to be slow-paced for family settings and with lower prey drive.

These dogs are titled Schutzhund (accountability) or IGP as their breeding is strictly governed by SV (Original GSD body). They have to be health certified and have a stable temperament before breeding. In addition, they must have the correct angulation, proportion, and size.

These dogs typically have a rich black and mahogany red coloration. Their backs are straighter preventing excessive angulation and the associated issues. They must pass a joint and hip test to reduce the risk of hip and elbow dysplasia.

Temperament & Personality

Similar to the North American lines, West German lines are laid back but are more stable in general.

They are intelligent, social, eager to please, easy to live with, mildly active, playful, and get along with children but retain enough work and protection stamina. This makes them great family and companion dogs.

west German Show line

Working lines

Breeders of these dogs are focused on working capabilities.

Working line GSDs have straighter backs and are stronger with higher stamina, prey drive, pain tolerance, and endurance than their show line counterparts. Their coats are also shorter and coarser. They also tend to be smaller by a slight margin than show-line GSDs.

These lines are best suited to experienced owners and may not be the best family dogs or novice owners.

1. West German Working lines

  • Height:
  • Weight:
  • Colors: Sable and black and tan
  • Cost: $1500 to $2500

The West German working line is a prime example of Max von Stephanitz’s ideal dog. West German working line German Shepherds not only got the looks and charm but also have a great temperament and work stamina.

Their prey drive and pain tolerance are high and they are excellent at whatever work they are intended to do. Without proper exercise and work, they are likely to develop destructive behavior due to boredom.

They tend to have smaller, less bulky, and more athletic bodies but are more sloped than Czech and DDR working lines. However, their angulation is not as much as those of North American lines

Some consider West German working lines superior.

Temperament & Personality

These dogs are intelligent, versatile, energetic, driven, and excel at work that requires immense mental fortitude. This includes protection, police, detective, military, rescue work, and sports

It is possible to have West German Working line GSDs as pets but with more commitment as they require a lot of physical and mental stimulation. Thus, they are best suited for experienced and active dog owners.

working-lines-german-shepherd-

2. East German DDR Working lines

  • Height: 24 to 26 inches for males, 22 to 24 inches for females
  • Weight: 75 to 90 lbs for males, 55 to 70 lbs for females
  • Colors: Sable, black
  • Cost: $1500 to $3500

Similar to the West German working lines, Eat German or DDR working line German shepherds were bred for their ability to work, guard, stamina, and endurance.

Their standards are high due to rigid breeding rules and all dogs are coats, bone structures, and temperament tested before breeding. They must meet a certain bar and be free of hip and elbow dysplasia to contribute to the gene pool. These dogs also underwent rigorous training to expose any weaknesses with the intent to keep up and beat the West German lines.

Their heads are broad with athletic bodies, strong bones, deep chests, wide shoulders, straighter backs, and dark pigmentation. They also have thicker and shiny coats that can withstand harsh winters but tend to shed more, especially in spring and fall.

These German Shepherds are very powerful and are known to scale walls as high as 1.8 meters, complete blind searches and tracking tests, and balance on beams.

These dogs often accompany security and rescue personnel thanks to their agility, athleticism, endurance, and tracking abilities. They are also able to withstand all harsh weather conditions including low winter temperatures. Their thick paws also make it possible for them to navigate rough terrain.

Temperament & Personality

Despite being great working dogs, DDR German Shepherds are pleasant dogs.

They are devoted, courageous, intelligent, loyal, loving, and, protective but are best suited for experienced owners. New dog owners may have a hard time managing this dog’s high drive but with proper training, socialization, and plenty of exercises, he will make a great family dog. Failure to provide them with sufficient exercise gets them bored and destructive.

In general, they tend to do well with older children. However, the high prey drive may tempt them to herd young children when the instincts kick in.

DRR-Shepherd

3. Czech Working lines

  • Height: 24 to 26 inches for males, 22 to 24 inches for females
  • Weight: 66 to 88 lbs for males, 49 to 71 lbs for females
  • Colors: Commonly sable or black
  • Cost: $1000 to $3500

Czech Working line German Shepherds have essentially the same bloodline as DDR working lines and share a lot of characteristics.

They have broad heads, strong jaws, a heavy bone structure, athletic muscular bodies, pointy ears, deep chests, and large paws. Their backs also tend to be straighter with less angulation.

They are agile, fast with high stamina, motivation, and endurance for work

Temperament & Personality

These dogs tend to be smart, loyal, energetic, and eager to please.

Czech working line GSDs may have become calmer and more approachable over the years, but they are still hardwired to work and protect. As such, they need plenty of mental and physical stimulation.

This German Shepherd line is best suited for active and experienced owners that can meet their high-energy needs through sports and other outlets. Training and socialization are also vital to make them fun household and family dogs.

Czech-bred-German-Shepherds

Mixed Lines

These German Shepherds are a result of mixing various lines. They tend to be all over the place in terms of appearance and other traits and are not regulated by any governing body or registry.

These dogs are generally not accepted by purists but can be very interesting.

To Sum Up

You should note that the information in this article are generalizations of the various German Shepherd lines. In recent times, breeding regulations have become loose and it is thus possible to end up with a GSD that is anywhere on the spectrum as far as looks and behavioral traits are concerned.

Before making a purchase, ensure the pup is from a reputable and trusted breeder to ensure it is of top-notch quality and health.

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There you go, WOOF!