Form Follows Function: Why Balance Matters in the German Shepherd Dog

Recently, Ajay shared a few videos of Hemi, our young German Shepherd, trotting effortlessly across the field. His movement was fluid, his topline level, his angulation moderate. In short — a dog built to work.

In response, a seasoned breeder named Ed, with 38 years in the breed, wrote:

“A correct dog absolutely NO extreme. I’ve been breeding for 38 years. The dogs I see in the majority in the shows today are disgusting. Very sad.”“A correct dog absolutely NO extreme. I’ve been breeding for 38 years. The dogs I see in the majority in the shows today are disgusting. Very sad.”

Ed’s words are blunt, but they echo a sentiment many long-time stewards of the German Shepherd Dog share: the breed is drifting away from its original purpose.

The German Shepherd was never intended to be an exaggeration of itself. Excessive rear angulation, weak ligaments, soft pasterns, and roached top lines aren’t just cosmetic departures from the standard — they can impair the dog’s ability to perform.

The SV standard — the same one recognized worldwide — calls for a straight, firm back from the withers to the croup, moderate angles, and a body type that supports efficient, enduring movement. This is the blueprint for a dog that can herd all day, search and rescue in rough terrain, or perform demanding protection work without injury.

When extremes take over, form no longer follows function. And when form fails, so does the dog’s ability to do the work it was bred for.

Hemi represents what we believe is the correct balance:

• No extremes. Moderate angulation, a level overline, and strong ligaments.
  
• Functional movement. Efficient, ground-covering stride without wasted energy.
  
• Mental balance. Stable, confident, and focused — able to switch from play to work seamlessly.
  

He is the type of dog who could compete in a show, run a trial for IGP tracking, and settle at home with the family in the same day.

Preserving correct type isn’t just the responsibility of judges — it begins with breeders making conscious choices. Exhibitors who bring correct, moderate dogs to the ring create visible examples for the public and judges alike.

Every correct dog in the ring is a quiet statement: This is what the German Shepherd should look like. This is the blueprint worth protecting.

The German Shepherd is more than a silhouette. It is a heritage — a living legacy of form meeting function. If we lose sight of balance, we lose the breed as we know it.

Hemi, like his father Kayos, is just one dog. But if more breeders, handlers, and owners commit to producing and presenting dogs like him, the future of the breed will remain strong, functional, and unmistakably German Shepherd.