The German Shepherd breed of dog is loyal, fearless, and exceptionally intelligent, with a strong, muscular body. The German Shepherd may be most colors, but most commonly is black and tan. The general impression of the German Shepherd, whether at rest or in motion, is one of fitness, nobility, discernment, and agility. He is poised and somewhat aloof, but also eager and game when the situation requires. The German Shepherd breed of dog is longer than he is tall. The desirable long proportion is not derived from a long back alone, but from overall length, including forequarters, withers and hindquarters. His head is noble, cleanly chiseled, strong and proportionate. His expression is keen, bright and composed, with medium size almond shaped dark eyes. His ears are moderately pointed, open toward the front, and carried erect when at attention. The skull of the German Shepherd breed of dog slopes into the long, wedge-shaped muzzle without abrupt stop. The muzzle is long and strong, and his nose is black. His lips are firm and tight, jaws and teeth strongly developed. His 42 teeth should meet in a scissors bite, in which part of the inner surface of the upper incisors meet and engage part of the outer surface of the lower incisors. The neck of the German Shepherd is strong and muscular, clean-cut and relatively long, without loose folds of skin. When the dog is at attention or excited, the head is raised and the neck carried high; otherwise, his head is forward rather than up and but little higher than the top of the shoulders, particularly in motion. The withers are higher than and sloping into the level back. The back is straight and is relatively short. The German Shepherd's chest is deep and capacious, with ample room for heart and lungs. Ribs are well sprung and long. Ribbing is carried well back so that the loin is relatively short. The bottom line is only moderately tucked up in the loin. The German Shepherd breed of dog has a bushy tail, with the last vertebra extended at least to the hock joint. It is set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high. At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve like a saber. When the dog is excited or in motion, the curve is accentuated and the tail raised. The shoulders are muscular and the forelegs are straight. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed, but are normally left on, while dewclaws on the rear legs are usually removed. The feet are short, compact with toes well arched, pads thick and firm, nails short and dark. Thighs are broad, with both upper and lower thigh well muscled, forming as nearly as possible a right angle. The ideal German Shepherd has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, somewhat wiry, is permissible. The head, legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of the forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair. The German Shepherd breed of dog varies in color, and most colors are permissible. Strong rich colors are preferred. A German Shepherd Dog is a trotting dog, and its structure has been developed to meet the requirements of its work. His gait seems effortless, smooth and rhythmic, covering maximum ground with minimum steps. His feet remain close to the ground on both forward reach and backward push. In order to achieve ideal movement of this kind, there must be good muscular development and ligamentation. The hindquarters deliver, through the back, a powerful forward thrust which slightly lifts the whole animal and drives the body forward. Reaching far under, and passing the imprint left by the front foot, the hind foot takes hold of the ground; then hock, stifle and upper thigh come into play and sweep back, the stroke of the hind leg finishing with the foot still close to the ground in a smooth follow-through. The overreach of the hindquarter usually necessitates one hind foot passing outside and the other hind foot passing inside the track of the forefeet, and such action is not faulty unless the locomotion is crabwise with the dog’s body sideways out of the normal straight line. The typical smooth, flowing gait of the German Shepherd breed of dog is maintained with great strength and firmness of back. At full trot, the back must remain firm and level without sway, roll, whip or roach.