This article has been translated and reprinted with the kind permission of the SV.

SIZE DEVELOPMENT OF THE

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

(Part 1).

by Lothar Quoll (SV).

INTRODUCTION

There are huge size differences between dog breeds. This is immediately obvious when you compare Toy breeds with Utility dogs and other large breeds.  There are even differences in size between individuals within specific breeds.  Even within the same sex of a breed there is a size range of several centimetres. The German Shepherd breed standard allows a range of several centimetres within a sex, if you include the variation of one centimetre over or undersize the size standard. All dogs within those two limits are consequently breed surveyable.

With respect to the German Shepherd, I am personally aware of the discussions of large or even oversized dog since my joining the association in the early 70’s. The origins of large or oversize dogs are however much older.

The origins of size reaches back as far as the beginnings of intentional breeding. The breed which then included quite different shapes had to be more or less developed. This included a range of more than 20 years until the “Hochzüchtung der Rasse”(selective breeding to establish the breed) was completed. I call this time the period of development. Oversized dogs appeared for the first time halfway during this period. The acceptance of these dogs depended on political interest of the association, namely as many dogs as possible initially, including dogs with unknown origin, had to be included into the breed register, and surely also a few dogs with questionable shape because of lack of know how of how to breed to a standard. The association introduced measures which subsequently led to greater uniformity of shape and as a consequence there of a standard acceptable size of the breed; this required another 10 years. Because of consequential handling, no more oversized dogs appear for about 30 years.

The topic of size came back into the headlines when the mission of the “Bundesdelegiertenversannlung” (Conference of the Federal branch delegates) in 1997 was to improve the useability of our dogs within the frame work of the survey where obviously the trait of size was again identified as a crucial topic.

I have tried to evaluate and collate existing data and display in a transparent way, without trying to pre-empt the discissions of the appropriate committees, the basis of various papers of the association such as the Vererbungsfeststellungen Beim Deutschen Schaeferhund 1932 and 1938 (insights of the heritability of the German Shepherd 1932 and 1938) by Schaeller, various genetics books about the heritability of size, reports in the SV papers and the SV breed and survey books.

DATA SOURCES

The largest data pool relating to size of dogs comes from the Survey (breed) books. Unfortunately there is little data available prior to the first survey in 1922. It is sourced in principle from the SV papers of the times and also some association papers of the times. I have decided to concentrate on males exclusively in order for the difficult data gathering so it does not take forever. An analysis of data from bitches seems to give similar results and is no less interesting.

DATA ANALYSIS

1).   Distribution Of Standard Sizes Within A Survey Year

I have used data of all male offspring in a survey year. I have chosen ten year steps for the survey data analysis (1922 – 2002) in order to make a historical trend visible.

2).   Distribution Of Standard Sizes In Individual Male Lines

This block contains data of dogs exhibited in utility classes of a Sieger show after 1950 with the offspring grouped according to todays most important male lines. This important parameter must be included in an analysis of this type results from the fact that the principal stud dogs with their large number of offspring (ranging up to 1000 and in some cases over 1000) possibly are a significant influence on the desired phenotype in our case size.

It is the dogs that achieve high placement at our main breed shows and are used a lot for breeding that are capable of forming an offspring group with sufficient data on line-breeding. The concept of  line-breeding to well-known dogs from Sieger-shows originated in the 1920’s. This influential breeding tool was introduced in 1955.

The main thought behind evaluating and comparing these two blocks of data was to determine if a significant trend becomes obvious or if with time the results would correlate and yield similar data.

STATISTICAL METHODS

Initially all sizes were published with the introduction of breed surveys for dogs in 1922 and bitches in 1923. After about 10 years oversize dogs were excluded from the breed survey. Henceforth the survey book only contains data of dogs within the accepted standard.

Lacking data from oversize dogs after 1932 I have chosen Frequency Distribution as the evaluation criterion. This can be used to clearly demonstrate an increase or decrease of size within a line or a survey year.

GENETICS

Books such as “Die Vererbung des Hundes” (1951) (Canine Genetics) by Marca Buns and Margaret N. Fraser describe the inheritance of size. The authors limit themselves to describing the results of breeding short-legged breeds to those of normal leg length. Essentially they state that when cross breeding breeds of differing bone structure, extreme (heavy or light) bones appear to be dominant over average bones.

Stockard describes how environmental factors such as exercise and nutrition  influence bone structure and hence growth in his book “Inheritance of localised dwarfism and achondroplasia in dogs”.

In his book “Züchtung des Hundes” (Genetics of the Dog) Malcom B. Willis attempts to find a correlation between weight and body size whilst working with sparse data from the breed survey books of 1927, 1928 and 1973. Furthermore he states that the trait body size is polygenetic and modified by environmental factors in all breeds. Willis, however, does maintain that the data from breed survey books is not suitable for genetic analysis because the data relates only to select animals and is therefore biased. The following quote by Professor Schläger represents more up to date scientifically founded opinions:

"A dog’s size is a trait of enormous quantitative variation. Here he refers to the various breeds that show significant variation in size. He explains that at least 10 if not more gene loci affect the size of a dog. Furthermore, every gene locus carrying the additive gene as homozygous (both alleles at the locus are identical) will also affect the size of the dog. Repeated line-breeding selects for homozygotes, i.e. every individual animal has an increased number of homozygous gene loci as a result of  line- or inbreeding. A higher line-breeding coefficient results in a higher proportion of homozygous gene loci in the individual animal and thus the whole population".

The increased number of homozygotes due to inbreeding will also have undesirable consequences for the breeding population. This is due to the fact that whilst cross-breeding related animals will increase the line-breeding coefficient and the likelihood of homozygous gene loci, we have no control over which gene locus actually becomes homozygous.

It is thus possible that after a line-breeding the gene loci which were intended to become homozygous may not do so whilst homozygotes may result in other gene loci that code for undesirable phenotypic consequences. It is also possible for genes coding for desirable as well as genes coding for undesirable traits to become homozygous.

Many genetic faults are due to recessive genes in monogenic or more commonly polygenic hereditary course. Only those animals who are homozygous with respect to the undesirable recessive gene will express the defect in their phenotype. Heterozygous animals are of normal phenotype but pass on the defective gene to about half their offspring.  Thus recessive defective genes may be passed from generation to generation over multiple generations without being detectable in the population. The frequency of homozygous gene loci and hence the likelihood of recessive genetic defects becoming expressed in the phenotype, increases if line- or inbreeding matings are performed in this population.

HISTORY

This paper is meant to show the development of the size of the German Shepherd Dog over its now more than 100 years of development and to also add some transparency to this topic of discussion. The history of the German Shepherd Dog is long. In the past, dogs were selected and bred for their working qualities. This generally happened at the local level since there was little mobility of breeders and herders due to a lack of infrastructure. Historically, today’s dog traces back to two utility dog lines from Middle- and Southern Germany. The Middle-German utility dog line known as the Thüringer was the slightly smaller dog whereas the South-German or Württemberger was larger and stronger-boned.

The most important representatives and foundation lines of these two utility dog lines stem from 5 groups or breeding pairs These dogs originate from the kennel Wachsmuth in Hanau (based on the Thüringer breeding pair Roland and Courage), the kennel Sparwasser in Frankfurt (more Thüringer and Württemberger HGH dogs), and the Krone line (the Thüringer breeding pair Max and Sali von der Krone).

More or less planned breeding resulted from the establishment of a club and the first edition of the stud book. The stud book was meant to be a seamless record of all animals used for breeding. The breed standard was published and exhibitions were run. The breed standard dictated the standardization of breed- and individual-specific body structure, expression and character. The exhibitions and awards of Sieger-titles primarily served the purpose to demonstrate the desired breeding result, as described by the standard, to the German Shepherd breeding  and loving public. It gave the individual breeders a guide to what was expected. This rapidly led to the development of the two lines which have to be regarded as the most important lines influencing the breed of the time.

Hektor Linksrhein, gen. Horand v. Grafrath, 1, dob 1.1.1895;

The most important representative of the first two groups, even the whole Shepherd breed, is Horand v. Grafrath, whelped in 1895. According to descriptions his height was 60-61cm. His male succession developed, as described above,  into two important lines whose “Hochzucht” (up-breeding) will be described here. Von Stephanitz  later (about 1913) described the term “Hochzucht” as up-breeding the breed, where the term “Hochzucht” relates to the size-development of the dogs!!

Sieger 1900-1901 Hektor v. Schwaben, 13, DHSB 819, dob 5.1.1898;

Hektor von Schwaben is the most important son of Horand, out of the Württemberger herding utility bitch Mores v. Pliningen. He has continued Horand Grafrath’s line with various valuable offspring. His most important sons, themselves founders of new lines, were Beowulf, his litter brother Pilot and Heinz von Starkenburg.

Development Of The Main Lines

Since 1899 two male lines were developed over about 10 generations  from Horand von Grafrath to Alex von Westfalenheim and his son Erich Grafenwerth on one side and on the other from Horand’s son Hektor Schwaben via his son Pilot to Donar Overstolzen. These lines have to be regarded as quite strong with regards to their expansion, and as the most successful lines of their time with regards to their influence on the breed.

Obviously other sidelines did spring from Horand during this time of development. Some of these were well used by breeders and formed the foundation of a broad genetic base for the breed. These descendants cannot be regarded as lost; they are substantially present in maternal lines, but rare in direct male descendancy. These animals did not form a breed unit since they represented quite differing types (of shape and size). Continued selection achieved somewhat improved balance over time.

A balance of shape and size was first achieved through Erich Grafenwerth and his son Klodo Bloxberg. This concludes the period of  basic shaping and commences the time of consolidation & refinement. Klodo von Boxberg  achieved a clear shaping of the breed standard through his son Utz von Haus Schütting, but at this point one should not omit  to include Klodo’s son Curt von Herzog Hedan and his son Odin von Stolzenfels. From today’s point of view these dogs form the breeding basis of these resulting bloodlines:

1. The Pilot – Graf Eberhard von Hohen Esp – Lines

Pilot, 111, dob 22.3.1899

The Pilot - Graf Eberhard – line named after the Hektor son  and Beowulf brother Pilot 111, leads via Wolf (Balingen), not registered in the stud book, to Graf Eberhard von Hohen Esp. Pilot is a full brother to Beowulf 10. His size and strength of bone are surely on a par with his litter brother, but less well known than the politically stronger Beowulf, especially since Beowulf  threw outstanding female lines. He produced no less than 4 breed Sieger bitches between 1902-1906.

Graf Eberhard von Hohen Esp, 1135, dob 22.10.1903;

Graf Eberhard, through Minka Barbarossa, who was of Dewet/Krone/Beowulf and HGH stock, became the founder of  the Luchs Karlmunt Wetzlar/Tell Kriminalpolizei line; also, through the Württemberger HGH bitch Lori vom Brenztal, who was of Pollux and U- stock,  he, Graf Eberhard became the founder of the Munko Boll/Horst von Boll line. Both lines produced large numbers of offspring. Graf Eberhard himself is proven as a very strong sire.

Sieger 1908 Luchs v. Karlsmunt Wetzlar, 3371, dob 9.8.1906;

Luchs von Karlsmunt Wetzlar is the dog with the largest number of offspring, but only a few of his 1788 offspring are significant to the breed. His most important offspring, the result of a mating with Herta von der Kriminalpolizei, a Roland Starkenburg daughter, is the 1910 Sieger Tell von der Kriminalpolizei (line breeding  to the litter brothers Pilot-Beowulf (3-3) and hence Hektor Schwaben (4-4)).

Sieger 1910 Tell v.d. Kriminalpolizei, 8770, dob 22.5.1909;

Whilst he died relatively young, Tell von der Kriminalpolizei excelled at passing on the genetics for improved body shape. Tell also continues in two important lines. He himself was already borderline in size at that time. Schaeller writes in addition: "He passes on size". Tell’s mother line again  leads to Beowulf. This substantially strengthened the genetic contribution of the direct line Horand Grafrath/Hektor Schwaben. Tell is also the father of the Siegerin Hella v. d. Kriminalpolizei (1911/12).

Sieger 1913 Arno v. d. Eichenburg, 24876, PH, dob 19.6.1911;

Arno von der Eichenburg (66cm) who still exceeded its father Tell in size, passes on the size factor to approximately one third of his surveyed descendants, mainly the males. The size factor continues in the genetics of the line via Flieder vom grünen Eck/Orpal vom grünen Eck up to the 1924 Sieger Donar Overstolzen, which particularly comes out again in the  descendants linebred to Arno. In Arno, via his mother, who is a Roland Starkenburg daughter, there is  again genetic concentration of the bloodlines of Horand Grafrath/Hektor Schwaben.

Sieger 1924 *Donar von Overstolzen, 220839, SchH, dob 15.3.1923;

Donar Overstolzen (67cm) is linebred to Arno von der Eichenburg (3-3). By the way he became 1924 youth and breed winner. He rated V3 in 1925 behind the winner Klodo von Boxberg and Sultan von Blasienberg. In his male offspring there is a lack of a dominant progenitor, so that this line ends with his descendants in the 30's. The termination of this much used line may also possibly be related to association politics. Many male animals of this line were expelled in Schaellers " Vererbungsfeststellungen beim Deut­schen Schäferhund (Observations on Inheritance of the German Shepherd Dog)" as so-called warning dogs concerning the size.

Tell - Jung Tell and Ito von der Kriminalpolizei lines

Jung Tell von der Kriminalpolizei, 24511, PH, dob 16.9.1911;

Jung Tell himself is even taller and shorter than his father Tell and likewise  was used frequently for breeding. He resulted from the mating of Tell Kriminalpolizei to the Munko Boll line bitch Greta von Boll. Greta  is a full sister to Horst von Boll (refer to Horst von Boll description). Jung Tell founded the Ito Kriminalpolizei line which was quite prominent at that time and produced many oversize dogs. Worth mentioning here is the E-litter from Herkulespark, Edi and Etzel, which, through various descendants can be found in almost every pedigree of the time. The E - litter Herkulespark is out of the bitch Hexe von Mundtsdorf, a daughter of Hettel Uckermarkt, by Jung Tell. Both dogs threw oversize particularly in female offspring and occasionally also character faults. Jung Tell also sired the Siegerin Nanthild von Riedeckenburg (1921).

Ito von der Kriminalpolizei, 47037, dob 20.6.1913;

Oversize inheritance is also present in the lines via Ito von der Kriminalpolizei and Ali Altwürtemberg, probably due to Boll genetics, possibly also more frequently due to the bitches supplied to his offspring, according to Schaellers " Vererbungsfeststellungen beim Deut­schen Schäferhund (Observations on Inheritance of the German Shepherd Dog)". Ito is also linebred to  the 1919 Sieger Tell von der Kriminalpolizei.

Graf Eberhard - Munko von Boll - Horst von Boll lines

Munko von Boll, 3776, HGH, dob 16.3.1907;

Munko von Boll (62cm) the father of Horst, a half brother of Luchs Karlsmunt Wetzlar by Erhard von Hohen Esp, does, via his dam to Lori Brenztal HGH, add something very undesirable to the breed. Lori’s dam, Loria vom Brenztal, who does stem from undeterminable HGH dogs, was a lightly coloured bitch, which either herself already possessed a stumpy tail, or contained the genetics thereof. This undesirable feature did not appear in her direct descendants, but first showed in Nores Kriminalpolizei descendants. Nores is a son of Horst von Boll. There is no history of oversize inheritance other than with the H-litter.

Horst von Boll, 8306, PH, dob 12.5.1909;

Horst, a dog of excellent character, was oversize (67cm at 9 months). He also tended to pass on a short body in his descendants. If line-bred to Horst, many of his descendants displayed oversize, color fading and dentition faults. Typical examples for oversize genetics are the linebred  descendants Erlo Gigelberg 67347 with 69cm, and its brother Ewald Gigelberg 67348 with 71 cm, also Friedo of the Elfengrotte (son of Erlo) with 69 cm. The main support for Horst is in Falko von Scharenstetten, which was an extremely popular breeder. Falko, himself 66-67cm, was already of generous height for the time and did pass on the oversize genetics, as confirmed frequently in his direct descendants, as well as with those line-breeding back to him.

2.      The Roland Starkenburg–Hettel Uckermark Lines

Sieger 1906/07 Roland Starkenburg, 1537, dob 1.11.1903;

Roland is the result of line-breeding to Hektor Schwaben (2-3) and Lucie Starkenburg (2-2), a Pollux daughter. Thus he is bred very close to Pollux/Horand/Hektor genetics, accounting for his high breed value. His most important descendant is the 1909 Sieger Hettel Uckermark. v. Stephanitz especially praises Roland’s becoming body, which combines strength, good size and high aristocracy in itself. Von Stephanitz further describes: "The good harmonious gaits show optimal back-transmission and thereby beautiful spring and far reaching gait". Line-breeding to Roland Starkenburg often resulted in dogs at the size limit. Even von Stephanitz implicates Roland in oversize genetics. It should be explained that the description “good size” in those days was always used when the dog was at the size-limit.

Sieger 1909, Hettel Uckermark, 3897, HGH, dob 5.7.1907;

Hettel Uckermark, the most important Roland son, probably reached the acceptable limit for an easily mobile utility dog for bone strength and size. Von Stephanitz describes his lines as wonderful and his movements as light and powerul. If one traces Hettel’s maternal lines, his size is not surprising, the very large and strong Beowulf daughter Gretel Uckermark was out of the uncommonly strong of bone Hexe von Hohen Esp 357. Breed recommendation (v. Stephanitz): "Hettel is not suitable for every bitch". He also warned not to use bitches that did not conform to the standard. Hettel’s brother Hudan was probably oversize. Oversize in  Hettel descendants appears in the Billo Riedekenburg line in approximately 25% of the dogs.

Alex von Westfalenheim, 59298, dob 3.9.1914;

Alex Westfalenheim is the most important Hettel son. Via his dam Bella von der Lejne and his grandsire Ajax Hohenstei he traces back to Guntar Uckermark (repeat litter of Hettel) and is therefore closely linebred to Roland Starkenburg and Gretei UIckermark. On the dam line he carries Dewet Barbarossa and Krone genetics. Alex was a good progenitor in various bloodlines, as supported by his large number of surveyed offspring. He did pass on oversize or oversize potential to various male offspring, who again passed it on especially to their female descendants. In the Alex line the inheritance of oversize is approximately 20% for male descendants and about 30% for female descendants.

Sieger 1920 Erich Grafenwerth, 71141, PH, dob: 28.7.1918;

Erich is line-bred (2-2) to Hettel Uckermark. He thereby carries Starkenburger genetics on both sides and in addition also Hohen Esper-Horand genetics. Quotation Schaeller: "Erich is with 65 cm height at the withers in all respects a perfect dog with wonderfully smooth and expansive gait. Particular praise is due to the very good shepherd character". By the way, Erich is the first Sieger with a training title (police dog). He founded a further line via some generations of relatively unknown dogs to the Sieger of 1926 and 1928 Erich von Glockenbrink. Outside the lines just mentioned there were a number of secondary lines which did not persist through the male descendancy. There is significant oversize inheritance detectable in the branch from Barry Erka - Lasko Recke.

The two lines just presented are to be regarded as the most important in the early history of the breed, whereby it is noted that with the development of the breed, size becomes an issue, as demonstrated by 28% of dogs being documented as oversize in Survey book 1 for the first survey year of 1922.

Other secondary lines likewise include many oversize dogs, but they never attained the level of influence on the breed as the two lines described before. In addition, mentioning all these would be beyond the space limitations of these articles. In the beginning of the association faults that precluded from breeding were regarded quite formally. Thus all breed characteristics were described in every detail in the breed standard, but the handling and/or conversion of these guidelines in exhibitions or later surveys with regards to breed faults initially lacked serious consequences.

The Sieger show report 1913 can act as an example, where v. Stephanitz used the opportunity to measure individual dogs. This is the appropriate excerpt for the first high-scoring dogs, some of which were already represented in the lines mentioned before: The Sieger Arno von der Eichenburg measured 66 cm at the withers. The measurement of the second placed Jung Tell resulted in the same figure. Apollo von Hünenstein - graded V3 - measured 65 cm. Falko von Scharenstetten - graded V4 – unfortunately was not available during the measuring break (according to Schaeller 66-67cm). The measurement of Nortfried von der Uetzenburg - graded V5 - resulted in 66-67 cm. Unfortunately no measurements are recorded for grades V6 and V7. The V9 dog Arko von Riedekenburg measured 68 cm and does actually, quoting v. Stephanitz, represent the size limit, but his two other litter brothers do not. No doubts exist against subsequent use to breed over suitable bitches.

In this report the recommendations and conclusions of v. Stephanitz, with regards to size are very informative and therefore must not be omitted at this point, since they represent the attitudes to size at that time and allow us to draw certain parallels to the present.

From statements in the critiques of dogs in breed shows and surveys in subsequent years, also from the experience of practical breeders and the observations of breed wardens, and also from a thesis by Dip.ag. E. Kaschny used around the end of 1931 to attain his doctorate, arose the proof that the responsible persons had to consistently instigate control measures.

It did however take a whole decade starting from the introduction of the Körung (breed survey) until to the association’s leadership reacted with quite "dictatorial" counter-measures. V. Stephanitz stated: "Oversize dogs nowadays should not under any circumstances be surveyed and recorded as recommended to breed", - preface of the KB (survey book) 1929 - which I like to include here as it underlines the fact that, starting from 1932, there are no more oversize dogs recorded in the survey books, consistent with effective control measures.

There were also effective reactions at shows. Against many other opinions von Stephanitz declared the 61 cm tall Utz von Haus Schütting the1929 breed Sieger.

With rare consistency of type Utz von Haus Schütting bred aproximately 180 male and female descendants during a limited period to form a crucial basis for the breed.

In an evaluation of the Körbücher (breed survey books) of the German Shepherd Dogs from 1922 to 2002 in ten-yearly steps – only male data was included - the development of the oversize is represented thus.

The first figure shows that at the introduction of the breed survey in the year 1922 more than one quarter (28%) the surveyed dogs were oversize, which must be rated as a consequence of the "Hochzüchtung der Rasse”.

Sieger 1925 Klodo v. Boxberg, 135239, SchH, dob: 20.8.1921;

In respect of  the Alex Westfalenheim lines with regards to inheritance of the medium-sized, deep-chested and powerful body, that which comes closest to the breed ideal, the line via Sieger 1920 Erich Grafenwerth to Sieger 1925 Klodo Boxberg (61.5 cm) and to Utz von Haus Schütting is to be regarded as the most important one. Many well-known sons of Klodo established themselves in the breed, for example Curt von Herzog Hedan (62.5 cm) and Donar vom Zuchtgut. The most important line is to Sieger 1929 Utz v. Haus Schütting, the Sieger 1933 Odin Stolzenfels (62.5 cm), a son of Curt, also became very influential in the breed.

Sieger 1929 Utz v. Haus Schütting, 331999, ZPr, dob: 12.3.1926;

Utz von Haus Schütting (61 cm) did breed true to type and sire typical in a limited breeding career. He is linebred to Erich Grafenwerth (2-3) and Falko Scharenstetten (4-5). According to von Stephanltz Utz embodies the perfect balance for a utility dog He displays flowing and far reaching gaits with very good back transmission. His pedigree, according to von Stephanitz, displays lines that were clearly bred to a purpose over many generations of ancestors to the lines of Horand/Beowulf/Roland/Erich/Klodo.

Utz is presented as the model for a utility dog suitable for any service and valuable for breeding. Utz descendants are absolutely mid-size and rate particularly highly with many successful at the Sieger shows.

Figures 2-4 show the successes in size development towards medium-size from the 30's to the 60's. The proportion of dogs smaller than 63cm was increased to nearly 75% between 1932 and 1942. According to KB (survey book) 1962 analysis 37.6% of dogs were 63 cm.

This outcome is the result of consequential judging and application of the guidelines. The majority of highly placed dogs stems from the direct Klodo/Utz line, including the Sieger dogs of the years 1932-1937. From 1938 no Sieger was declared in the interest of broadening the genetics. An excellent select class without numerical grading was introduced instead. In 1938 this class was made up of 8 dogs who also predominantly stemmed from the above line.

Figures 5 and 6 show an analysis of dogs with a progeny group. The trend compared with the analysis by survey year is nearly identical. Of significance is the displacement of the medium-size dog, the percentage compared to the breed average (Survey year 2002 Figure 3) differs by 10% and shows that the medium size dog practically does not appear at Sieger shows any more (compare Figure 2 and Figure 5)

Firstly one can determine a slow increase in the sizes 64 and 65 cm since the mid-60’s. The main stud sires of the 50’s and 60’s are actually below breed average according to the percentage analysis of inheritance of 65 cm offspring. A general percentage growth of 65 cm begins in the 70’s, where dogs with a progeny group exceed the breed average for the first time.

One can even determine a decrease of 64 cm dogs in favour of 65 cm dogs over the last 15-20 years.

Genetic Causes Of Size Development

What caused the slow increase of size proportions in our breed in the 70’s? Vello zu den Sieben Faulen surely is one of the most well-known examples for oversize in recent shepherd breeding. He was rated V3 in 1957 in the junior dog class. Because of its oversize (67cm) the dog was not surveyed. He did nevertheless become popular with breeders, since the dog not only left anatomical improvements in his descendants, but also a very positive character.

Subsequently Vello exhibited 9 progeny groups in the Sieger shows and presented 7 direct descendants at the Bundessiegerprüfung (BSP). His paternal line traces via the junior dog Sieger Lex vom Dreikinder Haus (62 cm) to Rolf vom Osanbrücker Land (62 cm) and via his dam Grille zu den Sieben Faulen (59 cm) traces back to Etu Zierenberg/Odin Stolzenfels (62.5 cm). Hence he is secured by medium size dogs on both paternal and maternal lines, specifically direct to the Erich Grafenwerth/Klodo Boxberg/Utz Haus Schütting line.

Further examination of his pedigree, however, reveals his substantial genetic content of the previously described danger dogs of the 20’s. Here his ancestors show 46 inbreedings to Jung Tell Kriminalpolizei, 39 inbreedings to Hettel Uckermark, 28 inbreedings to Arno Eichenburg, also 28 inbreedings to Billo Riedeckenburg, 24 inbreedings to Horst Boll to name just a few. This means his high inbreeding ratio increases the proportion of homozygous gene loci relating to size and thus he phenotypically expresses the recessive inheritance. The fact that Vello, whilst himself not obviously large, did breed larger than the breed average is possibly also due to this recessive inheritance.

1957 JHKL V3, Vello Sieben Faulen, 935874, SchH3, FH, dob 20.3.1956;

Vello zu den Sieben Faulen does have a strong influence on German Shepherd breeding in the post war era with his son Jalk vom Fohlenbrunnen and Jalk’s son Lido von der Wienerau. He himself, and his offspring, are prominent due to being bred to often.

This circumstance became important especially in the early 70’s, when many Vello-Jalk-and Lido bred bitches were mated to Quanto and Canto von der Wienerau, thus resulting in much inbreeding to Jalk Fohlenbrunnen and Lido von der Wienerau.

Size Development of German Shepherd Dogs   Vello Sieben Faulen – Jalk Fohlenbrunnen – Lido Wienerau Line   Vello Descendants B-litter, D-litter and G-litters Lierburg   Measuring Focus: 1. Development of  Average Size 2. Percentage component (Incidence) of size inheritance in the generational line relative to sire with all his surveyed male offspring   Data Source: Körbücher (breed survey books) 1958 to 1989	100,0%   90,0%   80,0%   70,0%   60,0%   50,0%   40,0%   30,0%   20,0%   10,0%   0,00								68,0   67,5   67,0   66,5   66,0   65,5   65,0   64,5   64,0   63,5   63,0   62,5   62,0
----- Incidence of size 65/>65 cm (%)		Vello Sieben Faulen	Jalk Fohlenbrunnen	Lido Wienerau	Bernd Lierberg	Bodo Lierberg	Dolf Lierberg	Gin Lierberg
		9,2%	1,4%	12,8%	11,8%	14,0%	7,1%	0,0%
----  Incidence of size 64/64.5 cm (%) (yellow box)		32,2%	37,5%	29,8%	34,6%	32,0%	50,0%	33,3%
----  Incidence of size =< 63.5 cm (%)		58,6%	60,9%	57,4%	53,5%	54,0%	42,9%	66,7%
--o--Average size of NK (national survey) heights (cm)		63,5	63,4	63,3	63,6	63,6	63,8	63,3
Eigengrosse (cm)		67,0	63,0	64,5	64,0	63,0	67,0	64,0

Vello himself throws an average of 63.5 cm in his surveyed descendants, with the descendants exhibited at a BSZS (Federal Sieger breed show) on average 63.4 cm, issued on a federal winner breed Bundessiegerzuchtschau.

The whole of breed average amounts to 62.7 cm in 1962. The frequency of the entire surveyed population of dogs with 65 cm size amounts to  4,4% in 1962.

The size average in this line is thus approx. 0.8 cm above the breed average in his direct descendants, the percentage of descendants with standard size of 65 cm is, as also with its sons and grandsons is, except with Jalk Fohlenbrunnen, already remarkably high with 12 to 14 per cent.

Jalk v. Fohlenbrunnen, 973652, SchH3, dob 19.3.1959;

Jalk vom Fohlenbrunnen himself throws the largest portion (approx. 50%) of medium sized dogs in the Vello-Jalk- Lido line. The genetic ratio of dogs with 65 cm standard height is thus, with only 1.6 %  substantially under the breed average of that time. Jalk in his descendants throws very evenly the sizes between 62,5 and 64 cm thus absolutely mid-size dogs. With inbreeding, however, as we will see later, the ratio increases considerably (in Cliff Haus Beck and Zorro Haus Beck descendants to approx. 20% and in Xaver Arminius descendant to nearly 40%).

Lido Wienerau, 1029749, SchH3, dob 20.5.1962;

Lido Wienerau is the maternal grandsire of Quanto von der Wienerau. Liane, the sister of Lido, is the dam of Canto von der Wienerau. During the joining of Canto and Quanto-line animals the in-breeding to the L-litter or respectively a concentration of Vello genetics thus comes to bear. Lido descendants have an obviously large spread of size inheritance. He throws the whole range from 60 cm to 65 cm sized offspring.

Bernd v. Lierberg, 1026193, SchH3, FH, dob 16.3.1962;

Significant in the breed of the 60's are the Lierberger Vello descendants of the B, D and G litters, which are repeat matings. Particularly impressive  is the large number of surveyed descendants of Bernd Lierberg (127 surveyed male descendants). Further supporting his high breed value as a utility dog is the considerable number of its direct descendants (15) in the BSP’s. In 1969 he himself  was shown at the highest German achievement show, where he achieved 21^st place. Subsequently he produced 5 progeny groups in a BSZS. None of his highly-placed descendants however were able to be continue the direct male line or leave an impression on the breed.

Bodo Lierberg, 1026197, SchH3, FH, dob 16.3.1962;

The litter brother of Bernd, Bodo vom Lierberg was the 1967 Sieger. The dog was available to German breeding for a short period of time only (50 surveyed male descendants). Bodo presented 2 progeny groups. Via his dam Betty vom Enningsfeld these dogs trace to the Leistungsieger of 1958 and 1960 Arko vom Riedersknapp and from him directly to the so-called “Altblüter " (Old blood) Nestor vom Wiegerfelsen. Here again we can find again a genetic link to the B-litter Riedekenburg,  which as described previously threw oversize in  approximately 25% of its descendants. The size average with Bernd and Bodo increases to 63,6 cm, with Dolf Lierberg descendants, who was oversize himself (67 cm), even to 63,8 cm. However Bodo with 14% exhibits the largest percentage of 65 cm tall descendants. Dolf’s brother, Dix vom Lierberg, was by the way thrice exhibited at the BSP in the years 1966 - 1969, whereby his best result was 12^th place in1967.