Question about measurements

NormanisEm

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Hi, so out of curiosity I am looking into GSD measurements and I see online that the length to height ratio ideal is 10:8.5, but the standard length is 36-42.5 and height 22-26 (encompassing both sexes). So a 22 in tall female should be 36 length? Why is that a 10:6 ratio then? My girl is larger than standard somewhere between 25-26 tall but only like 30 long, which is “not long enough” yet thats a roughly 10:8.5 ratio isnt it? Am I misunderstanding or measuring incorrectly?
 
I always considered her legs to be abnormally long but is she also not long enough in her body? This is a picture of her standing normally. I dont know how to stack or anything.
 

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Hi, so out of curiosity I am looking into GSD measurements and I see online that the length to height ratio ideal is 10:8.5, but the standard length is 36-42.5 and height 22-26 (encompassing both sexes). So a 22 in tall female should be 36 length? Why is that a 10:6 ratio then? My girl is larger than standard somewhere between 25-26 tall but only like 30 long, which is “not long enough” yet thats a roughly 10:8.5 ratio isnt it? Am I misunderstanding or measuring incorrectly?
Honestly, I think you are totally right to be confused, I just fell down this rabbit hole looking at the standards, and the info online is super contradictory! 😅

I think I figured out exactly why the numbers don't add up. That 36-inch stat you see in the AI overview I think is misleading because it conflicts with the breed standard math. If a 22" tall female was actually 36" long in the body (measured breastbone to butt), she would have the proportions of a Dachshund! That 36-39" number likely implies measuring the total length (nose-to-tail) or is just pulling from a bad source, because the official AKC standard actually doesn't list a required length in inches at all.

The AKC standard only lists the height and the desirable proportion of 10 to 8 1/2. If you do the math 10/8.5, the ideal ratio is roughly 1.17. Since your girl is about 30" long and ~25.5" tall, your math 30/25.5 also comes out to roughly 1.17. So, mathematically, she is actually perfect! Just to be 100% sure, the standard specifies measuring length from the prosternum (point of the breastbone) to the ischial tuberosity (rear edge of the pelvis). If you measured between those two points and got ~30", she is exactly the correct proportion and definitely not too short. This is a concept I'm not extremely familiar with though, so if anyone else can confirm that, that would be good!
 
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Honestly, I think you are totally right to be confused, I just fell down this rabbit hole looking at the standards, and the info online is super contradictory! 😅

I think I figured out exactly why the numbers don't add up. That 36-inch stat you see in the AI overview I think is misleading because it conflicts with the breed standard math. If a 22" tall female was actually 36" long in the body (measured breastbone to butt), she would have the proportions of a Dachshund! That 36-39" number likely implies measuring the total length (nose-to-tail) or is just pulling from a bad source, because the official AKC standard actually doesn't list a required length in inches at all.

The AKC standard only lists the height and the desirable proportion of 10 to 8 1/2. If you do the math 10/8.5, the ideal ratio is roughly 1.17. Since your girl is about 30" long and ~25.5" tall, your math 30/25.5 also comes out to roughly 1.17. So, mathematically, she is actually perfect! Just to be 100% sure, the standard specifies measuring length from the prosternum (point of the breastbone) to the ischial tuberosity (rear edge of the pelvis). If you measured between those two points and got ~30", she is exactly the correct proportion and definitely not too short. This is a concept I'm not extremely familiar with though, so if anyone else can confirm that, that would be good!
Thank you, yeah I was thinking 36+ was abnormally long! I did measure from tailbone to chest
 
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