Question about measurements

[NormanisEm]

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?

 

[NormanisEm]

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.

 

[MalikethGSD]

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!

 

[NormanisEm]

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

 

[PopeHolySmoke]

I don't use the AKC breed standard as they change it slightly from the FCI / SV. The SV as the original breed club is the breed "owner" and responsible for the standard while the FCI is responsible for publishing and maintaining the standard. Per the published standard:

The height at the withers amounts to 60 cm to 65 cm for male dogs and 55 cm to 60 cm for female dogs. The trunk length exceeds the dimension at the height at the withers by about 10 – 17 %.

Measurement on length is from the tip of the breastbone to the point of the buttocks. Typically you measure the dog when they are in the "pose" with slightly sloped back as that allows for the two points to be in a straight line. The ideal ratio is 10 to 8.5, but the standard allows for variability because genetics are a bitch.