VOM KIRSYS GERMAN SHEPHERDS

VA:  Select Champion:  Awarded to the top few Champion dogs at the Sieger show each year.  VA-2 is the Vice-Sieger, etc.

V:  Champion Vorzuglich   (Excellent):  This is the standard Championship for excellence of quality.  No dog in Germany can even TRY for it's Championship until it is at least 2 years old, has passed a hip x-ray for Dysplasia, has passed a Temperament Test, has a working Schutzhund degree (tests the dog in Tracking, Obedience, and for Courage), and passed a 12 mile Endurance test...then you can show the dog to see if it is ALSO pretty!

SG:  Sehr Gut (Very Good):  This is a rating that the dog has Very Good structure.  It is the highest rating a dog can get in the Show until it has met all the requirements listed above for a Championship.

G:  Gut (Good):  This dog is rated as having Good structure.  This is the lowest rating still allowed to be used for breeding in Germany.

VP: Very Promising: The Highest rating available to dogs under 1 year of age when shown.

U: is an unsatisfactory rating which typically means the dog did not show up for the class after the stand and did not have a vet's excuse.

EZ: is where a dog was excused after the stand

T : (Followed by a number) means the dog did not pass the performance test.

T1 = läßt nicht ab, ohne Bew. TSB;  - does no release 

T2 = TSB vorhanden; - sufficient -  

T3 = TSB nicht genügend;  not sufficient 

T4 = abgebrochen wegen mangelnder Führigkeit = lack of obedience


SchH and IPO (1, 2 &3):  Schutzhund:   Schutzhund is a test of the dog's trainability and talents in Tracking (following a person's trail similar to Search & Rescue work), Advanced Obedience (includes working under gunfire.  Dogs that are afraid of gunfire are also afraid of thunder and lightening...can be a real problem. If you've ever had a dog that is afraid of loud noises, you'll understand why it is important), and the dog is tested for it's Protection abilities.  A Schutzhund dog must work off leash in a crowd of people with out endangering any one.  They are the 'cream of the crop' when it comes to trained dogs!

KKL1 and  KKL2 :   KKL= Koerklasse. Before a dog can be bred in Germany it must pass it's AD, BH, SchH1, and then it must also be evaluated by an official of the German Shepherd Club of Germany (Schaeferhund Verin) called a Koermeister to further test and evaluate the dog's temperament and structure.   Every part of the dog is described in a report called a Koerreport.  Dogs that are considered to be prime quality breeding prospects will be graded KKL1, dogs considered acceptable for breeding, but with some warnings of what to watch out for, such as being oversized, etc. will be graded KKL2.  Dogs considered "not suitable for breeding" will not earn a KKL rating, and they can not be bred in Germany.

"A" Stamp: The "a" means the dog has passed it's hip and/or elbow certification for Hip and/or Elbow Dysplasia in Germany.


OFA:  Orthopedic Foundation for Animals: which receives, evaluates, and certifies hip x-rays for dogs in the USA.  An OFA hip certified dog is listed as "having no evidence of hip dysplasia".  There are different levels of certification.  The grading takes several factors into consideration which include the structure of the hip joint, the clarity and quality of the hip x-ray itself, and the positioning of the dog's hips on the x-ray.  All levels of certification (fair, good or excellent) are free of hip dysplasia and are suitable for breeding.

                   Schutzhund German Commands

German        English         German       English 

Achtung  --- Watch            Pfui  ---  Shame
Aus      ---  Let go            Hopp ---  Jump
Fuss     ---  Heel              Halten --- Halt
Bleib  -----  Stay              Setz  ---  Sit
Komm  ----- Come          Pass Auff --  Watch Out
Fass  ------ Attack           Voraus --- Go Out
Platz  -----  Down           Gib Laut ---  Speak