While they closely resemble German Shepherds, today's Shiloh Shepherds are now larger in size than their German Shepherd predecessors.

According to the Shiloh Shepherd Breed Standard, the height for mature males is a minimum of 28 inches, with an acceptable range from 28-32 inches (averaging around 29 inches). The height for mature females is a minimum of 26 inches, with an acceptable range from 26-30 inches (averaging around 27 inches).

Although large, the Shiloh Shepherd must still exhibit proper balance and movement. Also, Shiloh Shepherds must possess a smooth, almost effortless gait.

The Shiloh Shepherd has a nearly square build, with a height-to-length ratio of 9 to 10. When in a show stack, the Shiloh Shepherd has a nearly level top line.

The German Shepherd has a more rectangular build, with a height-to-length ratio of 8.5 to 10. Because of longer coupling and greater angulation, the German Shepherd - when in a show stack - has a top line that drops noticeably from withers to croup.

COAT TYPES

Shiloh Shepherds are bred with two distinct coat types: plush (i.e., long-coated) and smooth (i.e., short-coated). While the majority of today's Shilohs are plush-coated, some breeders still produce litters that contain smooth-coated puppies.

Plush-coated Shilohs appear larger than their smooth-coated counterparts. In addition, the plushes tend to shed less than the smooths.