The SV Single-Breed Registry

By Martin Wahl

Unlike the US, where several "multiple breed registries" (kennel clubs) viciously compete with each other for registration dollars of any breed, the breed registries in Germany, and for that matter in most of the rest of the world, are single breed registry clubs. Such as the SV registering only German Shepherds, or the ADRK registering only Rotweilers, etc. Under FCI rules, a German Shepherd puppy born in Germany must be, and can only be, registered with the SV registry. This of course means, that there is no competition among registries in Germany. Thus they can afford to set a much higher breed standard, one that is truly in the interest of their breed, without any compromise, and so improve the quality and image of that breed. This may well be the reason for the fact that FCI raised dogs are of a much higher quality than AKC/CKC raised dogs. If you doubt it, ask any police K-9 handler where their dog came from.

SV - The German Shepherd Dog Society of Germany

The SV is the largest single breed club in the world with more than 110 000 members in over 2200 local clubs (Ortsgruppe or OG) which are divided into 20 regions (Landesgruppe or LG).

For the working dog (Schutzhund) lover, the SV sponsors over 4000 local Schutzhund trials, plus regional "screening trials" (LGA or Landesgruppenausscheidung) in each region, plus one National Grand Trial (Bundessiegerprüfung or BSP) each year. To be permitted to participate in the National Trial, a competitor must be one of the best in his/her region (LGA). But before competing in his/her regional (LGA) trial, the dog owner must be one of the best out of more than 10 000 local (OG) Schutzhund trial participants in Germany each year.

For the conformation (show) lover, the SV sponsors numerous local, regional and specialty shows, plus it’s annual National Grand Show (Bundessiegerzuchtschau or BZS), which has between 1500 and 1800 entries. They are divided into; working male and working female classes, (working class means that the dog is over 24 months old and has a SchH training title), young males and young females (18-24 months), youth males and youth females (12-18 months) the herding working classes (dogs with HGH herding titles) and their young male, young female, and youth male, youth female classes, plus the most interesting part for breeders, the "progeny groups" (Nachkommengruppen) of Germany’s leading GSD breeders (show breeders).

SV show judging is systematic. It starts with an individual inspection (tattoo, dentures, etc.) and a gun test (any dog failing the temperament test leaves the show ring right here). All the dogs in a class move at the same time to judge the gaiting (working classes partly off lead), and are judged against the SV breed standard, not against each other as they do in America. The National Grand Show usually fills a stadium with over 40 000 spectators and attracts more than 200 vendors of dog "accessories".

The SV Zeitung (magazine) may well be the glue that’s "bonding" the SV family together. It is a top quality, all color magazine which has, since 1902, been published by the SV head office. Besides head office announcements and other official club business, it has many good articles and statistical information on dog and GSD related issues, lists of upcoming show and trial events, full color stud dog ads, uncountable classifieds on anything to do with dogs and sometimes rather remotely related items. On occasion one may find sets of old breed survey books and very old SV magazines for sale. There are also very many puppies and dogs for sale. But most interesting of all are the full reports on Germany’s top shows and trials. This includes the judges entire comments and critiques on every single dog that participated in any of the SV's national events. For anyone trying to learn more about "German" German Shepherds or "show and working bloodlines", the SV-Zeitung is the next best thing to having been there.

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