1). GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Shiloh Shepherd should be a large, confident, intelligent dog with forceful smooth movement.  He should never be timid or vicious. Aloofness is acceptable as long as it is not associated with any form of sharp-shyness.

2). CHARACTER: Self-confident, intelligent, faithful to his owners, this dog is easy to train and will follow his owner in any sport.  As a true Flock Guardian descendent, he is bold without aggression, yet gentle when with small children or the elderly.

3). HEAD: The head is broad, formidable and slightly domed. The width and length of the skull are slightly longer than the muzzle with a defined stop. The cheekbones should be well defined. The muzzle should be predominantly black, shorter than the forehead with the lips firmly fitted and solid black. The muzzle should not be long, or narrow.

4). EARS: Ears are pointed, open toward the front and carried erect, rounded and triangular in shape, stiff, height equal to width at base. If ear is folded forward the tip should not pass upper eye rim.  A mature dog with hanging ears must be disqualified.

5). EYES: Shades of dark to very light brown are accepted, almond shaped and not protruding. The expression should be confident.

6). TEETH: 42 in number (20 upper and 22 lower) meeting in a scissors bite in which part  of the inner surface of upper incisor meets and engages part of the outer surface of the lower incisors.  An overshot or undershot jaw is a major fault.

7). NECK: The neck is strong and slightly arched, without loose skin.

8). FOREQUARTERS: The shoulder blades are angled, flat and not forward.  The upper leg should join the shoulder blade at about a right angle with a distinct muscular appearance. The pasterns are strong and angulated at a 25-degree angle.

9). FEET: The feet are oval, compact, with arched toes.  Dew claws on front legs only.  Splay feet should be considered a serious fault.

10). PROPORTION: Should be 10 long to 9 tall. The required height at thirty six months for males, at the top of the highest point of the shoulder blade, should be no less than 28” and for females, be no less than 26”. Less than that should be disqualified.

11). BODY: The entire body should appear to be well coordinated yet muscular. The back is broad and straight. There should be good depth of brisket. The body should not appear leggy.

12). CHEST: The prosternum is well filled and carried well down between the legs. It is deep with ample room for lungs/heart, carried well forward with the sternum in front  of the shoulder profile.

13). RIBS: Well sprung, long, carried down to the sternum which reaches to the elbows.  Ribbing should be carried well back and the loin is relatively short.

14). ABDOMEN: Should be firm. The bottom line moderately tucked up in the loin.

15). TOPLINE: The withers are higher, sloping into the lower back. The back is straight, strongly developed and relatively short. The loin should be broad with no extra length between the last rib and thigh when viewed from the side. The croup should be long and gradually sloping.

16). TAIL: Bushy with the last vertebra extending past the hock joint. It should set smoothly into the croup.  At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve. When the dog is excited motion, the curve is accentuated, the tail is raised, but should never be rolled up over the back as a disqualified fault.  

17). HINDQUARTERS: The assembly of the thigh, is broad, well muscled, forming a right angle. 

18). GAIT: This breed should be observed while the dog is on a loose lead so that the natural gait is evident. The gait is determined and outreaching, covering the maximum amount of ground with the  minimum amount of steps. The forelegs should reach out well past the nose.

19). TRANSMISSION:  At full trot, the back must remain firm, level without sway, roll, or roach.   The dog does not track on widely separated paralleled lines, but brings the feet inward toward the middle line of the body when trotting in order to maintain balance. The feet track closely but do not strike or cross over.

20). COLOR: Various colors are acceptable, as is solid black or solid white as long as the nose, eye rims and lips are solid black. A white blaze on the chest or some white markings on the toes as long as they blended in with the other shades of silver, cream, tan, etc are acceptable.  Any other white markings on any other part of the body should be considered a fault. Blues, livers, or a nose that is not predominately black must be disqualified.

21). COAT (TWO ACCEPTABLE VARIETIES):

        SMOOTH: The ideal coat is of medium length. The outer coat should be dense with the hair         around the neck area longer, thicker. 

        PLUSH: The Plush variety has a double coat of medium coarse guard hairs with a softer undercoat.  The neck has a mane that extends to and covers the chest with slightly shorter hair covering the remaining torso, not to exceed 5” length. The “feathering” inside of the ears and on the back of the forelegs should not exceed 3” length.  “Show Grooming should include trimming of excess fur from between the toes/around the pads.

MINOR FAULTS:

 1. Undue length between the last rib and thigh when viewed from the side.
2. Tails that ware too short, thin or ratty.
3. Any white markings on any part of the body excluding the chest and toes unless all white.
4. When in motion, any back that does not remain firm, but displays a sway or roach.
5. An uneven top line when standing, with the withers lower than the croup.

VERY SERIOUS FAULTS:

1. Shying at strange sights or sounds, along with tucking under of the tail.
2. Faults of gait, whether from front, rear or side.
3. Any coat that is open, woolly, curly, too close or too long.
5. Splay and/or hare feet, weak and/or cow hocks
6. A tail that forms a ring when relaxed.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
1. At 36 months of age, a male measuring less than 28”, female less than 26”.
2. Dogs over 15 months of age with hanging ears.
3. Any adult dogs with a distinctly overshot or undershot bite.
4. A tail that is curled above the vertical and /or past the horizontal line of the croup.

SCALE OF POINTS FOR JUDGING:
1. General Appearance (Strength, size balance)                           25
2. Character (Alertness and attitude)                                             10
3. Head & Ears (Eyes, Teeth & Neck)                                          10
4. Forequarters (Feet)                                                                   5
5. Proportion (Body, chest, ribs & abdomen)                                 10
6. Top line, Tail, Hindquarters                                                       10
7. Gait, Transmission                                                                  20
8. Color, Coat                                                                             10
TOTAL                                                                                      100