Guide

Is my German Shepherd female good enough to breed?

Look at what she was born with, not at her points. Ján Sudimák breeds from a female who is sound, typical, social and strong in prey drive, and he checks whether her ancestors had the same weaknesses. Show ratings and trial scores are not inherited, and he does not overlook faults that stay in a line for generations.

By Ján Sudimák International judge for conformation and performance, breed survey commissioner (Körmeister), with German Shepherds since 1963, founder of the Eqidius kennel in Bardejov, Slovakia.
Published 4 November 2026

What the book covers

In chapters X, XII and XIII of The German Shepherd – Simply Amazing he describes the traits he will and will not accept in a breeding female, the anatomical faults he watches for in her and in her puppies, and his view on hip and elbow dysplasia. Your vet and your breed club decide on health tests and breeding approval; the book explains how an experienced breeder judges the rest.

Guide

Related guides

How to start breeding German Shepherds
Start with the female, not with the stud. Ján Sudimák, who has bred German Shepherds for 50 years, advises a first-time breeder to make sure the female is sound and typical, to learn to read her pedigree and to choose the stud for her in particular. Titles and points are not inherited; innate traits are.
How do I choose a stud dog for my female?
Ján Sudimák starts with health – of the stud, his siblings and his ancestors. Then he looks for a male from an excellent mother, sound in body and mind and confident in character, and he weighs only what can be inherited, never titles or points.
What is the German Shepherd breed survey (Körung)?
The breed survey, or Körung, is a thorough evaluation of a German Shepherd’s conformation and character against the breed standard, and the last step before a dog is admitted to breeding. Ján Sudimák, himself a breed survey commissioner (Körmeister), sees it as the breed’s main safeguard.