Datasheet White German Shepherd
Size:
between 31cm and 66cm
Life expectancy:
10 to 12 years
fur length:
medium length
coat structure:
dense, soft, with stick hair or long stick hair
Suitable as:
Companion dog, guard dog, protection dog, family dog
Behave:
Intelligent, Attentive, Friendly, Teachable
Child friendly:
yes 4028mdk09, White German Shepherd HD, CC BY-SA 3.0
Breed characteristics and appearance of a white German Shepherd
As the name suggests, the physique of white shepherds is comparable to that of other shepherds. The animals are medium-sized and their physique is wiry to strong.
White German Shepherds have a medium coat length and have both a dense undercoat and stock hair or long stock hair. In addition, the dogs have pricked ears.
The difference from other shepherds is the coat color, which is the case with the white shepherds bright white to a very light eggshell tone.
The nature and behavior of white shepherd dogs
White German Shepherds are classic working dogs. They are very balanced and intelligent by nature, but also have a well-developed guard and protective instinct.
They like a lot of exercise, but even with a little attention from their owners, they can still do enough with themselves without immediately coming up with stupid ideas.
White German Shepherds respond to strangers with a degree of responsiveness skepticismwithout being directly aggressive.
They are intelligent and first assess whether an arrival poses a threat to house and yard, or whether it is just a postman who wants to deliver a letter.
If the dogs are properly trained, they will not automatically bark at anyone who enters a property, but will first wait to see whether a dangerous situation is imminent.
Durdur31, White Swiss Shepherd Dog Djinn (cropped), marked as public domain, details on Wikimedia Commons
origin and history
The white shepherd, like the German shepherd, has its roots in the Switzerland. Its official breed name is Berger Blanc Suisse, which translates to “White Swiss Shepherd Dog.”
There were already white specimens of the German shepherd at the beginning of the 20th century. However, for a long time these were considered an anomaly and their white coat color was attributed to possible hereditary diseases such as albinism.
While a white coat color in dog breeds with otherwise colored coats is indeed a sign of disease, the case with white German Shepherds is different.
Their ancestors include herd dogs such as Kuvas or Maremmamo, which naturally have a white coat color. Accordingly, a white coat color is part of the natural genetic make-up of German shepherds, even if it is not inherited in a dominant manner.
It was not until 1991 that white shepherd dogs were officially included in the Swiss dog stud book and thus recognized as an independent breed.
However, international recognition only followed in 2011, when the Berger Blanc Suisse was also officially recognized by the FCI as separate race was recognized.
On the diet of white German shepherds
When white shepherds are used as working dogs, they need a day much energy. Accordingly, they should get a balanced diet with a high proportion of meat and proteins.
However, a white shepherd can also have a vegetable-based or barbed meal in between, as long as this is not their standard diet.
What is the grooming of white German shepherds like?
When it comes to grooming, white shepherds are very good uncomplicated. Unless they take every puddle with them on a normal walk, there is no need to bathe or wash the dogs constantly.
A dog bath once a month is quite sufficient. In addition, it is advisable to brush the dogs regularly and thoroughly during the change of coat, so that they get rid of their shed, dead hair more quickly. This also makes it easier to keep their sleeping environment clean.
Daniel Bendig, 20180320 White Shepherd 2, CC BY-SA 4.0
Are breed-specific diseases known?
Even if white shepherds are very robust and resilient overall, there are also some diseases that can occur in the dogs.
This includes, among other things, the degenerative myelopathy, in which nerve tracts in the spinal cord break down. The dogs slowly lose control of their limbs and eventually become unable to move at all.
Malignant hyperthermia can also be observed in white shepherd dogs in rare cases. The disease causes the body temperature to rise in an unhealthy manner, which in the worst case can be life-threatening.
Despite their pronounced urge to move, it can also occur more frequently in white shepherd dogs hip dysplasia come in which the hip joints cannot be moved properly due to malformations and cause pain during movements, especially in old age.
However, such symptoms are not alarming and can be treated well to give white shepherd dogs a nice old age even after their active life.
How do white German shepherds behave with children?
White German Shepherds have one high tolerancewhich is due to the fact that their ancestors were herding dogs.
They can remain very calm, even when small children are playing and romping around them. They won’t put up with everything, but it takes a lot of effort to anger an even-tempered White German Shepherd.
It is only important that the dog is used to the children at an early stage in order to recognize them as part of the family.
Are white shepherds suitable as service dogs?
White shepherds, like German shepherds, are very trainable and can be used for service with the police, customs or other authorities train well.
Their natural alertness means they stay focused even on longer roams and do their job as a guard dog or sniffer dog for different areas.