IS THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG PUREBRED?
Yes. The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is registered as a White Swiss Shepherd Dog, with the Kennel Union of South Africa (KUSA). It is also registered as a White Shepherd Dog with the American White Shepherd Dog Association (AWSA) and the United Kennel Club (UKC), as well as with many European countries.

ARE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS ALBINOS?
No. The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is simply a white dog. Just as the West Highland White Terrier, Maltese, Pyrenean Mountain Dog and the Samoyed are white dogs. An albino dog has pink skin and blue or pink eyes.

SOME WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS HAVE PINK NOSES. ARE THEY ALBINO?
Some black and tan or sable German Shepherd Dogs have pink noses too! Pink noses often appear in cooler months, which is why it is often referred to as snow nose.

ARE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS DEAF?
No. In some breeds of dogs the white gene is linked to a gene for deafness. That is not the case with White Swiss Shepherd Dogs.

IS THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG RARE?
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is not rare. There are more than 5,000 new dogs registered each year with the AKC.

I HAVE HEARD THAT WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS ARE NOT HEALTHY!
In 2000, AWSA sponsored a survey of genetic diseases in White Swiss Shepherd Dogs. More than 1000 dogs from all over the US and Canada were represented. Fifty seven genetic diseases were identified in our White Swiss Shepherd Dogs. That number is very low when you consider that 138 genetic diseases have been identified in the German Shepherd Dog. The White Swiss Shepherd Dog has avoided many of the diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog.

HOW IS THE WHITE GENE INHERITED?
The white gene is a recessive gene. This means that both the mother and the father must carry the white gene to produce white puppies. For example, if two black and tan dogs are bred together and both those dogs carry the white gene, some, but not all of the puppies in the litter will be white.

CAN WHITE DOGS PRODUCE PUPPIES THAT ARE NOT WHITE?
Two white dogs bred together will never produce puppies that are not white. A white dog bred to a dog with colour that carries the white gene will produce some puppies that are white and some with colour, but a white dog bred to a dog with colour that does not carry the white gene will not produce any white puppies.

ARE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS PART WOLF?
No. Many people believe that the White Swiss Shepherd Dog obtained its colour from breeding German Shepherd Dogs to Arctic wolves. That is not true.

WHERE DOES THE COLOuR WHITE COME FROM?
Horand von Grafrath is the first dog to be registered as a German Shepherd Dog. Horand's maternal grandfather was a white dog named Grief. The white gene has been present from the very beginning of the German Shepherd Dog breed.

WHEN DID THE FIRST WHITE GERMAN SHEPHERDS APPEAR IN THE UNITED STATES?
A litter whelped in March 27, 1917 contained four white puppies: Stonihurst Edmund, Stonihurst Eric, Stonihurst Eadred and Stonihurst Elf. These four white dogs are believed to be the first AKC registered white GSDs bred and born in the USA.

CAN THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG BE SHOWN IN CONFORMATION AT KUSA SHOWS?
Yes. The White Swiss Shepherd Dog can be shown in conformation shows, and can also be shown in all of the performance events (ie. obedience, tracking, herding, and agility).

WHY DO SOME WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS HAVE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES?
White Swiss Shepherd Dogs that have a full three-generation pedigree can be registered with KUSA and can enter championship shows. If the dog earns enough Challenge Certificates (points towards championship status), the dog earns its title. There are many opportunities to obtain championship titles at shows throughlout the country.

IS THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG A DIFFERENT BREED TO THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
Yes, and it is recognised as a separate breed in several countries.

HOW IS THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG DIFFERENT FROM THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog looks different from the German Shepherd Dog. It has far less rear angulation than the German Shepherd Dog seen today. It closely resembles the original German Shepherd Dog. The temperament of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog is different too, retaining many of the wonderful traits of the German Shepherd Dog, but a generally more compliant temperament.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WHITE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG AND A WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG?
There is no difference other than in the name. Breeders who call their dogs White German Shepherd Dogs believe that their dogs should remain German Shepherd Dogs and want the opportunity to compete equally with the German Shepherd Dog in conformation rings. Breeders who call their dogs White Swiss Shepherd Dogs believe that it is a new breed that has evolved separately from the German Shepherd Dog and should be allowed to compete in the conformation ring as a new and separate breed. In many European countries White Swiss Shepherd Dogs can now be registered with the national kennel clubs as a separate and distinct breed and shown as such in the conformation ring.

I HAVE HEARD THAT WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOGS ARE VERY FEARFUL
Any dog that is not socialised properly will become fearful. It is true that our dogs have a less assertive temperament than the German Shepherd Dog. A poorly socialized White Swiss Shepherd Dog will be more likely to express its uncertainty as fear rather than aggression. White Swiss Shepherd Dogs currently have more than a 75% success rate in achieving their Temperament Test titles. That is the highest average for any breed.

WHY IS SOCIALIZING IMPORTANT WITH A WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD PUPPY?
They were originally bred for the traits that make a good herding dog. Because they are so attuned to changes in the environment, they are in a constant state of alert and may appear nervous and fearful. They were also developed to react to these changes in the environment, so they have extremely high reactivity to stimulus. This trait makes them very trainable. This is one of the reasons that socialisation is so vitally important to them. In a nutshell, White Swiss Shepherd Dogs - like all other dogs - need to be taught what is norma. If they do not have a large toolbox of normal situations, they may go off like firecrackers at every little thing around them and find lots of things to be nervous and fearful about. Puppy socialising is the process of exposing the puppy to small doses of all sorts of normal situations they may encounter later.

IS A WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG AS VERSATILE AS A GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
Definitely! The White Swiss Shepherd Dog has proved itself as a police dog, search and rescue dog, service dog, therapy dog, flyball dog, agility dog, obedience dog, herding dog and anything else you can imagine that you would like your dog to do.

WHAT IS A WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG LIKE TO LIVE WITH?
Most people that live with a White Swiss Shepherd Dog feel that their dog is much smarter than they are! They are clever, imaginative, intuitive and eager to please, so much so that they do not respond well to harsh training methods at all. They need to bond closely to you and your family and they demand to be an active participant in your life. They are physically demanding and have lots of drive and stamina. It is not the dog for the couch potato. It is not a dog that can be ignored. If they are bored or neglected their frustration is vented in destructive behavior. If they are loved and trained, their abilities are without limit.

ARE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG GOOD WITH CHILDREN?
White Swiss Shepherd Dogs are excellent with children, if they have been raised with children. This holds true for any dog. Their compliant nature makes them more willing than many breeds of dogs to take instruction from children. Ask yourself: are your children good with White Swiss Shepherd Dogs?

ARE THEY HARD TO KEEP CLEAN?
No, they are not. Their coat seems to self-clean, however, the same cannot be said for your floors!

DO THEY SHED?
More than you can imagine! They blow their coat twice a year, which means they lose their undercoat and shed continuously the rest of the time!

HOW DO I FIND A GOOD BREEDER?
Any breeder that is a member of KUSA has agreed to abide by a Code of Ethics. Question each breeder carefully about the health problems in their lines. Make sure both parents of the puppies have been x-rayed for hip and elbow dysplasia problems and ask for the results.

As from 10 December 2000, our White Swiss Shepherd Dogs were accepted by KUSA and registered as a separate breed. They are shown in the Herding Group.

As from 01 January 2003, the FCI has accepted the White Swiss Shepherd Dog to be registered under the name of Berger Blanc Suisse.

For more information visit these websites:

AWSA (American White Shepherd Association)

KUSA (Kennel Union of Southern Africa)