Ava Williams
Shoulder height: 55 – 66 cm
Weight: 25 – 40 kg
Age: 12 – 13 years
Color: white
Use: working dog, companion dog, the family dog, guard dog
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog ( Berger Blanc Suisse ) is a versatile and sporty companion for active people who are enthusiastic about all kinds of dog sports activities.
Origin and history
The working dogs of shepherds formed the origin of all shepherd dog breeds. These dogs often had white fur so they could be distinguished from predators in the dark. It is considered certain that white shepherds existed long before the German shepherd was purebred. Nevertheless, this color variant was deleted from the German breed standard of the German shepherd in 1933. The reason was that the white shepherd was blamed for hereditary defects such as HD, blindness, or infertility. From then on, white was considered the wrong color and white shepherd dogs became increasingly rare in Europe.
In the 1970s, the white shepherd dog returned to Europe via Switzerland. With import dogs from Canada and the USA – where the color white was allowed for breeding longer than in Germany – the white representatives were bred further in Switzerland, and their population increased again throughout Europe in the 1990s. The definitive recognition of the White Swiss Shepherd breed (Berger Blanc Suisse) by the FCI did not take place until 2011.
Appearance
The White German Shepherd is a strong, medium-sized dog with high-set ears, dark, almond-shaped eyes, and a bushy tail that is carried hanging or slightly arched.
Its fur is pure white, and dense, and has plenty of undercoats. The top coat can be bushy or long bushy hair. In both variants, the fur on the head is slightly shorter than on the rest of the body, while it is slightly longer on the neck and nape. The long stick hair forms a distinct mane on the neck.
The fur is easy to care for but sheds profusely.
Nature
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is – like its German colleague – a very attentive guardian and a docile working dog, but also fond of children and well tolerated. It is spirited but not nervous, aloof with strangers but not aggressive on its own. It is considered self-confident but willing to subordinate but needs a loving and consistent upbringing.
The White German Shepherd is not a dog for couch potatoes and lazy people. It needs a lot of exercise and meaningful employment. It can be enthusiastic about all kinds of dog sports activities as well as training as a rescue dog.
With the appropriate physical and mental workload, the white shepherd fits well into family life and is an ideal and adaptable companion for sporty and nature-loving people.