The White German
Shepherd
A WGSD,"Thor",
leaps to work.
Thor is owned by Mr. Ed Gooding.
"Kerstin and
Kande" - Submitted by Alicia Lips
Horand von Grafrath was one
of the founding sires of the GSD, bred to 24 different bitches (including 3 of his
daughters), producing 53 litters, from which 140 offspring were registered with the VDS.
Horand's grandsire was a white sheepdog named Greif. Horand is credited (or blamed) as the
progenitor of the white GSDs. However, Herr Max von Stephanitz (founder of the GSD)
began culling litters to achieve the color and temperament he desired - the black-and-tan
Shepherd. Although white German Shepherds were present, they were not favored by von
Stephanitz, who said, "I am not in favor of a uniform color; it does not suit our dog
whose coat requires some variation in color to avoid producing the impression of
flatness."
The first white German
Shepherds in the USA were in a litter whelped on March 27, 1917 which 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.
The white German Shepherd is
NOT an albino. An albino, has pink skin and blue or pink eyes. The pink nose
on some white German Shepherds is simply a lack of pigmentation which can be found on dogs
with "color" as well. Also, some breeds who have the white gene are linked
with unfortunate deafness. This is NOT so with the white German Shepherd.
The White German Shepherd or
White Shepherd is not an albino, as I mentioned above, and they are not "rare
specimens". The white coat color is caused by a gene not linked to any
deficiency in health, temperament or structure. White Shepherds are homozygous for
this particular gene, so a pair of white dogs will produce the white color in 100 percent
of its offspring. ("Homozygous" means that the dog only carries one type of a
gene for certain trait such as coat pattern.
"Heterozygous" means that the dog carries two different genes for the same
trait.)
Futhermore, it is not proven
that white colored German Shepherds are more or less healthy than colored German
Shepherds. In fact, some white fanciers feel that they are healthier!
Amazingly, the white gene is a recessive gene that can be carried by colored dogs.
Yes, it is true. Two colored German Shepherds carrying the white gene can actually
produce some white pups in their litter. A match between a white German Shepherd
bred to a colored dog (who does not carry the white gene) will not produce any white
puppies.
"Dana" a WGSD in
Germany
The color white was made a disqualification in the GSD Breed Standard by the German
Shepherd Dog Club of America almost thirty years ago. Up until that time, the white
coated German Shepherd Dog was eligible to compete in conformation classes the same as the
black, black and tan, and sable colors. White German Shepherd dogs are still
eligible to be registered with the American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club; however,
due to the color disqualification, these dogs can no longer be shown in the conformation
breed ring. Owners can show white dogs in AKC sanctioned obedience, tracking
and herding trials. Also the White German Shepherd is allowed to show in most rare breed
shows and to earn conformation titles with several independent kennel clubs. The
United Kennel Club does allow the White Shepherd to compete in conformation. Also,
the American White Shepherd Association holds shows for White Shepherds only and provides
an AWSA Championship title. The White Shepherd Club of Canada holds shows for White
Shepherds and provides a WSCC Championship title.
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White German
Shepherd Dogs can be found in *police forces across the country, in bomb detection squads,
drug interdiction units, tracking, attack work, community activities, whatever is required
of a dog on any police force. (Though some say that a white German Shepherd is not
always acceptable because of the high visibility of the white color at night.) These
dogs also are actively involved in Search and Rescue units, herd flocks (the white color
is sometimes said to be both a pro and a con while herding white sheep), *assist the
handicapped, guard the home, act as companions, even appear in movies. They
basically do everything else that the wonderfully versatile German Shepherd Dog breed is
famous for doing.
*From the AWSA history page:
The Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, which originally utilized white German Shepherds in their breeding and
training program, now consider the breed unsuitable because "white hairs don't go
well on dark blue pants and they make too good a target at night." This is much the
same answer received from guide dog institutes that were queried. (Personally, I find this
odd having owned both colored and white German Shepherds. Some of my colored German
Shepherds had a fluffy light undercoat that shed on my dark colored clothes the same as my
WGSD!)
The Seeing Eye,
Morristown, New Jersey: "By and large, blind people feel that white dogs are too
conspicuous and a deviation from the norm. We find that the average person wants a
good-looking specimen of whatever breed is assigned to him, and he wants a dog that he can
keep clean without too much effort. There is also the matter of loose white hairs on a
blue suit or dress, which would make a white dog of any breed less desirable in guide
work." (In my opinion, it would be nice to have a good sound dog of any color.
My short coated WGSD is easy to keep clean with a light brushing and some may
prefer to have a dog that stands out visibly.)
Guide Dogs For The
Blind, San Rafael, California: "We do not now use the white German Shepherd Dog in
our training program. When we first started, we depended to a large extent upon donated
stock and did accept a number of whites. We successfully trained a small number of them.
However, in comparison with the standard type, the percentage of graduated whites
was poor. In fact, although the ones we graduated were successful, the overall percentage
was so poor that it was decided not to continue using them. We have not used white
Shepherds for the past fifteen years. (I have no comment on this other than that
there are many breeders of white German Shepherds that have put numerous working titles on
their dogs.)
"Sobaka" is owned by Nick Nichols.
"Blue" |
Long Haired White
Shepherds, "Oso and Daffy", are owned by Vicki Smith.
"United
Kennel Club Recognizes The White Shepherd"
Article courtesy of Dog World Magazine,
August 1999
The United Kennel club
announced that it would recognize the White Shepherd, a breed developed in the last 30
years by breeders wanting to preserve the traditional German Shepherd Dog form with a
striking white color.
The white color dates back
to the beginning of the German Shepherd Dog breed more than 100 years ago. Whites
were fully accepted in Germany until the 1930's and in the American Kennel Club standard
until 1968, the year the GSDCA abandoned the color. After the GSDCA and the German
Sieger Verein (the national breed association) disqualified the color, many Federation
Cynologique Internationale countries followed their lead.
In response, the owners of
white German Shepherd Dogs developed a separate standard for their breed. Along with
maintaining the white color, these fanciers insisted on a more traditional dog, without
the extreme sloping topline and rear angulation in some types of the modern German
Shepherd Dog. In the 30 years since the white color was disqualified, subtle but
definite differences in structure have become fixed in the white German Shepherd Dog
population.
The white coat color is
caused by a simple recessive gene not linked to any deficiency in health, temperament or
structure. White Shepherds are homozygous for this particular gene, so a pair of
white dogs will produce the white color in 100 percent of its offspring.
UKC registered white German
Shepherd Dog owners will have one year to elect whether to transfer dogs to the new White
Shepherd breed. No further cross breeding will be allowed.
Owners of White Shepherds
are encouraged to join the new UKC United White Shepherd Club. The club secretary,
Diana Updike, may be contacted at 15020 Kipke, Redford, Mich. 48239; e-mail: vontasz@yahoo.com.
For more information and
registration applications, contact the UKC Registration Department, 100 E. Kilgore Road,
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49002-5584; (616) 343-9020. Applications can be downloaded from
the World Wide Web site, www.ukcdogs.com. (United
Kennel Club).
"Cordelia"
owned by Christine - Soothsayer German Shepherds.
The White
Swiss Shepherd Dog
The White Shepherd is
registered as a White Shepherd with the American
White Shepherd Association (AWSA) and the United Kennel Club (UKC). The
Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognized it as a Berger Blanc
Swiss in 2002, which is the same name the White Swiss Shepherd Dog Club of
Australia (WSSDCA) uses (in translation). The Swiss recognized the White GSD as
a separate breed first, which is why Switzerland was credited as the country of
origin and the breed name changed to reflect this.
Most other clubs register it as a German Shepherd Dog (white) calling the white
color a disqualifying fault.
In Memory of "Amigo and
Raices"
Miscellaneous
WGSD/WS Links:
North American
Breeders*:
*We do not
necessarily recommend any of the above breeders.
It is up to the puppy buyer to research this information. Ü
Above: "In
Memory of Cain" - Submitted By Donna Joseph
Thor is
pictured in his very cool "shades".
See Thor on our "Shepherds In Shades" page.
Meet
Our Very Own Rescued White Shepherd: "Zach"
Some More
German Shepherd Types:
The German High
Lines or Show Lines
Various Working Lines
The DDR/Czech Lines
The North American Show Lines
The Long Haired German Shepherd
The White German Shepherd
German Shepherds Of The United Kingdom
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