INTRODUCTION

The Swiss Shepherd is a breed of dog distinguished by its elegant white coat and stately stance, originating in Switzerland and closely related to the German Shepherd. They are known for their loyalty, intelligence and calm temperament, making them excellent family and companion dogs.

THE ORIGIN OF THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG

The history of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog is quite ancient, with the peculiarity of having been, on the one hand, on the verge of extinction due to its characteristic and showy white coat and on the other hand, of survival due to its noble character which has fascinated breed lovers in several countries.

Its origins can be traced back to the crossing of German herding dogs, such as the Bavarian, Thuringian and Wutemberg sheepdogs (now extinct breeds), as well as to the influence of long-haired dogs, particularly from the Hanoverian and Brunswick areas, which generally had a white coat and erect ears.

In the second half of the 19th century, dog fanciers' groups and clubs began to form and through their own breeding records and collaborations began to select and fix the characteristics of the various types of dogs. When a dog stood out, it was used for breeding by selecting puppies that most closely resembled their sire. According to Dr. M. Willis in his book ‘The German Shepherd, History and Genetics 1977’ at that time there were large numbers of white shepherds, who were preferred by shepherds as they were easier to distinguish from wolves, especially at night.

Among such clubs were the German associations Phylax (which from 1891 encouraged the use of shepherd dogs for their ability to work intelligently, sound and hardy) and the Schaferhundverein (German Shepherd Dog Association or SV) founded in 1899 by Cavalry Captain Max Emil Frederick von Stephanitz.

Thus, early records show the presence of White Shepherds, such as Greiff von Sparwasser, a white short-haired dog born in 1879, and another greyish-white dog named Kirass. Both participated in a dog show in Hannover-Germany in 1882 and five years later, the white daughters of the former, Greiffa and Russin, also participated in the same show.

There is no record of the ancestors of these dogs, but there is a grandson of Greiff, named Hektor Hektor Linkshein. This dog with a yellowish-grey coat and wolfish appearance, born in 1895, was acquired by the aforementioned Max von Stephanitz on April 3, 1899, who, after seeing him at a dog show in the city of Karlsruhe, considered him to have the ideal characteristics he was looking for. After changing his name to Horand von Grafrath, he was entered in the register n1 (SZ1) of the newly created S.V. association, thus becoming the first German Shepherd of breed in all the stud books.

The following was written about this dog:

‘For enthusiasts, Horand embodied the fulfilment of their most cherished dreams. By the standards of those days he was a large dog (61 cm) with a powerful build, beautiful lines and a noble head. He was strong and agile, elastic as a steel wire. His character matched his wonderful constitution. Horand was a miracle in his obedience and faithfulness to his master. He was straightforward and sincere, with a gentlemanly character, which was connected with a great passion for life and work. Although he had not been formally trained, at his master's side he was attentive and alert to the slightest movement or shake of the head.’

Thus, between the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century, the history of the White Shepherd runs parallel to the creation of the German Shepherd.

On 29.Sep.1899, the S.V. approved the first breed standard, always accepting white dogs, and this standard was further developed with slight modifications in 1901, 1909 and 1930. In addition, Captain von Stephanitz wrote numerous educational works, the most important being ‘The German Shepherd Dog in Words and Pictures’ (1921), considered for many years to be the ‘Bible’ of the breed.

It was on the basis of these standards that the SV started a rigorous breeding programme, in which the mental stability and usefulness of the dogs were given priority over the beauty and colour of the coats. Out of the 30 shepherds who were the pillars of the breed during the first 15 years, 18 bred white dogs.

Berno von der Seewiese, with a white coat, was one of the breeders of that time. This male, born on 24 March 2013, bred by G. Uebe of Seehausen, was a 5th generation grandson of Horand von Grafath and Mores Plieningen (through his father, Tyranin von Maingau and his grandfather Beowulf von Nahegau). His morphology and appearance is practically identical to the White Swiss Shepherd Shorthairs in existence today.

Blanka von Riedekenburg, was one of the white-coated females who also marked that era, being considered in 1909 the best breeder. One of her sons, Erik von Grefenwerthj, was grand champion of the S.V. and of the USA in 1920.

The breed quickly gained the attention of dog fanciers for its physique and temperament, both in Germany and abroad.

In the United States, the first white bitch, Mira von Offingen, was imported in 1906, but was not registered locally and returned to Europe. But the interest shown led to the creation in 1913 of the ‘German Shepherd Dog Club of America’, founded by Ann Tracy and Benjamin Throop.

In 1917, on March 27th, four white puppies were born in Ann Tracy's ‘Stonihurst’ kennel, who were the first registered white shepherds in America. The puppies (Edmund, Eadrid, Eric and Elf) were descendants of Luchs von Sparwasser (SZ155), litter brother of Horand von Grafath, and with them Ann Tracy started the first White Shepherd bloodline in America.

In 1923, the famous Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge also imported various German Shepherds from several of Germany's best lines for his ‘Giralda Farm’ kennel in Morris County-New Jersey. Among the various bloodlines he started were all-white shepherds that were famous for their quality.

In Canada, the first German Shepherd was registered in 1919 and in 1922 the Canadian Association of German Shepherds was founded by H.B. Boyd. Although the breeding programmes were similar to those of its southern neighbour, it was not until 1959 that the first white shepherd was recorded in the country, as the coat colour was not recorded in their books. However, the presence of white shepherds is recorded in a report in ‘The Dog Fancier’ magazine in 1927.

In the 1930's, the theory arose in Germany that the white coat was associated with albinism (lack of melanin), which represented a denigration of the breed because of the health problems associated with the deficiency.

While it is true that albino dogs are white in colour, not all shepherds with white coats suffered from this condition, let alone the health problems associated with it. What the Germans did not know was that German Shepherds born white were not albinos, they simply had white coats, but their health and characteristics were exactly the same as those of the dark ones.

Under such influence, the white shepherd was progressively persecuted and almost completely eliminated from the old European continent over the following decades.

In 1933, the German S.V. rejected the white colour from the breed standard, marking it as a fault for which registration would not be allowed.

In 1959, the association (now called ‘Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunden-VS’ (German Shepherd Association) took the decision to sanction members who used white shepherds in their breeding programmes (the new standard read exactly ‘those with more than 50% white colour and so-called albinos’). This led to the fact that white coats were no longer used in breeding stock and white puppies were eliminated at birth.

In 1968, according to the new VS standards, the dogs would be disqualified from showing, breeding and dog sports.

Despite this, breeders in the USA and Canada, appreciated for their temperament and beauty, continued to breed dogs with the white coat, establishing over the years the distinct characteristics of the German Shepherd from the SV standard. This work of these breeders and the clubs formed by them (the first being the Club of White Shepherd of Sacramento founded in 1964 or the White Shepherd Club of Canada in 1972) preserved the breed and its survival, as well as records with which to trace the bloodlines used in breeding. During this journey, many different terms were used to define the breed, such as White Shepherd, White German Shepherd, Canadian Shepherd, American Shepherd and others.

The breed also gained popularity in these countries thanks to the film industry, which took notice of white shepherds because of their image of innocence and ease of training. Many white shepherds were featured in adventure films, dance films and with the famous cowboy Roy Rodgers. The most prominent personality was the film star, breeder and dog trainer Dorothy Crider, who with her dog Harvey Bindlestiff Offner ‘Chinook’ appeared in more than 184 films and his son ‘White Shadow’ in 168 films, winning an award for best dog actor.

Dorothy was a staunch opponent of discrimination against white shepherds, stating in an interview ‘My White Shadow line as can be seen in numerous films and by the Pastry Awards received by my dogs are proof of their enormous intelligence. This bloodline comes from the Austrian ‘Von Habsburg’ line started in the 19th century. If white shepherds were really inferior, wouldn't they have degenerated by now after all these years?’

Another group of breed advocates emerged among law enforcement, such as Sergeant Bryan Anthony of the Ontario Police Department in London, who extolled the work of a white shepherd named Prince, declaring that ‘the white shepherd seems to know what is expected of him and does it beautifully.’

In 1967, the American breeder Agatha Burch moved to Switzerland, taking with her a dog named ‘White Burch Wolf’, born March 5, 1966, which she registered in the Swiss Stud Book (LOS). Later he imported a bitch from the United Kingdom called ‘White Lilac of Blinkbonny’ with which he began to breed, creating a new bloodline with the affix Shangrila, whose first puppies were registered in 1973.

This American male can be considered as the ancestor of this breed in Europe, for together with other dogs imported from the United States and Canada and a few from other European countries, several Swiss fanciers started to breed these dogs and to develop the breed on the continent.

In 1971, the first white Shepherds appeared in Denmark and Switzerland, then in the 1980's in Germany and progressively in the rest of the European countries. In 1989, the Swiss association ‘GWS’ was created with the aim of promoting the international recognition of the breed. Eventually, in June 1991, the Swiss Kennel Club recognised the White Shepherd as an independent breed, under the name of Swiss White Shepherd, and began to allow its inscription in the appendix of its Stud Book (LOS).

Gradually, European canine societies began to open the White Shepherd Stud Book: the Netherlands in 1992 and in the following years the Czech Republic, Austria and Denmark. In 1998 these countries already recognised the breed under the abbreviated name of White Shepherd.

These dogs were supported by associations all over the world such as the WAWSO (World Association of White Shepherd Organization) or the IWSF (International White Shepherd Federation), which bring together clubs from various countries.

On 26th November 2002, Switzerland published a precise standard, accompanied by a Stud Book with 8 completely different bloodlines and pedigrees without any common ancestors, thus completing three generations. What is certain is that the breeding of the White Swiss Shepherd was carried out without external influences from other breeds but with the evolution of the phenotype of the breed itself and differentiated from its ‘cousin’ the German Shepherd, so it has the same consideration as an ancient breed with more than 100 years of history.

In January 2003, the FCI accepted the background submitted by Switzerland and provisionally recognised the breed under No. 347 and the name White Swiss Shepherd Dog (Berger Blanc Suisse or Weisser Schweizer Schäferhund, depending on the language).

In July 2011, the FCI finally recognised the White Swiss Shepherd as a pure dog breed. This recognition made it possible for breed lovers to participate, together with their dogs, in various shows and competitions at national and international level.

Today the White Swiss Shepherd is a highly valued dog for a variety of functions, from companionship to search and rescue work.

THE STANDARD OF THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD

GENERAL APPEARANCE: A powerful, well muscled, medium sized White Shepherd Dog, with erect ears, double coat which may be of medium or long length; elongated in shape; medium elegant bone, harmonious silhouette.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: Moderately long with rectangular shape: length of body (from point of shoulder to point of buttock) and height at withers = 12 : 10.
Distance from stop to tip of nose slightly greater than from stop to occipital protuberance.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION: Strong, clean cut and finely chiselled, in good proportion to the body. Wedge-shaped, viewed from above or from the side. Axes of skull and muzzle parallel.

SKULL: Only slightly rounded; the central furrow is hardly perceptible.

STOP: Slightly marked, but clearly perceptible.

FACIAL REGION:

TRUFFLE: Medium size; black pigmentation desirable; winter nose and lighter pigmentation acceptable.

NOSE: Powerful and moderately long in relation to the skull; bridge of nose and lower line of muzzle straight, converging slightly towards the nose.

Ears: Dry, close fitting, as black as possible.

TEETH : Strong and complete scissor bite. Teeth set at right angles to the jaws.

EYES: Medium size, almond-shaped, set somewhat obliquely; brown to dark brown to dark brown. Eyelids close fitting, black rims desirable.

EARS: Erect, set on high, parallel and directed forward; in the shape of an elongated triangle with slightly rounded tip.

NECK: Moderately long and well muscled, fitting harmoniously to the body, without dewlap; the elegant topline of the neck runs in a continuous line from the head, which is carried moderately high, to the withers.

BODY

UPPER LINE: Strong, muscular of medium length.

CROSS: Pronounced.

BACK: Level and firm.

LOIN: Well muscled.

Croup: Long and moderately broad, sloping gently towards the root of the tail.

CHEST: Not too broad. Its depth (approx. 50% of the height at the withers) reaching to the elbow; ribcage oval, extending well back. Chest well sprung.

BOTTOM LINE AND BELLY: Flanks lean, firm: underline moderately tucked up.

TAIL: Sabre-shaped and thick, tapering towards the tip of rather low set; reaching at least to the hock; in repose hanging down straight or with a slight sabre-like curve in its last third; in action carried higher but never higher than the topline.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Strong, vigorous, with medium bone. Straight, seen from the front; only moderately splayed; seen in profile, well angulated.

Shoulders: Shoulder blade long and well laid back, well angulated; the whole shoulder region well muscled.

ARMS: Of adequate length and well muscled.

ELBOWS: Close fitting to the body.

FOREARMS: Long, straight and strong.

Pasterns: Firm and only slightly oblique.

HANDS: Oval; toes well arched and close together, pads firm, strong and black. Dark nails are desirable.

HIND LIMBS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Strong, vigorous, with medium bone. Seen from the rear, straight and parallel; when standing not too wide apart; seen from the side with adequate angulation.

THIGH: Of medium length and well muscled.

KNEE: Well angulated.

LEG: Of medium length, oblique, with solid bone and well muscled.

HIP: Strong, well angulated.

METATARSUS: Of medium length, straight, robust.

FEET: Oval; the hind feet are slightly longer than the front feet. The toes are well arched and close together, the pads are firm and black, dark nails are desired.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Rhythmic sequence of steps with drive and resistance; forelegs reaching well forward, with strong drive; trot is free, with good ground coverage.

SKIN: Without folds with dark pigmentation.

COAT

COAT:

HAIR OF MEDIUM LENGTH: Dense, close-lying with double coat; abundant undercoat covered with harsh, straight guard hair; face, ears and front of limbs are covered with shorter hair; on neck and back of limbs the hair is slightly longer. A slightly wavy but harsh coat is permitted.

LONG HAIR: Dense, close fitting double coat; with abundant undercoat covered with harsh, straight guard hair. The face, ears and front of the limbs are covered with shorter hair; on the neck the long hair forms a distinct mane and on the back of the limbs the undercoat and tail hair is dense. The length of the coat should never be exaggerated. A slightly wavy but harsh coat is permitted.

COLOUR: White.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

HEIGHT AT WITHERS

• Males: 58 - 66 cm.
• Bitches: 53 - 61 cm.
  
  

WEIGHT:

• Males: 30 - 40 kg.
• Bitches: approximately 25 - 35 kg.
  
  

Typical dogs slightly under or over the stipulated measurements should not be disqualified.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.

• Slight overlapping fawn colour (light yellow or shades of fawn) on tips of ears, back and upper tail.
• Partial loss of pigmentation giving a mottled appearance on nose, lips and/or rims of eyelids.
• Dewclaws. Except in countries where their removal is prohibited by law.
  
  

SERIOUS FAULTS:

• Heavy appearance, too short in build (square silhouette).
• Absence of sexual dimorphism.
• Lack of more than two PM1; M3 are not taken into account.
• Drooping (hanging) ears, semi-erect ears, button ears.
• Severely drooping topline.
• Tail ring, curled tail, hooked tail, tail carried higher than the topline.
• Hair decidedly long without undercoat.
• Decidedly fawn colour (clear yellowish or fawn overlay) on tips of ears, back or top of tail.
  
  

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Anxiety, high degree of fear, aggression due to anxiety, unnecessary aggression, lethargic behaviour.
• One or both eyes blue. Bulging eyes.
• Entropion, ectropion.
• Overshot or undershot mouth, deviated jaw.
• Total loss of pigmentation of nose, lips and/or rims of eyelids.
• Total loss of pigmentation of skin or plantar pads.
• Albinism.
  
  

N.B.:

• Males should have two apparently normal appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.
  
  

HEALTH OF THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD

The White Swiss Shepherd is a generally healthy breed but like all other breeds must pass certain veterinary tests prior to mating such as:

• HIP AND ELBOW DISPLASIA: It is a hereditary bone disease, polygenic but not congenital because the hips are normal at birth but there is an uneven growth between the skeletal and muscular system which results in the femoral head being placed outside the dorsal acetabulum and laterally resulting in a delay in the development of muscle mass and a rapid growth of the skeleton. Body weight, type of exercise and environmental factors also play a role. The frequency of dysplasia in the White Shepherd is 19%.
  
  

• DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY: Degenerative Myelopathy, also known by its acronym MD or more commonly DM (Degenerative Myelopathy), is dangerously present in this excellent breed, the White Swiss Shepherd. This disease, which does not always or soon show its face, causes a degeneration of the spinal cord.
  It usually begins to manifest itself at around 7 or 8 years of age, so that in many cases it cannot be detected if the animal dies before this age or if the manifestation is delayed so that death occurs earlier. However, if the animal is still alive, it is usually necessary to put it down one or two years after the onset of degenerative myelopathy due to loss of muscle tissue and unresponsiveness of the body.
  
  

• MDR1: The MDR1 gene is a gene that codes for P-glycoprotein. A mutation in this gene results in the failure to produce this protein, which is necessary for the transport of many drugs through the blood to various organs in the body.
  It is responsible for preventing the transport of many drugs across the blood-brain barrier, i.e. it is responsible for limiting the penetration into the brain of a large number of drugs that would be toxic and even fatal if they reached the brain. Therefore, dogs with this mutated gene can allow the passage of certain drugs into the brain which in normal dogs have no harmful effect because they cannot reach the brain, but which in dogs with the mutated gene can reach the brain and cause very serious effects.
  
  

As far as food is concerned, clean meat feed such as duck and fish such as salmon are recommended, as well as adding salmon oil and chondroprotectors to their diet for good coat and joint health. Grooming should be done weekly (two or three times a week for the long-haired variety), especially during the moulting season, and every two months for grooming.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD

In addition to its distinctive appearance due to its particular coat, its temperament also has details worth mentioning if you want to adopt this breed. First of all, it is a dog of great intelligence, which is a favourable aspect, especially when it comes to education, which is undoubtedly essential to maintain an appropriate behaviour and to have a good relationship with your pet. On the other hand, it is an obedient canine, which combined with intelligence, is a positive point when it comes not only to training, but also to carrying out processes such as socialisation. The loyalty of this breed is something that cannot go unnoticed. Although it is a reserved and independent dog, it is one of the most loyal canines in existence. Companionship and protection of those he considers his family is indispensable for these canines. The subject of coexistence can be a little slow for these dogs. Although they are herding animals, their personality is reserved and shy, especially in the presence of strangers. Initially, he is likely to remain aloof, but attentive to any situation. It will not hesitate to respond in defence of its own if necessary. For this reason, socialisation from an early age is essential. However, with other animals it can be a little more complex due to their herding instinct. However, these canines are not prone to destructive behaviour, let alone aggression towards other animals. They are very energetic dogs and love outdoor activities, although they are able to adapt to any space. This means that they require a great deal of exercise, complemented by games and various training exercises that can be combined to keep their energy balanced. In homes with children they make excellent pets, as they are patient, playful and fun. Although it will always be important to educate the younger ones about how to treat the canine and how to behave around them.

CONCLUSION

Although it is a little-known breed at present, it is gradually gaining popularity and popularity. Thanks to its character and beauty, it has not been difficult for this species, although it had rough beginnings, to make its way to being a highly sought-after pet. Its energy, dynamism, loyalty and intelligence stand out, in addition to its mysterious but impeccable presence provided by the neatness of its coat. However, like any pet, it will require care and attention from its owners.