Content
- Origin of the Swiss White Shepherd
- Swiss White Shepherd: Characteristics
- White Swiss Shepherd: Personality
- Care of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog
- White Swiss Shepherd Education
- Swiss White Shepherd Health
Similar in appearance to a wolf and dense white coat, the white swiss shepherd he is one of the most beautiful dogs around. Morphologically and phylogenetically, he is essentially a white-haired German Shepherd.
Throughout its history, the breed has received different names among which are: Canadian American Shepherd, White German Shepherd, White American Shepherd and White Shepherd; until he finally ended up calling white swiss shepherd because the Swiss Dog Society was the first to recognize this breed as independent.
In this article by PeritoAnimal, we'll tell you all about these calm, intelligent and faithful pastors.
Source- Europe
- Switzerland
- Group I
- muscular
- provided
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Shy
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Active
- floors
- Houses
- hiking
- Shepherd
- Sport
- harness
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Medium
- Smooth
- thick
Origin of the Swiss White Shepherd
In 1899, cavalry captain Max Emil Frederick von Stephanitz purchased Hektor Linkrshein, the first dog registered as a German shepherd. Hektor, who was later renamed Horand von Grafrath, had as his grandfather a white shepherd named Greif.
Being descended from a white dog, Horand (or Hektor, as you prefer) passed on the genes for white fur to his descendants, even though he was not a white dog. Thus, the original german shepherds they can be dark, light or white.
In the 1930s, however, the absurd idea arose that white fur was characteristic of inferior German Shepherds and that dogs with that fur degenerated the breed in Germany. This idea was based on the belief that white dogs were albino and, consequently, had health problems that could be inherited by their children.
Albino dogs vs. white dogs
While albino dogs may have white fur, not all white dogs are albino. Albino dogs do not have normal pigmentation, so their skin is usually pale pink and their eyes are very pale and pale. White dogs that are not albino have darker eyes and skin and generally do not have the health problems of albino dogs. This misunderstanding resulted in the German Shepherd pattern excluding white dogs. As a result, white dogs were no longer used as breeding animals and puppies of that color were eliminated. After World War II, the White German Shepherd was considered an aberration in Germany, but it was still bred in the United States and Canada with no major health problems in the breed or in "degenerate" dogs.
In the late 1950s, the American German Shepherd Club copied the idea of the Germans and eliminated white dogs from the official breed standard, so breeders of these dogs could only enroll them in the American Kennel Club, but not in the breed club. . In the 1960s, an American breeder named Agatha Burch migrated to Switzerland with a white shepherd named Lobo. It was with Lobo, other dogs imported from the United States and some from other European countries, that several Swiss began to breed these dogs and developed the breed in Europe.
Eventually, the Swiss Canine Society recognized the white shepherd as an independent breed, under the name of white swiss shepherd. After several efforts and presenting an impeccable origins book with eight pedigrees of different lines, the society managed to get the International Federation of Kinecology (FCI) to provisionally recognize the white Swiss pastor with the number 347.
Today, the Swiss White Shepherd is a highly valued dog for various functions, particularly in search and rescue work. While the breed has some popularity in Europe and North America, it is not as well-known as its German Shepherd brother. However, every day there are more fans all over the world.
Swiss White Shepherd: Characteristics
According to the FCI breed standard, the height at the withers is 60 to 66 centimeters for males and 55 to 61 centimeters for females. The ideal weight is 30 to 40 kilos for males and 25 to 35 kilos for females. the white shepherd is a dog robust and muscular, but elegant and harmonious at the same time. Its body is elongated, with the ratio between length and height at the crossroads of 12:10. The cross is well raised, while the back is horizontal and the lower back is very muscular. The croup, long and moderately wide, slopes gently towards the base of the tail. The chest is oval, well-developed in the back and the sill is marked. However, the chest is not very broad. The flanks rise slightly at the level of the belly.
This dog's head is powerful, thin, finely shaped and very well proportioned to the body. Although the naso-frontal depression is not very marked, it is clearly visible. The nose is black, but the "snow nose" (wholly or partially pink, or which loses pigment at certain times, especially in winter). Lips are also black, thin and tight. The Swiss White Shepherd's eyes are almond-shaped, slanted, brown to dark brown. The large, tall, perfectly erect ears are triangular, giving the dog the appearance of a wolf.
The tail of this dog is saber-shaped, has low set-on and should reach at least the hocks. At rest, the dog keeps it dangling, although it may have the distal third curved slightly upward. During the action, the dog raises its tail, but not above the margin of the back.
Fur is one of the characteristics of this breed. It is double-layered, dense, medium or long and well-stretched. The inner hair is abundant, while the outer hair is rough and straight. the color must be white all over the body .
White Swiss Shepherd: Personality
In general, white Swiss shepherds are dogs. smart and loyal. Their temperament may be a bit nervous or shy, but when they are well educated and socialized, they easily adapt to different situations so that they can live in different places and under different conditions.
Puppies' socialization is very important as, by their pastoral nature, white shepherds tend to be reserved and wary of strangers. They can even be very shy and become aggressive out of fear. They can also be aggressive towards other dogs of the same sex. However, when they are well socialized, these dogs can get along well with strangers, dogs and other animals. Also, when they are well socialized, they generally get along very well with the children and are very affectionate dogs with their families.
With good socialization and education, white shepherds can make excellent pet dogs for both families with children and adults. Of course, you should always monitor interactions between dogs and children to avoid situations of risk or abuse, whether from child to dog or vice versa.
Care of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog
The fur is relatively easy to care for, as it only needs brush once or twice a week to keep it in excellent condition. It is not necessary to bathe very often, as this weakens the hair, and you only need to do it when the dogs are dirty.
White pastors are generally not very active in the home, but they need a good daily dose of outdoor exercise to burn off your energies. They need at least two or three walks a day, plus some game time. It is also good to train them in dog obedience and, if possible, give them the opportunity to practice some canine sport such as agility.
These dogs also need company. As sheepdogs, they evolved to live in contact with other animals, including humans. They don't need to be valued all the time, or spend every minute of the day with their owners, but they do need quality time with them every day.While these dogs can live outdoors, they can also adapt well to apartment life as long as they get enough daily exercise. Of course, it's better if you live in a house with a garden and have access to it for exercise. While they can adapt to living in crowded areas, they are better off in quieter areas with less stress.
White Swiss Shepherd Education
Swiss white shepherds are very smart and learn easily. That's why dog training is easy with these dogs and it's possible to train them for different activities as they are as versatile as German Shepherds. These dogs can respond well to different styles of training, but the best results are achieved using any positive training variant, such as clicker training.
As relatively calm dogs, white shepherds are not very likely to develop behavioral problems when properly socialized. However, it's important to give them plenty of exercise and company so they don't get bored or develop anxiety. When they are not properly cared for, they can develop destructive habits.
Swiss White Shepherd Health
Despite being, on average, healthier than many other races of dogs, the White Swiss Shepherd is predisposed to certain diseases. According to the United White Shepherd Club, among the common diseases in the breed are: allergies, dermatitis, gastric sprains, epilepsy, heart disease and hip dysplasia. Among the less common diseases of the breed are Adison's disease, cataracts, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy.