White Shepherd
Description
Other than colour
the White Shepherd is very similar to the German Shepherd in most
respects and as a matter of fact, white shepherds have been known to
appear in litters from coloured German Shepherd parents, if those
parents have the relevant genes. White Shepherds were permitted to be
registered in Australia until 1994 when the Australian National Kennel
Council (ANKC) restricted the breed to a limited register. Unfortunately
the Whites placed on this limited register are not permitted to breed,
however they will have papers. The German Shepherd breed standard
stating that white German shepherds are regarded as a 'serious fault'
and White Shepherd owners are fearing that classing these dogs in such a
way, without allowing whites to breed or being recognized as a separate
breed will sadly result in healthy white pups being killed rather than
being placed on the limited register.
Temperament
An intelligent dog, they do require
early socialization and obedience training as it is not readily trusting
of strangers though very loyal to its family. It is believed that the
White Shepherd may be quieter, more placid and not as excitable than
their cousin the German Shepherd.
Appearance
Height:
55-65cm
(22-26in)
Weight: 35-40kg (77-85lb)
When these dogs are born they have a very white coat with
possibly some apricot colouring to the flanks however, as they age the
coat may become more of a pronounced apricot colour due to the
development of the harsh outer coat. Just as with the German Shepherd,
whites will usually have a short coat, however long coats are sometimes
seen and even though many breeders of German Shepherds believe that
whites are albinos and should be eliminated from the breed, they are not
prone to the problems associated with Albinism.
Grooming
The White Shepherd does shed its coat continually and is quite a heavy shedder approaching the warmer months and
daily brushing will be required at this time. Otherwise as with the
German Shepherd, this dog should be groomed once a week.
If you don't have the
time to bath or groom your dog, your local dog grooming salon provides these services.
Life Expectancy
12-13 Years
Health Concerns
Any health problems associated with them
would be those which are also common to the German Shepherd, such as hip
and elbow dysplasia. Even though these are white dogs, they do not have
any predisposition to suffer from conditions such as skin cancers,
blindness or deafness and as a matter of fact, there is no more
likelihood for them to suffer skin cancers than in any other breed of
dog.
Suitability
These dogs are
suitable for active people who have plenty of room for a pet with a well
fenced medium to large sized yard. They do require daily exercise such
as walking or running and time should also be spent on obedience
training.
White Shepherd -
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