Berger Blanc Swiss
White Shepherd Dogs were directly developed from the German Shepherd. Their white coat is considered a disqualifying fault by most major kennel clubs; therefore their fanciers began breeding them independently and strived for them to gain recognition as their own breed. In countries that fall under the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) they are known as the Berger Blanc Swiss, in North America they are most commonly known as the White Shepherd Dog.
Appearance
The White Shepherd Dog is almost identical to the German Shepherd Dog, save their coat color. Ideally they should be solid white, however light cream, biscuit, or tan can also occur. The double-length coat of the White Shepherd Dog can be either medium in length or longhaired.
History
Having developed from German Shepherds, the White Shepherd Dogs share their history. Originally white was accepted as a coat color, however, Max von Stephanitz, the creator of the breed was not in favor of white dogs. Still, it was not seen as a disqualifying fault until the German Shepherd Dog Club of America adopted a colored breed standard in 1959. By 1968, white dogs could no longer be shown in the American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation dog ring events. The United Kennel Club (UKC) allows white German Shepherds, but in 1999 also recognized a separate breed, the White Shepherd Dog. In 2002 the FCI recognized the breed as the Berger Blanc Swiss, which states their country of origin as Switzerland as they were the first to recognize White Shepard Dogs as a separate breed.
