# How do you breed for a pure White GSD?



## Kay

The white coat isn't very common, and I was just wondering how you would breed for it... was it a mutation? Is it recessive? Do you have to breed specifically for that coat? In that case, I could understand the potential health issues arising from breeding solely for a coat colour (no disrespect to anybody with a white GSD, all GSDs are gorgeous imo)


I should also add that ** for the record, I am NOT a breeder, DO NOT plan to become a breeder, dislike BYBs, and my gal is spayed*.* I'm just curious.


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## MaggieRoseLee

It's all about genetics! Some info is in the following sites:

White Shepherd Genetics Project - Home Page

4GSD - Coat Colours

Frankenhaus German Shepherds - Color Genetics


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## prophecy

To get all white litter you breed white to white.To throw an occasional white pup,you can breed a white carrier to white carrier or a colored dog to a white dog.The latter ''should'' throw more whites,than the carrier x carrier pairing.

White is not a mutation in german shepherds,however it is not a standard color of the GSD.The whites are not albinos,due to the dark eye rims and black nose leather.

I think whites are very pretty.I would NEVER breed solely for coloration of coat.I do beleive the fanciers of white GSD are attempting to get the white coated GSD recognised as a seporate breed as many breed registries does not recognise white as a 'standard' color for the GSD coat.


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## MissKaos

Whites come out of recessive genes from GSDs. Once the recessive gene shows up and the bitch throws a white pup, you have your indicator  (or you can perform actual testing). Breed the white pup with another GSD who also has the recessive gene and you'll get whites.

The easiest way is to get two whites together and breed that way so you get a full litter 

The web site that MaggieRose posted up on the WGSD genetics project is owned by a good friend of my sister (who is a retired breeder of the whites)...it's a great site with tons of good info. 

You can also find more info at: White German Shepherd Dog Club of America, Inc. || Welcome


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## Whiteshepherds

Just read this the other day on the white shepherd list....

As reported by the Federation Berger Blanc Suisse International for July, 2011 - fbbsi.info
The Berger Blanc Suisse has been recognized by the FCI and will be eligible for CACIB from July 6th 2011.

This doesn't effect the white GSD's in the AKC but maybe another step in the right direction for those who'd like to see breed separation.


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## arycrest

prophecy said:


> To get all white litter you breed white to white.To throw an occasional white pup,you can breed a white carrier to white carrier *or a colored dog to a white dog*.The latter ''should'' throw more whites,than the carrier x carrier pairing.
> ...


 I'm not sure if I'm understanding this correctly or not? But if you're saying that you can breed any colored GSD to a WGSD and maybe produce a white pup, then this is incorrect since both the sire and dam must carry the white gene in order for a white coated GSD to be produced.


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## Draugr

Jake's breeder explained that while yes, you can do this by the methods already mentioned in this thread, you run into problems because generally if you have one visible recessive gene (white coat) you've also got others in the mix that are not quite so visible (genetic diseases, etc). You don't wind up with just one recessive trait - you get a grab bag of them.


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## gagsd

The good breeders of White German Shepherds in this country, have, imo, done a really nice job of tracking and helping to prevent genetic issues in their dogs. 

White in the GSD is a recessive masking gene. So a dog may be white, but still carry the genes for two "normal" colors. 
Because it is recessive, if you breed two whites together, you get all whites. If you breed white to a dog who does not carry the gene, you will not get any whites. 

But you could breed a blk/tan to a white and get sables (if the white dog was genetically a sable). Pretty nifty.

And then you could breed two normal colored dogs, who both carry the white recessive, and get the colored puppies and possibly whites.


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## Whiteshepherds

Draugr said:


> Jake's breeder explained that while yes, you can do this by the methods already mentioned in this thread, you run into problems because generally if you have one visible recessive gene (white coat) you've also got others in the mix that are not quite so visible (genetic diseases, etc). You don't wind up with just one recessive trait - you get a grab bag of them.


I don't believe there's any scientific evidence that shows a correlation between the recessive gene for white and other genetic diseases in the GSD.


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## DharmasMom

Dharma came from 2 short haired parents. She is a single coat long hair. Her littermate, a male, was white. Pretty cool genetics at work there.


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## Freestep

gagsd said:


> But you could breed a blk/tan to a white and get sables (if the white dog was genetically a sable). Pretty nifty.


I didn't realize that white is a masking gene, that's pretty interesting that a white can be genetically sable and yet not phenotypically sable. 

That explains why I've seen photos of whites with "birthmarks". Masking genes can sometimes be "leaky".


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