# White/Swiss/BBS -



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

I know I had vowed not to go the breeder route again, but hubby and I have been tossing around the idea lately. Not now, while we have Tasha, but down the road. I want to start research now because I imagine it will take me a while to get it all figured out. 

I am curious as to how the white shepherd differs from working line and showline shepherds.

What good points and bad points do they have. 

Since they broke off before the split of show and working lines do they have different health issues? If so what should I look out for? 

Where can I find reliable information about the history and the lines and what to look for in a white/Swiss breeder?


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

:bump:


----------



## Palydyn (Aug 28, 2014)

I posted a lengthy reply but it seems to have been lost somewhere. I don't have time now but will try to repost later. In the meantime you can PM me.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Palydyn said:


> I posted a lengthy reply but it seems to have been lost somewhere. I don't have time now but will try to repost later. In the meantime you can PM me.


That is a bummer it got lost. Any info would be great.


----------



## Palydyn (Aug 28, 2014)

Sorry tried again but was timed out this time. Probably better if you PM me. I do not have time to keep retyping the information.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Palydyn said:


> Sorry tried again but was timed out this time. Probably better if you PM me. I do not have time to keep retyping the information.


Well that must suck!

If you use FF or Chrome you can use this add on:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/lazarus-form-recovery/

I have been using it for years..I won't type on forums without it!


----------



## Palydyn (Aug 28, 2014)

Chip 18 Thanks for the tip I will try it next time.


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

shepherdmom said:


> I am curious as to how the white shepherd differs from working line and showline shepherds.


Here's a start. Go to this page and read some judges comments past and present, about the White Shepherds shown in the AWSA conformation ring. Some are/were AKC GSD judges, some not. 

Page Title 

No breed is perfect but the comments from judges at an AWSA show like this one below is a really good description of what the White Shepherds are supposed to be. 
_"Rather than emphasizing one particular aspect (head, rear angulation, etc) as seems to have happened in German Shepherds, my observations of the breed are that more emphasis is placed on a middle of the road dog; a dog who could do many tasks, and not be hampered by extremes of any feature." _

Do you notice a commonality running through those critiques?


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Whiteshepherds said:


> Here's a start. Go to this page and read some judges comments past and present, about the White Shepherds shown in the AWSA conformation ring. Some are/were AKC GSD judges, some not.
> 
> Page Title
> 
> ...


I did notice almost all said they were better in structure. A couple said the bitches were better which I found interesting. I am a little concerned about the shyness mentioned.  Thank you for that link and for the links in the PM. 

I notice in the genetics project that there were 5 dogs that showed up with DM making it .5 per 100. Do you know how that compares to the wider overall GSD population?


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

shepherdmom said:


> I did notice almost all said they were better in structure. A couple said the bitches were better which I found interesting. I am a little concerned about the shyness mentioned.  Thank you for that link and for the links in the PM.
> 
> I notice in the genetics project that there were 5 dogs that showed up with DM making it .5 per 100. Do you know how that compares to the wider overall GSD population?


Not a clue. Submissions to the genetic project are voluntary and testing for DM isn't fully supported by all breeders. There's a lot of controversy surrounding the test. (not just for whites, for a lot of GSD breeders)


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Sadly the only way to definitely know if a GSD of any color has/had DM is via a necropsy. Like Whiteshepherds said, there is a lot of controversy about the DNA testing ... now that Dr. Clemmons has retired and his test is no longer available, as far as I know, there is only the one type DNA test available from a couple different places and the results of it are questionable.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Thanks! I've had a dog with DM, or at least what vet believed was DM we never confirmed with a necropsy. I am aware of the failings of the test. 

I was just wondering if it was as much of an issue with the white/swiss shepherds as it is in the general GSD population and hoping it isn't. Just wishful thinking I suppose. 

Does anyone know if there are any other health issues I would need to worry about for a white shepherd that might be different? Anything to look out for when I start looking at breeders? 

My Nakita, who was a mix between a white shepherd and a akita had HD. I got her long before I knew about health testing and OFA and all of that. Then I made sure I asked about hips and parents were OFA certified when I got my boys and Shadow wound up with DM.  So I'm hoping this time to ask better questions. I know there are no absolute guarantees, just wanting to try to cover all the bases.


----------

