White Swiss Shepherd - beautiful and energetic dog

The White Swiss Shepherd is an elegant, classy, handsome dog, often referred as a Berger Blanc Suisse. White Swiss Shepherds are medium-to-large, powerful, well-muscled dogs that were recognized as a breed in Switzerland in 1991. In 2011 the FCI also recognized the breed.  

White Swiss Shepherds and the German Shepherds share a common ancestry. Like German Shepherds, Swiss Shepherds are alert, protective and highly intelligent, but Swiss Shepherds are calmer, gentler. They are less aggressive and serious than German Shepherds and are also more attached, even clingy, to their owner. Therefore they aren’t used for police or military work. There is also a difference in coat color. While German Shepherds are typically tan and black, all white or all black, the Swiss Shepherd is only all white. More about German Shepherds you can find here.

Characteristics of White Swiss Shepherds

An average weight for the White Swiss Shepherd is 77-85 lbs (35-40 kg), and an average height is 22-26 inches (55-65 cm) tall. Their life span is 12-13 years.

The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is incredibly devoted and loyal dog that goes along great with children, and people in general. Often compared with German Shepherds, these dogs are mellower than German Shepherds, but they are still very protective of their family. They are very energetic and need to be provided with lots of mental stimulation and daily physical exercise. They love to swim, run, hike… almost any activity will make them happy so make sure that you have enough free time and energy before you decide to get yourself a White Swiss Shepherd, because, if their energy is not spent properly, like most of the dogs, your calm and mellow Swiss Shepherd might become destructive.

White Swiss Shepherds - intelligence

The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is incredibly intelligent and eager to learn. The easiest way to train this breed is after gaining their loyalty and respect because there isn’t much that they wouldn’t do for their owners. There are extremely clingy with their owners. If you are considering getting yourself a White Swiss Shepherd Dog prepare to never be alone again – the dog will probably follow you everywhere and sometimes even try to copy the things that you do. They are intuitive to their owners’ feelings and emotions, hate to be alone and can suffer from separation anxiety.

Training a White Swiss Shepherds

White Swiss Shepherds learn quickly and will listen to you in order to make you happy. But, the downside is that these dogs will pick up bad habits as fast as they can pick up good ones. They tend to be naturally suspicious of people they don't already know, so a vital part of training is an early socialization, in order to teach your White Swiss Shepherd Dog to be observant and slightly aloof with new people. White Swiss Shepherds are very sensitive to how they are treated. The environment that they are growing in will shape their character. They respond well to positive reinforcement and treats. It is important to praise them for their good habits and because of that these dogs can easily become spoiled, so keep that in mind.

White Swiss Shepherds - grooming

The White Swiss Shepherd is known for its white coat that sheds moderately all year (the coat sheds heavily twice a year) so we recommend you invest in s heavy duty vacuum and brush if you are thinking about getting a White Swiss Shepherd. Their coat consists of a harsher top coat and softer undercoat. Owners recommend brushing the dogs coat at least 3 times a week to keep the coat shiny and free of tangles and mats. Regular brushing also helps with dead and loose hair. Because of that beautiful, long coat, the White Swiss Shepherd is tolerant of the cold. The White Shepherd's teeth should be also brushed, at least 2-3 times a week to prevent built up of bacteria and to help keep their breath fresh. Clip you White Shepherd's nails when needed and check their ears regularly; remove bacteria that can get caught inside to prevent ear infections.

White Swiss Shepherds - health problems

There are some medical conditions and diseases that this breed is prone to. Those conditions are: hip and/or elbow dysplasia (you can read more about hip dysplasia here), joint issues, cruciate ligament rupture, allergies (skin allergies and food intolerances are very common), epilepsy, hemophilia (disorder of the clotting cascade), bloat, etc.

White Swiss Shepherds - breeders

White Swiss Shepherds are very pricey dogs and are not that easy to find. On average, a purebred White Swiss Shepherd puppy costs up to 1300 dollars. Also, because they are prone to some serious health issues, costs of having a White Swiss Shepherd will be even higher. We all know that it is better to prevent than to cure, so most effective way to reduce the risk of the White Swiss Shepherd suffering from some of the diseases they are prone to is responsible breeding. When buying a puppy, you should be able to ask the breeder all the questions you are interested in, and to request veterinary certificates (for example hip scores of both parents). If possible, make sure to see the mother of the puppy you are interested in; see the conditions she lives in, look at other pups, look at her, and if there is anything weird or unusual about the mother, siblings or the place there are kept in, ask the breeder what is going on.

Remember, to make your White Swiss Shepherd healthy and happy you must: spend a lot of time with the dog, provide it plenty of exercise; groom the dog’s coat on regular basis and feed the dog quality food that meets all their nutritional needs.

FUN FACT: White Swiss Shepherds make excellent watchdogs and will always alert the family of there is intruder approaching.

World Dog Finder team