Poss numpty question about gsd's

[bonny]

Apologies to anyone who has one but I was wondering whether it's possible to have a white gsd that is ok both temperament wise and physically ?
To add to my numptiness, are they bred from 2 white parents or can they ever just appear in a normal colour litter ?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Whites can crop up in litters where parents of any colour carry the gene to produce white. However because white is not a desired colour as per the standard, most show and working breeders would not promote studs known to throw whites and they are now mainly bred by people who breed off-standard colours on purpose.

Because the gene pool for whites is smaller, there do tend to be more character/physical health issues IME. Also, and this is purely IME, the ones I have met do not have the solid temperament required of the breed although I am sure there are many out there.

If you want a white I would either rescue or be very, very careful about who you buy from, I would be wanting to see three or more generations of low hip and elbow scoring parents.
There are a handful of well-used off-colour studs who either have hereditary health issues or are littermates of dogs with hereditary health issues and are still being bred from, if you have a litter in mind or a pedigree to hand, PM me and I will advise as best I can x

In Europe and America they are classified as a separate breed, the Berger Blanc Suisse.

 

[bonny]

Thanks for your reply ....I wouldn't have one, I was just wondering as they seem to be becoming more popular and the one's I've met although stunning looking all seem to have problems. My neighbours have a 6 month old and I'm resisting the urge to ask them why but I suspect it's just because they think they look nice and another couple I know have just got a puppy. They foster small children which to me dosen't seem a good mix with a white gsd but maybe I've just been unlucky in the one's I've come across....

 

[CorvusCorax]

There's probably someone churning them out in your area.....if you breed for one thing and one thing alone (colour, coat type, size) then other aspects of the dog start to suffer. Even health wise, people were so focussed on getting the hip scores down in GSDs, they didn't realise that elbows were starting to suffer. You have to look at the whole dog.

In fairness there is nothing to say that the dog in the house with the children, reared properly, might not be a good family pet.

What area are you in? PM if you prefer x

 

[MurphysMinder]

As CC says the problem with white GSDs is the small gene pool, and the fact that because they are promoted as "rare" (because the colour wasn't desirable in the breed standard) they are often bred by unscrupulous breeders. I have a friend who has a white l/c bitch who does have a lovely temperament but she is way smaller than a GSD should be, and her pedigree is full of very close inbreeding (think mother/son etc).

 

[bonny]

I'm in Scotland. Given that gsd's were originally working dogs and so presumably bred for other things than their looks, why have the white ones become so popular ? Can they ever be working dogs ? hard to imagine a white police dog, is there such a thing ?
I find it strange that so many people want a dog purely on it's looks and it must be bad news for gsd's on the whole....lots of other breeds as well.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Well we could go on all day about how certain aspects of the breed have become far removed from the working ideals

While I am sure they exist, I have never seen a white police GSD.
I have never seen one working in my own particular discipline either (only on YouTube and in a different country and it did not blow me away)
There is definitely one in the UK with the entry-level obedience/companion dog qualification though.
There may be whites competing in KC working trials but I don't know enough about that discipline to tell you.

I think they are so popular because they are striking to look at.

There was a white dog (Grief Sparwasser, I think!!!) behind the original/first registered GSD and there are pictures of white GSDs in the early days, but the founding father of the breed did not agree with whites as they were too easily visible to the wolf or sheep rustler or other criminal.
Having said that he was none too fond of blacks for slightly similar reasons (the handler could not locate the dog easily at night I think ) but black is a standard colour and there are scores working both in sports and on the streets.

 

[fallenangel123]

The last paragraph made me smile CC I used to have a jet black Shepard, he had to be done up like a Christmas tree on last walks as he was impossible to see!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yeah I have an all-black now myself, fond of buggering off in the dark! Little git....and even when he is on the lead people wonder where the heavy breathing is coming from

 

[fallenangel123]

Good guards tho CC! We lived in woodland next to a pub, Storm used to stand by the gate and growl at late night leavers, all you'd see we're the teeth accompanying the rumble. Never got burgled tho!

 

[galaxy]

I have nearly asked this question several times!!

there are about half a dozen walked in my very local area. They all are VERY anti social, with no manners. i certainly would never want one approching me or my dog! They kick off being walked on the other side of the street!!!!!

The house at 90 degrees to us, back garden backs on to our front garden and every time we walk out of our front door it flies at the fence barking. Owners do nothing about it. It does it at all hours, some of our neighbours are getting very stroppy about it now. Wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't report it soon.

So I always wondered if there was something dodgy in their DNA or if the only people who buy them are just numpties who don't know how to own/train a dog!

It is only white ones I have ever had issues with. We meet other colours quite happily!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Galaxy it is likely they are all related...

 

[galaxy]

Galaxy it is likely they are all related...

good point. how sad that a breeder would knowingly breed stock like that....

 

[CorvusCorax]

We had a guy near us who churned them out, always two litters on the ground of differing ages and one on the way to the same stud. All inbred. Raised in a shed and a yard and saw and did nothing outside that yard and then landed in pet homes. I can spot his breeding a mile off
In fairness ALL young GSDs can be gobby at a certain age and you need to cap it, but it can be 'in' them as well if you know what I mean, B and all his littermates (standard colours ) are not good with other dogs and thankfully none are being bred on from.