White Swiss Shepherd Dog

American Rare Breed Association

FCI-Standard N° 347 / 18.12.2002 / GB

WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG

(Weisser Schweizer Schäferhund)

TRANSLATION : Mrs. R. Binder.

ORIGIN : Switzerland.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 26.11.2002.

UTILIZATION : Family and working companion dog with distinctive friendly nature to children; attentive watchdog, cheerful and quick to learn.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs). Section 1 Sheepdogs.  Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : In USA and Canada white shepherd dogs have gradually become to be accepted as a distinct breed.

The first dogs of this breed were imported into Switzerland in the early 70ies. The American male “Lobo”, whelped on 5th March 1966, can be considered as the progenitor of the breed in Switzerland. The descendants of that male registered with the Swiss Stud Book (LOS) and other white shepherd dogs imported from USA and Canada, gradually multiplied. There exists now a big number of white shepherd dogs, pure-bred, over several generations, distributed throughout Europe. For that reason, since June 1991, these dogs have been registered as a new breed with the appendix of the Swiss Stud Book (LOS).

GENERAL APPEARANCE : A powerful, well-muscled, medium-sized, white shepherd dog with erect ears, double coat or long double coat or long double coat; elongated shape; medium sized bone and elegant, harmonious  outline.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : 

Moderately long rectangular shape : body length (from the point of shoulder to point of buttock) to height at withers = 12 : 10.

The distance from the stop to the noseleather slightly beyond the distance from the stop to the occipital protuberance.

BEHAVIOUR / CHARACTER : Lively, without nervousness, attentive and watchful; towards strangers sometimes slightly aloof but never apprehensive or aggressive.

HEAD : Strong, dry and finely chiselled, in good proportion to the body. Seen from above and from the side wedge-shaped. Axes of skull and foreface  parallel.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Only slightly rounded; indicated central furrow.

Stop :  Slightly marked, but clearly perceptible.

FACIAL REGION : 

Nose :  Medium-sized; black pigmentation desired; snow nose and lighter nose accepted.

Muzzle : Powerful and moderately long in relation to the skull; nasal bridge and lower line of muzzle straight, slightly convergent to the nose.

Lips :  Dry , closing tightly, as black as possible.

Jaws/Teeth : Powerful and complete, scissor bite. The teeth should be set square to the jaw.

Eyes : Medium-sized, almond shaped, placed a little obliquely; colour brown to dark-brown; eye lids well fitting with black eye-rims desirable.

Ears : Erect ears, set high, carried upright, parallel and directed forward; in the shape of an oblong, at the tip slightly rounded triangle.

NECK : Medium-long and well muscled, with harmonious set on at the body, without dewlap; the elegantly arched neckline runs without disruption from the moderately high carried head to the withers.

BODY :  Strong, muscular, medium-long.

Withers : Pronounced.

Back : Level, firm.

Loins : Strongly muscled.

Croup : Long and of medium breadth; from the set on gently sloping to root of tail.

Chest : Not too broad; deep (about 50 % of the height at the withers); reaching to the elbows; ribcage oval; well extending to the rear.  Prominent forechest.

Belly and flanks : Flanks slender, firm; underline moderately tucked up.

TAIL : Bushy sabre tail, tapering to the tip; set on rather deep;  reaching at least to the hock joint; at rest, it hangs either straight down or with a slight saber-like curve in its last third part; in movement carried higher, but never above the topline.

LIMBS : Strong, sinewy, medium bone.

FOREQUARTERS : Straight, seen from the front; only moderately broad stance; seen in profile, well angulated.

Shoulder : Shoulder blade long and well laid back; well angulated; whole shoulder strongly muscled.

Upper arm  : Adequately long, strong muscles.

Elbows : Close fitting.

Forearm : Long, straight, sinewy.

Pastern : Firm and only slightly oblique.

HINDQUARTERS : Seen from the rear straight and parallel; standing not too wide; seen from the side with adequate angulation.

Upper thigh  : Medium-long, strongly muscled.

Lower thigh : Medium-long, oblique, with solid bone and well muscled.

Hock joint : Powerful, well angulated.

Hock : Medium-long, straight, sinewy; dewclaws should be removed, except in countries where their removal is forbidden by law.

Feet : Oval, hind feet a little longer than forefeet; toes tight and well arched; firm black pads; dark nails desired.

GAIT :  Rhythmical sequence of steps with even drive and enduring; front legs reaching out far, with strong thrust; trot ground covering and easy.

SKIN : Without folds and wrinkles; dark pigmentation.

COAT

HAIR : Medium length, dense, close-lying double coat or long double coat; abundant undercoat covered with hard, straight protection hair; face, ears and front of legs are covered with shorter hair; at the neck and the back of the legs the coat is slightly longer. Slightly wavy, hard hair is permitted.

COLOUR : White.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :

Height at withers : Dogs 60 - 66 cm.  Bitches - 55 - 61 cm.

Weight : Dogs :  ca. 30 - 40 kg. - Bitches : ca. 25 - 35 kg.

Typical dogs with slight under- or oversize should not be eliminated.

FAULTS :  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the serious- ness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

MINOR FAULTS :

Slight deer colour (light yellow or fawny shading) on eartips, back and upperside of the tail.

Partial loss of pigment of flecked appearance on noseleather, lips and/or eye rims.

SERIOUS FAULTS :

Heavy appearance, too short build (square outline)

Masculinity or femininity not clearly defined .

Missing more than two PM1; the M3 are not taken into account.

Drop (hanging) ears, semi-pricked ears, button ears.

Strongly sloping backline.

Ringtail, kinky tail, hook tail, tail carried over back.

Soft, silky topcoat; woolly, curly, open coat; distinctly long hair without undercoat.

Distinct deer colour (distinct yellowish or tawny discolouring) on eartips, back and upperside of the tail.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

Overly shy or aggressive.

One eye or both eyes blue, protruding eyes.

Entropion, ectropion.

Over-or undershot mouth, wry mouth.

Total loss of pigment on nose, lips and/or eye rims.

Total loss of pigment in the skin and on the pads.

Albinism.

NB.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.