FCI-Standard No 347 /18.12.2002 / GB
 

WHITE SWISS SHEPHERD DOG 
(Weisser Schweizer Schäferhund)
TRANSLATION : Mrs. R. Binder.
ORIGIN : Switzerland.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINALVALID 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 70s. 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; elongated shape; medium sized bone and elegant, harmonious outline. 

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS
- Moderately long rectangularshape : body length (from the point of shoulder to point of buttock) to height at withers = 12 : 10.
- The distance from the stop to the nose leather slightly beyond the distance from the stop to the occipital protuberance.

BEHAVIOUR / CHARACTER
Lively, without nervousness, attentiveand 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 fittingwith 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; darknails 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 nose leather, 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-prickedears, 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. 

The breeding standard for the White Swiss Shepherd Dog Breed is Standard No 347 accepted by the FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale "World Kennel Association") on 18 December 2002. 

The White Swiss Shepherd Dog or Berger Blanc Suisse is not an albino version of the German Shepherd. Furthermore, small differences have evolved over the past years, since both breeds have been kept and bred separately. The most obvious distinction is the more horizontal (gradually sloping) back.
The FCI scheme is in place for canine governing bodies around the world to register locally bred whites as the new breed, the "White Swiss Shepherd Dog", is as follows:-

1. The dog must be over the age of 1 year and one day old;
2. The dog must have a three generation pedigree of all white ancestors;
3. The dog must fit within the FCI Breed Standard 347 for the White Swiss Shepherd Dog ("Berger Blanc Suisse").

This scheme has been used in several countries around the world successfully from the inception of the breed's official recognition in 2002, and originally dogs known as German Shepherd Dogs (colour white), have been re-registered as White Swiss Shepherd Dogs, given they have fulfilled the above requirements. Dogs then registered as White Swiss Shepherd Dogs are not permitted to be bred back to German Shepherd Dogs as this would be considered cross-breeding. There would be a set grace period for dogs to be assessed for the acceptance into the White Swiss Shepherd Dog breed.