White Swiss Shepherd: how to recognise a Berger Blanc Suisse
A white, prick-eared shepherd could be a White Swiss Shepherd, a white German Shepherd, a Husky or a mix. Upload a photo to see which breeds it sits closest to.
Also known as: White Swiss Shepherd Dog, Berger Blanc Suisse, White Shepherd, American White Shepherd, BBS
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About the White Swiss Shepherd
The White Swiss Shepherd grew out of white German Shepherds. Once white was excluded from German Shepherd standards, white dogs from North America were imported to Switzerland and bred as a separate line, which the FCI now recognises as the Berger Blanc Suisse. In North America the closely related White Shepherd is registered by the UKC, while the AKC disqualifies white in the German Shepherd. The standard asks for a lively, attentive dog that is neither nervous nor aggressive. It is deeply attached to its family, learns quickly, can be reserved with strangers and dislikes long hours alone.
How to recognise a White Swiss Shepherd
- Pure white coat, sometimes with cream shading on the ears and back; nose, lips and eye rims ideally black.
- Two coat types: short-haired with a dense undercoat, or long-haired with a ruff, feathered legs and a bushy tail.
- Large, high-set erect ears, slightly tilted forward, on a wedge-shaped head with a moderate stop.
- Almond-shaped brown eyes, set slightly oblique, with a soft, alert expression.
- Straight, level back and moderate hind angulation, so the topline does not slope as steeply as in many show German Shepherds.
- Tail hangs low in a sabre shape at rest, reaching at least the hock, and never curls over the back.
Photo tip. Photograph the dog standing side-on on level ground: the back line, the hind angulation and the low sabre tail are what separate it from a white German Shepherd.
White Swiss Shepherd or look-alike?
German Shepherd (white coat)
The two share their roots, so photos can be very close. The Swiss dog tends to have a level back and lighter angulation; a sloping, show-style topline points to a German Shepherd.
Samoyed
A Samoyed is a spitz: small, thick triangular ears, a fluffy stand-off coat, an upturned smiling mouth and a tail curled over the back. The White Swiss Shepherd has large ears and a low-hanging tail.
Great Pyrenees or Kuvasz
These guardian breeds are heavier, with broad heads and ears that hang down. A white dog whose ears stand up is far more likely a White Swiss Shepherd or a white German Shepherd.
Siberian Husky (white)
A white Husky is smaller and more compact, often with blue or odd eyes, smaller close-set ears and a sickle tail carried over the back on the move. The Swiss shepherd’s eyes are brown.
White Swiss Shepherd mixes
White Swiss Shepherds cross easily with German Shepherds, since both share one ancestry, and the puppies often look like pale or cream German Shepherds. Husky and Labrador crosses are also seen. White is recessive, so a white parent bred to a coloured dog usually gives coloured puppies; the erect ears and shepherd outline survive better than the colour. On a photo, such a mix usually comes back as White Swiss Shepherd and German Shepherd, sometimes with Siberian Husky.
Health and care
- Hip and elbow dysplasia are known in the breed; ask for official hip and elbow scores on both parents.
- The MDR1 gene mutation, which changes how a dog handles certain medicines, is known in the breed. A simple DNA test gives your dog’s status; share it with your vet.
- Degenerative myelopathy, known in German Shepherd lines, can be DNA-tested in breeding dogs. Ask the breeder whether the parents were tested.
- Sensitive skin and food allergies are reported in the breed; a stable, good-quality diet suits many. Keep the dog lean to protect its joints.
- Sheds heavily, most of all during the twice-yearly moult: brush several times a week. Needs daily exercise plus mental work such as obedience, tracking or scent games.