White Swiss Shepherd Dog
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in Switzerland. It descends from the American White Shepherds the first stud dog of what was to become the breed was an American dog born in 1966 and imported to Switzerland. The variety was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as a separate breed in 2003, and it is now recognised by a number of national kennel clubs.
Rare & Unusual German Shepherd Colors: Can This Impact Health
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Canine Health Information Center database maintains information about current recommended and/or required genetic health tests for many different purebred dog breeds.
OFA-CHIC partners with the American Kennel Clubs Canine Health Foundation to maintain up-to-date and accurate health records for each registered purebred dog breed.
Breeders can voluntarily contribute test results for their parent dogs to add to the knowledge base for other breeders and the dog community as a whole.
Breeders that contribute data to the CHIC database can be issued a CHIC certification number. This is useful for sharing with prospective puppy buyers.
While CHIC is very clear that negative test results do not necessarily rule out future health problems, it certainly lessens the risk and provides the buyer with some level of peace of mind.
If you are considering making a lifetime commitment to any German Shepherd puppy of any coat color or color pattern, you should request the OFA-CHIC test results for the parent dogs from the breeder before making your commitment.
Currently, CHIC recommends that German Shepherd dog breeders perform the following pre-screening health tests on their parent dogs:
As you can see, this is quite a list of tests!
Why Is A White German Shepherd White
A white German Shepherd is white because on the E Locus, they have 2 copies of e which means they cant produce black pigment in their coat. Additionally, their Intensity Locus prevents them from producing red or tan . Some white dogs have a little bit of cream, or small patches of tan. These are areas where they are still producing just a little bit of Phaeomelanin. Phaeomelanin itself is actually a red pigment, the shade we see on a tan dog is caused by how much of the pigment they are able to produce.
This means that the A Locus on a white German Shepherd is unknown without a genetic test or multiple litters.
Want to know more? Scroll down to A Quick Primer on Dog Coat Genetics or visit the website
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Red & Black German Shepherd
The red and black German Shepherd is something you dont see every day. Theyre spectacular specimens that are undeniably beautiful no matter what your taste in dogs.
In a way, the coat pattern of the red and black German Shepherd looks almost like a brindle or merle. In other words, youll usually get a GSD with a dark mahogany base coat, with patches of black around the coat.
The black color is most commonly found on the dogs back, tail, bottom and face . The black is not limited to those areas of the body it depends on the dog and the parents. However, black color around the dogs muzzle is almost always guaranteed.
Skin And Coat Friendly Ingredients
To make sure your dog has a healthy coat, here are some of the things you should look out for in its food:
Vitamins A and E
Vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins your dog should be getting in its diet. This vitamin helps the skin cells to divide and hair follicles to function normally.
Vitamin E is also in the essentials list. It acts as an antioxidant and protects the skin cells. Both of these vitamins ensure that their coat keeps growing and shedding as usual on a micro level.
Vitamin B Complex
Biotin, or the B- complex vitamin, is also incredibly important for skin and hair strength. Some young dogs and puppies can actually suffer from a biotin deficiency.
When this happens, your dog will have crusty and flaky skin. Its hair will become more brittle and lose its natural color. If you see these symptoms, contact your vet about adding some biotin to their diet.
Copper and Zinc
Your dogs food should also contain copper and zinc. Copper is essential in keeping their fur soft and shiny. It also maintains the unique hair color that it was born with.
Zinc, on the other hand, works with developing skin health. It helps to prevent inflammation and itchiness. It also works well at tackling and stopping both bacterial and fungal infections.
Omega 6 & 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids are the ultimate ingredients for your dogs skin and fur. They keep your dogs hair looking glossy and help the skin to stay elastic.
Contact Your Vet
Shayla McConnell
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German Shepherd Feeding Chart: How To Feed A Big Dog
The German Shepherd feeding chart is a great tool for all GSD owners who are looking for ways to keep their pets happy and healthy with proper eating habits.
German Shepherds are amazing canines and theyre great family pets. These pups rarely show any signs of aggression, and even if they do, it might be related to hunger or a feeling of threat.
Blue, black, white, Isabella, sable, or silver, these pups will steal your heart in whichever shape or color they come in! GSDs are such great pups you will almost forget how much they can bark
As one quote about GSDs says, Nobody is perfect, but with a German Shepherd, youre damn close.
Well, its time to learn how to keep your almost perfect pup in the best shape possible by looking at this German Shepherd feeding chart!
| 3 ½ 4 cups | 2 |
These are general guidelines for a GSDs feeding schedule and can be adjusted depending on the activity level of each individual canine.
A doggie with lower energy levels will require a lower calorie intake, while a highly energetic pup will require a more caloric diet.
That is why this German Shepherd feeding chart should be used more as a general recommendation, not as a strict pattern you need to follow.
Following the needs and requirements of your pet is crucial for the dogs health, and the best way to keep your puppy healthy is to find and stick to its own eating routine. This may or may not be the same as the one written in the chart above.
The Akc Standard Dilemma Breed Standards
All the coat colors and lengths mentioned above are considered to be purebred, but the American Kennel Club doesnt recognize certain features.
This clearly shouldnt matter, because these are just some beauty standards set by the AKC, right?
Well, this verdict has led people to only breed certain types of qualifying colors. If your dog is strictly a pet, then this has no bearing on your decision. However, if you plan to breed or show your dog, then youll want to consider their guidelines.
AKC Guidelines with Coats:
- Pale, washed-out colors are disqualifying.
- Blue, Liver, White, and Panda are all instant disqualifying faults.
- Long hair may also be disqualified.
- Blue eyes are a fault.
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Arthritis Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a condition that is very common in GSDs. In this condition, the ball and socket joint of the hip are malformed. There can be slippage in the joint, and a grinding of the bones against each other leading to arthritis and degenerative joint disease.
The 2016 breed statistics from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals showed a rate of hip dysplasia in the German Shepherd Dog to be 20.5%. In other words, of the 118,891 dogs assessed for hip problems more than a fifth of GSDs had abnormal hips. The OFA ranks the German Shepherd dog has the 39th breed displaying this problematic health condition.
In 2014, a study of the genetics of hip dysplasia in the German Shepherd Dog was conducted at the Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany. These researchers were successful in identifying a genome that predisposed the dog to hip dysplasia. Dogs may show the condition may, indeed, be carriers of the trait. There is a genetic test available from the Hannover researchers for detecting the responsible trait.
In addition, the elbow joint can be malformed the connecting bones do not fit together causing trauma to the structure of the elbow. The OFA statistic for elbow problems was almost 20% of the 43,399 dogs had abnormal elbows. The German Shepherd Dog ranked in at the 15th spot for this problem.
Health Issues Related To The Type Of Food Or Improper Feeding Routine
Diet plays an important role in the well-being of German Shepherds, whether as the main cause of the issue or an enhancer of existing symptoms.
Needless to say, its important to get German Shepherds from reputable breeders, as theyre the only ones who can guarantee that your pup will have the lowest risk of getting a genetic disease.
On the other hand, many health issues, particularly orthopedic illnesses, may be prevented by ensuring that your pet receives the appropriate nutrition and by feeding your pup the best dog food for their age and activity level.
The health conditions listed below are some of the most common diseases related to your canines diet:
Hip Dysplasia This is one of the most common joint conditions that can appear during puppyhood but show only in later years.
One of the possible reasons could be a lack of calcium during the early feeding of pups, along with their genetic background.
Diabetes Essentially, this condition represents a lack of insulin to take care of the glucose that enters the body. Diabetes might not be directly impacted by diet, but obesity and metabolic disorders can be one of the main culprits for this condition.
Degenerative Disc Disease If the canines spinal discs are ruptured, the pup will be unable to move without feeling great pain. Even though this condition isnt caused by food, improper diet and obesity can worsen symptoms significantly.
They cant absorb enough nutrients and can become dangerously underweight.
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Characteristics Of The German Shepherd
As a breed, German shepherds have a personality that is protective, loyal and companionable. Bred with a strong work ethic, they are among the most popular dog breeds in the United States, thanks in large part to their ability to be great family dogs. They love “their people” but can be cautious around strangers or new comers and thrive on the care and attention of their family.
| Affection Level |
| High |
Why Is A Black German Shepherd Black
A black German Shepherd is black because their A Locus has 2 copies of the recessive black allele and their E locus has at least one copy of E or Em. In short hand, their A locus is noted as a/a. Additionally, because this dog is not white, we know that their E Locus has at most one copy of e but that is all we know for sure. We dont know if this dog has a Mask, No Mask or carries for recessive red.
Want to know more? Scroll down to A Quick Primer on Dog Coat Genetics or visit the website
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What Does The German Shepherd Breed Standard Say About Coat Color
After watching the videos in the previous section here, you may be understandably curious about how the official purebred German Shepherd breed standard addresses all of this coat color variation!
This is especially the case if you are planning to breed your GSD puppy or you want to enter your German Shepherd into dog shows.
But even if neither of these is of interest, it is still neat to learn more about all the purebred coat colors.
Recommended reading:
According to the American Kennel Club , these are the coat colors that are permissible for German Shepherd dogs in the show ring:
These are all approved show-ring standard coat colors in case you want to show your GSD.
But is there any way to know for sure what coat color your GSD puppy will have when they grow up? Lets find out!
The Disqualified German Shepherd Colors
As mentioned above, white, liver, blue, fawn, pure red, and spotted black and white are considered disqualified and the results of faulty genes. However, these coat colors are not related to any health or behavioral issues.
So, you can get a German Shepherd in any of these colors if you dont plan to take your dog to showings. They look as beautiful as other German Shepherd varieties.
White German Shepherds were previously considered to be suffering from albinism .
However, research has long confirmed that white German Shepherds are not albinos they only have a significantly lower melanin level than other varieties.
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What If I Feed My Adult German Shepherd Puppy Food
Essentially, offering puppy food to your GSD once in a while wont do huge damage, but if its not necessary, theres no reason to do it.
The dog will not get any benefit from it actually, quite the opposite will happen if it becomes a regular routine.
If you feed an adult canine this type of food, you run the risk of your pet becoming overweight and putting an unnecessary burden on their kidneys and other essential organs.
Consuming food filled with calories to a dog that has already reached its full grown size will only result in an obese pup with a high risk of health problems.
The main reason why dogs are offered different types of food during different stages of their lives is to attend to the specific needs and requirements of German Shepherds.
When To Breed A German Shepherd
Now that you have decided you want to mate your male or female dog and have litters, let us understand what is the right age for both male and female German shepherd dogs for breeding.
Whether male or female, you should ideally not breed your German Shepherd dog till 2 years. This is when they reach the right maturity level for breeding.
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Sable German Shepherd Appearance
Sable German shepherds look just like most other German shepherd dogs, with the exception of their distinctively colored coat.
The German shepherd is a large breed. You can expect the males to reach up to 26 inches tall and weigh between 75 and 95 pounds.
The females are a bit smaller. They normally donât measure more than 24 inches tall and typically weigh between 55 and 75 pounds.
Their heads are domed in shape with a long, square muzzle. They have alert, erect ears and long necks that make them seem even larger than they are. It is considered ideal for the dog to be longer than it is tall with a proportion of 10 to 8.5. Their bushy tail should extend out in a hook-like shape.
German shepherds tend to dip their head low like a wolf when they are running or prowling, which contributes to the consensus that they look very much like the wolf ancestors of dogs.
These dogs have double coats with a soft undercoat and a denser guard layer. The guard layer can be either medium or long, though the medium length is significantly more common.
Most German shepherds are either tan and black or red and black. The lighter brown shade is usually their principal color, with a black face mask and black markings on their back which often look like a saddle.
A variety of other color variations exist, including pure black, pure white, liver, silver, blue, panda, and, of course, sable.
What German Shepherd Coat Colors And Patterns Are Disallowed Or Disqualified For Competitions
Right now, the coat color that is outright disallowed or even disqualified on sight for AKC dog competitions is white.
As von Haus Ulv German Shepherds breeder explains, the main reason that the white color is automatically disqualified is that the breed founder, Max von Stephanitz, specifically stated that a white coat is a danger for breeding.
The white is not a coat color at all, actually, but is an absence of color pigment for the coat. This is not the same as an albino, but it is viewed as a genetic weakness in many working dog lines, including the German Shepherd dog.
As this popular German Shepherd breeder and owner forum showcases, the presence of any white in a German Shepherd dog can quickly produce intense debate and disagreement.
Another very rare color that is sometimes called the Panda Shepherd is the piebald color pattern. In horses, the pattern, with its white spots interspersed with color patches, is sometimes called the paint.
The brindle coat pattern, which is sometimes nicknamed a tiger stripe pattern, is also strongly discouraged and judged to be a fault in show competitions.
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Do German Shepherd Puppies Change Color What You Need To Know About Your Puppys Changing Coat
German Shepherd puppies have a lot of growing up to do in a very short period.
So many changes are taking place, starting around 10 days old when your tiny GSD puppys eyes open and they glimpse the world for the first time.
But there are many more changes yet to come, one of which is the transition from the puppy coat to the full adult German Shepherd coat.
Your GSD puppys coat will change in length, texture, fullness, and color and likely more than once!
This is the article you need to read if you want to learn all about what to expect as your German Shepherd puppy starts to grow its adult coat and you see color changes along the way.