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Breed Characteristics
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Berger Blanc Suisse
| Other Names | White Swiss Shepherd |
| Country of Origin | Switzerland |
| Weight | Males: 66 – 88 lbs. (30 – 40 kg) Females: 55 – 77 lbs. (25 – 35 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 24 – 26 in. (60 – 66 cm) Females: 22 – 24 in. (55 – 61 cm) |
| Coat | Thick medium in length |
| Colour | White |
| Litter Size | 7 - 9 puppies |
| Life Span | 12 - 15 years |
| Origin & History | The first German Shepherd Dog registered by the Society for German Shepherd Dogs (Verein für deutsche Schäferhunde) was Horand Von Grafrath. Neither he nor any of his documented progeny were white, although his great-grand sire on his mother's side was white. At the creation of the German Shepherd Dog breed, all colours were accepted. It was in the first decades of the 20th century that the white exemplars began to be excluded in Europe. The first White Shepherd club was founded during the 1970s in America. Meanwhile, the breed appeared again in Europe, at first in Switzerland, then Denmark and Germany came next. Slowly, the European cynological societies began to open their stud books to the White Shepherd. The white-coated dog Lobo, born in the U.S. in 1966, was registered in Switzerland. The Berger Blanc (English: White Shepherd) breed was recognized in Switzerland 1991 and in the Netherlands in 1992. The Czech Republic, Austria and Denmark also recognized the breed. |
| Personality | Most Berger Blanc Suisse dogs are gentle, very intelligent and learn easily. They are loyal to their family and may be wary around strangers, but are not to show shy or fearful behavior. Some people think the Arctic Wolf was mixed with the breed to create its caution, however this is not true. The Berger Blanc Suisse breed derived from decades of evolution to a distinct breed type from the German Shepherd Dog. The Berger Blanc Suisse are suited for a variety of services to man from search and rescue to medical alert to therapy. They are also structured and have temperaments to succeed at performance events such as: obedience, rally, agility, lure coursing, barn hunt (ratting), protection sports, dock diving, fly ball, truffling, and other scent/tracking oriented training. They are natural herders, can cart, and are very well suited as an all around utility farm dog. The character of the Berger Blanc Suisse is gentler and mellower than that of the working lines of German Shepherd Dog, but are still very protective of their people and dog pack. |
Care Requirements
| Health | Breed health concerns include hip dysplasia. |
| Grooming | This breed sheds bits of hair constantly and is a seasonally heavy shedder. They should be brushed daily or you will have hair all over your home. Bathe only when necessary; over bathing can cause skin irritation from oil depletion. Check ears and trim claws regularly. |
| Exercise | Berger Blanc Suisse love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind, for they are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead. Most Berger Blanc Suisse love to play ball or Frisbee. Ten to fifteen minutes of fetching along with daily walks will tire your dog out quite nicely as well as give them a sense of purpose. Whether it is ball chasing, Frisbee catching, obedience training, participation in a canine playgroup or just taking long walks/jogs, you must be willing to provide some form of daily, constructive exercise. The daily exercise must always include daily walks/jogs to satisfy the dog’s migration instinct. If under-exercised and/or mentally challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive. They do best with a job to do. |
| Other Considerations | The Berger Blanc Suisse will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard. |
