There has been a high demand for white German Shepherd puppies lately. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why! These adorable dogs have all of the characteristics of a GSD, and in addition to that — also a beautiful snow white coat! But why are they white?
Looking at their specification, it’s a large dog at about 22 to 26 inches tall, weighing between 77 to 88 pounds. Based on the statistics, the lifespan of the White Shepherd is around 12 to 14 years. If you are German Shepherds lover and want to have a white one- just keep reading to learn more!
Is the White German Shepherd a separate breed?
Logically and technically speaking, no.
As with any other breed, it’s a gene that decides the color of their coat. And you can’t have influence on it. The recessive gene that causes this breed to be white has always been present in the original genetic structure of the German Shepherd – White German Shepherds descended directly from German Shepherds.
Let’s quickly jump back into the history. Since the 1930s, however, the White German Shepherd dog has been considered a fault and has yet to be recognized or accepted as a type of German Shepherd. Many supporters of the breed began forming their own breed clubs and registries for this dog in the 1970s, and eventually, in 1999 the United Kennel Club (UKC), the second largest dog breed registry in the US, recognized the White German Shepherd as a separate breed.
White German Shepherd vs. Standard German Shepherd?
You are now probably wondering what’s the difference between those two? The only significant difference between the White German Shepherd and the standard is the color. But, let’s take a look at what’s the same and what’s different exactly:
What’s the same?
First of all, we’ll see what’s the same. Both of them have a large, muscular build and erect ears.
Their height is up to 26 inches (65 cm), weight is up to 88 lbs (40 kg). It’s a normal thing that they shed a lot, and grooming is very important. Also, they are very loyal, intelligent, protective and energetic.
Now, we’ll talk about their differences. What’s different? The color – white or cream. Usually, they have longer fur, which can be stiff to the touch. Also, some do not have a double coat. However, they are not recognized within the breed standard
What makes the White German Shepherd white?
As we mentioned above, and like the Black German Shepherd, the White German Shepherd is the product of a recessive coat color gene. However, unlike the Black German Shepherd, however, whose true color is solid black, the recessive white gene acts as a mask, blocking the dog’s true color and pattern and causing it to appear white.
Can a White GSD produce standard colored offspring?
We can with certaintly say that the answer is YES!
Be sure that the only way to get 100% solid white offspring is to breed two White German Shepherds, but if a White German Shepherd is bred to a colored German Shepherd, they will throw colored puppies – and this is something you don’t want. Appying previous sentence, we cannot know what color or pattern a White German Shepherd is masking, it is not easy to determine what colors the pups will be when bred to a non-white German Shepherd.
Does the White German Shepherd have genetic disorders?
The answer to that question is luckily a big NO!
In fact, the founder of the German Shepherd as a recognized breed, Max Von Stephanitz rebuked this claim himself. In his book The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture, published in 1923, he states: “The coloring of the dog has no significance whatsoever for service.”
Unfortunately, though, history has been unkind to this breed, and today people still have the idea that she is flawed genetically.
Buying White German Shepherd puppies
Unfortunately, not unlike the case with the Black German Shepherd, some breeders are just in it for the money. This is something that shouldn’t be on the first place when breeding. But sadly, it is. Since these dogs are relatively rare, breeders can charge more for White German Shepherd puppies. You should know and be aware that the average puppy price for a standard German Shepherd starts at about $300 and goes up to $900, White German Shepherd puppies cost between $750 – $1000.