As some of you may know I am getting my first white shepherd pup in February.  Yippee.  LOL.  I have joined a couple of white shepherd email list but I would love to find some other experienced white shepherd owners here too.  You can never have too much advice in my opinion.  So please stan up and be counted and let me hear of you experience with these beautiful dogs.  By the way the pups are doing great and I even have her name already picked out.

Why just white? Do you not like the other coloured GSD's. There are masses of clubs for GSD's and I beleve some just for the cream ones, but they are all the same dog although at one time the non standard colours were often not of good quality but I believe that in most cases that has improved. There are, I think, still some people breeding where colour is the only consideration and these dogs can have poor conformation and health.

Because knowing what some GSD breeders are like if she joins a coloured club she will be abused rather than welcomed into the fold. Try the White and Long Coat German Shepherd Club they cater for all colours and coat types.

Jesse

My first Beardie was from working/show lines and a mismark but I was never made to feel awkward at Beardie club events in fact I am on the committee now. When I had Boxers whites were at rallies I think certain people will have an attitude and they are best ignored. surely anyone who is looking to learn should be welcomed
                                                                  Anne

Hey Isabeau :)

I have an 11 month old WGSD called Wibble, he is gorgeous.

I dont understand why when ever someone on here mentions white shepherds so many people are quick to spit at you. Yes other coloured GSD's are beautiful too but maybe Isabeau wants to learn about the WHITE shepherd as she is getting one, I know I did and still do when I got my boy, also yes wgsd's are prone to some health problems but so are ALLL gsd's.
I'm sorry to carry on but many of times I have sat here reading about peoples opinions on wgsd's and very rarely do people just say nice things!

Good luck with your new dog and please feel free to e-mail me any time.

Zoe

Think that attitude is part of the problem, white GSD's are just GSD's with cream hair, some of which along with the normal coated ones, are sometimes not well bred.

I have two white GSD,
Ice 6yrs, excellent family pet loves cuddles and all the other normal doggy things. Only health probs we have at the mo is allergy to meat protein so she is being fed on burns fish and brown rice(so far so good) and hip dsyplacia but then these things come with any large dog.
Inca 8 month and she has bought a new lease of life to my old girl but she is the complete oppositte to Ice you can give this dog anything and she will eat it without any ill affects.
As for training, not too bad they do pick things up quickly and are keen to learn, both of mine are family pets as well as gaurd dogs.
We have 3 daughters that can do anything they please with the dogs from sitting on the chairs and cuddling them to feeding, grooming and playing games (throwing balls to tug of war).

As for clubs unless your are in the USA you will probably find it very difficult to find a UK club if my self have been searching for years and have not found one in my area. You can opnly show them for agillity and obedience, but i think that in the USA you can show them for everything.
There is nothing wrong with the other colours its just that white shepherds are my own prefrence, i must admit that when i am on holiday in scotland i got a  lot of 'wow look a wolf' which i then have to say no it's a GSD, but i will now have to say 'they'. Also get lots of people asking wuestions about them.

Jackie sorry but my 'attitude' is not a problem, as I said wgsd's are the same as any other coloured gsd but I think if you speak to a lot of people about their dog, what ever the breed they will always be more interested in the one that is similar to their own! Their is absolutly nothing wrong with that.

I had white gsd for many years i was in the white and long coated shepherd society, they hold rallys and the turn out is great.
I run a ringcraft society and i have two white gsd that come to that for show training.
They were made to feel unwelcome at a couple of clubs but found out about my ringcraft and that i used to have white gsd for years and they are now part of our ringcraft cub.
They go to companion shows and are doing really well.
Some people can be funny about the whites, take it with a pinch of salt,.
I love gsd's any colour any coat to me they are brilliant dogs,love them for what they are and not the colour they are.
Carol

A WGSD is just a GSD.  They are no better or worse than their standard coat cousins!  I have two white long coat males.  One is pure white, the other is white, but with a cream saddle.  They are no different to any of the other standard or long coats that I have owned over the years of the coloured variety.  They are my preference.  I love a GSD whether it be, English, Germanic, white, black, short or long coat!!  All the same underneath at the end of the day!

Becky

Hi Isabeau  I have a beautiful white long coat boy and he is very white and very well bred ;)  I also love all shepherds but whites are my preference and also English type.

PS  If you fancy joining WALCCS the membership secretary is Linda Wild tel.no. 0115 9223829  thats if you are in England of course, if you are else where let me know and I can give you the address of all the other clubs in other countries.  You can show your dog within the WALCCS, we have shows up and down the country.

hippychick thanks for your reply.  I have been taking things with a pinch of salt.  Even some trainers in my area can get pretty mean when they hear about my pup.  So when I was interviewing trainers I made sure to ask them their oppinion about the wgsd.  In this was I was able to narrow down my search and finally found a perfect trainer for me and my future girl.  I found the same thing for vets.  But agian I was able to find a wonderful vets by asking alot of the same questions. 

It is the us and them attitude that I meant, they are GSD's and all have the same problems and there are other coats that could be called non standard but they join in with the normal club activities. And despite some people saying otherwise you can do the same activities with a white/cream dog as any other including show if you wish. I can understand that those who are interested in the history of the breed may turn their nose up at the cream dogs and as I said, in the past the cream ones were not usually very good specimens, but to day some could hold their own for confirmation so I can't see the need for the separation. Still there is the German vs British followers that seem not to be able to get together so may be you are better off setting off on your own, but think it a shame that all GSD fanciers can't pull together for the sake of the breed.

I think you have hit the nail on the head Jackie with most of what you have said, but I for one wouldn't want to see the white gsd seperated from the gsd, as they have done in a few countries now.  It would not benefit the wgsd to have this done.  There is not a very large gene pool in this country to sustain such a break away and the whites would go down hill considerably.  I believe WALCSS have tried to do this in the past, but have failed.  Would just be nice to be able to enter them in Open shows, but I can't see that happening in the short term.

Becky

There is no reason why you can't enter them in open shows, and may be you should. It would take someone thickskined but eventually you would find a judge brave enough to say that the only dogs with the correct coat in the class were not the owners of good conformation and movement and that the white dog had the least faults. As most GSD people will know it is not just colour that is a fault in the coat and there a fair few 'normal' colour coats that are not correct. So I recon that if a few with good white ones started showing it would not take too lone before one of them would be winning and after that it is surprising how quick there is talk of changing the standard to include the colour of the dog that is winning, it has happened in other breeds, causes a bit of arguments and ill will but it happens in the end.

JackieH that is something to chew on. You would have to have rhinocerus skin tho, not to mention a fabulous dog that you could only fault through colour. Sorry peeps I'm to busy showing my Labs :D  If we were to nominate someone I would vote for Peter & Delia Bache they show their dogs to perfection, also my chumley Barbara Greenwood. My late coloured boy 'Flynt' was a real poser he loved showing but Spirit is a dollop in the ring, actually he is just a dollop.

I can't get on the Walccs site :(  is that because it is under construction or just because I've only had 3hrs sleep and far too much alcohol last night.
Debbie

Morning Debbie, Happy New Year!

I was doing a bit of updating last night, so maybe that was the problem, not sure.  Keep trying is all I can say! 

With regard to what Jackie has said, it would have to be a very strong willed person to start the ball rolling and enter in Open shows!  I couldn't do it, I would probably end up be escorted from the premises!!  I remember at a Companion show las May, I went into the ring with him and the woman in front of me scrowled at me and said "Are those allowed in Open shows now"?  I replied that I wasn't sure and she turned around and said "Well IT shouldn't really be in here"!!!!  At that point a walked out of the ring before I did something I would forget!  I know my boy has great confirmation and moves like a dream, as I have been told by the judges that he has been under at the rallies, but there as only been one judge so far who would see through his coat at a Companion show.  The rest don't even give him the time of day!

Beck

Becks I love it, all I ever get when I try to find the site is Lindas site. I've signed the guestbook, first person for 2004 :D
Any chance of a link?

We all love our dogs, hopefully that's why we have them but doggy people are generally the best sorts but why do dogs also bring out the worst in some people. It would be a strange world if we all liked the same thing. The show ring can be a daunting place, I filled in my schedule for my Labs open show last night and even that gave me butterflies, I've already experienced some 'nasties' at ringcraft. One thing at least that lady said it to your face.

Your right there Debbie, at least she did say it to my face.  I have put a link to your site on now, also if you have a photo of Spirit that I can put on the members dogs page that will be great.  It's a bit lacking at the moment.

Beck

co28uk  you are based in the perfect position, your on Anne Davidsons doorstep she is the Chair Person for WALCCS and all of the shows are up your neck of the country, I live all the way down near Southampton and have to travel miles to attend shows and rallies. The nearest one for me was St Albans and I had to make it there cos I was doing the judging for the pedigree classes. Have you joined WALCCS ?   We have a quarterly 'magazine' which gives details of all shows being held.  The magazine content has gone down hill a bit recently due to lack of material from members, so please anyone who loves Whites or coloured long coats join the club :)

WALCCS can you tell me what it stands for, and do they have a web page or e-mail addy. Can you tell me where the shows are held and what catergories they can enter. I have never been to a dog show but would love to attend even if it was to have a wonder with my dogs.

Just got back form a walk where we met a lovely male WGSD, so with my two and a lady that lives 5 mins from us you can imagine the looks we got with people seeing 4 WGSD's it was lovely and they were all so well behaved, the male thought his birthday'ss had all come at once :-D with three bitches running around him.

Cordelia

p.s just found the web page

Hi Corcelia. I havn't looked at the site for a while but I think they could do a lot better. You must know what it stands for now then but for anyone else it is White And Long Coat Shepherd Society. A typical schedule would be Best White Puppy, Best Coloured Puppy, Best White Long Coat Dog, Best WLC bitch, Best W Short Coat Dog, Best W SCBitch, Best Coloured LC Dog or Bitch, Best Coloured SC Dog or Bitch. Then at the end Best Puppy In Show, Res Best Puppy and Best In Show and Reserve Best In Show. The tel no. to join is on my other post and you will then get the magazine which publishes all the show venues. Actually I think they are on the web site too. If you click on my user name you will find a link to all of the clubs around the world and you can see my handsome boy.

He looks just like Ice my old girl, please feel free to visit my two girls i have just put a link to my website, pics need up dating though as Inca has grown a lot bigger now :-D

Cordelia

I spelt your name wrong before sorry Cordelia. He could be her relative, where did you get her from ? Have you looked at Wibbley (Zoes dog) he's nice too.  I'm gonna look at yours now:)

co28uk thank you for the reply.  Your 2 sound wounderful.  I also have another dog but she is a 10yr old rescue.  You wouldn't know that was her age when she around a pup.  She gets so excited.  She is my assistance dog here in the house but because of her age she can't do alot of the stuff anymore.  This pup will be trained in the next 2 years and then my old girl can completely retire.  Yes in the states they can show in just about everything but they have to be specialty classes. 

Thank you so much for the reply Zoe.  I went to your homepage and saw your beautiful little guy.  I am lucky to have a breeder who sends me lots of pictures of the pups.  I am planing on calling my little girl Debbie's Gift Of Gods Grace.  Her call name will Sheena.  Which is Greek for Gods Gift of Grace.  The breeder and I had to move the words around a little for her registered name. 

I think that's a wonderful name but I would cos I am called Debbie ;)

Actually I am one of those people that falls in love with just about all dogs.  I love them all and wish I could own them all.  But since I spoil all my pets so much I can't afford to take them all in.  So in answer to your question yes I love the standard colored shepherd too.  But because of how some standard breeders can be so mean when they have heard I am purchasing a white shepherd I try to aviod conflit. 

tcarlaidh
Ica came from a lady who lived in Oxford unfortunatley her bitch died when the pups were around 6 months, we got Inca from Skegness.
Inca is a very cheeky girl and loves to get her way around you with lots of kisses and cuddles.
At the moment the are both laid by the front door after they walk.

Cordelia

Someones a good photographer, I love the ones of her coming out of the sea, they're both georgous too but I just love all whites :)

Thanks, my parther takes most of the photos, think he is too worried i will drop his precious camera.
She doesn't like the sea and it is a nightmare trying to get her to go in she will only go in if she can touch the bottom but if there are waves then she will run the other way. :-D

Cordelia

I am suprised that you have not heard of WALCSS before Cordelia, it has been mentioned on this site numerous times.  It is worth joining just to get to know fellow white and long coat lovers!!  Try and get out to the shows next year, as they are excellent.  I only missed one show last year, but at all the rest my little man won Best White Puppy in show!  I personally, enjoy the magazines content and as I have just taken over the webmasters job for the club website I intend to make some changes with it from the old one. 

Hope you do join.

Becky

Ah now I know who you are Becky. Are you going to do a Puppy Register?  I think this would be a good idea, I was talking to my friend Carol and she told me about a lady who had already suggested this idea.  Also I think the stud dogs should go on there as well as the mag. What do you think?
Debbie :)

Hi Debbie

Pages are already on there waiting to be filled!!  I did mention the puppy page to Carol a couple of weeks ago, but she was so excited at the imminent birth of the pups that I didn't think she took it all in.LOL.  I am hoping it will do alot more for the club in a way that the magazine can't.  It will reach a lot more people and make them aware that we exist.  I still meet so many people who come along to the rallies who have never heard of the club, but there they are with a white long coat gsd!! 

Becky

Krys I was curious to know if WALCSS have a code of ethics for breeding, to hopefully show that members uphold standards for good breeding practice, as sadly a lot of whites and long coats in the past have been bred, unregistered and un health checked, as they are3 only for pets being used as an excuse.

With the gene pool matter I believe that some breeders are taking the long road by including good coloureds as parteners for the whites to increase gene pool, even though it means that litters will not be all white, health and temperament should improve with the use of good dogs.

Seem to be some nice whites with nice natures around now compared to a generation or too ago. :D

To be quite truthful, I am not 100% sure.  I would hope that there is some sort of breeding ethics within the club, but I have not seen anything in writing.  I do know that if a club member is found to be breeding with disregard to the dogs health or wellbeing then they are banned from the club, but it would be nice to see something in writing.

Beck 

just to add my bit, i am the very proud 'guardian'( don't like to use the word 'owner') of a long haired black gsd and he is just gorgeous.most people we know have not seen one before, but they all want one !!