I was just wondering if anyone here owns a white GSD?
I would very much like to compare "notes" on character and behaviour.
My dog is very skittish around strangers and everyone keeps telling me it's very common for this breed, but since I don't know anyone else who owns one (except the breeder) its hard to compare.

yep me lol i have two bitches one is 6yrold the other is 9 months.
Adult is fine with people dogs cars busy anything really and even fireworks she loves to look out of the window when the go off. As for the pup i think we are going through a stage of barking at people (but working with treats to stop it), mmmm scarfed of fireworks but then she is still young so hopefully next year she will be better.
Fantastic dogs and lovelable, cuddles kisses you name it you get it :-D
Cordelia

If you click on my id you can see my little baby;s on the web page, go to ice and inca but it needs updating again. I take to many pics :-D

Hi I too have a WGSD he is 1 year old and is gorgeus, he love his play time....a bit too much ;) and his walks and seems to be behaving him self atm. He lives with me and my partner and we dont have people around that often so when ever we get visitors its always fun :D I too have some picture in my profile.

Wow..thanks guys!! 
I already had a feeling the problem lies more with the line than the breed, Kyra's mother was not too happy about strangers eithers, but unfortunately we didn't pay enough attention to her behaviour till after we'd already bought the pup :(
Don't get me wrong, she is the most wonderful dog to us and she is perfectly fine with everything else ( cars, fireworks, she even plays with horses!!), but when someone she doesn't see on a daily basis comes into the house she'll put her tail between her legs and run off to bark at them from a distance.
Ever since she was a puppy she would back away from strangers hands and no amount of feeding and praising and training seems to be able to correct the problem, which is a real shame, as she was doing so well on her obedience, but we cant go any further because she keeps failing when the examinator has to "handle" her.

Try socialising her as much as poss and ignoring her when she barks, apparently if you try to encourage them and talking in a soft voice to try and calm them (praising etc) this tells the dog that what it is doing is right and that your scared of this person too.

to stop mine from barking at people (not quite there yet) i have to treat as soon as she or i see a person so that she does not get the oputtunity to bark at them so that she will associate the person as treat time. As for the house the only way we get around that is to pop her in the garden when my partners parents come round then after 5 mins she comes in and is fine and sits by there feet waiting for a stroke.
I also take her to the local sunday market and treat and also with hold treats and say good girl.
Cordelia

Thanks for that Cordelia,

We find she finds men more threathening than women and its only a problem as long as people are standing up or looking her in the eyes directly. If they avoid eyecontact or are sitting down, she'll go over for a sniff and will sit down for a scratch behind the ears..

I just looked at your website as well, they are soo beautiful!
Dont you just love them? 
when we started off choosing a breed, I really had my heart set on the Canadian white, but unfortunately none (that I found) are available in the UK, its not even a recognized breed!
So in the end I choose the white GSD. Unfortunately she's never been a very strong dog, but she more than makes up for it in character!

Wow.. I was just looking at your puppy, Zoe, its amazing how much he looks like my Kyra!!
He's gorgeous!
I think we have resigned ourselves to the fact that she just doesnt like strangers, which I guess is a good thing  really.
And she doesnt bark at people when we are outside, she just avoids them, but people always want to stroke her because she looks so soft and white, so that makes it a bit harder :) 
Are you anywhere near the North West? I've always wondered if she'd react differently to another dog from her own breed.

Hi folks, if I may be permitted to make a point, why do you seem to speak about your dogs as if they are a breed apart; they are GSD's who happen to have a non standard coat colour. Now if, as I believe you do, you want your cream dogs to be accepted, you will have to stop talking about them as if they are a different breed.

we like white gsd so it is nice to hear from others who have them and compare notes. Yes they are GSD's but we like them because they are a bit different and there are not many around compared to the standard colours.
Yes we do want our cream, white, biscuti and champagne dogs to be accepted, but we are not talking about them as if they are a diffrent breed, they are differnet from the standard GSD due to the colour as are blacks and blues or greys.
Cordelia

Just one thing all black GSDs are within the the breed standard & not non standard they should not be classed along side blue/cream.white/biscuit coloured GSDs which are non standard colours(edited to add)in Germany grey sables are called grey

There are several nice all black GSDs been shown in breed at this time

ooops did not know that i thought it was only the standard colours

i stand corrected :-) thank you
cordelia

Realise that there are a group who like the cream coloured GSD's the reason for my comment was the first posters remark <<I would very much like to compare "notes" on character and behaviour>> is their character and behaviour any different from other GSD's whatever colour or type their coat is.

I am aware that they can be shown and have in fact encouraged people to do so, at one time the creams were very poor specimens, but now some could hold their own in the show ring and if you do, sooner or latter there will be an animal of such good quality, the fact that the coat is cream or black will have to be ignored, and a judge of courage will place it because it will be the best one there, non recognised colour and all. 

Er Jackie A black GSD is a standard colour so why should it be at a disadvantage against black/gold/tan/fawn or sable dogs ?

I have helped show all black GSDs in breed including CC winning so please do not lump all blacks with non standard colours 

Er Moonmaiden, I did not say it was, if you like read "cream or standard" just said black as an example I guess because some one had just mentioned it.

Have just re-read and I see it could be missunderstood. If I change it now our posts will not make sense but what I meant to say was that sooner or later a judge will have to ingnore the colour, whatever it is, and put up the best dog even if it is a non standard colour. think that is clearer, sorry.

Hi Wolfwitch

I have two wgsd.  Both male.  Temperament wise they are no different to the coloured/standard coats I have had in the past.  If you buy from a good breeder and get a pup socialised at a young age then you should end up with a happy well adjusted dog.

Beck.

Hello Wolfwitch. I have a white boy and a blue boy, you can see Spirit and his offspring if you click on my username.
As JH says they are all GSDs and in saying this socialising is soooooo important and from the word go. I used to breed them but now stick to stud work. I would get her out as much as possible and as mentioned do not fuss her if she reacts to things as this enforces fear. Why don't you join the White And Long Coat Shepherd Society. Becks who comes on here is the Webmaster and doing a fine job of compiling the new web site.
:) Debbie

Is the Canadian White not realy a White GSD ?  I bred a white long coat boy in the UK, he was registered here and went to live in Australia but they  are now known as White Swiss Shepherds over there 

i myself think they are the same, but a few people on her think they have temprement problems.
Can you know show white breeds in the ring then i thought that they could only be shown for agility and obdeince.

Cordelia

Yes if you have registration papers for your dog you can show it. The colour is just a fault like a badly carried tail or a ear tip dropping over, and IMO not as serious. Better add that there are some within the breed that find it unacceptable, and you will have to have a thick skin.

I am getting my first white german shepherd in a little over 3 weeks but I have put over a year of study into them.  This is not common for the breed.  Just like in any litter you will have some dogs who are less assertive as others.  If this was normal then they wouldn't be used in police work, search and rescue, service, and so on.  Mine is going to be a service dog. 

jackie

have to say you can not show whites at crufts.

Cordelia

Isabeu
great dogs as with any the right training and you will have the pefect and loyal freind.

Cordelia

Jackie H why do you always have to come on WGSD posts and 'point out' that they are the same as ordinary ones, we know they are but it is not a crime to talk about WGSD's like you seem to make out, and they are classed as WHITE not CREAM as you keep repeating yes there are champagne colours but there are also a lot of pure white ones. If you were walking down the street its only natural that you would spot a dog that looked the same colour as your own just as it is natural to talk about whites on here!

Hi Zoe, because I am interested in the breed, sorry if the way I express myself offends you but that is the only answer I can give, the breed interests me and I would like to see any dog of quality being recognized. If my posting offends you then don't read them as I don't really see why I should not post my thoughts along with any other enthusiast. I call them creams because that is what they are different shades of cream. I point out that they are the same and can be shown because people still seem to think they can't.

Now perhaps you would like to tell be why you attack me for being interested in the same breed as you are?

zoe---i think thats a bit harsh-----jackie has  said nothing but nice things about your white/cream/champagne  gsd"s.   to the extent she suggests one day a judge  might judge the dog not the colour.
nowhere has she objected to you talking about them ,      myself id say youd be wasting your time showing them at anything other than the companion shows or the ones organised by your wgsd clubs etc, ------ we all see things differently, -but were all entitled to our veiws.

Why is that, Cordelia? Is it just because none have qualified? (Not meaning to sound nasty or anything, just curious.)

i beleive it is due to the colour, crufts consider as one person said to be a fault. But i believe that they can be shown for obdience and agility but not sure if it is allowed in crufts
I also believe that in the USA they can be shown for everything in the ring.

Just found that you can show a white setter?? never seen one myself

Cordelia

Not wishing to upset Zoe, but I think if one had qualified it could be shown, in the UK we do not have any disqualifying faults in the show ring apart from aggression.

jackie H why do you keep saying they can be shown in crufts the can not.

Cordelia

Don't keep saying it, have said it once, if I am wrong would you tell me where I can find the information which says you can't show a white if it has qualified. Or why you are convinced you can't.

If you managed to qualify a non standard colour or coat type GSD for breed(highly unlikely,but it could happen)then there is nothing to stop you entering or showing it there

The standard colours for GSD are Sable, Black, Bi Colour & Black & Gold/Red/Tan(describe the lighter markings on what most people consider standard GSDs)

Any dog that qualifies in the usual manner can attend Crufts. So if a White GSD was shown and placed in the appropriate Crufts qualifying classes at a championship show then it canindeed be entered and exhibited at Crufts.
I always think that if you are serious at getting the colour accepted you need to show your dogs and breed themto a high standard. Things will not changeif people just complain about it. So get your dogs out to a KC licenced Champ show, pick a central one and get as many white shepherds there as posible, and show the dog fraternity that you mean business but don't take the rubbish ones or you'll just prove everyone right.

Jesse

Thanks Jesse, that is what I keep saying and now I'm getting flack for it, if, and I think there are now some quality cream dogs being bred, if the enthusiasts want them to be accepted they need to push the barriers and get the dogs out there and do some winning. It has been done before in other breeds so why not GSD's.

I agree Jackie, I remember the hoohah with the brindle basenji. But the owners had the courage of their convictions and got it accepted. It should be easier for the fans of the cream GSD (and I've only ever seen cream ones, never white ones) because there are so many more of them. If the dogs have the correct construction, movement etc, then they will get there. But it will take a concerted effort on their part.
:)

Funny you should say that JG it is the Basenji I was thinking of, loads of fuss about it but once it won a CC and I think a group place the objections crumbled and the magic word 'brindle' appeared in the standard.

Proves it can be done if people want it enough, and the dogs are of the right calibre!
:)

There are no rules that says a WGSD cannot be shown at crufts or any other show as long as it qualifies(for crufts thast is) as long as it is KC reg same as a white boxer,or any other non breed standard colour of any breed.
However you are not likely to get a judge give a non standard colour (WGSD or otherwise) a high enough placing at a qualifying show for whatever reason.
Archer

Jackie H I was not "attcking" you in the slightest, this is not the first time that you asked that question and we have answered it before, I just dont see why you need to ask about them being the same breed if we have already told you that we know they are the same!

You know they are the same breed, but you can't deny that some posters speak as though they are not, am I not allowed to put forward my point of view and if not why not, you are able to state yours, do you have more rights than I ?

It has happened in other breeds so if there are WGSD's of sufficient quality there will be a judge with enough courage to recognize a quality dog whatever it's coat colour, myself I would be worried by a single coat on a GSD more than the colour. It's not going to happen tomorrow but if the supporters of the non-standard colours are not prepared to put the money where their mouths are they will never win through, if they believe in their dogs they should have a go, change will not happen tomorrow but if they push hard enough there is a chance it will happen.

Yes fine but I dont think this post was about WGSD's being different from the regular coloured ones, its just someone who has just got a new pup and wants to talk about it, it doesnt matter what breed it is but of course she/he (sorry forgoten lol) is gonna be more interested with people who have the same colour as her, I know I was am still am. I agree that they should be classed as one breed and be allowed to show but there is no harm in talking about a particular colour is there?

Looks like we agree then so what's the problem with me voicing my thoughts on the subject. Have owned GSD's, not just butting in, have an honest opinion on the subject and thought the original poster did suggest the there were problems specific to the cream coloured dogs not found in other colours, and that is not my experiance.

Just to say JH is absolutely correct in what she says. My skin is not quite the thickness of a Rhinoceros, although I am building it up gradually and I know that my boy is not of the correct confirmation to show, although he is white, unlike many that you see now. I think breeders of whites should at least concentrate on breeding whites white and not cream or brown as many are and then perhaps people would not refer to them as 'creams etc'.  Quite honestly the majority ARE verging on brown. Although of course not to the detriment of temperament and health, far too often when people breed for colour, whatever the breed, that is the only consideration that people have. Many people still believe white GSDs are rare and many poor specimens are bred to capture the less knowledgable Joe Public and thus give the dog a bad name. Love it or hate it white is a fault.
Debbie.

Hi all was going to keep out of this one but why dont one of you who owns a white GSD enter it at a champ show and lets all see what happens, the breed is so mixed up at the moment it probably wont make much difference anyway

Janines

i doubt any kc judge is going to place a white---theyre not accepted colours, ----already theres a very noticable split in breed type, --but what there is-is plenty of the correct coloured ones shown. so its very unlikely a white would  qualify for crufts, there is a template for all breeds, which is aimed for by breeders that breed for the ring, and white wont come into it--ive nothing whatsoever against them, but i think you need to be realistic when your told to show one,

Hi Dizzy,  I own  the breed and have done for a long time and have middle of the road and have just purchased a son from Ch elan so they are all going on about whites yeah its a non standard colour we all know that BUT there are constuction faults that are worse than coat colour and temprement problems what I am saying if someone does believe that they have a white shepherd that they believe to be nearer the standard than what is being shown at the moment then lets have them in the ring and see what the judge does lets be honest about all of this half of the judges do not stick to the standard anyway or put mates dogs up so what the heck a white one on the ring wont do any harm and there are a few nice ones around

Janines

Tracy. be honest, would you take a white GSD in the ring? I dont think so, I think encouraging people to do this is wrong. The Breed standard says whites are highly undesirable. so no judge who reads his standard is going to place a white GSD.this argument has ocurred time and time again. If people prefer the colour, fine that is there decision, but they are a non standard colour, not suitable for the showring, the WALCCs do put on companion type shows for whites and longcoats, where they would be most welcome, but at open and championship shows they would be frowned upon, not fair to put the dogs or there owners through this.
Charm

Hi Jeanette you are right no I WOULD not take a white shepherd into the ring as I do try to stick to the standard whether mine is interpreted rite or wrong, but if u g o thru the posts above someone did mention putting one thru and getting judges if they are honest enough to put a dog with merley coat colour wrong before constuction faults and getting the standard changed just merely pointing a fact out thats all dont mean to upset anyone because I like the breed too much

Janines

Quote "I was just wondering if anyone here owns a white GSD?
I would very much like to compare "notes" on character and behaviour.
My dog is very skittish around strangers and everyone keeps telling me it's very common for this breed, but since I don't know anyone else who owns one (except the breeder) its hard to compare."

I see nothing in this posters message about any of this, how about you start another one