User:Sarranduin/WhiteShepherd

Historical Time-Line

The First German Shepherd Dog is Born

Friedrich Sparwasser is known to have been breeding both white and wolf (sable) colored herding dogs of the same body conformation in his Frankfort kennel from the 1870's. The German Thuringia Highland herding dogs in Sparwasser's kennel had upright ears and a general body description that resembles modern German Shepherd Dogs. Sparwasser's white coat dogs are documented as showing in several German dog shows from 1882 through at least 1899. Horand von Grafrath, the foundation dog of the entire German Shepherd breed, whelped in Friedrich Sparwasser's Frankfort kennel and was originally named Hektor von Sparwasser. Horand (a.k.a. Hektor) was born the 1st of January 1895 along with litter brother Luchs von Sparwasser. Horand’s and Luchs’ maternal grandfather was a white-coat German herding dog named Greif von Sparwasser, whelped in Friedrich Sparwasser's Frankfort kennel in 1879. Stephanitz, the recognized founder of the German Shepherd breed attended the April 3, 1899 Karlesruhe Dog Exhibition, one of the largest all breed dog shows to date, in the Rhineland town of Karlesruhe. Stephanitz, accompanied by his friend Artur Meyer, saw Sparwasser's herding dog name Hektor (Linksrhein) von Sparwasser at the show and immediately realized they had found the ideal German Shepherd breed foundation dog. Stephanitz at once bought Hektor and renamed the dog Horand von Grafrath. Horand is the first entry in the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany or Der Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde, or SV, Stud Book as “Horand von Grafrath, SZ-1.

Recessive White Coat Gene in German Shepherd Dog Breed DNA

German Shepherd Dog breed DNA includes a recessive gene for white coats that was inherited from Greif von Sparwasser. The recessive gene for white hair was fixed in the German Shepherd Dog breed DNA by the late 19th and early 20th century German breeding program that extensively used Horand and Luchs, dogs that carried the recessive gene for white coats, to establish and expand breed population. White puppies appear in litters when both the male and female partners of a mating pair carry a recessive gene for "white coats." When only one partner of a mating pair carries a recessive gene for white coats, the recessive gene is passed on to the offspring, but white puppies will not present in the litter. Naturally, a significant percentage of German Shepherd puppies born in the early 20th century had white coats. During this early period of breed expansion some breeders viewed white German Shepherds as a natural part of the breed and cherished them, while other early German breeders, who particularly wanted the breed to have a standardize 'wolf-like' appearance, utterly rejected white coats as a "defective" breed trait and sought to prohibit white coats in the governing German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany (Der Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde, the SV) breed standard.

White Coats vs Wolf-Like Coloration in the Pre-WWII Germany Breed Standard

Through the 1920’s German breeders advocating for a strict wolf-like coloration breed standard constantly increased pressure within the German club to eliminate white dogs from the breeding program. In 1933 the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany updated their breed standard to officially forbid the breeding and registration of white coat dogs or even dark coat dogs proven to have produced litters with white puppies. The Nazis so extensively employed German Shepherd Dogs in war duties during WWII that the breed was nearly extinguished in Europe at war's end. Of the few German Shepherd dogs available for breeding in post WWII East and West Germany, only the dogs thought to have no white coats in their family tree were used for breeding. The German Club has strictly enforced the “no white coats” breed standard restriction to this day.

White Coat Gene and German Shepherd Dog Breed Expansion in the Americas

The white coat recessive gene was pervasive in the expanding German population of dogs before and immediately after WWI when the original German Shepherd Dogs were imported to populate new breeding programs throughout the Americas. By the end of WWII the population of German Shepherds in the Americas had grown both large and healthy out of that population of breeding dogs imported from Germany before the United States entered WWI and immediately after as some U.S. soldiers returned home with the dogs. In contrast to the German club’s actions, one of the key founders of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, as well as other influential American breeders in the years from 1913 through the WWII era accepted and supported white coat German Shepherds as a natural part of the breed. The white coat recessive gene remained pervasive in the large and growing American population of dogs through WWII and into the 1950's when demand for white coat German Shepherds steadily increased in the family dog market. Even though some influential breeders of the period accepted and even admired white coat German Shepherds some other breeders did not.

White Coats vs Exclusive Wolf-Like Coloration Standard Debate Goes Global After WWII

After WWII a new generation of German Shepherd Dog Club of America, German Shepherd Dog Club of Canada and German Shepherd Dog Club of Australia member breeders active in dog show events increasingly advocated for the adoption the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany breed standard that strictly forbids white coats. The German Shepherd Dog Club of America and the German Shepherd Dog Club of Canada ultimately adopted the “no white coat” breed standard by the mid-1960’s and then petitioned the American Kennel Club (AKC) and Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) to accept the standard change. The AKC accepted the restrictive German Club breed standard in 1968 and the CKC, after long deliberation with white coat German Shepherd supporters, accepted the standard change in 1998. On January 1, 1994 the Australian National Kennel Council accepted the restrictive “no white coat” breed standard change request made by the German Shepherd Dog Club of Australia.

National Kennel Clubs Individually Accept, Restrict and Reject White Coat German Shepherd Dogs

While the AKC and CKC adopted the "no white coat" breed standard for conformation dog show events, they did not accept the "no white coat" standard change for their German Shepherd Dog breed registry business or other dog show events. As of mid-2007 the AKC and CKC continue to accept white coat German Shepherd Dogs for breed registration, as well as obedience, tracking, herding, and temperament trial show ring competitions. The other principle kennel club in North America, the United Kennel Club, fully recognizes white coat German Shepherd Dogs as part of the German Shepherd Dog breed. The United Kennel Club (UKC) fully accepts white coat German Shepherd Dogs for breed registration, as well as conformation, obedience, tracking, herding, and temperament trial show ring competitions. The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) stopped accepting white coat German Shepherd Dogs for their breed registry in 1995 and barred white coat dogs from all ANKC sanctioned dog show event.

White German Shepherd Breed Clubs Emerge Around the Globe

Beginning in the late 1960’s German Shepherd Dog breeders in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, who favored white coat dogs, grouped together to form White German Shepherd breed clubs in their respective countries. The White German Shepherd Dog Club International, Inc was the first to organize in 1968 in North America (originally named The White German Shepherd Dog Club of America) to continue breeding "colored" German Shepherd Dog breed lines that carried the recessive gene for white coats. Through the club’s efforts, the AKC chose to continue to register white coat German Shepherds in their German Shepherd Dog breed registry.

Beginning in 1970 European breeders imported North American White German Shepherd dogs, some originally registered as AKC or CKC white coat German Shepherd Dogs, to start their White German Shepherd Dog breeding programs. (A few small lines of German Shepherd Dogs carrying the recessive white coat gene did manage to survive WWII in Germany and Holland. Even though these populations of dogs have not enjoyed registration by the German breed club since 1933, they can "unofficially" trace their heritage directly to the original early 20th century German population of German Shepherd Dog lines.)

In the United States a second organization named The White German Shepherd Dog Club of America (WGSDCA) was founded in January 1997. Like the WGSDCII the WGSDCA sponsors independent conformation dog shows using qualified judges to award championship points and titles to white dogs and colored dogs that carry the white-gene. Both the WGSDCII and WGSDCA organizations today continue to lobby the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and American Kennel Club for the reunification of white-coat and color-coat members of the breed under one breed standard. The recessive gene for white hair, continues to circulate in the American population of the German Shepherd Dog breed gene pool. White continues to be the second most common coat color registered in the AKC German Shepherd breed registry.

In addition to AKC, the other prominent North American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club (UKC) registers both white and color coat German Shepherd dogs in its German Shepherd Dog breed registry. White German Shepherd dogs are allowed to fully compete in all UKC events without restriction.

White German Shepherds can also show in conformation and all other events in a variety of other kennel clubs, including the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA), the International All-Breed Canine Association (IABCA), the National Canine Association (NCA), The Rare Breed Club of South Western Ontario (RBCSWO) and the Canine Kennel Club (CKC). The AKC continues to allow white coat German Shepherd Dogs to show in AKC obedience show ring events and compete in AKC tracking, herding, and temperament trial events.

White German Shepherd Breed Clubs also continue in Europe, Australia and Central and South America.

Pure "White Shepherd" Breed Lines Emerge

In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s a few ‘white’ German Shepherd Dog breeders in Europe and the Americas began to continually pair and repair only white coat male and female German Shepherd dogs over several generations to create a "pure" White Shepherd breed.

White Shepherd Pup at 5 weeks

These American and European “pure” breeders formed their own White Shepherd breed clubs in their respective countries beginning in 1991.

Australian breeders did not start to refine their local population of ‘white’ German Shepherd Dogs into a "pure" White Shepherd breed line until 2000. Breeders in New Zealand, South Africa and other points on the globe have already established or are currently working to establish their own "pure" White Shepherd breed lines by breeding only white coat male and female German Shepherd dogs over three or more generations in order to meet the official requirement for establishing a new breed classification.

Once these new White Shepherd breed lines are recognized by their national or international kennel club, breeders can no longer use white German Shepherd dogs, regardless of their white-to-white breeding lineage pedigree, in their breeding programs.

A New "Berger Blanc Suisse" White Shepherd Breed is Recognized in Europe

In Europe, the Swiss Kennel Club (SKC) recognized the White Swiss Shepherd Dog club (Berger Blanc International or BBI) and began registering its new "pure" White Swiss Shepherd Dog (Berger Blanc Suisse) breed in 1991. The White Swiss Shepherd Dog traces its origin to American AKC registered white coat German Shepherd dogs imported from the Americas to Switzerland in the early 1970's. In 2002 the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (translation - World Canine Federation) accepted a petition from BBI and SKC to recognize the Berger Blanc Suisse dog as a new international breed. The FCI named the White Shepherd (Berger Blanc) breed 'Suisse' because the Swiss Kennel Club (SKC) was the first to register the breed separately from GSDs. The FCI does not generally acknowledge or register any of the white or colored North American breed lines registered by UKC, AKC or CKC.

One or more White Shepherd dog breed clubs have organized in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Hungary, Czech Republic, the U.K, Slovenia, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Holland. As of January 2007, White Shepherd clubs in several countries including Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Germany, France, Cech Rep., Slovakia, and Denmark have associated with a parent club named Berger Blanc International. In the year 2002 Berger Blanc International petitioned the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English translation, World Canine Federation) to recognize the White Shepherd as a new and separate breed. The FCI accepted the petition as of 01 January 2003 and now recognizes the White Shepherd breed as the "Berger Blanc Suisse" under as standard number 347.

Partial Recognition Of A New "White Shepherd" Breed in the Americas

A breed club in the United States and yet another breed club in Canada each individually developed additional "pure" White Shepherd breed lines in their respective countries from the mid to late 1990's. The American White Shepherd Association (AWSA) in the United States and the White Shepherd Club of Canada (WSCC) have each made efforts to gain breed recognition with the AKC and CKC in their respective countries for their new White Shepherd breed lines, but neither national kennel club has, as of Fall 2007, recognize these new White Shepherd breed lines.

In 1999 another club, the United White Shepherd Club (UWSC), organized as a United Kennel Club affiliate and immediately petitioned for a new UKC White Shepherd breed classification. The UKC accepted the UWSC‘s petition and in 1999 created a new and separate White Shepherd breed conformation standard and registry. The UKC then registered dogs from the United White Shepherd Club's own new White Shepherd breed line to initiate the White Shepherd new breed registry.

The UKC now recognizes both the new White Shepherd breed standard as well as the original German Shepherd Dog breed conformation standard, that continues to include white as one of the several coat color patterns of the breed.

The UKC, AKC and CKC do not generally acknowledge or register the FCI recognized white or colored breed lines. As of mid-2007, the White Swiss Shepherd Dog (Berger Blanc Suisse) breed has not appeared in the Americas. Currently, 2015, there are two Berger Blanc Suisse breeders in the USA, one in California and one in Michigan.Hyldami64 (talk) 01:30, 25 January 2015 (UTC)

White Swiss Shepherd Dog Breed Expands To Australia

The White German Shepherd Dog and White Shepherd history in Australia is similar the their histories in Canada. The Australian National Kennel Council listed white coats a fault in its German Shepherd Dog breed standard in 1994. White dogs were to be placed on the Limited Register. Dogs on the Limited register can not be shown or bred from. And as such, puppies resulting from a mating between atleast one white parent were not eligible for registration.

In May 2008, after years of hard work from the 1st importer, the White Swiss Shepherd Dog finally gained recognition with the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC). Full showing rights given from 1st January 2009.

People in Australia must be aware, that the lines bred & promoted within the White Swiss Shepherd Dog Club of Australia will never recognized by The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) for its breed registry and dog show events as correct stud book procedures were not followed. The ANKC has advised that these dogs are not a separate breed, and as such, recognition may only be acheived under a completely different name different to that of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog.

White Swiss Shepherd Dog Breed Expands To Southern Africa

Diva-Lady of White Valley was the first White Swiss Shepherd registered with the Kennel Union of Southern Africa. The White Shepherd breed is quickly expanding in Southern Africa through the efforts of breeders affiliated with the White Swiss Shepherd Dog Club of Southern Africa.

The Controversy Continues

The white vs colored German Shepherd Dog controversy continues to this day.

Founding of the Modern German Shepherd Dog Breed in Germany

As a young cavalry officer, Stephanitz’s military duties often required him to travel across the German countryside. It was common for travelers like Stephanitz to board with rural families along the way. At that time most rural German farms had at least a few head of sheep and a herding dog or two to tend them. Stephanitz became fascinated with the German herding dogs and their working capabilities. He admired all the hard working dogs, but observed some dogs had a special look and bearing about them that he especially admired.

Eventually Stephanitz became inspired with the idea that Germany should have a national herding dog that combined the work ethic of the most accomplished herding dogs with that special look and bearing he so admired. Stephanitz envisioned a German shepherding dog who was extremely intelligent, could reason and be a working companion to man. Further, the dog must be quick on his feet and well coordinated, protective, noble in appearance and bearing, trustworthy in character, physically sound in joint and muscle, and be born with an innate desire to please and obey the shepherd master. This is the German Shepherd dog that we know and love today. By 1891 Stephanitz started selecting the best herding dogs from across the German countryside for his breeding program, but Stephanitz was not alone in his passion to develop a national German Shepherding Dog.

The Phylax Society, active primarily between the years 1891-1894, was an organization of German shepherding dog fanciers that in many ways formed the foundations for the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany. The Phylax Society documented shepherding dogs of varying sizes, types and colors, including white, to have been in all areas of Germany during the late 1800’s.

Like Stephanitz, Phylax Society members were actively engaged in uniting the various sizes, types and colors of German shepherding dogs to produce a standard shepherding dog for Germany. Their focus was more on body shape and color rather than on actual utilitarian herding skills. Stephanitz corresponded with Phylax Society members and attended dog shows organized by the Society, thus adding to Stephanitz’s already knowledge of bloodlines.

The Phylax Society provides an essential prolog to the modern German Shepherd story, both white and colored. The society ultimately did not long survive because its focus was on form rather than utility and the club had no strong central figure to organize and manage Society affairs. The Phylax Society essentially evolved into the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany, under Stephanitz's leadership, as most former Phylax Society members later joined with Stephanitz.

The Recessive Gene for White Coats Carried by the First German Shepherd Dog

Hektor’s and Luchs' maternal grandfather was a white-coat German herding dog named Greif von Sparwasser, whelped in Friedrich Sparwasser's Frankfort kennel in 1879. George Horowitz, renowned English Judge, German Shepherd (Alsatian) columnist, author and historian documents the background of Hektor Linksrhein (a.k.a. Horand von Grafrath) in his 1923 book, “The Alsatian Wolf-Dog.” In his book Horowitz documents that the white-coat herding dog named Greif von Sparwasser, born in 1879, was presented at the 1882 and 1887 Hanover Dog Shows. Another white-coat herding dog, Greifa, showed at the 1888 Hamburg Dog Show, and a third white-coat herding dog named Greif II was presented at the 1889 Cassel Show. The Master of Hounds of Beyenrode, Baron von Knigge, who acquired Greif from the Frankfurt breeder Friedrich Sparwassar, eventually owned all three of the white-coat herding dogs Greif, Greifa and Greif II. These dogs were described as very alert, well proportioned, erect eared white herding dogs.

Breeding records show that Greif von Sparwasser was mated with female Lotte von Sparwasser who whelped a litter that included a wolf-grey colored female named Lene von Sparwasser, later registered as SZ-156. Both Greif and Lotta had the distinctive 'up right' ears and a similar body conformation that we see in the modern German Shepherd Dog breed. In Lene's mating to dog Kastor (Rüde) von Hanau, registered as SZ-153, she whelped a litter that included the wolf colored Hektor (a.k.a. Horand von Grafrath SZ-1) and his wolf colored litter brother Luchs, later registered as SZ-155. Friedrich Sparwasser obviously had both white and wolf (sable) colored herding dogs of the same body conformation in his kennel and he was pairing white and colored dogs in his breeding program. Sparwasser's herding dogs are described as originating from the German Thuringia highland region.

If Stephanitz can be called the father of the German Shepherd Dog breed, then perhaps Frankfurt breeder Friedrich Sparwasser should also be credited as a grandfather. Concurring information is provided in “The German Shepherd Dog, Its History, Development and Genetics,” written by M. B. Willis, B. Sc.Ph.D.

In Stephanitz's original book "The German Shepherd Dog in Words and Picture," printed in Germany by Anton Kamphe, Jena in 1923, he describes the background of the dog types used to develop the German Shepherd breed. Clearly, among the several dog types used in the breeding program there were two dog types of particular importance to the development of the German Shepherd Dog as we know them today: sheepdogs from the German highland Thuringia region who had erect ears and a general conformation of the modern German Shepherd dog, and herding dogs from the Wurttemberg region which were heavier, larger-boned and had very bushy tails. Greif, Lotta, Hektor and Luchs are noted as having "Thuringian blood." Unfortunately, later revisions of Stephanitz's book eliminated much of Stephanitz's original descriptive commentary on the various dog types used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to develop the modern German Shepherd Dog breed. Information and photos of Old German Shepherds can be found in the book (in German) "Hirten und Huetehunde" by Karl Hermann Finger, Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co., published 1988.

The genetic influence of Horand’s maternal grandsire, white-coat Greif, is significant in the breed given Horand was line-bred and inbred with his own offspring in the expansion and refinement of the new breed after 1899. Horand was bred to 35 different bitches, including his own daughters, producing 53 litters, of which, 140 progeny were registered with the SV. Horand’s litter brother Luchs was also widely bred in the same way in the expansion of the modern German Shepherd breed. Further, Horand’s offspring was inbred with Luchs' offspring, which further concentrated the DNA of these dogs. It is a statistical certainty that a large percentage of all of Horand’s and Luchs’ offspring inherited the white genetic factor that was passed to them by white-coat maternal grandfather Greif. The white genetic factor in turn was forwarded on to a percentage of all subsequent generations of the breed. In the first 15 years of pedigreed German Shepherd Dog breeding more than half the registered dogs had litters with white puppies. Many of Horand's grandsons produced white pups including Baron von der Seewies (1913) who became the first white German shepherd registered in the breed book. Of the many genetic traits that became firmly entrenched in the founding breeding program, the white-coat color gene figures prominently, even to this day.

File:Berno von der Seewiese.jpg

Included Photograph of Berno v.d. Seewiese

In Stephanitz's original 776-page book, "The German Shepherd Dog in Words and Picture," he included a photograph of a celebrated White Shepherd, Berno von der Seewiese, who was a direct descendant of Horand von Grafrath, (a.k.a. Hektor) the father of the breed. Berno v.d. Seewiese, born in 1913 was in a direct line down from Horand von Grafrath through Horand’s equally famous, and some said even more handsome, son Hektor von Schwaben. In his 1921 book, Stephanitz wrote, "The coloring of the dog has no significance whatsoever for service" and "Our German Shepherd Dogs have never been bred for color, which for the working dog is a matter of quite secondary consideration. Should any fashion breeder allow himself to pursue such a senseless fad, he might be bitterly disappointed." Clearly, the founder of the breed stressed utility over appearance, however, it must be noted that in other passages in his book Stephanitz also wrote of his preference for dark colored shepherds. Stephanitz writes in his 1925 book, "Albino's, (i.e. animals without color, in other words white dogs with completely colorless skin, pale claws, flesh colored nose and reddish eyes) must be completely excluded from breeding. With dogs, however, who have been bred to white color, where the skin has retained the pigmentation, it is not a sign of paling but of breed. This, however, applies only to other breeds; for shepherd dogs, both smooth and rough haired, white is only allowed for shaggy haired ones as the descendants of the old sheep dogs bred for white."

The prime directive of Stephanitz breeding mandate was that the German Shepherd Dog breed must embody all the qualities of a working herding dog. He maintained that the beauty is in the working abilities of the dog; muscle, bone, joint, proud look and bearing, intelligence, stamina and work ethic were the primary strengths sought in the breed. To ensure this prime directive of breeding was honored Stephanitz created the Koerung, a survey, in which the dogs were thoroughly examined, judged, and deemed fit or unfit for breeding. Coat color considerations did not disqualify a dog from Stephanitz’s German Shepherd breed standard during the first twenty years of the breed club. Dogs known to carry the "white coat factor" were not, for this reason alone, excluded from the SV breed program. This is not to say white-coat puppies were happily received in all breeder's litters, even in these early formative years of the breed when the recessive gene for white coats was so well established and wide spread in the breeding pool. (Schutzhund is the modern version of Stephanitz's breeding assessment survey.)

The Colored Only vs White Coat Controversy Grows Among the Early SV Membership

By 1923 Stephanitz's still growing club membership numbered over 57,000 enthusiasts who grouped into factions of herdsmen, commercial breeders, and show dog devotees. Many commercial and show oriented breeders, who were less passionate about the dog's working characteristics, particularly wanted the breed to have a full wolf appearance. This, in part, is a carry over from the old Phylax Society members who joined with Stephanitz on the founding of his club in 1899. Winfred Strickland writes in her (1988 revised edition) book, “The German Shepherd Today,” that the old Phylax Society, "was based solely on its members common interest in breeding (herding) dogs to resemble wolves, presumably hoping to cash in on their high market value." Another faction opposed to the SV direction, who did not reject white as a breed color, actually broke away and operated under the DSV name until about 1928.

In his 1923 book Stephanitz recognized the esteem many held for the wolf look and wrote that breeders must not to add more “wolf blood" into his dogs because he had already developed the ideal balance of conformation and temperament. Stephanitz also wrote of SV politics in his 1923 book, “The group with the best chance of gaining the upper hand was the one which envisioned turning the breed into a working-type show dog, with at costs, erect ears and, possibly, a wolf-like appearance as well.” Even while expressing the importance of utility over appearance, Stephanitz himself expressed a personal preference for the wolf-like black and tan coloring in his 1916 and later writings. By the late 1920s SV breeders were already beginning to [cull] white-coat puppies from litters and the SV breeding program.

Germany SV Strictly Enforces Wolf-Like Coloration Only Breed Standard

According to Kerrin Winter Churchill author of "Passion to Surive", (AKC Gazette, 2002, NAIA 2006), " In the 1930s members of the Nazi party were the "elite" and dominated every aspect of German society, even German Shepherd dog breeding." Many of the elite did not agree with Stephanitz that the breed should embody, first and foremost, the qualities of a working shepherd dog. The predator wolf appearance of the colored German Shepherd Dog increasingly symbolized everything German in the eyes of the Nazi Party and so, partly because Hitler also loved the breed, SV politics became an extension Nazi politics. Adolf Hitler bred German Shepherds and even after Hitler became Chancellor he would exhibit them in shows.

On January 30, 1933 President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler chancellor of Germany. After the February 27, 1933 Reichstag fire, a false flag attack blamed on the communists, Adolf Hitler declared a state of emergency by forcing President Hindenburg to sign the Reichstag Fire Decree suspending the Weimar Constitution. The authoritarian Third Reich Nazi government quickly took control of every segment of German society.

According to Churchill, "Beginning in 1933 with dogs belonging to Jewish breeders, Hitler began seizing entire kennels. The German military made great use of dogs during WWII. Non Jews, who bred working dogs deemed valuable by the Nazis, were given ration cards to feed them. The dogs remained with their breeders, but it was understood that the Nazis could take them at anytime. In his book, “The Complete Boxer”, Milo Denlinger explains 'the Nazis muscled in on the dog fancy, as on so many other things.' In German Shepherds as well as Dobermans and Boxers, the Nazis helped themselves to thousands of dogs. In doing so, they destroyed some of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines of all three breeds. With the original breeders out of the way, Hitler-appointed officials held private kennel inspections but they weren’t knowledgeable breed people. Hard pressed to evaluate a dog, their decisions were often impulsive. Dogs that didn’t suit ideals of the Nazi mandated breed standard were shot on sight. This horror has been overlooked for years as the atrocities done to mankind in the name of the Third Reich have overshadowed all else." In 1933 the SV, under de facto Nazi control, amended its German Shepherd Dog breed standard to disqualify white coats from all club activities and breeding.

In her (1988 revised edition) book, “The German Shepherd Today,” Winfred Strickland writes, "There were many SV members who were Nazi and they tried to meddle in the affairs of the SV. They persistently used vile means to cut Stephanitz off from his life's work and when he resisted they threatened him with a concentration camp." After thirty-six years of managing the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany, he gave up and left the club in 1935. He died one year later on April 22, 1936.

White German Shepherds in Post-WWII Germany

By the time the Nazis party took full control of the SV in 1933 white-coated shepherds were, without question, outlawed as undesirable. SV opinion maintained the white-coat factor caused coat paling across the full range of dark coat colors.

By the end of World War II, thousands upon thousands of German Shepherd Dogs in Germany had been slaughtered, as the military confiscated any dog they could find for military service, regardless of breeding value, in the final years of the war. While the few German Shepherd Dogs that managed to survive World War II almost represent a new start for the breed in Germany, they nonetheless embodied the foundation stock established by Stephanitz's original breeding program.

White-coated puppies born in Germany after WWII were not documented and they were immediately culled out of new litters, as is true to this day. Therefore, we do not have a complete record of white-coated German Shepherd Dogs presenting in "standard-color" litters in Germany since 1935. However, sires and bitches that breed litters with one or more whites are documented in the SV Zeitung (magazine) and unregistered, when breeders report such litter presentations.

A few White German Shepherd Dogs did managed to survive the Nazis and WWII in Germany and Holland. Descendants of these lucky white-coated dogs that trace their heritage directly to the white GSDs of the early 1900s survive to this day, despite not being allowed registration by the SV.

White German Shepherds Adopted Throughout the Americas

Ann Tracy and her White German Shepherds

In 1913 the German Shepherd Dog Club of America was established with the registry of Queen of Switzerland (AKC # 115006) and the adoption of Stephanitz’s breed standard. One of the founders of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and one of the earliest German Shepherd Dog breeders in America was Ann Tracy of New York. Ann Tracy's breeding program, using Stephanitz's colored German Shepherds imported from Germany, produced white-coated Shepherds almost immediately. A litter that whelped on March 27, 1917 in Tracy's kennel contained four white puppies: Stonihurst Edmund, Stonihurst Eric, Stonihurst Eadred and Stonihurst Elf. These four white German Shepherds are believed to be the first white Shepherds bred and born in the United States and are the first to be registered with the American Kennel Cub.

Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge and her German Shepherds

In the early 1920’s, H. N. Hanchett of Minnesota and Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge of New York imported additional German-bred German Shepherd Dogs, including some white-coated dogs, to the United States. Thus, the white-coated German Shepherd Dog had an early and prominent entry in North America. The beauty of these White German Shepherds became increasingly admired throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico in the years after World War I and its numbers increased as popularity of the German Shepherd Dog breed increased.

In 1920 America, just as the Strongheart (registered as Etzel v. Oeringen) and Rin-Tin-Tin silent movies were ready to exploded in popularity, the AKC registered just 2,135 shepherd dogs. From 1921 onward movies and vaudeville stage acts featuring nearly two-dozen German Shepherd stars rapidly grew in popularity. A few white German Shepherds appeared in movies during this period, but they were particular popular for vaudeville acts because their size and white coat made them highly visible on stage. Popularity of the German Shepherd dog on stage and screen quickly translated into explosive demand for German Shepherd puppies across North America. The German Shepherd became the most popular breed in North America as every little boy and girl wanted his or her own Strongheart and Rin-Tin-Tin dog.

By 1926 the annual number of German Shepherds registered with the AKC had increased to 21,596 and that reflects only part of the population increase for the year as not every breeder and new shepherd owner registered their dog with the AKC. The German Shepherd dog remained the most popular breed in North America for several years thereafter. The recessive gene for white coats was common in the American breeding population during this period of breeding frenzy. As with the first two decades of Shepherd breeding in Germany, more than half the litters of this population explosion presented white puppies. The famous dog bloodlines of Strongheart (Oeringen) and Rin-Tin-Tin are also known to have produced black-pigmented white-coated puppies. The Oeringen bloodline was considered one of the better lines in Germany at that time and it supplied the foundation stock for many of the more prestigious kennels in North America.

Paul Strang writes in his 1983 book, "The White German Shepherd Book" that, "During the late forties and early fifties Lloyd C. Brackett's Long Worth Kennels dominated the scene, producing more outstanding shepherds than any kennel in North America. This bloodline combined the best shepherds of the nation... From this line came solid black, Kirk of San Miguel, and many other notable dark color-coated dogs such as Morex or Ilex of Long-Worth, who each carried the white-coat gene. Here again we find the appearance of White Shepherd puppies in these popular lines was common. Many of North America's German Shepherd lines have Long-Worth bloodlines in their pedigrees. In fact, the Long-Worth bloodline is more common in American White Shepherd pedigrees than any other." It is, therefore, clear that well managed breeding programs produced high quality dark color-coated dogs side by side with dark pointed (pigmented) white-coated dogs in the same litters for generations.