Download White German Shepherd Gail Finkeldei

Please note: This article is presented as a timeline and record of events, happening and opinions, to be
used for historical purposes, and do not necessarily reflect the status of the White Shepherd in 2015.
White German Shepherd
Gail Finkeldei
This article appeared in the 1973 April/May/June issue of the American Shepherd Club, Int's "Shepherd's
NOTE: The references to the American Shepherd Club, the White German Shepherd Club, or the White German Shepherd Club of America are not related to the American White Shepherd Association. (Our club was
formed in 1995.) These clubs are now named the White German Shepherd Dog Club, International, Inc.
(WGSDCII).
The eighty-four-year-old controversy dividing white German Shepherds from their dark cousins is shaping up
for a showdown between owners of the breeds. The powerful German Shepherd Dog Club of America is actively campaigning to bar registration of the whites while the American Shepherd Club, International
(formerly the White American Shepherd Club) is mounting its own campaign for equalization of the breeds.
Breeders of dark German Shepherds argue that the white German Shepherd is a degenerate animal that
weakens the German Shepherd population and deteriorates the quality of the breed.
This feeling is expressed by Mr. D.W. Hadsell, president of the GSDCA (German Shepherd Club of America),
who said, "The position of the club on this question is embodied in the official standard of the breed - 'a
white dog or a dog with a nose that is not predominately black, must be disqualified.' The standard is not capricious, vague or ambiguous. On the contrary, it is quite specific and the result of the experience of many
knowledgeable Shepherdists over the years.
"It has thusly been established and accepted that loss of pigment in our breed is genetically associated with
degeneration and eventual loss of many other breed characteristics that are desirable and necessary to
maintain and improve the utilitarian functions of the German Shepherd Dog.
"It has not been contended that the phenotype of each individual white specimen necessarily displays the
lack of all those other desirable characteristics. Rather, the white (or those seriously lacking in pigment) is
physical evidence of genetic ingredients that will lead to degeneration in subsequent generations if not already fully demonstrated in such an individual."
Breeders of whites say this is opinion and not based on proven fact, and therefore is totally unfounded and
untrue. Those who ostracize the whites have had no experience with them, condemning merely on hearsay
Mrs. Dorothy Watkins, president of the American Shepherd Club, Int., states: "The white German Shepherd
is not a misfit. They existed before von Stephanitz, the 'breed standard' or the GSDCA.
"We do not wish to rid the world of dark Shepherds, as they would like to do to us, but wish to live in harmony with them. We certainly have no intention of destroying our dogs to satisfy the aims of the misguided
GSDCA, nor do we intend to stop breeding these beautiful dogs simply because someone long ago decided
he liked a dark coloration better than white.
"We have seen many gorgeous dark German Shepherds; and we have seen many who were certainly no
credit to that breed. The situation is exactly the same with white Shepherds. There are many magnificent
whites, and we are surely aware that there are some who are far from our standards. However, we wish to
point out that this situation is not peculiar to our breed, but exists in every known breed of dog.
"It is the responsibility of each breed club to try to educate the breeder, as well as the public-at-large to the
proper standards of the particular breed. We are doing our utmost to carry out our part in this endeavor and
would like to suggest that time might be better spent on the part of the GSDCA if it would do the same for its
own breed. In other words - sweep your own doorstep clean first!"
The Controversy
The seeds of controversy were first sown when Max von Stephanitz, recognized as the father of the breed,
began a crusade in 1889 to standardize the Shepherd. In doing so, he culled the litters to achieve the color
and temperament he desired - the black-and-tan Shepherd. Although white Shepherds were present, they
found disfavor with von Stephanitz, who said, "I am not in favor of a uniform color; it does not suit our dog
whose coat requires some variation in color to avoid producing the impression of flatness." Thus, the opinion
of one man quite possibly shaped the future of the German Shepherd Dog.
The Controversy
The seeds of controversy were first sown when Max von Stephanitz, recognized as the father of the breed,
began a crusade in 1889 to standardize the Shepherd. In doing so, he culled the litters to achieve the color
and temperament he desired - the black-and-tan Shepherd. Although white Shepherds were present, they
found disfavor with von Stephanitz, who said, "I am not in favor of a uniform color; it does not suit our dog
whose coat requires some variation in color to avoid producing the impression of flatness." Thus, the opinion
of one man quite possibly shaped the future of the German Shepherd Dog.
Rittmeister Stephanitz appointed himself voice of the SV (Verin Fer Deutshe Shaferhund, the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany) a position to which he adhered until his death in 1936. Shepherd breeders
obeyed, without question, his dictatorial edicts in matters pertaining to the breed.
In 1913 the German Shepherd Dog Club of America was established and adopted the standard set by von
Stephanitz and his Verin. White in Shepherds was still preferred by some who disagreed with the GSDCA and
continued to breed for white.
Through the years the accusations against the white German Shepherd have grown to include such concepts
as white in the German Shepherd breed is a sign of degeneracy and results in undesirable characteristics such
as albinism, blindness, deafness, bad temperament, skin diseases and general unsoundness. And it also
charged that the white Shepherd is responsible for "fading color" in the breed.
Dr. Peter Neufeld of Glendosa Research Center, answered this charge by referring to This Is The German
Shepherd by Goldbecker and Hart. (Note: Dr. Peter Lorenz Neufeld, a well-known counselor-biology teacher
in Manitoba and in North Dakota schools for thirteen years, is now a counseling-research psychologist and
writer. He holds three Canadian bachelor degrees, an American Masters, and has just received a British doctorate. He is an active member of the Canadian Kennel Club, Canadian Guidance and Counseling Association,
Canadian Mental Health Association and honorary member of the White German Shepherd Club of America.
Dr. Neufeld researched the white German Shepherd for ten years, during which time he wrote the book The
Invincible White Shepherd.) Quoting, he says, "In Shepherds it has been established that several alleles of the
albino series are present in the breed. The danger of paling color (which German writers on the breed describe as a sign of degeneracy) does not come through the dark-eyed, dark-nosed, white dog, since, if bred to
dogs homozygous for rich pigmentation, the resulting progeny will be either white or normal colors. The
cream, or pale cream, and pale grey Shepherd is the dog that contributes to color paling (Grey-Agouti), as
does dilute blue.
Blindness does run with albinism, but according to Dr. Leon Whitney, the dark-eyed white dog such as the
white German Shepherd is a completely different series from the albino gene. This theory is expressed by Dr.
Whitney in How To Breed Dogs.
"Breeding studies were made at the center which proved the white Shepherd's innocence in the 'fading color'
charge, as well as dispelling the other accusations.
"The simple method used for predicting possible types of offspring to result from the matings was by use of
the Punnett Square. After stating the meaning of the letters representing each gene we write the genetic
makeup of the parent generation and establish what genes each parent will carry, keeping in mind one parent is male and the other female. Common practice is to write genes carried by sperm on top and those by
eggs on the side, use capital to denote dominance and small letters to designate recessiveness. Colorcrossing examples encountered most frequently in Shepherd breeding are: T = black and tan, dominant; w =
dark-point white, recessive; am = partial albino.
Example 1. Predicting results of crossing a pure dominant with a
pure recessive factor.
Sperm
All pups will be black and tan in color like the father, genetically in
the heterozygous (hybrid) stage.
T
T
Egg w
Tw
Tw
w
Tw
Tw
Example 2. Predicting results of crossing a pure dominant with the same kind of pure dominant. The goal of
many dark Shepherd breeders.
All pups will be black and tan in appearance like the
father and mother, genetically in the homozygous
stage, like both parents.
Example 3. Predicting results of crossing a pure recessive with same kind of pure recessive. The goal of
white Shepherd breeders.
All pups will be dark-point white like the father and mother,
genetically in the homozygous stage like both parents.
Sperm
T
T
Egg T
TT
TT
T
TT
TT
Sperm
w
Egg w
ww
ww
w
ww
ww
Example 4. Predicting results of crossing a hybrid with the
same kind of hybrid. Many white Shepherds have such
breedings in their pedigrees.
Approximately seventy-five percent of the pups will be black
and tan, fifty percent being in heterozygous stage and twenty-five percent homozygous; twenty-five percent will be dark
-point white.
Sperm
T
w
Egg T
TT
Tw
w
Tw
ww
Example 5. Predicting results where dominance is
not complete. Both parents were tan with greyish
-black saddle or markings.
About twenty-five percent will be homozygous black and
tan; twenty-five percent will be partial (mutant) albino; fifty
percent will be like their parents, commonly referred as
'fading' or 'washed-out' color in which black and tan is not
completely dominant over the albino gene.
Both parents were dark-point white with winter 'snow-nose'
type. About twenty-five percent will be homozygous darkpoint white; twenty-five percent will be partial (mutant)
albino; 50 percent will be like their parents, which in central
North America is a dark-point white in summer, 'snow-nose'
in winter and a kind of blend in fall and spring.
w
Sperm
Egg T
am
T
am
T
am
Tamam
Tam
Sperm
w
am
Egg w
ww
wam
am
wam
amam
"The preceding five heredity examples have been verified numerous times at Glendosa Research Center," stated Dr.
Neufeld. " "The first and fourth examples were deliberately employed to improve a white strain. The fifth one creates
most difficulties for both dark and white Shepherd breeders. The first square in that example illustrates the dilemma of
dark Shepherd breeders, one which they hope to solve by using white Shepherds as scapegoats. The other square illustrates the problem of some breeders of whites, one which can readily be solved but if ignored could create many difficulties some day.
"Most genetists distinguish between albino genes and white genes. Although white genes in animals are often recessive to dark (as albino genes seem to be), many are not, e.g., black is recessive to white in cats and sheep. Genetically,
unlike albino genes, white genes in dogs do not possess various multiple forms. Nor do they produce day-blindness,
greater susceptibility to diseases, piebald or pale sandy yellowish coat color.
"The two well-known American geneticists, George and Muriel Beadle appropriately classify albinism as a metabolic
disease. Dark-point white genes in Shepherds, it would seem, are somewhat like the white hair genes common among
Norwegians and Swedes who possess white hair but darker pigmented eyes and skin. This is not albinoidism, nor is it
partial albinism. It may come as a shock to most dark Shepherd breeders that the beautiful white chest marking of
their dogs, so popular in the show rings, is most likely the result of partial albinism. Goldbecker and Hart, who quote
Grey-Agouti, take a similar position as do Burns and Fraser.
"I believe Burns and Fraser summarize well the color genetics situation in white German Shepherds when they say,
'The pure white seems to be perfectly normal constitutionally, and it is quite probable that the gene causing white coloration is not really one of the albino series.' Ten years of research with the white gene, dark color and mutant albino
genes have convinced me it's not part of the albino series at all!
"Further, as Burns and Fraser, Goldbecker and Hart, Dodge and Rine, countless other breeders and geneticists have
pointed out and I have verified repeatedly the dark-point white gene does not contribute to color paling in dark Shepherds while white albino genes do."
The Opposition
Opposition has risen to such heights in the last few years that pressure from the German Shepherd Dog Club has
swayed many from the white German Shepherd.
The AKC has ruled against the white Shepherd being shown in the show rings, but still permits registration. In Germany, all white puppies in a litter are destroyed. If they do manage to escape death they are still excluded from dog
shows, obedience trials and registration in the S.V. Standards in Canada remain so ambiguous regarding albinos that
show judges have free rein to discourage all white dogs from competing in shows.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which originally utilized white German Shepherds in their breeding and training
program, now consider the breed unsuitable because "white hairs don't go well on dark blue pants and they make too
good a target at night." This is much the same answer received from guide dog institutes that were queried.
The Seeing Eye, Morristown, New Jersey: "By and large, blind people feel that white dogs are too conspicuous and a
deviation from the norm. We find that the average person wants a good-looking specimen of whatever breed is assigned to him, and he wants a dog that he can keep clean without too much effort. There is also the matter of loose
white hairs on a blue suit or dress, which would make a white dog of any breed less desirable in guide work."
Guide Dogs For The Blind, San Rafael, California: "We do not now use the white German Shepherd Dog in our training
program. When we first started, we depended to a large extent upon donated stock and did accept a number of
whites. We successfully trained a small number of them. However, in comparison with the standard type, the percentage of graduated whites was poor. In fact, although the ones we graduated were successful, the overall percentage
was so poor that it was decided not to continue using them. We have not used white Shepherds for the past fifteen
years.
"Other additional factors went into this decision. We are supported by a large number of dog clubs as well as a public
that is aware of the controversy. With this support we have been able to build a good reputation in the quality of our
dogs, both in ability and appearance. If we were to issue a white German Shepherd to one of our blind students, not
only would we lose the support from our AKC oriented groups but adverse comments directed toward that student
about his dog would tend to make him lose faith in it. All aspects considered, we prefer to abide by AKC regulations
and standards, and have used those guidelines in our breeding program."
One school, however, does accept white German Shepherds and has for years. Leader Dogs For The Blind in Michigan
finds them equally satisfactory to the dark variety.
Mr. George Drew's Wholgeboren Kennels has supplied this school with dogs for years and is fast becoming distinguished for quality white German Shepherd guide dogs. Mr. Brew, who has raised German Shepherd Dogs for twenty
years, will enter the first all white German Shepherd dog sled racing team in the 1976 Olympics.
Many enthusiastic boosters of the white Shepherd were once anti-white. Such is the case of Sgt. Bryan Anthony of the
London, Ontario Police Department. "I was not aware Prince was white when I came to check the volunteer for the Canine Section. My immediate reaction, the result of twenty years of training and handling police dogs in Britain, was to
walk away from a white German Shepherd. But I decided the dog at least deserved a chance. After a great deal of examining I put aside the prejudice of many years. This dog seemed to possess the qualities of intelligence, aggressiveness and strength that are required for police dog training. Prince was one of two dogs selected out of sixty, the other
being a standard Shepherd.
"The white Shepherd seemed to know exactly what was expected of him and performed beautifully. It was no surprise
when he graduated at the head of his class. Prince's specialty is property search, and with his nose to the ground he has
helped solve many cases. Prince has made a believer out of me. I just hope he can open the eyes of others who think
whites are inferior!"
Another white Shepherd police dog, Flash, and his handler P.C. Stokes have made news for the Jersey, Channel Islands
Police Department. Flash has been a prominent figure in the arrest of armed suspects.
German Shepherds, the U.S. Air Force found, have an intelligence quotient comparable to a seven-year-old child; capacity to learn about one hundred commands; a bite equal to 700 pounds per square inch of pressure; sense of smell approximately forty times and hearing twenty times as strong as that of humans. This world-renowned force proved that
white Shepherds were in no way inferior, in either temperament or conformation, to standard Shepherds.
A questionnaire was submitted to a sampling of German Shepherd breeders, trainers, owners, veterinarians, and veterinary medical schools across the country to get their reaction to the white German Shepherd controversy. Space does
not permit the publication of all the replies, but the following give a general breakdown of opinions.
The questions were:
 Have you ever owned or trained a white German Shepherd?
 What action would be taken if a white Shepherd was born in your kennel?
 Do you feel the white German Shepherd is inferior?
 What facts verify your answer?
 Do you know of any specific studies that have proven the white Shepherd inferior to the standard Shepherd?
Dog Trainers
Rudd Weatherwax, dog trainer for motion pictures and television.
"I am presently preparing my white Shepherd for a new TV series. The problem the whites are facing reminds me of the
experience I had with the Collie breeders when Lassie first appeared.
"These breeders were adamantly opposed to the white blaze on Lassie's face. We had quite a battle going. But eventually, because of Lassie's growing popularity the blaze was begrudgingly accepted. Today very few people are aware this
problem ever existed.
"This whole mess is ridiculous. If the people opposed to the white Shepherd would just give it a chance they'd find no
difference from the dark Shepherd. I'm speaking from years of experience training dogs, there's nothing degenerate
about the white Shepherd!"
Frank Inn, animal trainer for motion pictures and television
"I find that the German Shepherd is one of the smartest dogs to train and color makes no difference in their brains! I
own several white Shepherds and they are very intelligent!"
Dorothy Crider, actress, breeder and dog trainer for motion pictures and TV.
"I have owned and trained white and dark German Shepherds for twenty-seven years. The difference lies in the individual animal, not the coat color.
"One thing I will not abide is cruelty to animals and in my opinion destruction of a white Shepherd because of its color
is criminal.
"My 'White Shadow' line has appeared in many motion pictures and have Pasty awards to attest to their intelligence.
This line can be traced back to the Hapsburg of Austria. If white Shepherds are supposed to be inferior, shouldn't one
have been degenerate after all these years? Well they haven't and they're not!"
German Shepherd Owners and Breeders
"We do not breed for color, but are only interested in strong pigmented dogs. We have never owned a white German
Shepherd nor have we trained one. It is almost impossible that our lines would produce a white dog, but mutations do
occur. Such a white pup would be destroyed immediately
"I not only feel but know that a white Shepherd is inferior. I have never seen an outstanding white or even one of average quality. I know of no white Shepherd champion of ROM sire. This in itself should be proof that they are inferior,
because only recently have whites been excluded from the show ring. When you breed only for one quality such as
white color you have to sacrifice other qualities and are therefore only breeding inferiors.
"Apparently there are studies but I cannot give you facts as this would require research and I do not want to waste my
time on the whites anyway."
G.H. Liedtke, Vom Rhein German Shepherds, Pacomima, California
"We breed black and tans and sables and have never had any experience with white German Shepherds. Any white
puppy born in our kennels would be humanely put to sleep. As far as light tans and silvers go, we do realize the importance of good pigmentation and if such signs are evidence of poor pigmentation, then we would alter them and
place them in good homes as pets.
"We do feel that whites are inferior. This is based on personal observations that no white which I have ever seen has
had the balance of a good, well-bred dog. They have not appeared proportionate or with good rear angulation or with
a proper movement and gait."
Dahlar Kennels, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
"We breed only standard Shepherds. Unlike the standards for most breeds, which are concerned simply with what the
fanciers look upon as beauty, every word of the German Shepherd Dog standard is there for the dual purpose of the
utility of the dog as well as its beauty.
"White is not discarded just on someone's whim. After many years of study with both white and colored dogs the
whites proved to be inferior as working animals to their colored brothers. Genes, unfortunately, do not stand alone and
white seems to be linked with other undesirable characteristics. We have to use these facts to improve the breed, not
disregard them. The controversy on whites boils down to one thing: do you want a real German Shepherd or just a
shell?
"I'm sure you're aware of the work being done to prevent whites from being registered. If the breeders of whites are so
sure they have quality animals, why don’t they go out and prove it on their dogs' own merit rather than hanging on the
coattails of the German Shepherd worthy of the name. We would welcome the withdrawal from our breed!"
Danlyn German Shepherds, Burbank, California
"I have owned and trained all colors of German Shepherds and do not consider the whites inferior. The whites do not
contribute to paling color in the breed as charged by the dark breeders, but rather the light silver and tan.
"In a recent issue of the German Shepherd Review I counted five of these light colored dogs, all winners at shows.
These dogs are put in the show ring constantly even though their pigmentation is bad. The whites which will not cause
paling color are disqualified.
"I have owned and trained all colors of German Shepherds and do not consider the whites inferior. The whites do not
contribute to paling color in the breed as charged by the dark breeders, but rather the light silver and tan.
"In a recent issue of the German Shepherd Review I counted five of these light colored dogs, all winners at shows. These
dogs are put in the show ring constantly even though their pigmentation is bad. The whites which will not cause paling
color are disqualified.
"I breed white German Shepherds knowing full well that the GSDCA considers it a disqualifying fault, but that does not
mean that I breed them for the money as they say, as there is no money in breeding. It costs just as much to raise a litter
of whites as it does for a litter of darks. I also study genetics, pedigrees and know what the faults in my dogs are so I may
work to improve them in breeding."
Loretta Ouelette, Terryville, Connecticut
"We raise dark German Shepherds but I have owned and trained a white as well. I can see no inferiority whatsoever.
Any white pup born in our kennels would be welcomed and raised on the same basis as the dark."
Amerbrit Kennels, Uniondale, New York
"We breed only dark Shepherds and have had no experience with white. I definitely feel the whites are inferior and
would destroy any white pup born in this kennel."
Oak Glen Kennels, Temple City, California
"I have been breeding both dark and white German Shepherds for eleven years and find no difference in their temperament. I believe these people that are against whites should get one and compare it with their dark dogs before condemning them!"
K-T Kennels, Bridgeport, New York
Veterinary Medical Schools
"We know of no experimental evidence showing differences between white and dark German Shepherds in any respect." University of California, Davis, California
Most veterinary medical schools, veterinarians and veterinary associations were not informed or wished to remain out
of any controversy.
Future Of The White German Shepherd
In the early '60s a group of concerned persons in the Sacramento, California area organized the White German Shepherd Dog Club of America. This group accepted the standards of the GSDCA as approved by the AKC in 1943 (GSDCA
standards have been changed since that time) with four slight modifications regarding color and height.
It was hoped that the formation of this club would alleviate pressure on the owner of white dogs. This however, was not
the case. The GSDCA became more insistent that the white dog should be eliminated completely and, as stated previously, appears to be campaigning to bar their registration.
This excerpt from an article by Maureen Yentzen seems to express the feelings of the dark Shepherd breeders. "The
whites seem to be proliferating in all areas these days due to the mercenary breeders who are promoting them.
"Breeders of whites and other disallowed colors are surely sabotaging our breed and breaking its laws as the bad citizen
breaks his country's laws. And they are doing it for purely mercenary reasons - the buck. I'm quite sure the breeders of
whites have discovered that there is a market for their undesirable product.
"This evil will not correct itself in the near future. There is only one cure. Our parent club should ban white puppies
from being registered with the AKC. They will then have no monetary value and will not be a temptation to the mercenary breeder."
In its struggle for survival, the white German Shepherd may be forced to abandon its old name to achieve new status
with a totally different breed name.
As Dr. Peter Neufeld states, "With the current situation in West Germany, America and to a degree in Canada, the
present name of white German Shepherd should be changed and immediate steps taken to register this unique variety as a distinct, new breed.
"Retaining German as part of the name (and I say this being partially of German national origin myself) is obviously
asinine. I'm also convinced registering this strain as a separate breed would solve many problems it now faces; show
ring, discrimination, and registration in West Germany.
"Numerous precedents exist in other breeds for such registration. The Bull Terriers were just as adamant that their
dogs should be white, and the people breeding brindles - because they preferred these colors - went on to form their
own breed, the Staffordshire Terrier. The same thing came about with the Belgian Sheepdog, who branched out into
the Belgian Tervuren.
"There's no doubt at this point the white Shepherds now have sufficient favorable genes in their gene pool on this
continent to continue on their own as a unique and valuable breed."
At a recent annual meeting of the White German Shepherd Club it was voted that the club's name be changed to
American Shepherd Club, International. "This measure is an effort to achieve new status for the white Shepherd under
a new breed name not linked with such controversy," stated Dorothy Watkins, the club president.
"Our club was advised by an AKC representative that nay reference to color in a breed name would be unacceptable.
This same representative also told us that the GSDCA would never stand for the word 'German' to be used as a part of
our name. Therefore, we dropped both the 'White' and the 'German' and went to a new breed name. Among other
reasons for choosing 'American' Shepherd was the intention that the word American would encompass not just the
United States but the entire American continent. We have chapters in Mexico and Canada.
"As to when we expect the name change to take effect, I imagine it is going to be a long hard fight of several
years. The name 'American Shepherd' may not be the final name with which we achieve separate breed status, but we had to start somewhere," concluded Mrs. Watkins.