American White Shepherd

White herding dogs have been around for thousands of years around the world and various white-coated European sheepdogs were used in the creation of the early German Shepherd Dog breed, such as the Kuvasz, Tatra, Great Pyr, Maremma and others. The primary breeding ground of White Shepherds was the Alsace-Lorraine region, closely associated with the Austrian Royal House of Habsburg during the 1800's. When the father of the GSD breed, Captain von Stephanitz began his legendary breeding programme, he used only the best quality specimens, regardless of coat colour. In fact, the very first registered German Shepherd Dog and the direct foundation of the breed, Horand von Grafrath carried the white gene thanks to its maternal grandfather named Grief, who was a pure white dog. Many GSDs were white in the early days, seing how Von Stephanitz was concerned only with working ability and health, not appearance. While pink-nosed dogs were culled, the white-coated working examples with proper pigmentation were just as acceptable as dogs of any other colouring.

As the popularity of the German Shepherd Dog grew, specimens of all colours, including the white ones, were introduced to America, Britain and other countries during the first two decades of the 20th century. First signs of discrimination against white-coated GSDs appeared in Germany during the rule of Adolf Hitler, who proclaimed them to be inferiour and undesirable. However, in England, Canada and America, white dogs were quite popular and safe until the post-WW2 years. Unfortunately, when Germany once again outlawed the white colour within the breed in the late 1950's, many American GSD breeders saw this as a sign to follow suit. The German Shepherd Dog Club of America changed the standard in 1959 to disqualify white-coloured dogs for Shows, forcing breeders and enthusiasts of white GSDs to form The White German Shepherd Club of America in 1964.

Recognized as a separate breed by the U.K.C. and not accepted by most GSD registries, the White Shepherd Dog is today a popular breed around the world nonetheless. It should be noted that no other breeds have been introduced to the bloodline of the White Shepherd since its arrival to the American continent. There are many alternate names for this breed, from American-Canadian Shepherd Dog and White Alsatian to White Swiss Sheepdog and so on, but they all share the same ancestry and are deeply rooted in the original German Shepherd Dog. Although misleading, the most common name in the United States has traditionally been simply White Shepherd, which remains in use to this day.

When bred properly, this is a good-natured breed, very intelligent and easy to train. A capable watchdog and herder, it also makes an excellent family pet. In essence identical to the GSD, the White Shepherd follows the same appearance standards, apart from the colour requirements. Compared to the modern American Show-type of the GSD, there is also a slight difference in the physical structure of the White Shepherd, which doesn't have the exaggerated sloping backline, but rather a fairly straight back like the original Von Stephanitz dogs. Pigmentation is very important with this breed, meaning that all dogs must have strong dark skin and black noses, eyerims, toenails and pads. The White Shepherd is NOT an albino and poorly pigmented dogs aren't accepted.
The coat is short and dense, always uniform white in colour, coming in a range of shades, from pearl white to almost cream colours. Average height is around 25 inches.

info about German Shepherd

We are Mittelwest Kennels, a German Shepherd breeder offering registered German Shepherd litters of puppies for sale from high quality German Shepherd pedigrees. Our main objective at Mittelwest Kennels is to produce the best German Shepherd litters of puppies for sale in the world. Breeding top producing west German Sieger show Line German Shepherds is number one in producing quality German Shepherd puppies for sale.

Being a German Shepherd dog breeder requires breeding high quality German Shepherds from some of the top rated German Shepherds in Germany. As a German Shepherd breeder of German Shepherd puppies for sale, we are strive to be consistant with the quality of our German Shepherd puppies for sale which means breeding with top rated German Shepherd breeding stock of some of the best German Shepherds in to world. Breeding quality German Shepherd puppies for sale is a our passion and we are committed to offering our clients excellent German Shepherd puppies for sale with a dedication to increasing the quality of puppies with each selective breeding.

Our pure bred German Shepherd puppies for sale are registered with the American Kennel Club and/or the SV in Germany. Our German Shepherd litters of Puppies for sale are excellent for families —good with children, adaptable to any environment. Our German Shepherd puppies have super character, rich black and red color and of course sound temperament. As a German Shepherd breeder, we are not like other German Shepherd Breeders, we breed world class German Shepherd dogs from west German Sieger show lines and adhere to the German SV Standards.
—The “Verein Fur Deutscher Schaferhund” -

Our German Shepherd puppies for sale are the product of breeding dogs with great temperament backed by elements like attentiveness, assertiveness, self confidence, courage, highly trainable, willingness to work whatever is desired on command. They are superior in health with parents being x-rayed with clear hips and elbows by the OFA or the SV. These German Shepherd litters of puppies for sale will make great companion dogs as well as excellent conformation, show and working dogs. Their inclination towards making their masters happy, their mental soundness and their high degree of intelligence have made this dog a successful working dog and masterpiece companion for their owners.

As a German Shepherd breeder, we strive to breed German Shepherd puppies for sale that will have rich black and red color along with excellent temperament and structure. We also breed our German Shepherd dogs to produce puppies for sale that are good for sport and show and excellent with families. Our German Shepherds puppies for sale are intelligent and eager to please their owners.

We specialize in German Shepherd litters of Puppies for sale for Family, companionship or working dog and we can ship our German shepherd litters of puppies for sale and our German Shepherd adult dogs for sale worldwide. We are a German Shepherd breeder located in the great state of Illinois, United States.

German Shepherd Breeder and has German shepherd litters for sale. We are the best select german shepherd breeders producing German Shepherd litters for sale for family, show, or companion dogs. Focusing on super character, rich black and red shepherds.

Mittelwest is a German Shephed breeder of pure bred German Shepherd puppies. We are the premier, select german shepherd breeder in North America, producing strong, sound, healthy German Shepherd Puppies for family, show, or companion dogs. Focusing on super character, rich black and red German Shepherd puppies for sale.

We are German Shepherd Breeders and import German Shepherd Dogs for Sale.   We breed,  import and ship world-wide.  #1 Breeder.  Many of our dogs and puppies are imported directly from Germany from west German Shepherds breeding stock.  Pedigrees and Progeny photos are available for viewing for each stud dog and breeding female.    All shepherd puppies are home raised and socialized.  Temperament of our dogs and puppies are unmatched by any other breeders.  We sell only top quality puppies and provide the best written warranty for all sales.   Our goal is your satisfaction with your puppy or dog.   We have usually have several litters available.

We breed show quality Show Quality, for Family Protection, Personal Security, Schutzhund, Search & Rescue, Guard Dogs, Seeing Eye Dogs, Professional Dog Training, Stud Service and Pet Quality, K-9.

The Colour of the German Shepherd Dog

“No good dog can be a bad colour”
- Capt. Max von Stephanitz, considered to be the father of the German Shepherd Dog breed, and president of the Verein fur deutsche Schaferhunde 1923.

      Black and Red

      Silver/Grey Sable

           Solid Black  

         Solid White

          

The German Shepherd Dog

Description:
The German Shepherd Dog is well proportioned and very strong. The GSD has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light, solid bone structure. The head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little rounded. The nose is most often black, however, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but are considered a fault and cannot be shown. The teeth meet in a strong scissors bite. The dark eyes are almond-shaped, and never protruding. The ears are wide at the base, pointed, upright and turned forward. The ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly. The bushy tail reaches below the hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. The front legs and shoulders are muscular and the thighs are thick and sturdy. The round feet have very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd: double coat, plush coat and longhaired coat. The coat most often comes in black with tan, sable or all black, but also can come in white, blue and liver, but those colors are considered a fault according to most standards. The white GSD dogs are recognized as a separate breed by some clubs and are being called the American White Shepherd. A piebald color has also occurred in a single GSD bloodline that is now being called a Panda Shepherd. A Panda is 35% white the remainder of color is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry.
 Temperament:
Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are courageous, keen, alert and fearless. Cheerful, obedient and eager to learn. Tranquil, confident, serious and clever. GSDs are extremely faithful, and brave. They will not think twice about giving their lives for their human pack. They have a high learning ability. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but can be wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary. Often used as police dogs, the German Shepherd has a very strong protective instinct, and is extremely loyal to its handler. Socialize this breed well starting at puppyhood. Aggression and attacks on people are due to poor handling and training. Problems arise when an owner allows the dog to believe he is pack leader over humans and/or does not give the dog the mental and physical daily exercise it needs to be stable. This breed needs owners who are naturally authoritative over the dog in a calm, but firm, confident and consistent way. A stable, well-adjusted, and trained dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. They must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age. German Shepherds with passive owners and/or whose instincts are not being met can become timid, skittish and may be prone to fear biting and develop a guarding issue. They should be trained and socialized from an early age. German Shepherds will not listen if they sense that they are stronger minded than their owner, however they will also not respond well to harsh discipline. Owners need to have an air of natural authority to their demeanor. Do not treat this dog as if he were human. Learn canine instincts and treat the dog accordingly. German Shepherds are one of the smartest and most trainable breeds. With this highly skilled working dog comes a drive to have a job and a task in life and a consistent pack leader to show them guidance. They need somewhere to channel their mental and physical energy. This is not a breed that will be happy simply lying around your living room or locked out in the backyard. The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including Schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipe buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd is also a popular show and family companion.
Height, Weight:
Height: Males 24 - 26 inches (60 - 65 cm) Females 22 - 24 inches (55 - 60 cm)
Weight: 77 - 85 pounds (35 - 40 kg)
Health Problems:
Indiscriminate breeding has led to hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, bloat, epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies. Also prone to splenic tumors (tumors on the spleen), DM (degenerative myelitis), EPI (endocrine pancreatic insufficiency), and perianal fistulas and Von Willebrand's disease.   
Living Conditions:
The German Shepherd will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard.
Exercise:
German Shepherd Dogs love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind, for these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Most shepherds love to play ball or Frisbee. Ten to fifteen minutes of fetching along with daily pack walks will tire your dog out quite nicely as well as give him a sense of purpose. Whether it is ball chasing, Frisbee catching, obedience training, participation in a canine playgroup or just taking long walks/jogs, you must be willing to provide some form of daily, constructive exercise. The daily exercise must always include daily walks/jogs to satisfy the dog’s migration instinct. If under-exercised and/or mentally challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive. Does best with a job to do.
Life Expectancy:
Around 13 years.
Grooming:
This breed sheds bits of hair constantly and is a seasonally heavy shedder. They should be brushed daily or you will have hair all over your home. Bathe only when necessary; over bathing can cause skin irritation from oil depletion. Check ears and trim claws regularly.
Origin:
In Karlsruhe, Germany, Captian Max von Stephanitz and other dedicated breeders produced a responsive, obedient and handsome German Shepherd using longhaired, shorthaired and wire-haired local herding and farm dogs from Wurtemberg, Thurginia and Bavaria. The dogs were presented at Hanover in 1882, and the shorthaired variety was first presented in Berlin in 1889. In April 1899, von Stephanitz registered a dog named Horan as the first Deutsche Schäferhunde, which means “German Shepherd Dog” in English. Until 1915, both longhaired and wire-haired varieties were shown. Today, in most countries, only the short coat is recognized for show purposes. The first GSD was shown in America in 1907 and the breed was recognized by the AKC in 1908. The German Shepherd Dogs used in movies Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart brought a lot of attention to the breed, making it very popular.