Breed library

White German Shepherd

Also known as American white shepherd, White Canadian Shepherd, White german shepherd.

White German Shepherd pup posing on top of the Watts Street Baptist Church sign in Durham, North Carolina. Male, age 7 months.
File:2008-06-26 White German Shepherd Dog Posing 1.jpg by Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2008-06-26_White_German_Shepherd_Dog_Posing_1.jpg. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

The White Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. Although white-coated German Shepherds have been known in Europe as early as 1882, in 1933 the breed standard was amended in their native Germany, banning white-coated dogs from registration. In the United States and Canada the coloration had gained a following and in 1969 a breed club was formed specifically for white-coloured German Shepherds, calling their variety the White Shepherd. The variety is recognized as a separate breed by the United Kennel Club. According to the breed standard of the United Kennel Club, the ideal height of a White Shepherd dog is 25 in and the ideal weight is between 75 and 85 lb, while bitches ideally stand 23 in and weigh between 60 and 70 lb. The breed standard states they have a straight, dense, weather-resistant double coat that ideally is pure white, although light cream or light tan is acceptable.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.

Breed facts

  • The White Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States.
  • Although white-coated German Shepherds have been known in Europe as early as 1882, in 1933 the breed standard was amended in their native Germany, banning white-coated dogs from registration.
  • In the United States and Canada the coloration had gained a following and in 1969 a breed club was formed specifically for white-coloured German Shepherds, calling their variety the White Shepherd.
  • The variety is recognized as a separate breed by the United Kennel Club.
  • According to the breed standard of the United Kennel Club, the ideal height of a White Shepherd dog is 25 in and the ideal weight is between 75 and 85 lb, while bitches ideally stand 23 in and weigh between 60 and 70 lb.

Size and appearance

According to the breed standard of the United Kennel Club, the ideal height of a White Shepherd dog is 25 in and the ideal weight is between 75 and 85 lb, while bitches ideally stand 23 in and weigh between 60 and 70 lb. The breed standard states they have a straight, dense, weather-resistant double coat that ideally is pure white, although light cream or light tan is acceptable.

  • Body mass reference: 27.216 - 31.751 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 60 - 70 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: 34.019 - 38.555 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 75 - 85 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 58.42 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 23 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 63.5 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 25 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat texture: straight
  • Height category: tall
  • Weight category: large

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat texture: straight

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The White Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. Although white-coated German Shepherds have been known in Europe as early as 1882, in 1933 the breed standard was amended in their native Germany, banning white-coated dogs from registration.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. White Shepherd - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, White Shepherd, revision 1377782168. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Shepherd&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:2008-06-26 White German Shepherd Dog Posing 1.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. File:2008-06-26 White German Shepherd Dog Posing 1.jpg by Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2008-06-26_White_German_Shepherd_Dog_Posing_1.jpg.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.