Employment

Friend/companion and family dog

Classification:

FCI Group 1 (shepherd- og Cattle Dogs except for Swiss cattle dogs) section 1 (Sheepdogs) Without a test sample

Short historical overview:

In the United States and Canada, the White Swiss Shepherd dog has gradually been accepted as a separate race. The first dogs of this race were imported from Switzerland in the early 70's. The American male "Lobo", born March 5, 1966, can be regarded as the ancestor of the race in Switzerland. Descendants of this one, who were registered in the Swiss Studbook (LOS) and other White Swiss Shepherds, imported from the US and Canada, were slowly growing more and more. Today, a large number of breeding White Swiss Shepherd dogs exist with several generations throughout Europe. These dogs have been registered as a new race since June 1991 in the Swiss Stud Book (LOS).

General Appearance:

A strong, well-built medium-sized shepherd dog with upright ears, double fur, which is either of a medium length or long; elongated in shape; medium bones and an elegant harmonic outline.

Important proportions:

Moderately long rectangular shape: Body length (from shoulder tip to seat leg) relative to shoulder height = 12: 10. Head: The distance from the tip to the tip of the nose is slightly more than the distance from the stop to the neck joint.

Behavior/temperament:

Lively and balanced temperament. Enjoying activity. Attentive with good ability to get trained. Friendly and discreet. High social competence and devotion to its owner. Never scared or aggressive without provocation. A happy, sporty dog, easy to train and work with and capable of a wide range of training. High social competence allows for a significant ability to adapt and integrate into all kinds of social events and situations.

head:	Heavily, cleanly cut and finely chiselled in a good relationship with the body. It is wedge-shaped from above and from the side. The axes and nose sections are parallel.
	Roach:	Only easily rounded. The midterfur is only slightly visible.
	Stop:	Marked - but clearly visible.
	Nose:	Medium. Black pigmentation desirable. Sensitive and lighter nasal colors are accepted.
	Muzzle:	Powerful of medium length relative to the skull. The nose and the lower waistline are straight and converge easily against the nose.
	Lips:	Dry and dense, as black as possible.
	Jaws/bite:	Powerful with complete scissors bid. The teeth should sit vertically in the jaws.

Eyes:

Medium-sized, almond-shaped and slightly oblique. The color is brown to dark brown. Eyelids are tight. Black eyebrows are preferred.

Ears:

Opposing, senior and parallel. They are forward-facing and have the shape of an elongated triangle with rounded tip.

Throat:

Moderately long and muscular with a harmonious transition to the body. It is without loose neck. The elegantly curved neckline runs in an unbroken line from the moderately high head to the head.

body:	Topline:	Strong, muscular and medium.
	Mane:	Clearly marked.
	Back:	Horizontal and fixed.
	Lower back:	Very muscular
	Cross:	Far and medium. It is easily sloping from the top of the hip to the tail.
	Breast:	Not too wide. It's deep - approx. 50% of shoulder height - and reaches the elbow. The chest is oval and extends far behind. Prominent promise.

Tail:

Bushy, sable shaped tail thinner towards the tip. It is employed quite low and reaches least for the hocks. At rest, the tail is either straight down, or it has a weak sable curve in the last third. When the dog is in motion, it wears higher - but never over the back line.

Limbs forequarters:	Strong and late with medium bones. Front view with only moderate wide distance between the forelegs. Seen in profile, the front is well angled.
	Shoulders:	Long shoulder blades, well laid out. They are muscular and well-angled.
	Upper arm:	Of sufficient length with strong muscles.
	Elbows:	Close slope.
	Under arm:	Long, straight and late.
	Pastern:	Fixed and slightly tilted.
	Forepaws:	Oval, vaulted and tight-fitting. Solid and black wooden pillows. Dark claws are desirable.

Limbs hindquarters:		Strong and tendons with medium bones. Rear view straight and parallel - not too wide. Viewed from the side the angle is sufficient.
	Upper Thighs:	Medium with strong muscles.
	Knee:	Adequately angled.
	Lower thigh:	Medium and oblique with strong bones and strong muscles.
	Hocks:	Strong and well-angled.
	Metatarsal:	Moderate long, straight and late.
	Hind feet:	Oval. They are a bit longer than the forwards. The toes are vaulted and tight. Solid and black wooden pillows. Dark claws are desirable.

Movement:

Rhythmic sequences with long, enduring steps. The forelegs are stretched far forward with strong grip. The trench is light and earthy.

Skin:

Without folds and dark pigmented.

Fur:
	Medium Long:	Compact, closely packed. Abundant undercoat covered with hard, straight topcoat. The face, ears and front of the legs are covered with shorter hair. On the neck and back of the legs the coat is a bit longer. Slightly wavy, hard hair is allowed.
	Long coat:	Compact, closely packed. Abundant undercoat covered with hard, straight topcoat. The face, ears and front of the legs are covered with shorter hair. On the throat forming the long coat a distinct collar. On the back of the legs there are clear pants and the tail is bushy. The coat length must never be exaggerated. Slightly wavy, hard hair is allowed.
	Colour:	White.

Size:
	Shoulder height:	males: 58-66 cm.	Females: 53-61 cm.
	Weight:	males: Ca. 30-40 kg.	Females: Ca. 25-35 Kg.

Fault:

Any deviation from the above points should be considered an error whose significance for the assessment must be closely related to the extent of the deviation and its effect on the health and well-being of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work. Light beige colored covering (light yellow or golden brown shadow) on ear tips, back and upper part of tail. Partial loss of pigment/spotted appearance on the nose, lips and/or eyelashes. Dewclaws – except in those countries where their removal is prohibited by law. NB: Removal of Dewclaws is prohibited in Denmark.

Serious Fault:

Heavy look, too short built (square outline). Missing gender embossing. Lack of more than two PM1; M3 is not included. Drop (hanging) ears, semi-upright ears, rattles. Seriously sloping back line. ”Ringtail” (the tail is carried in almost a circle along the back), broken tail, crooked tail, tail carried over the back. Soft silk-like coat, woolly curly, open coat, distinct long hair without undercoat. Significantly beige color (clear yellowish or golden brown shadow) on ear tips, back and upper part of tail.

Disqualifying Fault:

Aggressive or overly shy dogs. Dogs who clearly show signs of physical or behavioral abnormalities must be disqualified. Anxiety, clear fear, aggression due to fear, unnecessary aggression, apathetic behavior. One or both eyes blue, protruding eyes. Entropion (the eyelid swings inwardly), ektropion (the eyelid swings outwardly). Over or underbid, crooked bite. Total loss of pigment on the nose, lips and/or eyebrows. Total loss of pigment in the skin and on the pads albinism.

Mark: Males must have two normally developed testicles in the scrotum.

The standard published by FCI 04.07.2011