WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON HEALTH OR GENETIC PROBLEMS IN THE WHITE SHEPHERD BREED?
Since the White Shepherd comes directly from the German Shepherd Dog breed, it is subject to many of the same genetic and congenital diseases or health problems as the GSD. WS club members have kept problems to a minimum through sometimes brutally honest, open breeding policies. It is not at all uncommon for top breeders to openly admit any medical or genetic problems they may have encountered to other breeders and to buyers. In the year 2000, AWSA sponsored a survey of genetic diseases in White Shepherds. More than 1000 dogs from all over the US and Canada were represented. Fifty seven genetic diseases were identified in our White Shepherds. At first blush, that sounds tragic, but the number is actually very low when you consider that 138 genetic diseases have been identified in the German Shepherd Dog. The White Shepherd breed has avoided many of the diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog. Our genetic survey is available for reading and/or downloading at the “Health and Genetic
