Breed family · UK guide · Original sources
German Shepherd coats, white dogs and the White Swiss Shepherd
Three questions come up again and again. A long coat is one of two coat varieties in the German Shepherd Dog standards. White is not a breed-standard colour for the German Shepherd Dog in either registry consulted here. And the White Swiss Shepherd Dog is listed by both registries as a separate breed whose standard allows only white. These are show-ring descriptions, not predictions about any individual dog, so read the profiles and meet the dog before you decide.
Consulted : Royal Kennel Club German Shepherd Dog standard, White Swiss Shepherd Dog standard, both breed listings, and the independent FCI standards N° 166 and N° 347.
German Shepherd Dog or White Swiss Shepherd Dog: the published guidance
Figures are the registries' ideals or listed categories. Individual dogs can be larger, smaller or different, and the Royal Kennel Club's note for puppy buyers says its size figures do not imply that a dog will match the measurements, in height or weight.
| Measure | German Shepherd Dog | White Swiss Shepherd Dog |
|---|---|---|
| RKC height at the withers | Ideal 63 cm dogs, 58 cm bitches, with 2.5 cm tolerated either way | Dogs 58–66 cm, bitches 53–61 cm |
| FCI height at the withers | Males 60–65 cm, females 55–60 cm | Males 58–66 cm, females 53–61 cm |
| Weight in the standard | RKC gives none. FCI: males 30–40 kg, females 22–32 kg | RKC and FCI: males about 30–40 kg, females about 25–35 kg |
| Coat varieties | Two: standard (double) coat and long coat, both with an undercoat | Two: medium-length and long, both double coats |
| Colour | RKC patterns include black, black with tan, gold or light grey markings, grey and sable. White is not a breed-standard colour in either registry (see below) | White only |
| Country of origin (FCI) | Germany (standard 166) | Switzerland (standard 347) |
| RKC listing: size, exercise, grooming | Large · More than 2 hours per day · More than once a week | Large · More than 2 hours per day · More than once a week |
The two breeds' height ranges overlap and the RKC listing categories match, so a height or a care category alone cannot tell you which breed, or which individual dog, you are looking at.
Is a long-coat German Shepherd a different breed?
No. The Royal Kennel Club standard describes two varieties of the one breed. The standard coat is a straight, hard, close-lying outer coat over a thick undercoat. The long coat is longer, not always straight and frequently does not lie close, with tufts around the ears, dense feathering on the hindlegs and a bushy tail. The FCI standard likewise lists a double coat and a long double coat, both with an undercoat.
The RKC listing shows one grooming category for the breed, more than once a week, rather than one for each coat. How much brushing a given dog needs depends on its coat, the season and shedding, so ask the owner or breeder what the routine involves.
Can a German Shepherd be white?
White is not a breed-standard colour for the German Shepherd Dog in the sources consulted here. The Royal Kennel Club standard lists whites and near-whites among the colours that are highly undesirable, and its breed listing files White under non-breed-standard colours. The same standard says colour is of secondary importance and does not affect character or fitness for work. The FCI standard states that white is not allowed and lists it among the disqualifying faults.
If an advert describes a white dog as a German Shepherd, ask which registry it is registered with, ask to see the registration documents and ask which standard the breeder follows. Colour is a rule about the show-ring standard; it is not evidence about a dog's health or temperament either way.
Is the White Swiss Shepherd just a white German Shepherd?
The registries list them separately. The Royal Kennel Club gives each breed its own standard in the Pastoral Group, and the FCI has two standards, number 166 (Germany) and number 347 (Switzerland), in the same sheepdog section. The Royal Kennel Club's 2017 announcement described the White Swiss Shepherd as a herding dog developed in Switzerland in the 20th century. It said the Club would classify the breed in the Pastoral Group on the Imported Breed Register from October 2017.
The FCI's historical summary for the White Swiss Shepherd says white shepherd dogs were gradually accepted as a distinct breed in the USA and Canada. It says the first dogs reached Switzerland in the early 1970s and that the breed has been in the appendix of the Swiss Stud Book since June 1991. FCI standard 347 and the 2017 announcement do not mention the German Shepherd Dog.
The Royal Kennel Club's breed listing does. It says it is generally accepted that the White Swiss Shepherd was developed from a white strain of the German Shepherd Dog, that white dogs have long occurred within the German breed, and that the two breeds remain visibly similar. It dates the first registration of the white strain by the American Kennel Club to 1917 and the Swiss Kennel Club's recognition of a separate breed to 1991. That is the registry's own account; this guide adds no claim about descent beyond it, and it says nothing about any individual dog's pedigree. Ask for registration papers rather than relying on appearance.
Read the separate profiles
- German Shepherd Dog: sourced care, history and questions
- White Swiss Shepherd Dog: sourced care, history and questions
Compare activity, coat upkeep and household support in the profiles, then ask a rescue or responsible breeder what is known about the specific dog and its health records. Explore Your Doggy Match or compare the two profiles; neither is a validated prediction of how an individual dog will fit your life.
Sources and limits: Royal Kennel Club breed standards (German Shepherd Dog updated 1 August 2025; White Swiss Shepherd Dog updated 1 April 2025), RKC breed listings (including the White Swiss Shepherd Dog history text), the RKC's 19 July 2017 announcement of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog, and FCI standards 166 (dated 23 December 2010) and 347 (dated 12 August 2011). Pages checked 22 October 2026. Registries use different classifications; these are show-ring ideals and general care categories, not medical or behaviour evidence, local availability or an individual dog's needs.