MyDogBreeds
White Shepherd is originated from United States but East German Shepherd is originated from Germany. Both White Shepherd and East German Shepherd are of same height. Both White Shepherd and East German Shepherd are of same weight. Both White Shepherd and East German Shepherd has almost same life span. Both White Shepherd and East German Shepherd has almost same litter size. White Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance. But East German Shepherd requires High maintenance
The German Shepherd and the white German Shepherd are the same dog - the only thing is that their coat colors vary.
The White Shepherd evolved because people were looking for a working companion dog with a high degree of intelligence and a white coat.
The development of the White Shepherd began at the time of the 19th and 20th centuries. A breeding program was started but in 1933, the white coat color was made a disqualification in the German Shepherd Dog breed standard.
Not to be deterred, it was in 1969 that the U.S. and Canada formed White German Shepherd breed clubs and the breed was actually recognized by the UKC in 1999.
The East German Shepherd is a line of the German Shepherd Dog breed. The German Shepherd Dog came about when the three types of “continental shepherd dogs” separated into the Dutch Shephers, German Shepherd and Belgian Shepherd. In the 1800’s it was local shepherds who bred their dogs and selected the traits they needed in their geography. The result was dogs in various local areas who all could herd and guard flocks; who were intelligent, strong, fast and had a good sense of smell, but their appearance and skills varied from town to town.
The changes in Germany from agriculture and sheep to industrial cities rendered the German Sheep Dog obsolete. But was it really? Many felt the dog could be a good working dog in the cities as well but needed some refinement in the breed according to Max von Stephanite. At a dog show in 1899, he found what he wanted – the perfect working dog.Stephanitz bought the dog and founded the Society for the German Shepherd. (Verein fur Deutsch Schaferhunde) Stephanitz is considered the developer of the German Shepherd Dog.
The East German Shepherd is a line of the same breed. There are several different lines of the German Shepherd Dog, with slight difference for the reason they were bred. For instance, the German Shepherd Dog is bred for looks while the East German Shepherd is bred to be a working dog. Often called a DDR German Shepherd, they came about from the Deutsche Democratic Republic or the Republic of East Germany. For about 40 years in East Germany these dogs were bred only within the DDR bloodline.
The East German Shepherd is stronger, heavier boned, leaner, more muscular and solid. During the time of the Berlin Wall, from 1961-1989, there were few German Shepherds for breeding stock on either side of the wall, but especially in the East. There the government controlled the development of the breed. They developed a separate registry for the DDR – East German Shepherd. With such strict standards for a perfect working dog and such little breeding stock, the only dogs allowed to reproduce were the ones that passed a rigorous test and were deemed perfect working dogs.
In West Germany they continued to breed for appearance. The West German Shepherd are the most popular ones and are usually simply called German Shepherds. The show dogs of today and the American line came from the West.
Preserving the East German Shepherd today is important and difficult. It means preserving not improving. The Strength of the East German Shepherd is their body line and style, Today’s breeder must maintain this while making sure there is enough diversity in the gene pool to keep the line healthy without losing its body style and working temperament. It is important that the East German Shepherd have a straight back rather than the sloping one of the German Shepherd Dog or the American lines of the GSD. The working dog is also more aggressive and has a much higher work drive than any of the other German Shepherd Dogs lines.
The White Shepherd is a true beauty and is a medium to large-sized dog that is muscular and strong. He stands at between 55 and 65cm in height and weighs between 35 and 40kg.
He is somewhat longer than tall. The double coat is medium length, dense, straight and white. He is a fairly heavy shedder. He has an intelligent face, a long muzzle and erect ears. The long tail is low-set.
This beautiful dog’s face tells you that he is highly intelligent. He can be easily trained. The bright eyes are eager and alert and he is ready to be an excellent guard dog and take his role as protector and guardian seriously.
The White Shepherd loves his human family and isn't overly enthusiastic around strangers. They’re playful dogs and will make great playmates for children. They also aren’t aggressive with other dogs and will get on well with other pets in the house.
What are the differences between the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) and the East German Shepherd? The East German Shepherd has a straight back and a larger bone structure. He has a very large and block shaped head with a lean, athletic build. His lips are taunt and dark, and his nose must be black. He has a scissor bite and strong teeth. His eyes are medium sized almonds that are slanted slightly. The eyes are also very dark. His ears are erect and not too big. His legs, haunches and feet must all be coordinated so that he trots rather than runs.
The White Shepherd is such a beautiful dog and he has some great characteristics to match his good looks.
He is friendly and amicable with his human family and is a great protector as well. He isn’t aggressive yet he makes a great watchdog.
He is loving and loyal and forms strong bonds with his human family. Bringing him into your home and heart is guaranteed to confirm the opinion held that dogs are man's best friend.
The East German Shepherd is a well- balanced dog. He is sure of himself, friendly, loyal and wants to please his owner. He is intelligent, resilient and attentive. He will make a great family pet. He is aggressive with a high prey drive but that can be tempered with good socialization and training. He is easy to train.
The White Shepherd shares health problems much the same as the German Shepherd, and one of these is hip dysplasia.
These dogs are at risk of getting hip dysplasia. It’s a congenital disorder with dogs inheriting the disease from their parents. Some young dogs can get the disease too. Because they are such active dogs, the White Shepherd is at risk of dysplasia. There are a number of signs you can look for in your dog and some of these are -
Your vet may want x-rays to examine your dog's hips. Your vet will want to slow the development of the disease and also ease the pain in your pet. There are other steps the vet will suggest to you that can make it as comfortable as possible for your pet.
Because the East German Shepherd line has been isolated behind the Berlin Wall, there are not many genetic health issues in the line. Most importantly the East German Shepherd shows no hip dysplasia which plagues most GSD. There are a couple of situations to look out for. They are:
A life threatening issue that must be addressed immediately for fear of death. Bloat is caused when a larger dog with a deep chest eats too large a meal before or after strenuous exercise, eats too fast, or drinks too much water. The stomach distends with air or gas and twists. Sometimes it is completely inverted. Get help fast or your dog will die.
The White Shepherd's weather-resistant double coat will need to be brushed regularly as he is quite a heavy shedder. When brushing him, check for ticks and fleas as well as any unusual lumps.
This beautiful dog was developed from a herding breed so he is very active. He will love a walk every day but that won’t be sufficient. He just loves ball games, and if you take him to the park, he’ll love you throwing sticks for him or the frisbee.
Because of his intelligence, he will require mental and physical stimulation. You get some toys for dogs where you can put some kibble in the toy and he has to figure out a way to get the food out.
The White Shepherd is an active dog, so to keep him that way, ensure he gets good food which has the right balance of vitamins.
There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market, but the idea is to know how to choose the high-quality ones and to avoid the ones that can actually jeopardize your dog’s health.
Always read the write-up on the packaging and choose according to your pet’s age and his activity levels.
It is always a good idea to give such a dog some home-made food too. Not any kind of home-made food either because you have to be careful with dogs to avoid them suffering from abdominal pain. They like their food plain and simple – boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.
Some raw meat occasionally is also good. Don’t forget to ensure a constant supply of cool, fresh water.
Because these dogs were bred to work you need to feed them a high quality dry food, made for working dogs. It needs to have a good amount of calcium and glucosamine. Feed about 3-4 cups per day divided into 2 feeding times.
In addition to bloat as mentioned above, the East German Shepherd can also have both air born, and food born allergies. These are easily treated by your veterinarian.
The East German Shepherd is a high energy, high activity dog so you have some for him. He is agile and athletic. He needs serious exercise and a job is essential. If you can’t give an East German Shepherd a job, then don’t get this dog. He loves tracking and has a high prey drive. Keep him trained, challenged and working. Try tracking and herding trials, obedience, agility, fly ball and bar hunt.