Outcrossing

 

"[Outcrossing:] An outcross is when two completely unrelated animals who share no common ancestors within four to six generations are bred,

[Linebreeding:] is technically a form of inbreeding. However, linebreeding deals with pairs that are related more distantly than first-generation relatives,

[Inbreeding:] is the very close breeding of relatives" (Rachel, n.d).

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This is one of the most unpopular opinions across the majority of breeds, regardless of location. It is my personal belief that to increase genetic diversity, health, drive, and longevity within the White Swiss Shepherd breed is to incorporate other breeds. The majority of White Swiss Shepherds, White Shepherds, and White German Shepherds stemmed from the same registered dog, Horand von Grafrath. Graf produced offspring who were subsequently bred to each other. They were inbred from the beginning. Throughout its history, in order to "save" the breed from "extinction," many breeders chose only to breed to other dogs that were colored white. Different lines and different standards branched out over time, which has led to long-time breeders of solely American Kennel Club (AKC) registered white dogs with no imported dogs, which leads me to the White Swiss Shepherd/Berger Blanc Suisse, who, as of July 4, 2011, was officially accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)(BERGER BLANC SUISSE, n.d.). Some breeders will only breed to dogs that come from FCI kennels and have full FCI pedigrees. They exclude dogs with lines that have AKC and/or United Kennel Club (UKC) lines. The UKC recognized the White Shepherd as a distinct breed separate from the German Shepherd on April 14, 1999 (Breed Standards : White Shepherd, n.d.)

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Some breeders solely line-breed, and some only use dogs with less common ancestors. Regardless, the breed needs to be saved. Some country kennel clubs have what is called an "open stud book." Meaning, if a dog meets specific criteria, they will be given a blank pedigree. Countries with open studbooks include, but are not limited to, Federación Canófila de Puerto Rico (FCPR) and the Dutch Kennel Club. 

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EmbarkDNA's average coefficient of inbreeding (COI) for the White Swiss Shepherd is 26% as of 2025. This is based on their 2000+ single-breed tests of White Shepherds. Also, an important fact is that Embark is not fully accurate. There are German Shepherds with no FCI White Swiss Shepherd dogs in their pedigree that pop out white and are labeled, under Embark, as "White Shepherd." Embark does not fully separate an FCI White Swiss Shepherd from a White Shepherd or from a German Shepherd colored white. Regardless, common sense can deduce that the actual COI would be higher, given that most White Swiss Shepherds are not Embark tested.  

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We are seeing more and more dogs with more genetic disorders. These include but are not limited to: Collie eye anomaly (CEA), Pituitary dwarfism (PD), Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), Copper Toxicosis (CT), heart issues, and many more. I have seen breeders boast about dogs living only 9 years old when they have been breeding their lines for 30 years. I have seen breeders mindlessly breed dogs with both copies of DM together.

While according to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)'s databases of top 100 breeds with hip or elbow dysplasia, the White Swiss Shepherd is not in the top 50 [as of June 2025], that does not negate the fact that it is too common for how "new" the breed is.  

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