Club Information

In late 2013, a small group of people organized on behalf of the FCI papered White Swiss Shepherd. The WSSCA began in 2014 as a not-for-profit corporation to act as custodian of the breed in the United States.

The Club has a number of goals:

1. To preserve and support the White Swiss Shepherd Dog, as a breed distinct and unique breed unto itself, as described by the Fédération Cynologique Internationalé breed standard, number 347.
2. Ensure the future health of the breed by maintaining a health database of breed stock and determining applicable health testing to be done by breeders to ensure healthy progeny, and monitoring genetic diversity within the breed.
3. Create and support a reliable breed registry of the White Swiss Shepherd.
4. Act as a resource of history, husbandry, and breeding information for owners, prospective owners, and breeders of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog by providing educational tools in multiple media outlets for optimal public access.
5. Provide venues for those with interest in the White Swiss Shepherd Dog to exchange information.
6. Provide a source for finding a mentor, or to become a mentor, for those interested in learning more about owning WSSDs.
7. Promote White Swiss Shepherd rescue.

The White Swiss Shepherd Club of America is a club devoted to the preservation and betterment of health, temperament, and structural qualities of the White Swiss Shepherd Dog. Its members believe that the welfare of the breed should be always a primary consideration. The following Code of Ethics is predicated upon this fundamental philosophy:

SECTION 1. WSSCA Requirements for Breeders and Owners

• FOOD AND WATER: Clean water must be available at all times. Care should be taken so that water dishes are not tipped easily. Dogs should be fed at least once daily. A balanced diet is necessary for good health. Food containers must be cleaned regularly. Special attention to feeding times is required in a multi-dog confinement area to ensure that each dog receives adequate nourishment.
• SHELTER: All dogs must have access to dry, weatherproof housing. The shelter must be properly maintained in relation to weather conditions. Regular inspections of housing are necessary to ensure sanitary bedding and protection from objects harmful to pups and adults.
• WHELPING AREA: The whelping area must be a warm, clean and roomy area segregated from other dogs, with easy accessibility for cleaning and inspection. For both pups and mother, the kennel owner must provide a healthy whelping area for maximum growth, survival, exercise and socialization with humans.
• CONFINEMENT: Each litter must be segregated or properly identified. Dogs must be confined in such a manner that prevents their escape yet provides adequate room for individual mobility. Crated dogs must have an exercise area and receive adequate exercise daily. Females in season must be separated from males (other than the male she is bred to) for the entire heat cycle.
• SAFETY & PROTECTION: The kennel owner must ensure that dogs kenneled together are compatible and not in danger of injuring one another. Dogs must be protected from stray and wild animals and from objects harmful to pups and adults. Adequate fencing is required.
• HEALTH CARE: Vaccinations must be administered in accordance with local and state requirements. An internal and external parasite control program must be maintained. Sick dogs must be separated from general kennel population. Bathing/grooming should be administered as required by breed to maintain proper health conditions.
• SOCIALIZATION: A daily regimen of human interaction is necessary to ensure the development of good temperament for all dogs, especially for pups.
• WASTE DISPOSAL: Waste must be removed in accordance with accepted local, state, and federal requirements. The kennel area must be cleaned of all feces and urine daily. Solid waste must be removed from the kennel area.
• RECORD KEEPING: Individual health records must be maintained for each dog. All breedings must be recorded as well as the resultant litters from those breedings. A sales record indicating to whom each dog is sold is necessary. Breeders must have complete and accurate registration documents for all breedstock and litters.
• REGISTRATION: Owners and breeders must not register their WSSD as a German Shepherd Dog with the American Kennel Club (AKC) or any other registry.
• Kennel owners must meet all local, county, state and federal government requirements for kennel operations.

SECTION 2. General Conduct:

The White Swiss Shepherd Club of America welcomes all enthusiasts of the White Swiss Shepherd, even if you do not own one. We offer advice, breed information, and camaraderie around the topic of our dogs. From general knowledge to specifics on training and husbandry of this breed, we would like to assist. We can help you get your dog registered, or get your dog’s health clearances handled, or help you start in dog events like conformation, performance, and sports. If you are looking for a mentor, we can help with that, too!

Page under construction

page under construction