The White German Shepherd Dog: By Gill Keys.

White shepherd dogs have played an important role in the development of the GSD as we now know it.
Milo Denlinger, author of "The Complete german Shepherd Dog", suggests evidence of a very alert, well proportioned, erect eared white shepherd dog from North Germany used centuries ago to herd sheep.
The "father" of the modern GSD was Max von Stephanitz and the development of the breed was due almost entirely to his efforts.
Von Stephanitz found the dog which was to serve as the prototype in the Rhienland town of Karlesruhe on 3rd April 1899. The dog which fulfilled Von Stephantiz's dream of being a blue print for the new breed of sheep herding dog was called Hektor Linksrhein but was renamed Horand Von Grafrath. He was large for that period, powerful, supple, intelligent, clean and hard in build with a well dispossessed temperament.
Many researchers claim that the Horand maternal grand sire, Greif, was white and indeed many of Horands grandchildren were white or carried white blood lines. His full brother, Luchs Spawasser, also carried white bloodlines and, like Horand, was widely bred from. So the White GSD is clearly not a mutant or albino ~ he is a normal white colouring just as his ancestors frequently were.
Dr Peter Neufeld in "The Invincible White Shepherd" states that the only concerted effort to develop a pure strain of white shepherds prior to 1900 was in Alsace-Lorraine by the powerful Royal House of Hapsburg. The story goes that the queens of Hapsburg wanted white shepherds to go with their white ball gowns and white Lipizzaner horses! In any case, many American White GSD's can have their pedigrees traced back to the Hapsburgs through at least 7 breed strains.
Von Stephanitz developed the breed for utility and intelligence stating that "utility is the true criterion of beauty". He also stated that "The colouring of the dog has no significance what so ever of service" and that therefore, no good dog could be a bad colour.
Although Von Stephanitz never waged war against the White GSD, the ruling body for the breed in Germany (the SV) was well placed for discrimination against them. The SV dictated to German breeders which males should be mated to which females; decided the number of puppies to be reared per litter and ordered White GSD's should be destroyed at birth. The prejudice was such that White German Shepherds could not be registered or even work in obedience trials. The prejudice became established around 1930's when many  nazis were members of SV.
This prejudice eventually filtered through to other countries and in 1968, the GSD Club of America disqualified white dogs from the breed. They can still be registered by the American Kennel Club which means that they can not be shown in the breed ring but can compete in obedience trials. In this country there is no problem registering White GSD's with the Kennel Club, but the breed standard describes the colour white as "highly undesirable". They do however say that colour should be of "secondary importance".
A point well made in "The Invincible White Shepherd" is that in many breeds, white is not only acceptable but may be the preferred colour. For example, the Akita, Huskies, Spinone, West Highland White Terrier, Poodles, Maremma Sheepdog and Samoyed. It is strange that millions of dog fanciers would prefer or accept white, while a tiny minority should wage war or discriminate against what they regard as the "inferior" White GSD.
Some people assume that a White GSD is an albino ~ but even to the untrained eye, there is a noticeable difference between an albino and a normal white one. Geneticists believe that the pure white gene is NOT one belonging to the albino group and documented research has finally determined that the White GSD's do not carry any physical or mental weakness genetically linked to their colour. Dr. M. B. Willis has clearly established that there is no inherent relationship between hair pigmentation and health or stability in German Shepherds.
White German Shepherds are used extensively for their working ability and temperament. In this country, they are used by the armed forces, the police and also Guide Dogs for the Blind. There are also White GSD PAT Dogs~ these are dogs who are proven to be of sound temperament and who visit patients in hospitals, hospices and residential homes. In the USA, White German Shepherds are also used as Search and Rescue dogs and attend disasters such as floods and earth quakes all over the world.
The Wheel of Fortune is turning full circle for the White GSD. He is emerging from oblivion to star in many roles in all his splendour ~ not least being the much loved and valued member of the human pack.