My journey into an exciting hobby in the world of dogs began at work one Sunday afternoon when my wife told me a story over the telephone of a big, burly man coming up onto my deck and trying to open the door, while being joyfully greeted by my 4 year old Brittany. I love my spirited bird hunter and remain convinced that they are among the best of breeds for their purpose, but with the amount of time I spend at work, I decided I needed a dog with a bit more "presence" than a Brittany full of glee for all things human.

Thus began my search to choose just the right breed for my family. My first priority was for a dog that could not only be intimidating to unwelcome strangers, but also gentle and protective with my children. Of course many breeds fit that description, but I wanted one that exemplifies it.

The first breed to come to mind was also the first one to be marked off the list. The German Shepherd Dog is widely reputed to be the most versatile of all breeds and would surely have filled the roll as well or better than any other, but there was a problem. My wife is still afraid of them from a bad childhood experience. If my wife is as afraid of our dog as she would be of Mr. T trying to force into our home, I’ve not fully achieved my goal.

As my search continued, I became more aware of the many social repercussions that come into play for dog owners. There are many preconceptions about breeds - some deserved, but most either exaggerated by the media or entirely unjustified. With this in mind, I added the priority that the breed I select must not inspire an immediate defensive reaction in people with such preconceptions of certain breeds. It’s a good thing there are hundreds to select from.

I soon stumbled upon a web-ring for White Shepherds, and THAT WAS IT !! I could have the vaunted and versatile German Shepherd Dog, but in a natural, pretty white disguise! White dogs are nice, right? Not necessarily, but they certainly give a different first impression than many of the Black and Tan breeds.

I then devoured the contents of every website on the internet containing the phrase "White Shepherd," soon realizing there is much more to this breed than meets the eye. Not only is there an excellent network of serious breeders dedicated to advancing this beautiful dog. There is also a fascinating history of canine racism, Nazi oppression, political intrigue, and bad science. If I joined forces with this breed, I wouldn’t just bring home a family pet. I’d become part of a mission and a message. This story isn’t about that though.

The versatile German Shepherd Dog in white is not quite a German Shepherd anymore. A White Shepherd is genetically distinct from a German Shepherd Dog by color alone, yet most are many generations removed. The bloodlines of these beautiful dogs have been preserved and improved upon by a small number of fiercely dedicated breeders who persevered in their passionate hobby for many years amidst criticism and insults from the colored German Shepherd community - banned from conformation, frowned upon at most other events. They were rebels without respect in a world which promoted the culling of any white puppies born.

The dog world experience and its motivations were thus very different for White Shepherd lovers than for most breeds. For most of it’s history, there was no glory to be found. No limelight. No Eukanuba Classic invitation to strut your stuff on TV. A positive result is that the devoted few breeders had less distraction from producing the "total dog." While effectively in exile, they have improved the breed to a point that many believe it is superior in structure and temperament to the typical American GSD today. Surely there are many good colored GSD lines in the GSDCA/AKC, but they are widely considered the minority. I have learned that often these lines can be found at UKC events.

When I decided that the White Shepherd would be "my breed," I also decided I wanted to help further it. I’m sure I must have surprised a few people in the breed when I first started contacting them in search of a dog. You see, I no longer wanted just a pet. I was considering becoming a breeder.

The first contact I made was to call Hoofprint Farm in Canada, hoping to talk to Joanne Chanyi, the Grand Dame of the breed. Joanne wasn’t available, but I got to talk with Lynda Proulx and shared my goals. In hindsight, I’m shocked they gave the time of day to a first-time contact wanting a pet that’s also top dog with breeding rights, just in case I decide to breed. I soon received the following message from Joanne, which not only shows her proper skepticism of me, but a style of communicating that is uniquely hers. She is one of a kind.

She gets right to the point, doesn’t she?

I next joined a few of the internet groups where I continue to learn a great deal, and developed friendships with some of the people dedicated to this breed. There are a more and more fine breeders now, and so many factors to consider in selecting just right litter to pick from. Of course they needed to become confident of me also. In addition to picking the right litter, I knew I would need guidance in my journey, and one of my chief guides would likely become the breeder that I select. (and would accept me)

As I closed in on my decision, I attended a White Shepherd specialty show in Greentown, Indiana where I met Jean Reeves, Diana Updike, Jacki Wheeler, and many other wonderful folk. I knew I’d picked the right group to get involved with after a weekend with such friendly people. I also knew I’d found the breeder for my first White Shepherd. Jean is tirelessly dedicated to the White Shepherd breed and has just the right combination of tact and experience to be a great mentor. Not only that, but she lives closer to me than the other excellent breeders I had contacted. Location Location Location. OK, the rule isn’t the same for breeders, but it does matter.

I took interest in two litters which Jean was expecting November of 2001, and while we waited on them, she helped me to understand their strengths and faults. The final decision came down to my hunting breed experience. The sire of the litter I chose is Von Tasz Classic Combo, who’s father was Von Tasz Jack of all Trades – the highest obedience titled White Shepherd ever. (you can see him at www.VonTasz.com) Since brains and temperament are a very high priority to me, I was happy to have such an accomplished dog prominent in the pedigree of my first White Shepherd.

In January of 2002, I brought home a 9 week old female from Reeves Royal Acres, which I named Royal Steel Blue Sky ("Sky") to join my family. I decided that if I become a breeder, my Kennels name would be "Steel Magnolia Estate Shepherds." I feel that Steel Magnolia gives a good mental picture of strength and beauty together. I also love the Sweetbay Magnolia trees that line the road of my property. "Steel Blue Sky" describes the aftermath of the beautiful Winter evening sunset I was blessed to watch as I drove to pickup the little white fluffball which has changed my life.

I also mentioned I wanted to join the cause for this breed. To date my niche has been my participation in the White Shepherd Genetics internet discussion group on Yahoo. Our goal is to educate breeders and owners of White Shepherds about the genetic health problems our breed is affected with, and to implement the methods of disease reduction presented by Dr. George Padgett D.V.M. in his book, Control of Canine Genetic Disease. I was fortunate to participate in a group interview of him and honored with the task for turning the interview into an article for the 2003 White German Shepherd Annual, to be published soon by Hoflin.

At the time of this writing, my White Shepherd puppy is 7 months old and we just returned from our first UKC conformation event, hosted by the Carnation City Kennel Club in Randolph, Ohio. I decided at the last minute to go to this particular show when I noticed that Fred Lanting would be judging the herding group in the 2^nd show on Saturday. He has long been my favorite writer and authority regarding "All Things Canine," which is appropriately the name of his international canine consulting business.

I can enthusiastically report that my first UKC event was a very pleasurable one. It began with a smooth and quick registration process and I quickly met some very friendly people who gave me some pointers and were great company to keep during the show.

To my disappointment, I brought the only White Shepherd to this show, so dern it, we didn’t get any points for the three 1^st place ribbons Sky won for showing up alive. I can proudly brag though that Sky won 4^th in the herding group, so she has her first points in her first ring experience. Thank you to Reeves Royal Acres for picking me a winner! I can certainly say that she won despite the handler.

I was especially pleased that Mr. Fred Lanting took time outside the ring to elaborate on his evaluation of my bitch that I hope to breed. He confirmed her breed worthiness for me and advised on which features to look for in a stud to compliment her – emphasizing that I should first have her radiographed for Hip Dysplasia evaluation using the PennHIP method before ever breeding her. He also recommended that Sky’s handler take some handling classes. I’m sure Sky would move with more confidence if her handler (yours truly) wasn’t so confused.

I was impressed with his friendliness and ability to talk to anyone on their level. He explained orthopedic design for my layman understanding, and got down on his knees to teach a group of young children how to safely approach and pet a Shepherd after a group of four of them circled my surprised 7 month pup.

We then took customary brag photo’s for my new extended family in the dog world, and I rushed home to share the news of the day over a fine Italian dinner with my wife. There’s no telling what you’ll get yourself into when you decide you want to get a dog. Choosing a White Shepherd adds an extra spice to the mix, and getting involved with a club really makes it a rewarding hobby. I love it!