If you have a German Shepherd that has white in their fur coat and you’re wondering if this is natural or if you’ve been scammed into accepting a dog that isn’t purebred, fear not!
A German Shepherd can have natural white patches on them as a puppy that usually disappear into adulthood. Adult dogs might get white patches due to vitiligo, health problems, natural aging, or premature aging caused by stress or genetics.
To learn more about German Shepherds and why these white patches might occur, keep reading!
Can A German Shepherd Dog Have White In Their Fur?
German Shepherds are typically bred to have little to no white patches in their coats. This is because they were bred to be animal herders, and only the darker dogs could intimidate the other animals into moving.
A dark-furred German Shepherd can have white markings, but this is only an indicator of a breeding fault instead of anything more insidious. That particular German Shepherd has the recessive white gene in its DNA, passed down from one of the parents.
If your German Shepherd has a white spot on its chest or paws, but is only a puppy, the spot will likely fade as it gets older. Even if this does not happen, as long as your dog has been registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) as purebred, having or not having a white spot does not make it any less of a purebred.
If the white spotting is extreme, you might have what is known as a Panda German Shepherd. This is caused by a mutated KIT gene. These dogs are relatively rare because of the mutated gene’s probability in question, and these are still known as purebred. However, they’re not recognized by the AKC.
Do All-White German Shepherds Exist?
All-white German Shepherds also do exist, but they are rarer to find. That’s because these dogs are not valued as working dogs are also disqualified from show-rings in multiple countries. As a result, all-white puppies are usually more expensive than the working kind.
These dogs are usually bred from all-white parents or one all-white and one non-all-white with the recessive white gene. An all-white needs to inherit the white gene from both of the parents. Note that the white German Shepherd is not an albino – instead, the recessive white gene masks the dog’s actual color to give it its signature white coat. That also takes all the health risks associated with albino dogs out of the equation.
There is no difference between an all-white, a black dog, or a dog with white spots other than the coat color and, in some cases, hair length. They’re both equally likely to suffer from specific health problems and will have the same temperament if trained in the same manner. Instead of fixating on coat color, you should be ensuring that your breeder is responsible and does health tests on dogs because some breeders overlook health issues to get the perfect coat color.
What If White Patches Have Recently Started Appearing On A German Shepherd?
If white patches or an entirely white fur coat on your German Shepherd is not hereditary, here are some reasons listed by AVES why your dog’s hair might turn white:
Age
Like humans, dogs undergo the aging process too. This is reflected in their coat’s color, with the hairs primarily near the snout and muzzle turning a grayish-white color. As your dog gets older and older, those gray hairs will turn whiter. You might also notice that the texture of your dog’s coat is different.
Stress
It is common knowledge that stress in humans can cause hair to turn gray faster than usual. It is hypothesized that stress prematurely triggers the graying process – where either aging prevents the production of melanin, the chemical which keeps your skin and hair at the natural color it is, or your hair gets bleached from within via hydrogen peroxide.
According to a study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, anxiety or stress can replicate this process in dogs. If your dog displays anxiety or impulsivity in the form of the symptoms below, take note.
- Hyperactivity
- Stress whining
- Restlessness
- Cringing to avoid touch
- Submissive urination
If your dog is displaying any of these symptoms and is still relatively young, you need to teach the dog coping skills and impulse control to prevent increased grayness across the coat. You will also get a more docile dog.
Genetics
Suppose your dog doesn’t display anxiety or impulsivity but still has white fur. In that case, it could be that they are just genetically predisposed to getting gray hair sooner than they usually would. A dog with a darker fur coat is more likely to get gray hairs than one with a lighter coat.
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder caused by the death of melanocytes. When this happens, patches of skin and fur in the affected regions will turn white. Vitiligo affects all dogs differently – some will have white spots throughout the body, while others might only have prominent white patches in one or two areas.
Either way, there’s nothing to worry about because vitiligo is harmless, only changing the appearance of your dog.
Health Problems
Your dog may be dealing with some health problems causing premature graying, creating those white spots on the fur. If your dog has graying along with any of the other symptoms listed below, see a vet as soon as possible.
Hypothyroidism
When the thyroid gland produces insufficient thyroxine, a hormone responsible for regulating the metabolic rate in your dog, they might present the following symptoms:
- Premature graying of the muzzle
- Weight gain without an increase in food intake
- Thin, dull hair
This condition can easily be treated through daily oral supplements to replace the missing hormone.
An injury to the skin can also cause gray or white hair by damaging hair follicles and causing them to grow back differently.
Final Thoughts
If your German Shepherd has white patches on its coat without displaying any other adverse behaviors, you don’t need to worry. However, if your dog has recently acquired any negative traits at the same time as it got those white patches, you need to take them to see the vet so that they can diagnose your pet appropriately.
Any diseases can be detected through a quick blood test, and the doctor will be able to prescribe the appropriate medication or treatment to get your dog back to good health in no time.