PekePoo vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison

The Berger Blanc Suisse is also referred to as the White Swiss Shepherd. The dog shares the same ancestry with the German Shepherd. The beautiful white dog from Switzerland, is closely related to the White Shepherd. Both breeds are descended from the German Shepherd breed.

It was in 1967 that a certain Agatha Burch brought a White German Shepherd with her to Switzerland and also importing a female white German Shepherd from the UK. It was these 2 dogs who were believed to be the first breeding dogs for the Berger Blanc Suisse. After a number of years, the breed was officially recognized in July 2011. In the USA and Canada, these White Shepherd dogs have been accepted as a distinct breed.

As a cross between a Peingese and a Poodle, your cute Peekapoo as he is also known, isn't a purebred dog. They first started making their appearance in the 1900s, in fact it was believed to be developed in the 1950s, being one of the oldest designer dog breeds.

He was bred to be a a low-shedding, hypoallergenic companion dog. Both the parent dogs have their own unique, long histories. Dog experts aren’t too sure where the Pekepoo originated from.

This dog breed isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, because it is a hybrid breed, but it is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

Good Looks

The medium-sized, well muscled Berger Blanc Suisse looks so much like the popular German Shepherd, and apart from its white coat, it has much the same physical standards. The females are about 55–61cm in height while the males are 60–66cm in height. The dogs dense, medium-length double coat tends to be slightly wavy but straight is more common. He has a long bushy tail.

The Berger Blanc Suisse is somewhat longer than it is tall, but like the German Shepherd, it also has erect ears. In contrast to the white coat, the nose is black and the dog had dark, alert eyes.

Temperament

This is an intelligent, confident dog and if you buy a puppy, of which the average litter size is 8, you will need to provide training and socialization to ensure he doesn't act totally independently and behave in a manner not pleasing to you. Once he is trained and socialized, he makes a wonderful pet and is social, playful and gentle. He is loyal and devoted to his human family, wanting to protect them. He is good around children and other pets in the home.

People love these little dogs because of their lack of shedding and it having a hypoallergenic coat. The coat is soft and can be wavy to curly with some feathering around the ears and tail.

It is medium length and comes in a variety of colors such as fawn, cream, white, black, apricot or chocolate. The coat can have a mix of some of these colors too. This is a small dog that stands at between 23–26cm and weighs in the region of 4 to 9kg. He has floppy, low set ears and bright brown eyes.

Temperament:

They're such cute little dogs, loving and loyal to their human family. However, there is another side to them and they can be independent, aloof and stubborn. They’re very intelligent little dogs and will require both mental and physical stimulation to prevent boredom.

Because’s he’s so smart, you won’t have any trouble training him new skills. He’ll do well with children in the home as well as with pets, especially once he’s been trained and socialized.

He is able to settle into life in the city or the countryside. Even though he is a small dog, he will have to have his share of exercise if he is to remain healthy and content. They are dogs that love to be cuddled and petted ad he gets along well with everyone in the family.

Even though he is a true family pet, loving and loyal, he becomes a good watchdog too as he wants to protect all those he loves.

When you first set eyes on the Berger Blanc Suisse or White Shepherd, you can see that this is a strong, well-muscled, energetic dog, full of life and intelligent too. Add to that the fact that he is beautiful to look at.

Your Berger Blanc Suisse dog is gentle and loyal with his own human family and will be somewhat wary of strangers. This dog is balanced, good-natured, friendly and affectionate and he just loves spending time with his family, being a good watch dog as well. He’s got so much going for him – good looks, a great personality, he is loyal, loving, strong, healthy and he’ll make one hang of a pet.

Your Pekepoo is such a gentle, sweet dog, making the perfect family pet. He is gentle, loving and amicable with his human family and wants to be involved in all their activities.

Coming from the Poodle and the Pekingese, he will have inherited some personality from each of these two popular dog breeds.

He is coming into your home ready to make you a splendid pet and companion and he asks nothing more than good care from you as a responsible dog owner.

Your White Swiss Shepherd is a healthy, energetic, strong dog, but even so when you find him lethargic and listless, you want to get him to the vet for a check-up. It is always a good idea to be alert to common dog illnesses so that you know what to look out for in your dog.

Bloat

A common problem with dogs. The dog becomes restless and the abdomen is often enlarged. Get your dog to the doctor immediately.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia

This is a developmental defect of the hip and elbow joints and you’ll notice your pet battling to rise again after lying down.

Degenerative Myelopathy

This is a disease of the nervous system where the hind legs and feet drag. Sometimes the dog loses control over the bladder.

As with any dog, there are certain common dog ailments that you want to watch out for in your Pekepoo. Brachycephalic airway syndrome is one as well as dental disease and obesity.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome:

Because your Pekepoo has a somewhat squashed face, he may have abnormalities in the upper airways. Dogs with this syndrome have heavier breathing than other dogs and he might even have a cough. The troublesome part is that these breathing difficulties can put pressure on the cardiovascular system.

Obesity:

Small breed dogs are always at an increased risk of being obese and being obese can mean your dog possibly developing osteoarthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure as well as other diseases.

High Quality Food

Apart from your Berger Blanc Suisse puppy need an excellent quality puppy food 4 times a day, as he gets older you will need to adjust his food to suit his high energy needs. Once your pet reaches a year of age you will know whether he requires one or two helpings of food a day. You can feed him a top quality commercial manufactured food or you can make your own home-made food for him which includes meat, rice and vegetables.

You want to make 100% sure he is getting the correct dosage of minerals and vitamins to ensure good health. To keep his eyes bright and his nose wet, include some raw meat into his diet as well. Make sure that he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Lots of Exercise

Remember that your Berger Blanc Suisse is a working dog and he will need plenty of exercise. Apart from taking him on long walks, you can throw balls for him, buy rope toys for him and give him some rough and tumble. He is an intelligent breed and he will require some games that give him mental stimulation too.

Grooming

Check regularly for fleas and ticks. You’ll pick this up with brushing his beautiful coat. Frequent brushing will help keep your dog clean and also remove all those loose hairs. Your White Swiss Shepherd Dog is a moderate, but constant shedder as well as being a heavy seasonal shedder so you will need to give him a good brush at least twice a week.

Diet:

Your small designer Peekapoo will do well on a high quality kibble diet. Always check out the packaging and see how much to feed a small dog like this. It is better to give a dog 2 smaller meals a day as composed to one because with one they tend to gobble it up which can lead to a serious condition known as bloat.

Dogs love simplicity and consistency with their food, but it is always to your dog’s benefit to feed him some home-made food too. Some chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as spinach, carrots and sweet potato added into the kibble occasionally will do him the world of good. Every now and again a little bit of raw meat can also be given.

Never leave your pet without a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

Lively and energetic, your Peekapoo is going to need daily exercise. He will love the chance to sniff around and explore on your daily walks but he is ready to become more involved than that and will join you with hikes and swimming too. He is happiest when spending activity times with his human family. As with any dog, just make sure he doesn’t overdo it, especially on a hot day.

Grooming:

To keep your Pekepoo’s hair tangle-free, you’ll need to brush it twice a week. If you feel that his hair is getting too unruly, you can take him to the doggy parlor and have it trimmed into a shorter style. They’ll clip his nails at the same time, check inside his mouth for any signs of dental disease and check inside his ears too for dental infection.