May 20, 1999

Dear Mr. Crowley,

With the upcoming review of standard changes for the German Shepherd Dog, questions concerning the future of the white-coated GSD have again surfaced. It has been our understanding, per conversations with you personally and with others at the AKC, that the request for removal of the whites from the GSD breed, would need to come from the parent club, the German Shepherd Dog Club of America.

Please explain the following to both AWSA and the GSDCA:

1. What process needs to be followed to have the white coated German Shepherd Dog expelled or removed from the German Shepherd Dog breed?

2. Is it possible to move the white coated German Shepherd Dog to the Foundation Stock Service if the GSDCA so chooses to have the whites removed from the German Shepherd Dog breed?

3. In your opinion, would the decision to have the white-coated German Shepherd Dog removed or expelled be a GSDCA Board decision, or would it need to be a membership vote?

4. Please explain the procedure needed for the American White Shepherd Association to become the parent club of the White Shepherd breed, should the GSDCA be willing to remove or expel the white-coated German Shepherd Dog?

Jean Reeves
Breed Recognition Chairman
American White Shepherd Association

May 20, 1999

Dear Mrs. Reeves,

This concerns your inquiry on the White German Shepherd Dog.

I will try to answer your questions in the order asked.

1. In order to initiate the process of dividing an existing breed into two separate breeds, there would first
have to be a proposal from the breed 's AKC parent club, in this case the GSDCA. The actual logistics and a realistic time schedule would then have to be developed.

2. As part of the process, should the GSDCA make such a request, an interim step could involve moving the White German Shepherd Dog to the FSS.

3.I would equate this in importance to a club standard or by-law change and the AKC Board would in all likelihood require a vote of the club's membership with a 2/3 affirmative vote of those voting needed for adoption.

4.In the past when a breed splits, the existing club has remained the parent club for both breeds, i.e., Fox Terriers, Norwich and Norfolk Terriers, until it gives up that prerogative, as was done with the Belgian breeds and the Cocker/English Cocker Spaniels. If the GSDCA advised AKC that it did not want to be the parent club for the white, assuming it became a separate breed, AKC would then work with the white shepherd Club to make it the parent club. A decision would be based on things like membership numbers and geographic distribution, acceptable by-laws, etc. If approved that club would then become the guardian of the breed standard.

The above answers are speculative and based on precedent. In every case like this the final decisions would rest with the AKC Board, and there is no way that I could make any commitment without prior Board approval. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
James Crowley,
AKC Secretary

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