Smooth Collie vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison

Smooth Collie vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed ComparisonSmooth Collie is originated from United Kingdom but Berger Blanc Suisse is originated from Switzerland. Smooth Collie may grow 10 cm / 3 inches shorter than Berger Blanc Suisse. Smooth Collie may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Berger Blanc Suisse. Smooth Collie may live 3 years more than Berger Blanc Suisse. Smooth Collie may have more litter size than Berger Blanc Suisse. Both Smooth Collie and Berger Blanc Suisse requires Moderate maintenance.

History

smooth collie - historyWhen you see the Smooth Collie you just assume that you’re looking at a long-haired Lassie-type Collie that was sent to the groomers.

The Smooth Collie has always been used for herding purposes and is a short haired version of the Rough Collie. The early history of this dog is unknown and there are quite a few stories surrounding its history.

It seems as though the dog’s history started during the reign of Queen Victoria who is believed to have owned these dogs.

In some countries it is thought that the smooth- and rough collie are one and the same while in other countries they are classified as separate breeds. The dog hails from the United Kingdom and they classify the Smooth Collie as a separate breed from the Rough Collie.

berger blanc suisse - historyThe 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.

Description

smooth collie puppy - descriptionThe Smooth Collie is a medium to large sized dog, ranging in size from 51–56cm and weighing anything from 18kg to 30kg.

The Smooth Collie is slightly longer than it is tall and he has a deep chest. Most people are very familiar with the sweet, gentle expression of the Collie dogs.

The dog also has the long slender head, the semi-erect ears and a long tail. The coat of the Smooth Collie is dense and long with the outer hair being straight and harsh. The Smooth Collie comes in different colors – fawn, reddish brown, white,grey, black and tan.

Temperament:

The Smooth Collie is generally an amicable dog, sociable and friendly. He loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them, showing signs of separation anxiety when left for long periods on his own.

He is intelligent too so that he is easily trained. He is totally non-aggressive but that doesn’t stop him from being an excellent watchdog and he’ll alert you to strangers approaching you or your home.

They’re also energetic dogs and will require regular exercise. Although these Smooth Collies make splendid family pets, they are still used for herding purposes.

Good Looks

berger blanc suisse puppy - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

The Smooth Collie ticks all the right boxes for making a splendid pet.

smooth collie dog - characteristicsNot only is he intelligent, he is playful and energetic too, making a good pet for children and tolerating other pets too.

Add to that the fact that he is a a good watchdog and wants to protect his family. Sweet and gentle, the Smooth Collie is guaranteed to make a wonderful addition to your family.

berger blanc suisse dog - characteristicsWhen 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.

Health Problems

smooth collie puppies - health problemsYour gentle smooth haired collie can live to be 12 to 14 years of age if he enjoys a good life, but like with other dog breeds, they can also be susceptible to certain common dog illnesses.

Collie Eye Anomaly:

This is when the chromosomes that determine how the eyes develop are mutated, so that the blood vessels that nourish the retina and absorb scattered light are underdeveloped. When this mutation occurs it is in both eyes, but one eye could be more severely affected than the other.

Your vet will do a complete examination of your dog’s eyes to find out what the extent of the defect is.

Bloat or Gastric Dilatation Volvulus:

This is a life threatening problem where the stomach twists. It is more prevalent in deep chested dogs. It can help by feeding your dog two smaller meals a day instead of one larger one which he gobbles up quickly.

Cyclic Neutropenia:

Also known as Gray Collie Syndrome, this rare disease affects the neutrophils of a dog, which are an important part of the immune system. Bacterial infections and a shortened lifespan are your dog’s lot with this illness.

berger blanc suisse puppies - health problemsYour 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.

Caring The Pet

Diet:

smooth collie dogs - caringYour Smooth Collie deserves the very best food there is because of the wonderful companionship he provides you with. You want him to enjoy good health and a long life with you.

If you buy one of the commercially manufactured dog foods, make sure it is one of the best – packed with vitamins and minerals and good, natural ingredients.

Follow the instructions on the packaging for portion sizes. Also include some plain, wholesome dog food made at home. The perfect example of this is boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots all chopped up and added to your dog’s dry kibble as a treat twice a week. No need to add in exotic spices. Avoid onions.

Try and include some raw meat into the diet once in a while too. Make sure your Smooth Collie has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Spay or Neuter:

This is one of the best things you can do for your Collie, eliminating the possibility of your pet becoming a parent of unwanted puppies.

Grooming:

Brush your Smooth Collie twice a week. He is a moderate shedder but has a couple of heavier shedding periods.

While brushing your pet, check inside the ears for signs of infection, check that his eyes are still bright and alert and check inside his mouth for bad teeth. He can’t tell you about a rotting tooth and this can cause a host of other problems for your dog.

High Quality Food

berger blanc suisse dogs - caringApart 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.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Working dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Height Male:
51 - 56 cm
20 - 23 inches
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
Height Female:
51 - 56 cm
20 - 23 inches
55 - 61 cm
21 - 25 inches
Weight Male:
18 - 30 kg
39 - 67 pounds
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
18 - 30 kg
39 - 67 pounds
25 - 40 kg
55 - 89 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
8 - 12
6 - 8
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Collie
White Swiss Shepherd Dog, Snowy Shepherd
Colors Available:
Light gold, deep mahogany and grey, tricolour of white, black, tan
White
Coat:
Short, dense
varies from short to medium
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Moderate, Constant, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Smooth Collie vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Breed Comparison
  2. Smooth Collie vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Smooth Collie vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison
  4. Smooth Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  5. Smooth Collie vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison
  6. Smooth Collie vs Collie - Breed Comparison
  7. Smooth Collie vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  8. Smooth Collie vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  9. Smooth Collie vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison
  10. Smooth Collie vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  11. Smooth Collie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  12. Smooth Collie vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison
  13. Smooth Collie vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  14. Smooth Collie vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  15. Smooth Collie vs Pyrenean Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  16. Smooth Collie vs Bergamasco - Breed Comparison
  17. Smooth Collie vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison
  18. Smooth Collie vs Appenzell Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  19. Smooth Collie vs Queensland Heeler - Breed Comparison
  20. Smooth Collie vs German Coolie - Breed Comparison
  21. Smooth Collie vs Bohemian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  22. Smooth Collie vs Croatian Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  23. Smooth Collie vs Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  24. Smooth Collie vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) - Breed Comparison
  25. Smooth Collie vs Blue Lacy - Breed Comparison
  26. Border Collie vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  27. Sakhalin Husky vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  28. Catahoula Leopard vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  29. German Pinscher vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  30. Portuguese Water Dog vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  31. Puli vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  32. Griffon Bleu de Gascogne vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  33. Borador vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  34. German Spaniel vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  35. Canadian Eskimo Dog vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  36. McNab vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  37. Porcelaine vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  38. Finnish Lapphund vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  39. Berger Blanc Suisse vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  40. Berger Blanc Suisse vs Alaskan Husky - Breed Comparison
  41. Berger Blanc Suisse vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  42. Berger Blanc Suisse vs Australian Kelpie - Breed Comparison
  43. Berger Blanc Suisse vs Basque Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  44. Griffon Nivernais vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  45. Hokkaido vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  46. Petit Bleu de Gascogne vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  47. Pumi vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  48. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  49. Istrian Sheepdog vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison
  50. Jamthund vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds