I bought Callie with the intention of starting an ethical breeding program without being fully educated in this breed’s pedigrees, temperaments, and structure and without a mentor. Because of this I made many mistakes, ate the costs associated, and have spayed Callie in March of 2025.

Being an ethical breeder is a promise to the dogs we have now and a commitment to the pets of the future. Being ethical is a choice made every day and one of so much respect towards these animals.

In this day and age, everyone has this knowledge at their fingertips and while some choose to ignore it, I will always continue to kindly educate and advocate for ethical breeders and breed preservation.

We learn, we grow, we mature, and we love. The beauty and happiness and hard work behind the scenes of all of these dogs is my reason.

We are located in Utah, USA and a short 15 minutes from Salt Lake City.

To be added on the waiting list for a puppy or specific litter, please visit my application page and fill out the questions to the best of your ability. From there, I will contact you and begin a series of “interviews” which include a phone call, Zoom meeting, and lots of conversations. After you have been vetted, I will add you and your family to the waiting list. Once the puppies have been born, I will require a $500 deposit to confirm your hold on a puppy.

In my opinion, yes! White Swiss Shepherds typically range on the low side of the scale when it comes to drive and energy. While I do believe that can make good family pets, it’s important to research what temperaments fit your lifestyle best. If a White Swiss Shepherd is your first dog, I highly recommend you work with our trainer who specializes in this amazing breed.

I value even temperaments, sound training, and socialization above all. Because of this, I made the decision to ensure Margaux is well-rounded in all aspects before we begin her conformation and sports career. We will be working on her titles as soon as possible. Otherwise, she is a wonderful representation of the White Swiss Shepherd breed.

Only puppies that meet our strict criteria for breeding will be offered under show and breeding contracts.

Puppies sold with a "companion/pet" contract are required to be spayed or neutered after they turn 24 months old (or after a female’s second heat cycle). This timing is carefully chosen to reduce the risk of orthopedic issues and encourage healthy, natural growth. We ask new owners to understand that this requirement is made with the puppy's best interest in mind. If you’d like to know more about why we set this specific age for sterilization, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

At the moment, no. We do not own any males, however, I am more than happy to recommend other breeders who have males available for studding!

Ivory Arch works closely with our dear friend and White Swiss Shepherd expert, Katie Ashby. If you choose a puppy from us, you will get 3 free training sessions with Katie Ashby and her team at Legendary Service Dogs.

Eventually, we will be working on a “Puppy Academy” that will be offered through Katie as a jump start in training.

Yes and no.

I’ve always believed that what makes a great service or therapy dog comes down to the individual dog, not just the breed.

At Ivory Arch, we breed dogs that are potential candidates for service or therapy work, but it’s not our main area of focus. While we do breed with these purposes in mind, not every dog will necessarily excel in these roles. If you're thinking about getting a puppy for service dog training, I’m more than happy to help—but there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, you’ll need to have a professional trainer lined up who specializes in service dog training, along with a clear plan for how you’ll be training the dog. It’s important that I speak directly with your trainer, too, to make sure everything aligns. If you haven’t found a trainer yet, don’t worry—we can help you find one who’s a good fit.

We also assess each puppy for temperament and character to make sure they meet our standards for this kind of work. Depending on the specific tasks you need the dog to perform, we may even do additional evaluations to ensure the puppy’s a good match.

The reason for these steps is straightforward: service work is a big responsibility. A service dog becomes an essential part of their handler’s life, and we take that responsibility seriously. We want to make sure we’re setting both the dog and the handler up for success, which is why it’s so important to pick the right puppy and provide the right support.

If, for any reason, one of our dogs doesn’t seem to be the best fit for your needs, I’d be happy to connect you with other breeders who specialize in service or therapy dogs.

If you’re looking to bring a White Swiss Shepherd into your family, you can expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,500 in the U.S., depending on the breeder. If you’re considering importing a puppy, the total cost typically ranges from $4,500 to $6,000, which includes both the puppy and shipping but now that the CDC has banned puppies under the age of 6 months old from being imported into the U.S., prices have now risen to $10,000 due to boarding, training, and added cost to higher weight and larger traveling kennels.

Ivory Arch puppies are $5,000 with a $500 nonrefundable (but transferable to a future litter) deposit.

We understand that the cost of a puppy can be a significant consideration for many people, and our main goal is to ensure that every puppy we produce is worth every cent. To minimize the risk of passing on serious health issues that could lead to costly vet bills or heartache down the line, we conduct extensive health testing on the parents. Additionally, each puppy goes home with a 2-year hip and elbow guarantee and a health guarantee covering genetic conditions. These health guarantees are clearly outlined in the personal contract for each Ivory Arch puppy, and I’m happy to go over the details or provide sample contracts if needed.

Beyond that, each puppy leaves our home with ongoing support and mentorship from me, no matter what type of contract they are sold under (whether it’s for a potential show dog, sport dog, or companion). I am always here as a resource for both the puppies and their families, and I’ll continue to offer guidance throughout the lifetime of the dog and beyond. If you have any questions about pricing or what additional benefits come with an Ivory Arch puppy, please feel free to reach out—I’m happy to help.

Back when the white color fell out of favor in German Shepherds, many breeders worldwide started steering away from it, and some even culled white puppies. At that time, people believed the white color might be linked to health issues, but in the U.S., we continued to breed white German Shepherds even as most others stopped. While the AKC and SV disqualified white as a color for German Shepherds, the UKC still allows it today. In fact, in April 1999, the UKC became the first all-breed registry to officially recognize a white German Shepherd descendant, naming it the "White Shepherd." Just to clarify, when I mention a White Shepherd, I'm specifically talking about this UKC breed—not the German Shepherd Dog in white.

Fast forward a bit, and breeders in Europe began importing these American dogs, developing a new breed standard that mirrored the UKC's. Initially, the plan was to call it the "American/Canadian White Shepherd," but that name didn’t stick. The Swiss ended up naming it the "Berger Blanc Suisse" or "White Swiss Shepherd." It wasn't until 2011 that the FCI fully recognized the White Swiss Shepherd.

If you dive into the pedigrees on Pedigree Database, you'll see that most of today’s FCI-registered White Swiss Shepherds trace back to some of the first UKC-registered White Shepherds. Conversely, several current UKC White Shepherds can trace their lineage back to FCI White Swiss Shepherds. Simply put, the UKC White Shepherd and the FCI White Swiss Shepherd are essentially the same breed. However, it’s important to note that due to a loophole in the AWSA, it’s possible for AKC German Shepherds—those colored white—to enter the UKC White Shepherd studbooks. This makes it crucial to ensure that pedigrees are at least three generations clear of any non-white German Shepherds.

Registering with the UKC as a White Shepherd won’t affect the standing of an FCI White Swiss Shepherd because the FCI doesn’t acknowledge or collaborate with the UKC at all. To the FCI, it’s as if the UKC doesn’t even exist. Additionally, registering an FCI White Swiss Shepherd with the AKC as a German Shepherd (colored white) isn’t considered dual registration; it’s actually seen as a change of breed, since the FCI does have a partnership with the AKC. The FCI retains the right to pull papers from FCI White Swiss Shepherds registered as AKC German Shepherds through foreign registration (though this doesn’t apply to PAL or the Canine Partners Program since those dogs aren’t entered in the German Shepherd studbooks). This is all in line with the Circular 77/2007 rules.

Disregarding the UKC White Shepherd as separate from the FCI White Swiss Shepherd can be detrimental to the breed’s future health. Luckily, we have a unique opportunity to use dogs that didn’t make it into the studbooks but can still contribute to genetic diversity. While the UKC accepts FCI dogs, the FCI doesn’t reciprocate. Therefore, it’s up to us—breeders and owners—to work together to ensure that UKC dogs find their way into the FCI, all for the well-being of the breed.