We’re Dawn and Phil—partners since 2007, married in 2011, and based in Lancashire in the North West of England.

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Our lives revolve around our dogs. Every one of them lives inside our home as part of our family, sharing our daily routines—from countryside walks and car rides to quiet evenings at home. They are never kennelled or kept apart from us; they are our companions, shaping our daily lives and our breeding decisions.

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The Start of Swish Sheps

Swish Sheps was established in 2019 as a small, purpose-driven breeding programme. We began by breeding White Swiss Shepherd Dogs, welcoming our first litter—the Swish Sheps A Litter—in July 2022. Several further litters followed, bred and registered through recognised systems including the Kennel Club.

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Through involvement with breed organisations and registries, we developed a deeper understanding of canine health, structure, temperament and working ability. Over time, this experience shaped a clear direction for Swish Sheps—one focused on long-term welfare rather than trends or numbers.

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Today, Swish Sheps operates independently, guided by our own ethics and long-term vision. While we no longer hold an active Kennel Club affix, we continue to own—and occasionally breed—KC-registered dogs where this supports our breeding goals.

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Our Breeding Philosophy

Swish Sheps breeds German Shepherd Dogs of all healthy colours and White Swiss Shepherd Dogs. We recognise that the White Swiss Shepherd Dog originates directly from traditional German Shepherd Dog lines and shares the same working heritage, differing primarily in coat colour.

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Although recognised as a separate breed in the UK, we acknowledge their shared ancestry. For us, the distinction between German Shepherd Dogs and White Swiss Shepherd Dogs is one of registration rather than origin. Both are bred to the same core standards of balance, intelligence, soundness and stable temperament.

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Our Outcross Breeding Programme

Alongside our registered dogs, we run a carefully planned outcross breeding programme. Every fourth generation or so, we introduce controlled outcrosses to support genetic diversity, reduce the risk of inherited disease and promote long-term robustness.

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Dogs produced through this programme are not currently eligible for Kennel Club registration. This is a deliberate and transparent choice made in the interests of health and sustainability, not an oversight. All outcross dogs are bred with the same care, health testing and attention to temperament as our registered dogs and are placed with full disclosure and lifelong support.

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We believe that responsible dog breeding sometimes requires working beyond the limits of registry systems in order to prioritise health, welfare and the future of the breed.

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Looking Ahead

At Swish Sheps, puppies are raised in a home environment with lifelong responsibility at the heart of everything we do. We breed selectively, prioritising health, temperament and functional structure above all else.

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Our mission is to produce functional Shepherd Dogs, bred in the spirit of the original German Shepherd Dog—sound in body, steady in mind and capable in work.

 

 

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