SCHIPPERKE
APPEARANCE
The Schipperke dog is small, with oval brown eyes, triangular upright ears and a face that resembles that of a fox. The body must appear to be square when viewed from the side while the chest must be wide and should reach the elbows. It also has a distinctive double coat – a soft undercoat covered by a rough, shaggy outer coat. A long ruff also surrounds the Schipperke’s neck, particularly the nape, the chest as well as the back of its hind legs. These dogs are around 12-18 pounds in weight, and the height of the Schipperke is around 10-12 inches for females and around 11-13 inches for males.
PERSONALITY
Loyal, alert, and affectionate, the Schipperke is a small dog with plenty of character and personality. High spirited, playful, and inquisitive, the Schipperke has bags of courage and seems to think that he is much bigger than he actually is. These dogs are best suited to those with some experience of dog ownership, as they can be mischievous, stubborn, and even manipulative - he requires an assertive and confident owner to provide firm, consistent, yet positive training.
TRAINING
Schipperke is an intelligent dog and this makes him easy to train. The Schipperke is an alert creature and will bark to raise the alarm, making him an effective watchdog. He is intelligent and quick to learn, but his independent streak and willful nature can make training something of a challenge for the more inexperienced. Nevertheless, these dogs are devoted and love to be around people, making them entertaining and loving family pets. Housebreaking the Schipperke can be difficult in some cases, and some owners may find themselves facing a challenge when it comes to grooming and handling these dogs - again, effective and consistent handling and training is important.
EXERCISE
Being an active and seemingly tireless dog, the Schipperke will love to run around the yard or better yet, in a park or open field. The Schipperke is a born climber and digger, and therefore needs proper supervision and a safe, secure place to play and exercise when not on a leash.
SOCIALIZATION
With gentle, older children the Schipperke should get on well, but he is very way around strangers. Early socialization is recommended in order to promote a more stable and sociable attitude. He tends to get along well with household pets such as cats and dogs, but may give chase to strange animals. He should also not be trusted around smaller creatures that run, or with caged creatures. Although the Schipperke can be a handful, with the right owner and leadership he can make a great pet and companion.
LIVING CONDITIONS
Because of its size, the Schipperke is ideal for people living in apartments with small yards. However, the yard must have fences, as these dogs are very quick and can easily escape or get lost.
GROOMING
Being the independent dog that it is, the Schipperke can very well take care of its own grooming. The coat of the Schipperke must be brushed two to three times a week using a firm bristle brush to keep it in top condition. However, while they shed very little, Schipperkes experience periods of “blowing”, where they lose all their undercoat within a ten-day period. It is said that it is easier to bathe them during this time. Schipperke is a medium shedder, and sheds more heavily on a seasonal basis, so he is not ideal for those with allergies.
HEALTH ISSUES
The life expectancy of the Schipperke is around 13-15 years, and there are a number of health problems to look out for with these dogs. This includes thyroid problems, Legg-Perthes, cataracts, epilepsy, PRA, and entropion. The parents of the Schipperke puppy should have OFA and CERF certificates.
HISTORY
The Schipperke breed was developed in Flanders by a canal boat captain named Renssens. While it was originally planned to be descended from the Black Belgian Sheepdog family, the Schipperke was made smaller and was made to be a totally different breed. It was named Schipperke, which translates to “Little Skipper” or “Little Captain” in Flemish, because it was the favorite choice to guard canal barges in Belgium. The Schipperke became even more popular when Queen Marie Henriette acquired a dog of the said breed. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1904.
