SCHIPPERKES

Schipperkes are smallish black dogs with faces that look kind of like foxes.  They have prick ears and a ruff of hair around their necks. The weight of a Schipperke might be anywhere between 10 and 16 pounds.  Sometimes the puppies are born without tails, but other times they do have tails.  In the U.S., these tails are docked really short, but in most of Europe, it's illegal to do that.  Personally, I think they are cuter with tails because the tails curl over their backs, sort of like basenji tails, except hairier.  Schipperkes have a soft undercoat of hair that is covered by a harsher outer coat.  They shed a couple of times a year.

Schipperkes, circa 1897

The breed started out in the Flemish parts of Belgium.  It was bred down in size from a black sheepdog called the Leauvenaar.  Belgian sheepdogs come from this same ancestor breed.  Mostly, Schipperkes were used as watchdogs by tradesmen and on river barges.  The dogs were also good at catching rats.  Another thing they could do was nip at the tow horses' heels to keep them pulling the barge along.  The name Schipperke comes from the Flemish word schip, which means "boat."  A nickname for the Schipperke is "Little Captain" because the boat's captain was usually the one who owned the dog.

Photo:  Debbie Thompson

Nowadays, people who want a dog they can take boating often choose to get a Schipperke.  This is because Schipperkes like being on boats, and they don't get seasick.  While the boat is tied up for the night, the Schipperke will let their humans know if any bad people such as burglars are trying to get on board.

Image source: home.comcast.net/~pomerke/

The Schipperke's spitz-type ancestors are very ancient.  Other breeds that the Schipperke is related to include the Keeshund, Pomeranian, Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz, Japanese Spitz, and the American Eskimo Dog.
















Schipperkes were first recognized as a formal breed in the 1880s.  The AKC recognized the breed in
1904.  If you look at all the AKC registrations for Schipperkes, you will find the breed ranked 78 right now on the list.  It's not every day that you see somebody out walking a Schipperke, but yesterday Mom saw a person doing that, which is why she thought I should write about this breed.

By now, you are probably wondering if you would like to have a Schipperke of your very own.  These dogs have a lot of energy, so you probably need a fenced yard, or else you need to take your Schipperke out walking or running every day.  If they are bored, these dogs can get into a lot of trouble by tearing up stuff in the house.  Schipperkes are devoted and loyal.  They bond with their people, and they are good with children.  Also, they get along well with other dogs and with cats in the home.





Schipperkes are very busy little dogs, and they like to check everything out.  They can be suspicious with strangers, which is one reason they make good watch dogs.  It doesn't matter what size the intruder is or how big another dog might be.  The Schipperke will bark loudly and not back down.

You should always keep your Schipperke on a leash or in an enclosed area.  This is because if  a Schipperke  sees a squirrel or anything that looks fun to chase, he will take off running after it.  Some Schipperkes are good escape artists, and they can dig under fences or climb over them.  So even if you have a nice, fenced yard, you might want to keep an eye on your Schipperke while he is out there.









These days, people mostly use this breed for companionship and as watchdogs.  Schipperkes don't have a lot of health problems, and they usually live to be 10 to 15 years old.  Some even get to be 17 or 18.  I asked Mom if we should think about getting a Schipperke, but she said they are probably too energetic for us old dogs, and also for her, since she's pretty old, too!