The Schipperke was originally bred to be a guard dog and vermin hunter on the canal boats in Belgium. Today, he is a much-adored companion that is a very active and playful dog.

History

Schipperkes were first recognized as a formal breed in the 1880s, their standard being written in 1889. Much of what is known of their origins and early history comes from Chasse et Pêche (French for "Hunting and Fishing") magazine, articles of which were translated into English and published by the English magazine The Stockkeeper. The breed name of "Schipperke," officially taken in 1888, in English-speaking nations to mean "little sailor". Beginning in the 1920s, however, it was revealed that in Belgium the name was actually a corruption of the Dutch word "Shapocke" or "Scheperke", meaning "little shepherd". Their resemblance to the Belgium Sheepdog (Groenendael) is unmistakable. It has been suggested that the idea of "little sailor" was an invention of the English, who mistook the Schipperke for a Dutch barge dog. With Belgium too often being mistaken for Holland which is in the Netherlands, not Belgium, some reports say they were found frequently as working dogs aboard barges in the canals, with three jobs onboard: security (barking vigorously when anyone approached the barge), keeping the barges free of vermin, and nipping at the towing horses' heels to get them moving to tow the barge. Due to their bravery and adventurous character, not to mention low center of gravity, Schipperkes are to this day known as excellent boat dogs, and are often found cruising the world aboard sailing yachts and powerboats. They are not prone to seasickness. Before the name "Schipperke" was officially taken, the breed was also known colloquially as "Spitzke". It is thought that the name change was to distinguish it from the German Spitz. Schipperkes are widely referred to the U.S.A. as "Belgian barge dogs" or "Belgian ship dogs." It is often said that Schipperkes live up to their name. In World War II, the Belgian Resistance used the dogs to run messages between various resistance hideouts and cells, and the Nazis never caught on.

Appearance and Size

The Schipperke is a small dog with triangular, erect ears and a completely docked tail. The head of the Schipperke is wedge shaped with a pointed muzzle, similar to a fox. The coat of the Schipperke is characteristic of the breed. It is a thick double coat with differentiation in lengths. Around the neck, chest and back of the thighs, the hair is longer. The hair of the face, ears, forelegs and hocks is shorter. In the United States, the coat is solid black. Other colors may be seen in other countries. The adult Schipperke stands around 10 to 13 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 12 to 18 pounds.

Personality

The Schipperke is a curious, mischievous and playful dog. Reserved with strangers, this little bundle of energy is a faithful companion, good watchdog and excellent vermin hunter. Be prepared this dog can be quite active indoors and likes to howl and bark.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Schipperke" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.