The Schipperke, meaning ‘little captain’ in Flemish, is a breed of dog in the Non-Sporting Group. This breed is well known for their superior watch dog capabilities and for their loyal, yet independent, nature. The Schipperke was approved by the AKC in 1990.
The average Schipperke stands 10 to 13 inches high at the shoulders and weighs between 12 and 18 pounds. Their thick double coat requires regular brushing to keep it free of tangles, and this breed will blow their coat up to 3 times a year which can cause excessive shedding.
The Schipperke was developed in Belgium in the late 1600’s in order to create a small companion and watchdog. This breed is a smaller version of the sheepdog known as the Leauvenaar, and for many years they were a favorite watch and companion dog on canal boats which is where they received their ‘little captain’ name.The average life expectancy of the Schipperke is 12 to 15 years. Increased health risks associated with this breed include
According to the ACK Standard, the Schipperke is "questioning, mischievous, impudent... interested in everything around him.” These dogs may be the most curious of all breeds, wanting to know what is going on around them every minute of the day. Their alertness makes them excellent watch dogs, as they will faithfully alert you that someone is approaching their home. In fact, their name means “Little Captiain” in Flemish, and they got that name by faithfully
The Schipperke (pronounced skipper-key) is an agile, small, tailless dog with the face of a fox. They are squarely built and wear a distinctive black coat that forms a sloping silhouette from shoulder to rear end. The coat is thick, medium-short and creates a thick ruff around the neck. The chest is wide. The fox-like head is wedge-shaped with a tapering, pointed muzzle. The eyes are small, oval and dark brown. Schipperkes generally have a
The saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Check out the many different Schipperke Pictures and Schipperke images. Get an in depth look at the Schipperke and see the many things that this breed has to offer.