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| Should
Every Home Have A
Schipperke? |
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The Schipperke, pronounced
"Skip-er-key",
is Flemish for "Little
Captain". The
breed originated in
the Flemish provinces
of Belgium, and served
as a companion, guard
dog and hunter of
vermin.
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In appearance the
Schipperke is very
distinctive, resembling
no other breed. It
has a close undercoat,
which keeps it warm
in the winter, sheds
water or dirt and
needs little attention
to keep it well groomed.
The dog has a short,
cobby body, a foxy
face, and no tail.
Schipperkes are always
solid black. Adult
males will have a
thicker coat than
the females. Schipperkes
are a small breed,
ranging from 10"-13"
high at the shoulder
and weighing no more
than 18 pounds.
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Do
Schipperkes have any
inherited health problems?
Generally no, although
epilepsy, thyroid
deficiency and Legge-Perthes
occasionally occur.
They are one of the
hardiest of small
dogs. Schipperkes
are usually a long-lived
dog for a small breed,
with dogs of 12-15
years not uncommon.
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Do
they shed?
YES, YES, YES! They
"blow" their
coat at least twice
a year (spring and
fall), and you always
wonder how such a
small dog can lose
so much hair (1 to
2 grocery bags full).
The shedding period
is short (1 to 2 weeks),
and regular brushing
and bathing gets rid
of much of the loose
hair. When not shedding,
Schipperkes do not
lose much hair and
require brushing only
to keep them neat.
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Are
they good with kids?
Generally yes, as
long as young children
are properly instructed
and supervised when
playing with the dog.
Schipperkes are excellent
for kids interested
in Junior Showmanship
or 4-H. Prospective
owners need to discuss
Schips and kids on
a case-by-case basis.
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What
is it like to live
with a Schipperke?
Have you ever heard
of a Black Tornado?
The Schipperke is
busy, curious, very
active and inquisitive.
They are high energy,
not hyperactive. Equipment
such as fences, leashes,
crates and baby gates
are standard requirements
for the Schipperke
owner. Some Schipperkes
will stand on their
hind legs, wave their
front legs and "pattycake"
when they want something.
They are stubborn
but smart, eager to
please but independent.
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Are
they "yappy"
little dogs?
No, but they are watchdogs
and will bark when
something out of the
ordinary happens.
Some of them are vocal
enough to "talk"
to you when they want
something, but they
don't bark without
good reason.
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Should
they be obedience
trained?
Yes. Most Schipperkes
enjoy obedience training,
although they tend
to invent their own
versions of the different
exercises. They are
very independent,
and obedience training
teaches them their
household limits.
REMEMBER - a loose
Schipperke is a gone
Schipperke!!! A good
basic obedience class
will teach you how
to prevent this.
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Should
we spay or neuter
our Schipperke?
Not all Schipperkes
are of breeding quality.
Spaying and neutering
will eliminate major
reproductive diseases
as the dog gets older.
Ovarian, mammary,
uterine and prostate
cancers are the most
common to all breeds.
Spaying and neutering
at a young age (6
months) will eliminate
behavior problems
associated with the
teenager stage (10
to18 months) that
all dogs go through
on the way to adulthood.
Dogs with major faults,
e.g., bad bites or
undescended testicles,
should NOT be bred.
Males who are used
as stud dogs DO NOT
make the best house
pets, as they will
most likely urinate
all over to mark territory.
Bitches do not have
to have a litter of
pups to "feel
complete". By
the time puppies are
seven weeks old, the
mother is ready to
kick them out, never
wanting to see them
again.
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What
if I want a litter
of puppies?
First you need to
find a quality stud
dog at least 6 months
before she comes in
season. Stud dog owners
will require a brucellosis
test (blood test for
canine venereal disease)
before they will breed
your female. You will
have to make arrangements
to get her to the
stud dog and be prepared
to leave her for about
10 days.
Schipperke puppies
are very tiny (3 oz)
at birth, so any weight
loss of 10% can cause
major problems. Birthing
somehow seems to always
occur in the middle
of the night, and
Cesarean sections
are not uncommon in
Schips. If "mom"
refuses to care for
them, which can easily
happen, you have 3
weeks of tube feeding
and "pottying"
to look forward to.
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Tails!
Schipperke tails need
to be removed at the
age of 3-5 days .
You need a veterinarian
experienced with Schipperkes
to do tail docks and
dew claw removal.
Most vets do not want
to do this surgery.
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