Schipperke origin, exterior standard, character, health, care and training advice. Price when buying a puppy of a Belgian Miniature Shepherd Dog. Schipperke is a cute Belgian dog of black color, with all its uniquely mischievous appearance resembling a smart black fox or a funny Spitz, but not a shepherd dog. Nevertheless, in the old days, Schipperke dogs, although they were not full-fledged formidable shepherd dogs, sometimes grazed sheep and even protected them from predators, and also guarded the houses of peasants and artisans, exterminated all kinds of rodents not only in houses and outbuildings, but also on sea and river vessels. Of course, these days all these abilities and talents of the Schipperke are in little demand. But the little black shepherd dog-chanterelle is still loved and treated kindly by admirers of the breed, not only in his native Belgium, but all over the world.
The history of the origin of the Schipperke breed
The past of the breed of the Belgian miniature shepherd dog Schipperke begins at the end of the 17th century, and is directly connected with the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium, Brussels. It was in this city, as modern researchers have found out, that the future breed was born, combining a variety of working talents and a uniquely pretty elegant appearance.
Schipperke researchers have done a great job. They managed to find not only many old paintings by French and Flemish painters who depicted black dogs on their canvases very similar to modern Schipperkes. But also in the archives of the Belgian capital, documents of the 17th – 18th centuries were found, allowing not only to convincingly confirm the existence of the breed already in those distant years, but also to clarify its purpose, to find out the attitude of local residents towards these dogs.
The history of the appearance of Schipperke is closely connected with the island of Saint-Gerry (from which, in fact, the existence of Brussels itself began). It is in this port-craft area of the capital of the Belgian kingdom that the Schipperke dogs originate. Craftsmen, traders and sailors living in this not very prosperous (due to the regular floods of the Senna River) area of Brussels suffered acutely from invasions of rats and mice. Therefore, the appearance in the capital of a small, but nimble and dexterous dog, capable of effectively fighting rodents, was very welcome. Where exactly this useful beast came from, past chronicles are silent. There are only a few hypotheses, each of which has its own, both minuses and pluses. For example, one of them suggests that the ancestor of today's Schipperke dogs was an ancient breed of black dogs called the Leuvenaar.
Be that as it may, the townspeople quickly fell in love with the black dog-rat-catchers, finding them another use. Voiced and executive dogs guarded dwellings, ships and warehouses, grazed and guarded livestock. In general, they did everything that all medium-sized canines do at all times - they actively help people. Well, the inhabitants of Brussels paid them with love and care, dressed them up in beautiful copper collars, already competing among themselves with working talents and the beauty of their dogs. And beauty, as you know, requires sacrifice. It was then that the fashion began to cut off the tails of these dogs. Among themselves, the inhabitants called the dog "Schipperke", which in translation from the Flemish or Brabant dialect means "little shepherd dog" or (maybe) "shepherd boy".
The heyday of the breed came at the end of the 19th century. A cute and agile dog with an elegant look and mischievous eyes attracted the attention of the noble elite of the Belgian kingdom."Shepherds" began to be bred not only to help with the household, but also as a dog of aristocrats.
In 1882, the first Schipperke dog show took place in the Belgian province of Liege in the city of Spa, which was a great success and managed to attract a lot of attention to the breed. But the biggest splash of fashion began after the Queen of Belgium, Henriette of Belgium (Henriette Marie Charlotte Antoinette) in 1885, acquired a dog of this variety.
In 1887, the first Schipperkes were brought to the shores of Foggy Albion (in 1890 the English Club of the Miniature Belgian Shepherd Dog was created), and in 1888 - to the United States.
In 1888, Schipperke was officially recognized in Belgium. A breeding club was created, standards were developed and approved of the highest.
After the end of the First World War, Schipperke dogs were brought to France, where the Schipperke Club was established in 1928.
By the beginning of 1920, the Schipperke Sheepdog standard had acquired its final form (almost all European countries, except for Great Britain, adopted the Belgian version of the standard). In the UK, a sample of the breed was developed, allowing, in addition to solid black (classic) color, other colors of wool. The British version was supported in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. In these countries you can now find red, blue, gray, cream, white and sable shepherd dogs.
The breed is recognized by almost all international canine organizations - AKS, ANKC, CKC, FCI, KC (UK), NZKC, UKC, RKF. The last FCI breed standard was approved in January 2010, and only the classic black color is indicated there.
Purpose and use of Schipperke
Although the translation from the Flemish word "Schipperke" implies the translation "little shepherd dog", these black dogs were rarely used as full-fledged shepherd dogs. Much better, they have established themselves as effective exterminators of rats and loud-voiced watchmen, frightening off thieves.
Schipperke are also sometimes used today as guard dogs, sensitive and attentive. But their main purpose in the modern world is to participate in show exhibitions or live with a family as a pet.
Description of the external Schipperke standard
It is a cute little dog with an elegant head and a classic black color. Lively and energetic by nature, she is well controlled and disciplined, not prone to aggression and disobedience. The maximum height at the withers in males reaches 34 centimeters (with a body weight of 5-9 kg), and in adult bitches - up to 31 centimeters (with a weight of 3-5 kg). To obtain admission to the championship, a Schipperke dog must have a body weight of at least 3 kg and no more than 9 kg.
- Head proportional to the body, wedge-shaped, with a wide skull tapering to the eye sockets. The cheekbones and brow ridges are sufficiently pronounced. The occipital protuberance is visible. The stop (transition from the forehead to the muzzle) is distinct but not excessive. Muzzle, elongated (approximately equal in length to 2/5 of the total length of the head), gradually tapering towards the nose (resembles a fox's outline). The nasal bridge is medium in width, straight. The nose is distinct and black in color. The lips are tight-fitting, without flews, black in color. The jaws are strong. The dental formula is complete - 42 white teeth, correct set. The bite is tight, straight or scissor bite is possible.
- Eyes almond-shaped in shape and small in size, with a straight and narrow set. The color of the eyes is brown or dark brown. They are very beautiful and expressive, their look is lively and mischievous.
- Auricles set on high, small, triangular-pointed (acute angle up), erect, turned forward. Ears are sensitive and mobile.
- Neck of medium length, very strong and muscular, flowing smoothly into the body. The presence of a thick lush fur "collar" in the dog significantly adds impressiveness to the visual dimensions of the neck and, in general, to the silhouette of the animal. The nape is well defined.
- Torso a square schipperke (the height at the withers should ideally be equal to the length of the dog's body). The body is squat, sturdy but not heavy. The chest is broad and deep, well developed. The back is short, strong and straight. The line of the back is straight or markedly raised towards the withers. The withers are well defined and visually enlarged due to the fur "collar". The loin is short and strong. The croup is strong, wide, short, neatly rounded (the shape of the croup is "guinea pig"). The belly is clearly tucked up.
- Tail set high, of medium thickness, straight or saber-shaped, richly covered with hair. It can be docked briefly in such a way as to continue the smooth line of the croup. The undocked tail is raised upward with a bend over the back (sometimes forming a "nest" on the dog's back). A twisted tail, like that of a husky, is permissible, but undesirable, which is why they try to stop it in a timely manner.
- Limbs straight, absolutely parallel, strong, well muscled, dry boned, matched to the body. Paws are rounded, compact, collected in a lump ("cat's paw"). The toes are small, curved and tightly pressed. Claws are black.
- Wool abundant, stable structure. The guard hair is thick, straight, hard, dry, perfectly keeping its shape. The coat is strong, hard to the touch, of medium length, straight. There is a thick soft undercoat that reliably protects the dog from the cold. Wavy, "wiry" or curly structure of the coat is completely excluded. On the head, ears, front of the limbs - it is short. Long hair in the neck of the dog forms a beautiful lush "mane-collar" and "frill" (fluffy fur on the chest and between the forelegs), especially pronounced in males (which makes it easy to visually distinguish between females and males). There is also a characteristic breed feathering on the back of the thighs. Lack of undercoat, feathering, “collar” and “frill” in males, short hair - all these are serious faults in the assessment.
- Color - only black (better with a shiny sheen). The standard allows for the presence of a dark gray undercoat in color (but only if it is not noticeable from under the long guard hair). No spots or even hairs of a different color are allowed by the standard. The presence of gray hair on the muzzle of older dogs is acceptable.
Belgian Miniature Shepherd personality traits
The black shepherd dog is a wonderful dog with a uniquely mischievous and sometimes cocky character. This pet is very active, inquisitive and nosy, therefore, when kept in an apartment, it requires constant attention. Otherwise, it is simply impossible to keep track of where he is and what he is doing. However, the dog himself loves attention to his person and very badly tolerates loneliness and bondage.
Schipperke is a good sensitive watchman, carefully and responsibly guarding his territory. He does not like other animals too much, and always treats strangers with great suspicion. It is especially not advisable to leave domestic rodents alone with this ubiquitous pet, a born rat catcher will not leave any chance for their survival and will definitely get to them.
The Belgian Miniature Shepherd is an unusually cheerful and playful creature that loves long walks and energetic outdoor games. The dog easily finds friends among children, happily engaging in their pranks.
Despite its diminutive size, the dog is able to stand up for itself. And it can even provoke a conflict with another dog because of its own perseverance and insolence. Therefore, during walks in a crowded place or in places where there may be other dogs, it is advisable to keep the "shepherdess" on a leash and release, only after making sure that there are no animals unfamiliar to him in the walking area.
He is unusually curious. He always strives to find out what is happening behind a closed door and will definitely come up with a way to get there. By nature, the dog is not too aggressive, but guarding the territory, it meets the intruder with a raised scruff of the neck and loud barking, it can easily bite. The little shepherd dog is very smart and quick-witted, by nature endowed with courage and indefatigability, but sometimes it is overly self-confident and impudent. Therefore, it needs proper education and training.
Despite some features of its active character, the Schipperke Sheepdog is an excellent companion and cheerful reliable friend of the owner who will never let you get bored or discouraged. She is a great dog for the whole family.
Schipperke health
This is actually an aboriginal dog of Belgium, which has gone through several centuries of harsh and uncompromising natural selection. For this reason, the Miniature Belgian Shepherd is considered a fairly healthy breed that rarely requires the attention of veterinarians.
Nevertheless, some predispositions to diseases exist in this breed as well. These include, first of all, orthopedic problems - a predisposition to dislocation of the knee joints and Perthes disease (osteochondropathy of the femoral head), leading to the lameness of the animal.
There have also been cases of epilepsy in Schipperke, although the tests conducted by the scientists did not reveal any genetic predisposition to this disease, which is inherited.
A survey conducted by the UK Kennel Club showed that the average life expectancy of miniature Belgians is in the range of 13 to 15 years. And the oldest Schipperke dog has reached the age of 17, 5 years.
Schipperke care tips
Schipperke care is absolutely unpretentious. Despite the fact that there is a lot of wool on them, its very quality allows you to get by with the very minimum. The animal's coat is tough and keeps its shape perfectly. Therefore, the standard combing two to three times a week (during molting periods - more often) is enough to make your pet look neat and beautiful. Bathing is necessary only when the pet is heavily soiled, which is quite rare, this breed does not seek to measure every dirty puddle with itself.
Schipperck is perfect for content, both in the apartment and on the territory next to the house. The warm fur of the animal allows it to withstand even the most severe cold and any bad weather. But the territory of the house must be reliably fenced. An inquisitive dog, organically not digesting a leash and chain, will definitely try to find a way to embark on an adventure. Therefore, the fence must be completely reliable and not have loopholes.
The dog is very energetic, and therefore needs a long walk and high-quality nutritious food to reimburse energy costs. Probably the best choice for pet food formulation is to use super premium commercial food, as recommended by canine nutritionists.
Features of training and education of Schipperke
The Belgian Miniature Shepherd Dogs are very intelligent and have great learning abilities. But they do not digest the routine, and therefore they learn best during the training-game, where you can freely use your remarkable talents and ingenuity.
Price when buying a Schipperke puppy
Although the Schipperke breed has found fans all over the world, it still belongs to rather rare ones, and therefore in the CIS countries it is just getting its development. Therefore, there are certain difficulties with the acquisition of a good breeding Schipperke puppy in Russia.
The best option is to contact directly a Belgian or some European kennel, where the average price for a purebred miniature shepherd puppy is between 600-800 euros. In Russia, a similar puppy will cost about the same money, but with a lower conformation.
More details about the Schipperke breed in this story:
