Schipperke

Schipperkes are sturdy, active dogs with a sense of mischief. With its pointed ears and curious eyes, this dog is always on alert. Its temperament is friendly and playful. Although it is best known for having a black coat, the breed has coats in other colors. This dog is a member of the non-sporting group.

The history of this dog starts in Belgium. They were used to hunt rats and other rodents hiding on ships and barges in Brussels. This hard work earned them the nickname “little captain.” They are also known as mini-sheepdogs, Belgian barge dogs, and Schipps. Since a household may not need an expert rodent hunter, this affectionate dog makes a sweet companion for family members.

3 Pros and Cons of Ownership

Size and Weight

The Schipperkes are considered small dogs. A male adult Schipperke achieves a height of 13 inches at the shoulder, and an adult female is 12 inches. Males can weigh 16 pounds as adult dogs, while females weigh 15 pounds. A puppy that’s 7 weeks old weighs from 6 to 7 pounds. This breed is fully grown at 8 months.

Common Health Issues

Although it has a long lifespan, this dog has a few health challenges to consider. One is a luxating patella. Essentially, this is when the dog’s kneecap moves out of its proper place. Sometimes this is a mild condition, and the kneecap moves back into place on its own. In other situations, surgery is needed to move it back into alignment.

Tracheal collapse is a second health issue common to this breed. Tracheal collapse is when the cartilage surrounding the dog’s windpipe weakens, causing breathing trouble. Medication can help with this issue, and sometimes surgery is needed for more extreme cases.

Distichiasis is an eye condition common in these dogs. This condition involves extra eyelashes that grow inside a dog’s eyelid. Not surprisingly, this causes the dog pain and can harm the eye itself. Removing the hair is one solution, though this has to be repeated every few weeks due to regrowth. Salve applied to the eyelid can help to soothe the condition, but it must be done every day.

Temperament and Behavior

The lively personality of this pooch is one of its most popular characteristics. These dogs are a mix of energy and confidence. Socialized Schipperkes have affectionate behavior towards kids and adults. They are a fun choice for a family dedicated to remaining active throughout the year.

Alertness is one of the traits that make this dog excellent at watching over a household. It is likely to bark at strangers on the property. A socialized Schipperke is adaptable and gets along with other pets in a household. Its size makes a Schipperke a good option for families who live in apartments.

Care

Bringing a puppy or adult canine home from a breeder or rescue organization means you are responsible for all of its care. Learning about its diet, exercise needs, training, and grooming routine contributes to the level of care you give this furry pet.

Best Dog Food

Feeding a Schipperke puppy the right type of diet can help it maintain good health. The same goes for adult dogs. The following are some of the nutrients to include in the diet of this pet:

Schipperke puppy food: Turkey, chicken, and duck are all lean proteins that build up bones and support joint health. These puppies are especially energetic, so they need fat in their diet as well. Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are good for this breed’s hair and skin health. Vitamin A helps a puppy’s eye health. Vitamin B6 supports the proper function of this puppy’s nervous system. Don’t forget to include fiber in this puppy’s daily diet. Fiber contributes to its digestive health.

Schipperke adult dog food: Protein is important in an adult dog’s diet, too. Chicken, fish, and lamb are all good sources of lean protein. As this breed grows, provide it with less fat than it received as a puppy. A smaller amount of fat still gives it enough energy to run around and play. Vitamin C is useful as an antioxidant to fight against free radicals. Calcium supports the bone health of a breed that can suffer from patellar luxation.

Calcium is also an important nutrient involved in proper cartilage formation, which may help prevent Schipperkes from suffering from tracheal collapse.

Maintenance and Grooming

How much does a Schipperke shed? Generally speaking, these canines have light shedding activity. But, twice a year, their shedding increases as the seasons change in the spring and autumn.

The normal grooming regimen for this canine includes brushing its fluffy coat once per week. When there’s extra shedding in the spring and fall, brushing the dog two to three times per week can help to get rid of the additional loose hair.

A slicker brush is great for removing dead hair, dirt, and debris from this dog’s coat. It’s helpful if you take your pet outside to brush it, especially during those two periods of shedding. That way, you can avoid sweeping up the hair and make the dog feel more comfortable during the process.

Training

These dogs are watchful and ready to learn, so they can be trained fairly easily. They like to wander and explore, so obedience training is essential for this breed to maintain its safety.

Exercise

Having this canine as a pet means you own an energetic canine! It needs up to 60 minutes of exercise each day. This routine could be broken into two sessions of 30 minutes each in the morning and evening. Taking this pet to a dog park to mix with other canines or to a secure area in a local park for a run are both ways to get your canine moving. Walking this breed of dog on a leash is a good idea until it is thoroughly trained to come when you call it. Of course, these pups get excited when playing ball, chase, frisbee, and other games with family members.

Puppies

These puppies are very fast and clever, and they love to check out everything in their surroundings. So, it’s critical to give a puppy a fenced-in place where it can look around without getting near a road or approaching another dangerous area.

Children

Socializing a Schipperke puppy lets it know what type of behavior is acceptable. This includes how it should behave around children. Supervising the interactions between young children and this pet is important until the family knows the dog is fully socialized.

Similar Dogs

Three breeds that are similar to the Schipperke are the American Eskimo dog, Finnish spitz, and Keeshond:

• American Eskimo: Both dogs are social with a fun-loving temperament. In terms of size, American Eskimo dogs are larger than Schipperkes.
• Finnish Spitz: These dogs share a friendly, energetic nature, but Schipperkes have a wider variety of coat colors.
• Keeshond: Both of these breeds make alert watchdogs. They are social with a thick, fluffy coat. Although they are about equal in height, Keeshonds are heavier.

Famous

Some famous individuals have owned this breed, which helped to boost its popularity.

• Actress Lucille Ball owned several of these pups after seeing the breed at a dog show. She traveled with one particular favorite canine named Ginger.
• Actor Mark Ruffalo has a rescue Belgian barge dog he keeps as a pet.