Dog Breed Guide

Schipperke

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

Belgium

Origin

Around the 17th century

Bred for

Barge watchdog, Ratting

Height

25 - 33cm (10 - 13in)

Weight

3 - 9kg (7 - 20lb)

Life span

13 - 15 years

A jet-black coat, a fox-like pointed face and small erect ears are its hallmarks. A thick ruff runs from the neck over the shoulders, and the hair on its rear fluffs out like a pair of culottes. Seen from the side, it has a unique silhouette that slopes down from the neck along the back to the rump.

Curious and lively, the Schipperke wants to poke its nose into everything. It is alert and quick to bark at strangers and noises, a small but dependable watchdog. It is affectionate with its family and plays energetically with children.

It is smart and learns quickly, but it often acts on its own ideas, so training takes some creativity. It needs more exercise than you might expect, and daily walks and play are a must. It sheds heavily during shedding season.

Good to know

The name means "little captain" in Flemish. It is said to come from the dog's life aboard the barges that plied the canals of Belgium and the Netherlands, where it killed rats on board and guarded the boat while it was moored.

Its recorded history goes back to 1690. Shoemakers in the Saint-Géry quarter of Brussels are said to have brought their Schipperkes to the square on Sundays for a show, fitting them with elaborate collars of hammered brass made as if to outdo one another. In this town of craftsmen, it was a beloved shop ratter.

In 1885 Queen Marie Henriette of Belgium took a liking to the breed, and its popularity as a family dog quickly spread. Because of its looks it is often taken for a relative of the spitz breeds or the Pomeranian, but its ancestor is thought to be a small Belgian sheepdog that is now extinct.