Schipperke

The Schipperke is a small Belgian dog — a foxy, black, tailless-looking spitz type known as the "little captain" for its life aboard the country's canal barges.

History

It worked the barges and workshops of Belgium as a ratter and alert little watchdog, and its name reflects that boatman's world. The dense black coat with its thick ruff and the often-absent tail are the breed's hallmarks.

Temperament

The breed is known for being curious, confident and energetic — a busy, mischievous dog with a strong watchdog streak and a mind of its own. It is devoted to its family and endlessly interested in everything.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and mental engagement, secure fencing against a talent for escape, and consistent, reward-based training with early socialising. The black double coat needs only occasional brushing and sheds seasonally.

Health

The breed is generally healthy and long-lived; noted tendencies include a rare inherited storage disease with a DNA test, patellar luxation and hip problems. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.