Schipperkes, circa 1897 |
Photo: Debbie Thompson |
Image source: home.comcast.net/~pomerke/ |
The Schipperke's spitz-type ancestors are very ancient. Other breeds that the Schipperke is related to include the Keeshund, Pomeranian, Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz, Japanese Spitz, and the American Eskimo Dog.
Schipperkes were first recognized as a formal breed in the 1880s. The AKC recognized the breed in
1904. If you look at all the AKC registrations for Schipperkes, you will find the breed ranked 78 right now on the list. It's not every day that you see somebody out walking a Schipperke, but yesterday Mom saw a person doing that, which is why she thought I should write about this breed.
By now, you are probably wondering if you would like to have a Schipperke of your very own. These dogs have a lot of energy, so you probably need a fenced yard, or else you need to take your Schipperke out walking or running every day. If they are bored, these dogs can get into a lot of trouble by tearing up stuff in the house. Schipperkes are devoted and loyal. They bond with their people, and they are good with children. Also, they get along well with other dogs and with cats in the home.
Schipperkes are very busy little dogs, and they like to check everything out. They can be suspicious with strangers, which is one reason they make good watch dogs. It doesn't matter what size the intruder is or how big another dog might be. The Schipperke will bark loudly and not back down.
You should always keep your Schipperke on a leash or in an enclosed area. This is because if a Schipperke sees a squirrel or anything that looks fun to chase, he will take off running after it. Some Schipperkes are good escape artists, and they can dig under fences or climb over them. So even if you have a nice, fenced yard, you might want to keep an eye on your Schipperke while he is out there.
These days, people mostly use this breed for companionship and as watchdogs. Schipperkes don't have a lot of health problems, and they usually live to be 10 to 15 years old. Some even get to be 17 or 18. I asked Mom if we should think about getting a Schipperke, but she said they are probably too energetic for us old dogs, and also for her, since she's pretty old, too!