For all those who are wondering what a Schipperke is........ here is a little bit of information about this wonderful breed.
Almost every day we are asked, "What in the world is a Schipperke?" We say they are the canine world's Best Kept Secret! They are lovable and loving, playful and curious, always alert, and great companions ....... all wrapped up in a small black package. Yes, they are small, but not a toy breed.
We have 11 Schips that live with us at the moment. They are all "show dogs", but most importantly, they are all members of the family. Our Schip boys are "Jack", "Breaker", "Halley", "Ivan", and "Solo", and our Schip girls are "Mia", "Onyx", "Stormy", "Gabby" and "Sera".
Schipperkes love to run and play in the yard. They are like "energizer bunnies" ..... they never run out of power! Schips love kids. They are the only kind of humans that can keep up with them!! But after a busy day playing or working in the show ring, there is nothing they would rather do than cuddle up on your lap or next to you on the couch and take a nap. Schips are "people" dogs. They love to be with you no matter what you're doing. They are very content just to be with you as your companion. They love to travel too! In order to develop into the truly wonderful companions that they are, Schipperkes need to be taught "social manners". Otherwise, they will be wild "energizer bunnies"! Socialization and basic obedience classes are a must for a young Schip. The lessons learned there must also be consistently reviewed and reinforced at home on an on-going basis. Schipperkes love their people so much that, once they know the rules, they will gladly try to please you. As always, consistency, kindness, and firmness are key factors for successful training.
Schips need to live in a safe, fenced area and be taken out of that area only on a leash. They are incredibly fast, so, for their sake (and yours too, since you'll never catch them!), they need to exercise in a safe secure area. They were originally bred to guard boats and barges in Belgium and to keep the boats free of rats and mice. So, their instinct tells them to "patrol and watch and root out small vermin". If allowed to run free and follow their instinctive behavior, they would very quickly be hit by a car or become sick or injured trying to rid the world of small vermin. So, "Jack", "Breaker", "Halley", "Ivan", "Solo", "Mia", "Onyx", "Stormy", "Gabby" and "Sera" are free to rid their kennel yard of all the squirrels that dare to enter! It's a tough job, but they are happy to do it!
Schipperkes are a "wash and wear" breed. No clipping, stripping, or shaving of their coat required. As a matter of fact, the AKC breed standard says clipping and shaving is strictly a no-no. Their shiny black fur with the unique coat pattern is all natural and only needs daily human petting to keep it nice. Of course, an occasional bath and brushing may be needed just to fluff them up. Most Schipperkes are born WITH tails, but a few days after birth they are docked, or removed. The tails are docked very close so there is usually no sign of a tail whatsoever.
Like all double-coated (short, soft, downy undercoat for insulation and longer, coarser guard hairs for waterproofing) breeds, Schipperkes do shed. At least once a year, they will shed out their undercoat and will definitely NOT look their best. A warm bath and some extra brushing during this shedding time helps remove all the dead fur and stimulates the growth of the new coat. In a few weeks, that old scruffy, dull coat will be replaced with a new glistening, sleek black coat. And, by the way, black is the ONLY color Schips come in (in the USA, anyway).
Barking? Yes, Schipperkes bark. Our dogs do not bark constantly or without reason. That is partially due to training and partially due to their individual personalities. "Solo", "Ivan" and "Mia" like to hear themselves and are more apt to "forget" to stop barking once they start! But "Halley", "Breaker", "Jack", "Stormy", "Sera", "Onyx", and "Gabby" only bark for specific reasons and then stop on their own. All of them will let us know when someone or something is nearby.
Fortunately, Schipperkes have not reached the levels of popularity experienced by some other breeds, so the incidence of overbreeding and genetic conditions is low for them. They are a very hearty, healthy breed overall. However, recently a genetic disease has been identified in the Schipperke breed - MPS IIIB (click here for more MPS IIIB info). The Schipperke community of reputable breeders has taken steps to control, if not eliminate, this problem through DNA testing and responsible breeding practices. Dogs tested as NORMAL or CARRIER do NOT have the disease and suffer no effects. However, if breeding is planned, CARRIERS should be bred ONLY to MPS IIIB NORMAL - never to another CARRIER - or not bred at all. To ensure the Schipperke breed's continued health, we will always test DNA and breed appropriately. Temperament is also extremely important to us. A Schipperke should be alert, curious, cautious but friendly to strangers - never snippy or aggressive - and extremely loving and affectionate to his own humans!
Well, that is our version of "all about the Schipperke" in a nutshell! If we had to mention only one thing about living with Schips, we would have to say it is the laughter! They brighten each and every day for us by their "class clown" antics. They make us remember what life is all about and make us laugh!!
Enjoy the photos of our Schips and feel free to email us with any questions you may have. We love to talk about our Schipperkes!
If you would
like to learn more about the Schipperke breed, the history, and the AKC Breed Standard,
click here
We are members of the Schipperke Club of America. Please visit SCA, the Schipperke Club of America website for more information!
"BREAKER"
CH Delamer PrinzofTidz of CRESLANE
(MPS IIIB tested - NORMAL)
"JACK"
(MPS IIIB tested - Normal)
CH Ryan SkipJack of CRESLANE
"SOLO"
(MPS IIIB - tested Normal)
CH CRESLANE'S SAILING SOLO
... HAL was HOT!!! Three MAJOR wins in Three Shows!
Call him Champion Hal now!!!!
Bred by: Creslane
Owned by: Deb and Gene McLean of New Hampshire and Creslane
"HAL"
(MPS IIIB - Normal by parents)
CH CRESLANE'S HALLEY'S COMET
..... AND OUR FUTURE CRESLANE CHAMPIONS
..... AND A FEW MONTHS LATER, HERE'S "GABBY" ON HER WAY TO HER CHAMPIONSHIP ...
CRESLANE THE GIFT OF GAB
"GABBY"
A note about the wonderful Schipperke graphics used on this page ........ The talented designer is BARBARA LEWIS. Thank you so much Barbara! We love them!
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