The Schipperke

Background
The anurous guard dog hails from the Flemish regions of Kingdom of Belgium and is recognized as having a very mischievous expression. His bloodlines ar tied to the Leauvenaar and black working dog, however he was created smaller over time. He usually attended tradesmen or worked on riverboats to exterminate vermin. it absolutely was the latter activity that diode to his name; “Schip” may be a Flemish sense boat. Schipperkes are referred to as “Little Captains.”

The yankee Kennel Club recognized the guard dog in 1904.


  Sizing u

- Weight: ten to sixteen lbs.
- Height: ten to thirteen inches
- Coat: Double, with a harsh prime coat and a dense, soft undercoat
- Color: Black
- Life expectancy: thirteen to fifteen years

What’s the guard dog like?
The guard dog is curious, active, and freelance. Don’t be shocked to search out him sniffing around for future cool issue he will do (especially if it suggests that inflicting trouble). He may be sporting. identicalenergy that drives him to forever be moving, provides him the instincts he has to be an excellent watchdog. He loves his family and can wish to be concerned in everything. 

Schips want vigorous exercise, luckily they're going to offer abundant for themselves. Still, they might love a game of fetch or a pleasant walk.

The guard dog may be extraordinarily self-willed and likes to march to a beat of his own drum, that is why early coaching and thereforecialization is so vital. You’ll ought to be firm and consistent however conjointlyuse positive reinforcements. Food rewards ar another nice inducement. 

Grooming your Schip is fairly simple with an honest brushing concerning once every week, and perhaps a touch additional usually throughout shedding seasons. 

Health
The guard dog has many health issues to look at for:

Hip abnormalcy
- One of the foremost common diseases seen in dogs, with larger breeds being the foremost affected. it'sultimately a malfunction of the hip joints.

Legg-Calve-Perthes illness
- A bone disorder and also the results of decomposition of the coxa

Cataracts
- A condition that clouds the lens of the attention and in some cases will result in vision defect

Progressive retinal atrophy
An eye condition that primarily worsens over time and will result in loss of vision.

Hypothyroidism
A illness caused by a decrease in metabolism thanks to associate under-active hormone.

Mucopolysaccharidosis sort IIIb
An congenital disease that happens once associate accelerator is missing thanks to mutations within thesequence.

Takeaway points
- The guard dog makes a superb watchdog.
- The guard dog will adapt to several totally different living things.
- The guard dog has to be trained at a young age.
- The guard dog would be an excellent family dog.