Schipperke dogs were originally bred in Flanders and are the descendants of black Belgian sheepdogs. In size, the Schipperke resembles the Spitz and is used in Belgium for guarding canal barges. It was originally bred for herding livestock, guarding property and for hunting game birds. It is a good family dog, lively in nature, intelligent and has an even temperament. This breed of dog has a life expectancy of 15 years or more.

The physical appearance of a Schipperke is close to that of a fox. Its round face is surrounded by a thick fluffy mane of fur. The shape of the skull is slightly rounded. The muzzle is narrow and shorter than the skull and ends with a small black nose. The teeth are usually scissored or have a level bite. The eyes are triangular shaped and in proportion to the size of the skull. Eye color ranges from dark brown to black. The ears of a Schipperke dog stick straight up from the sides of its heads and the size of the ears is too big compared to the size of the head.

The body profile of a Schipperke is square shaped. They are wide chested with a level or slightly sloping topline. The body structure of Schipperke dogs is thick and muscular with short legs. The tail is long and curvy, which extends over the back. In most countries, the Schipperke’s tails are docked off to resemble a very short stump that’s hardly visible. However, in many parts of Europe, docking tails is illegal.

A Schipperke dog has a fine boned leg that’s well shaped. It has round feet, which are small compared to the rest of the body. Dewclaws of this breed are usually removed.

Schipperke dogs have a full coat, which has a full texture and is solid black in color. Tan and fawn colored coats are also available but they are rare and not considered among the best traits of the Schipperke breed. The American Kennel Club and the Belgian Dog Clubs accept only the black colored Schipperkes.

The fur of the Schipperke is thick, springy, double coated and mostly of medium length. The coat around the face, ears, hocks and the front portion of the forelegs is short while the area surrounding the neck, shoulder and rump is long. This kind of coat is easy to maintain and needs very little care to keep it soft. Grooming the coat once a week is enough. However, during the molting season, loose and dead skin needs to be removed using a teasel brush. The thick coat means that the Schipperke can endure harsh weather and adapt easily to any environment.

The height of a Schipperke varies from nine to thirteen inches and the weight range falls between seven to twenty pounds. In spite of their height and weight, Schipperke dogs can be very protective of their families. Combined with the fact that it is a hardy breed that’s not susceptible to many illnesses, Schipperke is considered to be an ideal family watch dog.