Schipperke

The Schipperke is of very old origin. As early as the 17th century, documents speak of a dog, closely resembling the Schipperke, living with the shoemakers working in the Saint-Géry district of Brussels.

These same shoemakers organized dog shows at that time, where dogs were judged by their copper collars, made by local craftsmen.

It appears that a shoemaker that received a bad result at a show, would have, in rage, cut the tail of the dog that won the competition.

The docked dog would have had quite an effect and from that day on, the owners of Schipperke started to cut off their dog's tail.

Originating in the Brussels-Leuven region of Belgium, the Schipperke got his name from the Dutch word for "little navigator," but in Flemish dialect it translates as "little shepherd".

During the 17th century, companion of boatmen and living on barges at the same time, he is the smallest sheepdog known. He was much appreciated for his ability to hunt mice and other rodents.

It seems that he is related to the Belgian Groenendael Shepherd Dog, but it is possible that the Nordic Spitz is also one of his distant ancestors.

He is the small size of a pure Lupoid. Having retained many pure characteristics, he is not one of the so-called "manufactured" varieties.

His small size is the only representation of his evolution. He would apparently be the reduction of the Leuvennaar, or Louvain Dog, having kept the same type, but in a reduced format.

First exhibited in 1882 at the SPA, he emigrated five years later to Great Britain and the United States.

The first official breed standard was established in 1888, as was the Club responsible for the breed, which is now the oldest breed club in Belgium.

At the time, there was talk of different varieties, including those from Brussels, Leuven and Antwerp. In the following years, the breed was unified to become the unique specimen of the Schipperke.