He is curious and interested in everything around him. He is reserved with strangers and ready to protect his family and property if necessary. He is an ideal watchdog and companion. He must have proper early sociliazation to friendly strangers to ensure he will accept them when he's older.

The coat is coal black, although in the summer and when they shed, the coat may take on a slightly reddish cast. The coat is straight and abundant and very slightly harsh to the touch.

The Schipperke originated in the Flemish provinces of Belgium.

They were known as companions to captains and rat hunters on the Dutch and Belgian ships. Schip means boat, schipper means captain of the boat and schipperke means "little captain of the boat". The dogs were used on the canal barges to guard the boat and catch the vermin. From there the name little captain. The fact is that Schipperkes are the smallest of Belgian shepherds.

This breed has existed for centuries around the Flemish city of Leuven. The first record of a Schipperke in reference to this tailless black dog as an impersonation of the Devil was made in the 15th century. At that time peasants who owned Schipperkes used the biggest ones as shepherd dogs and the rest as rat hunters. These dogs were ancestors of 4 modern varieties of Belgian Shepherds (the Groenendael, the Mechelaar, the Tervueren and the Laeken).

The Schipperke is a relatively healthy long lived breed, often living 14-15 years or longer.

He is an agile, active watchdog and outstanding hunter of vermin. "In appearance he is a small, thickset, cobby, black, tailless dog, with a fox-like face. The dog is square in profile and possesses a distinctive coat, which includes a stand-out ruff, cape and culottes. All of these create a unique silhouette, appearing to slope from shoulders to croup. Males are decidedly masculine without coarseness. Bitches are decidedly feminine without overrefinement."(Quoted from AKC standards)

The coat is short on face, ears, and front of the legs, medium on the body, and longer on the front end and the upper back legs. The coat is slightly harsh to the touch; it should never be silky. The undercoat helps the ruff stand out on the neck and protects the little dog in rain, wind, and cold weather. In the US, Schipperkes must be black. The original Schipperke, however, sometimes came in brown and the British allow blonde and cream colors.

Coat care for the breed is minimal. Profuse shedding occurs seasonally, necessitating grooming to keep the home free of puffs of black hair. No trimming or clipping is required.

The Schipperke has the heart of a terrier in the body of a spitz and may be related to neither. At first glance, he looks something like a coal-black version of the American Eskimo or a Pomerainian without a tail, but a closer look reveals a dog of unique silhouette: thickset, compact, and tailless with a distinctively different coat type that makes the body appear to slope from shoulders to rear.

Basically, the Schipperke is a utilitarian breed. He started as a watchdog of his owners' homes, shops, and families and maintains the qualities of a guardian in a small package today.

He has also been used to hunt, herd, and track. In common with other guardian breeds, he possesses an inordinate sense of responsibility and unshakable loyalty to his family and a natural wariness with strangers. (this wariness will be overcome with proper early sociliazation.) The Schipperke can be slow to make friends, but once his friendship is won, it's for life.

He is gentle with children, (He adores them!) has a insatiable curiosity, and is independent, ever-watchful for intruders, and always on the move. Very intelligent and quick to learn, he is often called the little black devil for his rascally antics.

The Schipperke is a talented obedience and agility dog who loves to work, and a wonderful pet for an active family, although training must be firm and consistent. If the little guy is given enough exercise, he can do well in an apartment.

He can be stubborn; he may guard his food and toys if not trained early, so be sure to train and socialize your schipperke from day one so he does not have to think he's the boss, and you will have an awsome long lived little buddy for many years to come.