The may firstly be described as the Paul Pry of canine society. His insatiate inquisitiveness induces him to poke his nose into everything; every strange object excites his curiosity, and he will, if possible, look behind it; the slightest noise arouses his attention, and he wants to investigate its cause. There is no end to his liveliness, but he moves about with almost catlike agility without upsetting any objects in a room, and when he hops he has a curious way of catching up his hind legs.

The Schipperke's disposition is most affectionate, tinged with a good deal of jealousy, and evenwhen made one of the household he generally attaches himself more
particularly to one person, whom he "owns," and whose protection he deems his special duty.

These qualities endear the Schipperke as a canine companion, with a quaint and lovable character; and he is also a capital vermin dog. When properly entered he cannot be surpassed as a "ratter."

STANDARD POINTS OF THE SCHIPPERKE CLUB, ENGLAND:

HEAD…Foxy in type; skull should not be round, but broad, and with little stop. The muzzle should be moderate in length, fine but not weak, should be well filled out under the eyes.

NOSE…Black and small.

EYES…Dark brown, small, more oval than round, and not full; bright, and full of expression.

EARS…Shape: Of moderate length, not too broad at the base, tapering to a point. Carriage: Stiffly erect, and when in that position the inside edge to form as near as possible a right angle with the skull and strong enough not to be bent otherwise than lengthways.

TEETH…Strong and level.

NECK…Strong and full, rather short, set broad on the shoulders and slightly arched.

SHOULDERS…Muscular and sloping.

CHEST…Broad and deep in brisket.

BACK…Short, straight, and strong.

LOINS…Powerful, well drawn up from the brisket.

FORE-LEGS…Perfectly straight, well under the body, with bone in proportion to the body.

HIND-LEGS…Strong, muscular, hocks well let down.

FEET…Small, catlike, and standing well on the toes.

NAILS…Black.

HIND-QUARTERS…Fine compared to the fore-parts, muscular and well-developed thighs, tailless, rump well rounded.

COAT…Black, abundant, dense, and harsh, smooth on the head, ears and legs, lying close on the back and sides, but erect and thick round the neck, forming a mane and frill, and well feathered on back of thighs.

WEIGHT…About twelve pounds.

GENERAL APPEARANCE…A small cobby animal with sharp expression, intensely lively, presenting the appearance of being always on the alert.

DISQUALIFYING POINTS…Drop, or semi-erect ears.

FAULTS…White hairs are objected to, but are not disqualifying.

The back of the Schipperke is described as straight, but it should round off at the rump, which should be rotund and full, guinea-pig-like. The continued straight line of a terrier's back is not desirable, but it will frequently be found in specimens that have been docked.

The Belgian standard requires the legs to be "fine," and not have much bone. The bone of a terrier is only met with in coarse Schipperkes. As to size, it need only be noted that the maximum of the small size, viz., 12 lbs., is that generally preferred in
England, as well as in Belgium. Further, it is only necessary to remark that the Schipperke is a dog of quality, of distinct characteristics, cobby in appearance, not long in the back, nor high on the leg; the muzzle must not be weak and thin, nor short and blunt; and, finally, he is not a prick-eared, black wire-haired terrier.

The Schipperke's tail, or rather its absence, has been the cause of much discussion, and at one time gave rise to considerable acrimonious feeling amongst fanciers. On the introduction of this dog into Great Britain it arrived from abroad with the reputation of being a tailless breed, but whether Belgian owners accidentally conveyed that impression or did it purposely to give the breed an additional
distinction is difficult to say. Anyhow the Schipperke is no more "tailless" than the old English Sheepdog. That is to say a larger number of individuals are born without any caudal appendage or only a stump of a tail than in any other variety of dogs. It is said that a docked dog can be told from one that has been born tailless in this way; when the docked animal is pleased, a slight movement at the end of the spine where the tail was cut off is discernible, but the naturally tailless dog sways the whole of its hind-quarters.

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