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General Appearance: The Schipperke is an agile, active watchdog and hunter of vermin. In appearance he is a small, thickset, cobby, 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 courseness. Bitches are decidedly feminine without over refinement.

Any deviation from the idea described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Faults common to all breeds are as undesirable in the Schipperke as in any other breed, even though such faults may not be specifically mentioned in the standard.

Size: The suggested height at the highest point of the wither is 11-13 inches for males, and 10-12 inches for bitches. Quality should always take precedence over size.

Proportion: Square in profile.

Substance: Thickset.

Expression: The expression is questioning, mischievous, impudent and alert, but never mean of wild. The well proportioned head, accompanied by the correct ears and eyes, will give the dog proper Schipperke expression.

Skull: The skull is of medium width narrowing toward the muzzle. Seen in profile with the ears laid back, the skull is slightly rounded. The upper jaw is moderately filled in under the eyes so that when viewed from above, the head forms a wedge tapering smoothly from the back of the skull to the tip of the nose. The stop is definite but not prominent. The length of the muzzle is slightly less than the length of the skull.

Eyes: The ideal eyes are small, oval rather than round, dark brown, and placed forward on the head.

Ears: The ears are small, triangular, placed high on the head, and when at attention, very erect. A drop ear or ears is disqualification.

Nose: The nose is small and black

Bite: The bite must be scissors or level. Any deviation is to be severely penalized.

Neck: The neck is of moderate length, slightly arched and in balance with the rest of the dog to give the correct silhouette.

Topline: The topline is level or sloping from the wither to the croup. The stand-out ruff adds to the slope making the dog seem slightly higher at the shoulders than at the rump.

Body: The chest is broad and deep, and reaches to the elbows. The well sprung ribs (modified oval) are wide behind the shoulder and taper to the sternum. The forechest extends in front of the shoulders between the front legs. The loin is short, muscular and moderately drawn up. The croup is broad and well rounded with the tail docked. No tail is visually discernible.

Forequarters: The shoulders are well laid back, with the legs extending straight down from the body when viewed from the front. From the side, legs are placed well under the body. Pasterns are short, thick and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle when viewed from the side. Dewclaws are generally removed. Feet are small, sound and tight. Nails are short, strong and black.

Hindquarters: The hindquarters appear slightly lighter than the forequarters, but are well muscled, and in balance with the front. The hocks are well let down and the stifles are well bent. Extreme angulation is to be penalized. From the rear, the legs extend straight down from the hip through the hock to the feet. Dewclaws must be removed.

Coat Pattern: The adult coat is highly characteristic and must include several distinct lengths growing naturally in a specific pattern. The coat is short on the face, ears, front of the forelegs, and on the hocks; it is medium length on the body, and longer in the ruff, cape, jobot and culottes. The ruff begins in the back of the ears and extends completely around the neck; the cape forms an additional distinct layer extending beyond the ruff; the jabot extends across the chest and down between the front legs. The hair down the middle of the back, starting just behind the cape and continuing over the rump, lies flat. It is slightly shorter than the cape, but longer than the hair on the sides of the body and the sides of the legs. The coat on the rear of the thighs forms culottes, which should be as long as the ruff. Lack of differentiation in the coat lengths should be heavily penalized, as it is an essential breed characteristic.

Coat Texture: The coat is abundant, straight and slightly harsh to the touch. The softer undercoat is dense and short on the body, and is very dense around the neck, making the ruff stand out. Silky coats, body coats over three inches in length, or very short harsh coats are equally incorrect.

Coat Trimming: As the Schipperke is a natural breed, only the trimming of the whiskers and the hair between the pads of the feet is optional. Any other trimming must not be done.

Coat Colour: The outer coat must be black. Any colour other than a natural black is disqualification. The undercoat, however, may be slightly lighter. During the shedding period, the coat might take on a transitory reddish cast, which is to be penalized to the degree that it detracts from the overall black appearance of the dog. Greying due to age (seven years or older) or occasional white hair should not be penalized.

Gait: Proper Schipperke movement is a smooth, well co-ordinated and graceful trot (basically double tracking at a moderate speed), with a tendency to gradually converge toward the centre of balance beneath the dog as speed increases. Front and rear must be in perfect balance with food reach in front and drive in the rear. The topline remains level or slightly sloping downward from the shoulders to the rump. Viewed from the front, the elbows remain close to the body. The legs form a straight line from the shoulders through the elbows to the toes, with the feet pointing straight ahead. From the rear, the legs form a straight line from the hip through the hocks to the pads, with the feet pointing straight ahead.

Temperament: The Schipperke is curious, interested in everything around him, and is an excellent and faithful little watchdog. He is reserved with strangers and ready to protect his family and property if necessary. He displays a confident and independent personality, reflecting the breed¼s original purpose as a watchdog and hunter of vermin.

Disqualifications: A drop ear or ears. Any colour other than a natural black.

For more information on the AKC and its services please click here.

- need link button at the bottom to home page of AKC - need home button at the bottom as well. - remove previous info link and place this instead ‚ less chance of losing to other web through surfing. - title new button American Standard, also delete Schipp club of America from home page ‚ possibly put as another link after American standard, same with Candian Club after Canadian Standard (I think any way check with each other?!?)

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General Appearance: The Schipperke should have a short, thick-set cobby body, with hindquarters slightly lighter than the foreparts. The head is fox-like, and the expression is questioning, sharp and lively, not mean or wild. The distinctive black coat, ruff and tailless rump gives a unique silhouette to this small dog.

Temperament: The Schipperke is active, agile, indefatigable and continually occupied with what is going on around him. He is careful of things that are given to him to guard, very kind with children and suspicious of strangers. He know the way of the household, is always curious of what is going on behind closed doors, or about any object that has been moved, betraying his impressions by his sharp bark and upstanding ruff.

Size: 5.5 ‚ 8 kgs (12 ‚ 18 lbs)

Coat and Colour: The coat must be black, abundant and slightly harsh to the touch. Short on the ears, front of the legs and on the hocks; fairly short on the body, but longer around the neck, beginning back of the ears, and forming a ruff and cape, that gives the appearance of the withers being higher than the hindquarters and a jobot extending down between the front legs. The coat is longer on the rear, where it forms a culotte, with the points turning inwards. The undercoat is dense and short on the body and very dense around the neck, making the ruff stand out. The culotte should be as long as the ruff.

Skull: Fairly wide, narrowing at the eyes. When the ears are up in the alert position, the correct skull in profile will appear flat.

Muzzle: Tapering, but not too much stop. The length of the muzzle from the tip to stop is equal to the length of the skull from the stop to the occiput.

Nose: Small and black.

Mouth: Teeth strong and even. A level or scissors bite is acceptable.

Eyes: Very dark brown, small, oval rather than round, neither sunken nor prominent.

Ears: Very erect, small and triangular, placed high. Strong enough not to be capable of being lowered except in line with the body.

Neck: Strong and full, slightly arched.

Forequarters: Shoulders muscular and sloping. Legs straight and well under the body, with bone in proportion to the body. Pasterns straight.

Body: Back strong, short, straight and level. Chest broad and deep in the brisket, ribs well sprung, broad behind the shoulders. Loin muscular and well drawn up from the brisket, but not to such an extent as to cause a weak and leggy appearance of the hindquarters. Croup slightly sloping. Rump well rounded.

Hindquarters: Lighter than the foreparts, but muscular and powerful. Thighs muscular and powerful. Hocks well defined. Metatarses short. Feet small, round and tight (not splayed). Nails straight, strong and short.

Tail: Docked to no more that 3 cm (1 inch) in length.

Gait: Unrestricted, free and vigorous. The Schipperke is tireless and quick to move in any direction. In a correctly proportioned and angulated Schipperke at a trot, the feet and legs converge as seen from the front or the rear, and each hind foot falls on or ahead of the print of the forefoot.

Faults: Any deviation from the Standard is considered a fault.

Disqualifications: Any colour other than solid black, drop or semi-erect ears, overshot or undershot mouth.

SCALE OF POINTS
Head, nose, eyes and teeth	20
Ears	10
Neck, shoulders and chest	10
Back and loins	5
Forelegs	5
Hind legs	5
Feet	5
Hindquarters	10
Coat and colour	20
General appearance	10
TOTAL	100

For more information on the CKC and its services please click here. - need a home button and a link to the home page of CKC - need button Canadian Standard Back to top