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SmallNon-Sporting Group

Schipperke

The Schipperke is a Belgian small Spitz-type working breed standardized by 1690s Brussels guild competitions, originally used as a canal-barge watchdog and ratter.

Calculate Schipperke age
Lifespan14.2 yrrange 12–16
SizeSmallNon-Sporting Group
Weight10–16 lb4.5–7.3 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Schipperke

The Schipperke is a Belgian small Spitz-type working breed standardized by 1690s Brussels guild competitions, originally used as a canal-barge watchdog and ratter. Tail-docking was traditional; natural-tail dogs are now standard in countries with docking bans.

Aging

How Schipperkes age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 14.2 years (n=104, small sample). Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB, a lysosomal storage disorder) is the defining inherited neurological concern — DNA-testable and near-eliminated — with Legg-Calvé-Perthes secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 14.2 yr · range 12–16Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues8 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
10–16 lb(4.5–7.3 kg)
Height
10–13 in(25.4–33 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
BlackApricotBlack & TanBlueChocolateCreamFawnGrayRedWhite
Temperament

Temperament

How Schipperkes tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

confidentalertcuriousfaithful
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • High prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Schipperkes are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.