CHAPTER LII 

 THE SCHIPPERKE 



JUST as in England we are mainly indebted to the working classes 

 for many of our most beautiful Toy dogs (the Yorkshire Terrier, for 

 instance), as well as for some of our gamest and best all-round 

 Terriers (the Bedlington Terrier, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and 

 the Irish Terrier, to go no further), so is it with other countries. In- 

 deed, the subject of the present chaper, though now elevated to the 

 rank of a fashionable pet-dog, less than twenty years ago was com- 

 paratively unknown here, and in its native country (Belgium) was 

 chiefly a barge-dog, employed for the dual purpose of giving the 

 alarm and of keeping down the rats. 



In even casually looking down the list of varieties of dogs 

 that are given varietal rank in the Kennel Club Stud Book, a 

 thing that strikes one very forcibly is the very large number of 

 foreign breeds that have found a permanent home here. More- 

 over, in this connection it is only fair to state that, however distasteful 

 foreign productions generally may be to John Bull, the fact remains 

 that all who would enjoy the uses and companionship of some of 

 the most desirable of small dogs must pocket their insular 

 prejudices. 



The Schipperke very quickly ingratiated himself with English 

 dog-lovers, and despite the drawback that docking of a rather severe 

 form had to be performed on many of the earlier specimens, the 

 breed, so far as patronage is concerned, has not looked back. So far 

 the Schipperke has never been extensively boomed, nor has it ever 

 had a " pat on the back " as a breed from distinguished personages, 

 that has given a fillip to many another variety. Rather has it had 

 to rely upon its individual merits than upon any extraneous assist- 

 ance. Instead of being the favourite of kings and of nobles like the 

 Toy Spaniel, for instance the Schipperke at one time had no more 

 aristocratic owners than the Belgian barge and canal-boat men, or 

 it may be of drivers of coaches, carts, and other vehicles. Though 

 usually chiefly associated with boats, the Schipperke was also 

 employed as a watch-dog on carts, etc. In fact, in the earlier de- 



