SCHIPPERKE 



the proportion of two parts to one, to be followed by the 

 application of a cooling ointment, such as zinc or boracic 

 spread on lint, and kept in its place by bandages. Mild 

 opening medicine may be given, and the dog should be 

 allowed to rest quietly, no heating food being allowed him. 

 (See Burns,) 



Schipperke. — This intelligent, bright, and companion- 

 able little tailless variety of dog is a Belgian breed, and 

 is largely used by the bargemen of Holland to protect 

 the cargoes of their craft when they are navigating the 

 canals. It goes without saying, therefore, that the Schip- 

 perke is a useful watch-dog ; but as his size is small, his 

 value lies more in his capacity for giving warning of the 

 approach of strangers rather than in his ability to defend 

 his master's property by force. In addition to his value as 

 a guardian of his master's home and property, the Schip- 

 perke is a most companionable, good-tempered, and 

 vivacious little dog, whilst the fact that he is indisposed 

 to make friends with strangers endears him to many 

 people \vho like to keep their dogs to themselves. With 

 regard to the reference made above to the Schipperke 

 as being a tailless breed, it may be observed that, as in 

 the case of the bobtailed sheep-dog, many very good 

 specimens of the variety came into the world with their 

 caudal appendages fully developed. In such instances, 

 again, as in the case of the bobtailed sheep-dog, breeders 

 are permitted by the custom of the exhibiting community 

 to remove the tails. The operation in the case of some 

 Schipperkes is a very barbarous one, certain owners 

 literally scooping out the root of the tail, so as to leave 

 as little trace as possible of its having ever existed. It is 

 not easy, moreover, to justify the encouragement of this 

 form of mutilation in connection with fancy dogs, as 

 either they should have tails or they should not. If they 

 should, it appears to be an encouragement to fraud to 

 permit a fancy point to be artificially produced in one 



169 



