r/schipperke

https://preview.redd.it/w6gy6k8i9qyg1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=870f65b270d3c940b0aa3ec4baf17694893be900

Schipperke boys enjoying the sun! One boy found a perfect home in NY and another in Texas. 2 are left.

My partner and I are planning to get our first dog together once we finish renovating our house. He’s had dogs before, but this would be my first; due to family allergies I only had an outdoor cat growing up (plus fish and a hamster).

I’ve really fallen in love with the Schipperke's personality and intelligence, and their size is perfect for our small flat and the fact that I may occasionally travel with them.

When I have a pet I go all out (my hamster basically lived in a palace…), so I want to make sure that if we choose a higher-maintenance breed, we’re fully prepared to meet their needs.

Our situation:

*I work from home full-time; my partner works from home about half the time

*We live in a small flat with a small backyard, right on the high street of a quiet seaside village

*We’re a 3-minute walk from the beach, and there are lots of dogs around for socialising, everyone in this town seems to have one

*I enjoy travelling, but almost all of the time one of us would be home

*There may be one trip per year around Christmas where I’d need to fly with the dog

In terms of exercise needs, how often does a Schipperke need to get out for a walk/play or properly “let loose”? I can step away from work for breaks if I schedule properly if it's best to take them out throughout the day.

My big concern is the barking. I’ve seen a lot of comments about how the barking is endless. I know this sounds extreme but better I'm honest up front- I don't think I could mentally handle endless barking if that's true. I think I'd get overstimulated and stressed, especially because I'd be home trying to work and take meetings all day. Our area can get busy with tourists and there are seabirds visible from the windows, so plenty of potential triggers. How manageable is their barking if we train early and well, and if we did train them what is a reasonable expectation for the barking? Would appreciate honest feedback on this. I'm also open to learning from a professional, but if constant barking is a certainty, we need to consider that in our decision.

I have a wonderful schipperke who I purchased from a reputable breeder. Yes, I have breeding rights. Excellent temperament, she’s forward, confident, happy, fun to train, nothing phases her, travels beautifully, very socially appropriate, loves everyone - kids, elderly, dogs, other animals, everyone - the kind of dog that someone who wants a schipperke should own. We are involved in a variety of sports and will start trialing soon, her first shows are coming up, and pending health testing, provided all goes well, I plan to breed her. I’m looking for males that are also health tested dogs, and am particularly looking for dogs with a high degree of athleticism, prey drive, and desire to play. I’ll be very picky about temperament and structure. As a side note, as there is always concern with breeding dogs, I am not a first timer, and I don’t need lectures on whether or not I should be raising puppies. Puppies will be raised with the intent of going to sport and pet homes, with plenty of exposure to new things, opportunities to play and challenge themselves, and some very early training exposure. If you have the mind to try to chastise me on a purebred dog forum, take a step back and look in the mirror. To everyone else, please send me your recommendations! Dogs you’ve met, dogs you admire, breeders you think I should talk to. Thank you!

Per the title, my schip has a docked tail. I will be bringing her to Belgium with me later this year and am wondering if this will be an issue. Anyone have docked dogs or experiences with other people’s docked dogs vs the public in that area of the world?