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The Color of the Schipperke

by

Georges Arin

Secretary, Schipperkes Club de France

Mr. Arin was a long time Schipperke fancier and frequent contributor to Schipperke Club of America publications.  Now passed away, in this article he raises a number of important points on coat color and tails.  Those that care deeply about this breed will heed his advice on the role that the Belgium breed standard should have on the American Schipperke standard and our breeding practices.

 Anita Fredricks 

In the past, some purebred Schipperkes have been born in France, which were not black. 

This deviation from the normal can be explained in two ways:

The first explanation requires no comment.  The second, on the contrary, warrants further examination.  Although this phenomenon has always been very rare, it has occurred.  I personally, have seen some gray and fawn colored ones in the years between 1930-1940 in the kennel of a serious breeder who was much grieved by this mishap.

How are we to explain this occurrence when the breeding producing such specimen involved only black dogs descended from generations of purebred Schipperkes? 

Very likely this is a case of the non-black specimen being a throwback to a remote ancestor, many generations back, which was of the same incriminating color. 

In England, where this anomaly occurred a long time ago, some breeders profited form it by creating a new variety officially recognized in that country. 

In the United States, some innovators would like to do the same for the white or fawn varieties. 

What are we to think?  How have they obtained these non-black specimens so introduced?  Again, we can discard the explanation of a crossbreeding to a non-Schipperke individual and consider instead the possibility of a spontaneous phenomenon (even if we are doubtful that such could be possible).  One American commentator has used the term “mutation” to describe these non-black specimens.  This term is certainly incorrect and here are my reasons in favor of the explanation that these are throwbacks to a distant ancestor:

About 30 years ago, a great Belgian purebred dog fancier, Mr. Charles Huge, gave me his explanation on the origin of the first elements, which served to found the breed.  Many years ago in Brabant, he said, there were medium sized dogs of the wolf type and black in color, but they were not uniform.  According to the requirements of the different uses made of these dogs, the smaller ones were sought for hunting rats and the larger ones were used for herding. 

The former were the ancestors of our Schipperkes and the second the ancestors of the present day Belgian Sheepdog. 

These latter ones, in spite of their homogeneity in type and structure, had various coats, differing as much in texture as in color.  Based on these variations, these dogs were classified into the following varieties (using the names of the Belgian localities without regard to their true origin):

            The Sheepdog of Groenendael, black with a long coat.

            The Sheepdog of Tervueren, fawn with a long coat.

            The Sheepdog of Maline, fawn with a short coat.

            The Sheepdog of Laeken, any color with a wiry coat.

            Finally, the Belgian Sheepdog with a short coat other than fawn, and the Belgian Sheepdog with a long coat other than black and fawn. 

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Thus, from a common origin were born two branches:       

Now let us consider the fact that very little is known of the filiations of the Schipperke in those early years. 

When I first became interested in the breed, in 1925, many Schipperkes owned by the best Belgian breeders had pedigrees, the second generation of which included dogs not inscribed in the book of origins (the stud book) and whose names were followed only with the names of their owners: “MAX, belong to M. Schets”.  The preceding generations were unknown.  Shortly thereafter was born. Ch. TIP de KER MANO who was one of the pillars of the breed in France (and also in Belgium through his son Ch. MARIUS des LUTINS NOIRS, whose name still appears in the pedigrees of Schipperkes living today.) 

Without being an expert on genetics, one could doubt the reliability of results from a selection based on so few generations. 

Nevertheless, if the uniformity of type is highly satisfactory on our continent at the present time, the reason is primarily due to the fact that breeding was conducted with a certain continuity and common conception of the ideal prior to the modern organization of the purebred fancy and also because the breeding of these dogs, for the past forty years, has been done with a limited number of bloodlines which has contributed a great deal to their physical traits. (After the first war, one finds the name of Ch. POILU many times in all pedigrees; after the second war, it was that of Ch. MARIUS des LUTINS NOIRS; then it will be that of Ch. BASTOS de la HIANE, no doubt.) 

This, we know the ancestors of our reproducers for about ten generations.  We know that they descend from an old line of black dogs.  But we also know equally well that these have given birth to another race within which dogs of various colors are born (sometimes in the same litter). 

You can now see the point I wish to make: it is not surprising that, in spite of selecting black for generations, other colors have appeared among Schipperkes which have been considered as purebred because these colors are those resembling the colors of distant ancestors. 

Such may explain the rare births of Schipperkes other than black, which have occurred in the past. 

However, there have never been any white Schipperkes in purebred families because there were no white dogs in the original stock.  White Schipperkes, not albinos, are without a doubt the result of crossbreeding, either recently or in former times, with white dogs of some other origin; probably the Spitz. 

We repeat that the birth of fawn or gray Schipperkes, from purebred Belgian stock has always been a rarity.  In the past 20 years, I know of none. 

Let me add that there is less and less danger of seeing them in the future in those countries where selection has been made in accordance with the Belgian standard. 

Let us reflect that in the future it will be:

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 What are the conclusions? 

All the reasons which can be set forth to explain the birth of Schipperkes of colors other than black are rather confined to useless discussions for one fact remains very certain; only black is desirable for all breeders and serious fanciers in any country where the Schipperke is located. 

Whatever the breed, if one wishes to avoid disappointment and to work seriously, the standard of the country of origin should be the only guide in breeding. 

There must be no room for fantasy or for individualism. 

The Schipperke is indisputably a dog of Belgian origin and the founders of the Schipperkes Club of Belgium decreed, when drawing up their standard, that black was the only admissible color.  The ruling organization in other countries should accept this decision without hesitation. 

I will even go further: since the standard specifies that the Schipperke is a black dog, a dog, which is not black, should not be called a “Schipperke”.  This is only logical. 

If innovators, in want of personal publicity, wish to be singled out by producing Schipperkes of other colors, let them.  Let them also amuse themselves by selecting and fixing other faults.  No one can stop a joker from creating a Schipperke with drooping ears and curly hair. 

A long time ago, I knew two eccentrics in Angers who had Schipperkes with tails!  And with long tails, at that !!!  Why scoff?  This is not more ridiculous than white Schipperkes.  Actually, this kind of enterprise should be self-destroying. 

Therefore, it is necessary to openly object to the strange initiatives of certain adventurous innovators for such people are only seeking the “sensational”.  They look upon their dogs as a means to be talked about and they choose the easiest way (but without merit). 

In a matter of a few years, they will be able to produce easily Schipperkes of any color and in any quantity as can anyone else who wishes.  But perhaps they will be incapable of contributing to the progress of the overall quality of the breed, conforming to the present standard because that task requires ability. 

This must be made clear to the novice breeder who may be tempted to admire and follow these unorthodox ventures.  Our role as responsible members of officially recognized canine clubs is to further the overall progress of quality according to the properly determined norms.