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33-506: The Schipperke is a small, sturdy, usually black dog in the Spitz family. Their pointed ears are erect atop the head. Schipperkes are double coated with a soft, fluffy undercoat that is covered by a somewhat harsher-feeling and longer outer coat . One of the breed's characteristics is a long ruff that surrounds the neck and then a strip trails down towards the rear of the dog. They also have longer fur on their hind legs, called culottes. The breed

66-609: A Pomeranian dog named Pomer whom he was mighty fond of." The offspring of a Pomeranian and a wolf bred by an animal merchant from London is discussed in Thomas Pennant 's A Tour in Scotland from 1769. Two members of the British Royal Family influenced the evolution of the breed. In 1767, Queen Charlotte , Queen-consort of King George III of Great Britain , brought two Pomeranians to England. Named Phoebe and Mercury,

99-455: A habit of barking excessively in any situation. They are somewhat defensive of their territory and thus may bark when they hear outside noises. A UK study found a life expectancy of 12.2 years for the Pomeranian. A Japanese study of pet cemetery data found a life expectancy of 14 years, below the average of 15.3 years for cross-breed dogs below 10kgs. Pomeranians are one of the breeds with

132-771: A ruff of fur on the neck, which Poms are well known for, and they also have a fringe of feathery hair on the hindquarters. The earliest examples of the breed were white or occasionally brown or black. Queen Victoria adopted a small red Pomeranian in 1888, which caused that color to become fashionable by the end of the 19th century. In modern times, the Pomeranian comes in the widest variety of colors of any dog breed, including white, black, brown, red, orange, cream, blue, sable, black and tan, brown and tan, spotted, brindle, parti, and blue Merle, plus combinations of those colors. The most common colors are orange, black, and cream/white. Pomeranians are alert and aware of changes in their environment, and barking at new stimuli can develop into

165-509: Is a type of domestic dog consisting of between 50 and 70 breeds depending on classification. There is no precise definition of 'spitz' but typically most spitz breeds have pricked ears, almond shaped eyes, a pointed muzzle, a double coat, and a tail that curves over the back. The exact origins of spitz dogs remain unknown, though most of the spitzes seen today originate from the Arctic region or from Siberia . Johann Friedrich Gmelin described

198-484: Is descended from larger Spitz-type dogs, specifically the German Spitz . The breed has been made popular by a number of royal owners since the 18th century. Queen Victoria owned a particularly small Pomeranian, and consequently, the smaller variety became universally popular. During Queen Victoria's lifetime alone, the size of the breed decreased by half. As of 2017, in terms of registration figures, since at least 1998,

231-536: Is most evident in the tiny Pomeranian , which was originally a much larger dog closer to the size of a Keeshond before being bred down to make an acceptable court animal. The Keeshond, the Wolfspitz variety of the German Spitz , is an affectionate, loyal, and very energetic pet that was bred as a watchdog for barges (hence the name Dutch Barge Dog). Often, these breeds are recognized for their "smiling" mouths. Other spitzes that have been bred away from working uses are

264-467: Is similar to such lysosomal storage diseases in humans as Tay–Sachs disease and Gaucher's disease . The Schipperke is also prone to some other physical problems as reported by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals . DNA research has shown that Schipperkes have a rising rate of inbreeding in their population. The earlier common references to Schipperkes suggest that they may have originated in

297-404: Is usually black, but sometimes blonde or cream-colored (some blondes have a silkier coat); very rarely they can have a liver-red coloration. The coat is shiny. Dogs of this breed usually weigh 3–9 kg (6.6–19.8 lb). The Schipperke has no particular health problems. The UK Kennel Club survey puts the median lifespan of the breed at 13 years old, with about 20% living to 15 years or more. Of

330-442: Is when either one or both of the testicles do not descend into the scrotum. It is treated through surgical removal of the retained testicle. In China, 54.6% of Pomeranians attending veterinary clinics were obese. The Pomeranian is considered to be descended from the German Spitz . The breed is thought to have acquired its name by association with the area known as Pomerania which is located in northern Poland and Germany along

363-579: The American Eskimo Dog , Alaskan Klee Kai , German Spitz , Volpino Italiano and Japanese Spitz . Pomeranian dog The Pomeranian (also known as a Pom , Pommy or Pome ) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type that is named for the Pomerania region in north-west Poland and north-east Germany in Central Europe. Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian

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396-500: The Flemish language . However while they were occasionally seen on barges it was not their original or primary function, and in the areas of Leuven and Brussels "scheper" (which sounds similar to "schipper"; a German Shepherd dog is known in Dutch as a "Duitse scheper") was the word for shepherd, making the name translate as "little shepherd". Before the name "Schipperke" was officially taken,

429-824: The Karelian Bear Dog , are more difficult to train as companion dogs . Some breeds, such as the Pomeranian , have manes . Several spitz breeds (such as huskies ) are bred for one purpose only. However it is common for many spitz breeds (such as the Russian laikas ) to be general purpose dogs in their native lands, used for hunting, hauling, herding, and guarding. Smaller breeds have faces that resemble fox faces, while larger breeds have faces that resemble wolf faces. Spitzes, with their thick fur, fluffy ruffs, curled tails and small muzzles and ears, have been bred into non-working dogs designed to be companions or lap dogs . This trend

462-940: The Toy Group at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1926, the first Pomeranian to win a group at Westminster. It would take until 1988 for the first Pomeranian, "Great Elms Prince Charming II", to win the Best in Show prize from the Westminster Kennel Club. In the standard published in 1998, the Pomeranian is included in the German Spitz standard, along with the Keeshond , by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale . The Pomeranian has been among

495-548: The 1600's in Flanders . Schipperkes were first recognized as a formal breed in the 1880s, their standard being written in 1889. Much of what is known of their origins and early history comes from Chasse et Pêche ( French for "Hunting and Fishing") magazine, articles from which were translated into English and published by the English magazine The Stockkeeper . The breed name "Schipperke" means "little boatman" or "little captain" in

528-628: The 36 deceased dogs in the survey, the oldest dog was 17 + 1 ⁄ 2 years old. There is a known case where a Schipperke lived to be 18 to 19 years old. Nonetheless, inactivity, lack of exercise, and over-feeding are very harmful, and can lead to joint and skeletal problems and tooth, heart, lung, or digestive conditions. Schipperke's primary orthopedic problem tends to be luxating patella and Legg-Perthes syndrome (knee and hip disorders, respectively). Some Schipperkes have demonstrated tendencies to epilepsy, although there are no tests: these seem to be related to genetic transmission. The one caveat to

561-656: The Baltic Sea. Although not the origin of the breed, this area is credited with the breeding that led to the original Pomeranian type of dog. Proper documentation was lacking until the breed's introduction into the United Kingdom. An early modern recorded reference to the Pomeranian breed is from 2 November 1764, in a diary entry in James Boswell 's Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland . "The Frenchman had

594-683: The Leuvenaar, a 40-pound dog often found in the Louvain region of Belgium and employed to guard flocks and transport. These dogs are apparently the foundational breed for both the modern, and smaller, Schipperke and the modern, and larger, Black Belgian Shepherd Dog, also known as the Groenendael . In World War II , the Belgian Resistance used the dogs to run messages between various resistance hideouts and cells, to which occupying Nazi forces were none

627-481: The Pomeranian breed by importing smaller Pomeranians of different colours from various European countries to add to her breeding program. Royal owners during this period also included Joséphine de Beauharnais , the wife of Napoleon I of France , and King George IV of the United Kingdom. The first breed club was set up in England in 1891, and the first breed standard was written shortly afterwards. The first member of

660-685: The Pomeranian to be significantly predisposed to gallbladder mucocoele with an odds ratio of 7.74 compared to the overall referral population. In case studies of atlantoaxial subluxation the Pomeranian was found to comprise 10.6% of cases in Japan, 46.7% in the UK, and 10.5% and 6.5% in the US. Merle -colored dogs may have mild to severe deafness, blindness, increased intraocular pressure , ametropia , microphthalmia , and colobomas . Merle dogs born from parents who are also both merles may additionally have abnormalities of

693-626: The Schipperke's good health is MPS IIIB , a genetic mutation that occurs in at most 15% of the total breed population. It only occurs in Schipperkes. The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has developed a test for the disease and began accepting samples in April 2003. Clinical signs appear between two and four years of age, and there are no known cures or treatments. The disease affects balance, negotiation of obstacles (such as stairs), and

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726-491: The breed has ranked among the top fifty most popular breeds in the United States, and the current fashion for small dogs has increased their popularity worldwide. Pomeranians are small dogs weighing 1.36–3.17 kilograms (3.0–7.0 lb) and standing 8–14 inches (20–36 cm) high at the withers . They are compact but sturdy dogs with an abundant textured coat with a highly plumed tail set high and flat. The top coat forms

759-435: The breed was also known colloquially as "Spits" or "Spitzke", a name commonly used to describe a small dog with pointed ears. They were also occasionally called "Moorke", meaning "little black animal". Schipperkes are widely referred to in the United States, albeit erroneously, as "Belgian canal barge dogs" or "Belgian ship dogs." Apparently, however, their history dates to a seventeenth-century black shepherd dog commonly called

792-553: The breed was registered in the United States to the American Kennel Club in 1898, and it was recognized in 1900. In 1912, two Pomeranians were among only three dogs to survive the sinking of RMS Titanic . A Pomeranian called "Lady", owned by Margaret Bechstein Hays , escaped with her owner in lifeboat number seven, while Elizabeth Barrett Rothschild took her pet to safety with her in lifeboat number six. Glen Rose Flashaway won

825-417: The dogs were depicted in paintings by Sir Thomas Gainsborough. These paintings depicted a dog larger than the modern breed, reportedly weighing as much as 30–50 lb (14–23 kg), but showing modern traits such as the heavy coat, ears and a tail curled over the back. Queen Victoria , Queen Charlotte's granddaughter, was also an enthusiast and established a large breeding kennel. One of her favoured dogs

858-456: The highest prevalence out of all breeds in the study. A USA study found an odds ratio of 18.6 compared to crossbreeds. Another study in the US found the Pomeranian to make up 9.3% of the caseload. In Thailand prevalence was found as high as 75% in one study and a 28.9% caseload in another. A study in the US found a prevalence of 0.29% for congenital portosystemic shunt , an odds ratio of 5.6 compared to mixed-breed dogs. A Japanese study found

891-416: The more popular dog breeds in the United States, featuring consistently in the top 20 of registered American Kennel Club dog breeds since at least 1998, when it was ranked #10; the breed was #17 in the 2011 rankings, dropping two spots from the previous year. In 2012 and 2013 it remained in the top twenty and was ranked at #19. In 2015, the breed fell to #21, falling further to #22 in both 2016 and 2017. It

924-500: The risk of frostbite , square proportions and thick fur that grows on the paws protects the dogs from sharp ice. Many spitz breeds, like the Japanese Akita and Chow Chow , retain wolf-like characteristics such as independence, suspiciousness, and aggression towards unfamiliar humans and other dogs, and they require much training and socialization when they are puppies before they become manageable in an urban environment. Some, such as

957-455: The skeletal, cardiac and reproductive systems. In case studies of referral clinics for tracheal collapse the Pomeranian made up 6%, 13.5%, and 16.7% of three referral caseloads in the US and 11.9% of a referral caseload in South Korea. In an Australian study on a referral population the Pomeranian had a 9.3% prevalence. Another common disorder in male Pomeranians is cryptorchidism . This

990-405: The smallest average litter size, with various sources giving numbers of between 1.9 and 2.7 puppies per litter. The Pomeranian is significantly predisposed to alopecia X with Pomeranians comprising 79.3% of the case load of a referral clinic in Japan and 26.5% of an endocrine alopecia case load in the US. A study in England found the prevalence patellar luxation to be 6.5% in the Pomeranian,

1023-552: The type as Canis pomeranus in his 1788 revision of Systema Naturae . Dogs of spitz type have been depicted on the tombs of the IVth dynasty of Egypt. Toy dogs of spitz type have been depicted since 500 B.C. in Ancient Greek pottery . Spitzes are well suited to living in harsh northern climates. They often have an insulating , waterproof undercoat that is denser than the topcoat to trap warmth. Small, upright ears help to reduce

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1056-453: The wiser. DNA laboratory studies have shown that the Schipperke is more closely related to the Pomeranian dog than the Belgian sheepdog and is very closely tied to Spitz type breeds. DNA studies also show a steady increase of inbreeding in Schipperkes. Spitz A spitz ( pronounced [ʃpɪts] ; German for 'pointed', in reference to the pointed muzzle)

1089-464: Was a comparatively small red sable Pomeranian which she possibly named "Windsor's Marco" and was reported to weigh only 12 lb (5.4 kg). When she first exhibited Marco in 1891, it caused the smaller-type Pomeranian to become immediately popular, and breeders began selecting only the smaller specimens for breeding. During her lifetime, the size of the Pomeranian breed was reported to have decreased by 50%. Queen Victoria worked to improve and promote

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