There are a variety of foods that may be used. Your dog may have his/her own likes or dislikes. Most breeders are usually eager to explain the foods that they are feeding and why. Some feed canned, some only dry, some mix them and some feed raw diets. It is individual in what you and your dog are happy with. A Good balanced food is important, but always remember to keep plenty of fresh water available.
Here at Scheepshond we recommend a raw diet consisting of vegetables as well as meats, we do also use some dry kibble as it also helps in dental cleansing. Much research has been done and is currently being done that shows what we feed our dogs may actually be detrimental to their health. By law, pet foods are not required to contain optimum or best levels of each nutrient. Most foods claim to be "nutritionally complete" as they contain certain minimum levels to prevent obvious deficiency symptoms. The law does not require that all of the nutrient levels are kept below a safe maximum level either.
Puppies may be feed several times a day, or some breeders leave food out for
them to eat as they want. The amount of food a puppy eats will vary. A reputable
breeder will provide a diet for your puppy, follow it closely especially the
first few days, then you may slowly adjust the food to your choice of food.
Always remember when changing foods, to do it slowly. Most puppies depending on
the age may feed twice a day. When your puppy reaches 9 to 10 months or older,
you can easily move to once a day, unless you are free feeding in where there is
plenty of food available at all times.
A regular vet check is vital to make sure you dog is free of all parasites. The dog should be put on a heartworm preventative and receive all booster shots and/or necessary worming. There is also research being done regarding the vaccination of dogs and puppies and what is really necessary for the dogs immune system.
All dogs require baths and brushing to keep the dog clean and maintain good basic health. A Schipperke actually requires a minimum amount of grooming care. Daily brushing will keep the coat clean, use a brush that has medium to hard stiff bristles. This will remove loose dead hairs, and superficial dirt.
Start by brushing against the hair, especially on the neck and chest. Then brush with the hair to give a finished look. A Schipperke will shed very little during the year, but may all of sudden loose their guard coat and undercoat all at once. This could be caused by a number of things ex: heat cycle, stress, worms or anesthesia. When this happens the undercoat comes loose in thick clumps, use a wide tooth metal comb to remove the clumps of hair. If you do not remove this, the dog may become very uncomfortable and resort to scratching and could cause skin injuries or infections. The fastest way to get your dog back into coat is to give the dog a warm baths making sure you get the dead coat out and not leaving any soap residue in the coat. Oils may be used to lubricate the skin if dry, and when shedding dandruff may occur.
Schipperkes do not have an offensive doggy odour. A Schipperke has a harsh outer
guard coat that sheds dirt and water. A mild shampoo for dogs works quite well.
An important thing to remember in bathing a Schipperke is to get the coat wet
all the way to the skin. The next and maybe the most important tip in bathing a
Schipperke is to rinse thoroughly. It is easier to get the shampoo into the
coat, than to get the coat rinsed of shampoo. Make sure you get all of the soap
out of the coat. Then dry the dog or keep the dog in a warm draft free
environment until dry.
"Do not clipper cut a Schipperke." It "will not" keep the dog cooler in fact will remove the natural insulation that protects him form the heat or weather.
A Schipperke should have it's teeth cleaned, and toenails trimmed. The toenails should be kept short, long toenails could be a source of infection, and could cause the dog to walk splay footed by spreading out the toes, or on the back of it's feet. Long toenails may also get hung in carpet, upholstery etc. and cause damage to the foot. When clipping toenails be careful not to cut into the quick. If you are unsure on how to do this have a groomer or vet cut them for you. If your dogs dewclaws were not removed as a puppy make sure that these nails are also clipped.
The teeth should be kept clean and free of tarter by brushing or scaling. If a puppy's teeth are cleaned regularly you may not need to have a vet clean them for you.
A Schipperke doesn't have any eye problems as such but should be checked regularly. Their eyes may get dust in them and become irritable just as yours do.
Ears should be checked, but seldom are any cause of trouble. Any foul
smelling thick brown substance could be ear mites and could cause infections and
possible loss of hearing.
There aren't many health problems in Schipperkes, and the schipperke is the hardiest of all small dogs. There are a few problems that owners and breeders should be aware of.
Cryptorchidism- The absence of testicles or the failure of the testicles to descend into the scrotum.
Coughing- Some bloodlines tend to have a chronic cough, which may be aggravated by a collar on the neck. This is not kennel cough, but seems to be the structure of the trachea of the individual dog.
Fungus- Mostly in the grown dog, a common ailment but difficult to conquer. Some bloodlines experience this more than others. Bare patches of skin usually during hot, damp weather, but can occur in the cold of winter. Consult your vet if you experience this.
Parasites- Intestinal worms, must be tested for and identified. A fresh stool sample should be taken to your vet every six months. Fleas carry disease and are a host for tape worms. Defleaing should be done with a safe for cats product. Less toxic products are recommended.
Heartworms- Identified by testing blood. Prevention is the key. Have your dog tested and then put the dog on a preventative medicine recommended by your vet.
Vaccinations- Done regularly with
yearly health checkups.