The Schipese is a type of intentional hybrid known as a
designer or boutique dog, in this case, a combination of the Maltese, a playful
and spritely companion animal that has been favored by royalty for thousands of
years, and the Schipperke, a popular companion animal to canal workers and craftsmen
throughout Belgium. The Maltese is one of the oldest of the companion breeds,
traceable to a small island off the coast of Italy known as Malta. Although
they have a common ancestor with other small companionable and quick-witted dogs with silky hair, such as the Bichon
Frise and the Havanese breeds, they split off from their cousins some three
thousand years before the time of Christ. They were favored as companion
animals by the rich and famous since the time of the ancient Greeks both for their
luxurious long white coats and for their
their engaging personalities. With the exception of a short period in the
1600s, the Maltese breed has remained popular throughout the world, and has
been favored by many varied individuals including Elizabeth Taylor, Josephine
Bonaparte, Halle Berry, Mary Queen of Scots, Liberace, and Marie Antoinette.
The Schipperke is a much newer breed than the Maltese, but it is by no means a
new breed. These small, black dogs with foxlike faces are believed to be one of
breeds descended from the extinct sheepdog
known as the Leauvenaar, a black dog of around 30 pounds, that was local to
Belgium. Popular with canal workers and and craftsmen throughout the area, the
Schipperke inspired one of the first breed-specific
dog shows. Held initially in 1690, groups of Schipperke owners came together at
the Grand Palace of Brussels to exhibit their beloved dogs, often wearing decorative
collars of hammered and carved brass that were often specially designed and
crafted just for the event.
