Even with the active Schipperke, one of the main concerns with the breed is that of overfeeding. It is much easier to overfeed a Schipperke than most owners think and doing so can result in a number of various health problems. The small stature of the breed means its hips and knee joints are not especially able to handle much in the way of extra weight. Owners who perpetually overfeed their Schipperke are not only causing unnecessary health problems for their dog, they are looking at possibly thousands in vet bills to deal with the problem. While every dog likes a snack and it feels good for owners to offer their dogs such tasty treats, some snacks are better than others for the Schipperke.
Owners should refrain from feeding table scraps or any other type of food that is high in salt or refined sugars. While foods like potato chips and cookies taste good, they are not even proper nutrition for humans let alone a small dog. A dog's system simply does not have the means to process the additives and other ingredients in salty and sugary snacks. Most liver, pancreas and kidney problems in dogs tend to be from a toxic build up due to eating these forbidden foods. In a small dog like a Schipperke, this kind of toxicity does not take long to build up.
Fruits diced and sliced into small pieces, such as apples and bananas, can be a great alternative snack for the Schipperke. Dogs conditioned to junk foods may at first reject this option; however, if the owner makes an effort to eat the fruit the dog may then follow.
A healthy dog snack that owners can make themselves is as follows:
Super Simple Dog Biscuits
2 cups of whole-wheat flour 1 tablespoon of baking powder 1 cup of natural peanut butter 1 cup of skim milk
Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and gathering both a large and medium sized bowl. In the large mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder thoroughly. In the other bowl, mix the peanut butter and skim milk into a smooth uniform consistency. Once this is accomplished, add the peanut butter and milk mixture to the flour and baking soda. Mix well. When thoroughly incorporated, the dough must be kneaded on a surface that is lightly floured; then carefully rolled out into a 1/4 of an inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter or a small glass turned upside down, cut out approximately 30 biscuits. Place the biscuits on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Once this is done, cool the biscuits on a rack and store in an airtight container. The dog should be offered no more than two biscuits per day.
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