Turlough, my schipperke, is quite a character. And, he will feature as a series character in one of my upcoming County Mayo Mysteries. The schipperke breed can best be described as a small dog who believes he inhabits the body of a King German shepherd. As a result, schipperkes exhibit a guard dog personality: protective, devoted to family members, and courage.
My Little Schipperke’s Character
In addition to the guard dog behavior, my little schipperke, Turlough, is also a noisy barker and a mischievous little character who like to grab towels from counters so you’ll chase him to get them back. When Bill and I take Turlough to agility training each week the little guy runs, jumps, and weaves. We’ve been in a few agility trials and he has won a few ribbons. But not always! Sometimes he gets out on the field and just does the zoomies until the buzzer rings and the judge says “it’s over”.
The Schipperkes Origin
Schipperkes originated in Belgium and the breed name means “little captain”. Turlough lives up to the name: he’s independent and investigates everything and everyone. I named my little schipperke Turlough in a tip of my heart to my mother who was born in Turlough Village, County Mayo, Ireland. And, Turlough’s breed line is of the Skydance and I Believe in Magic lines.
Turlough the Schipperke as a Character in the County Mayo Mystery Series
So, the Skydance and Magic lines align nicely with the role Turlough the Schipperke will play in a new County Mayo Mystery Series I am developing. Right now, I’m world building. And, I’m having fun with it. I hope you will too. I’ll be posting more as I continue to work on the series.
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