canal dogs

Factual Questions
1

I have heard that there used to be a breed of dog which the canal people used to have. Does anyone know it’s name?
love bon

2

Belgian Schipperke could be the one, and there may be other breeds of boat dogs as well.

3

The keeshond is another candidate, sometimes known as the “Dutch barge dog”.

4

Minor clarification hijack:

What are “canal people”? (Never heard the term before)

5

hello texas from lancashire england - “canal people” are the people who used to live and work on the canals in england in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. We have recently bought a small canal boat and want a dog to train up who loves the life. love and peace.

6

thank you sarah. the schipperke looks quite cute. We have just bought a canal boat to help us get over a bereavement and we would love a wee dog to keep us company. love and peace.

7

thank you for your reply yabob, I had seen the keeshond before but I don’t really like the look of it - now I must weigh authenticity against cutesieness!
love and peace.

8

Wow. I had never heard or read about this. Thanks for your reply.

9

Hello Arsonparsley ,

Sorry to hear about your bereavment - we had a couple of family holidays on a narrow boat , very nice a change of pace and different perspective, what a good idea.

The last trip was on the Llangollen canal (coincidentally just after the death of our last grandparent) and we took our then dog. He was an RSPCA dog, “half collie” “half labradour” - yeah right !! He was a cobbie littel bruiser although I admit he had good herding skills. Anyway he fell into the canal first day - thinking pondweed was grass but was undeterred and took to the life like a pro. I’d say any mutt with an ounce of feistiness would do the trick, not sure the canal folk would have had pedigrees anyway - although perhaps not a swimmer as canals can be smelly :wink:

Hope you find the dog to complete your new life.

10

My family raised and showed Kees back inb the 80’s , and our last Kee just died 3 years ago . They are thoroughly charming dogs with a killer sense of humor and a desire to please their family . Their drawback is that coat that takes a lot of grooming . Many Kees have a habit of smiling , much like a snarl but with a wagging tail and laughter in their eyes . Wonderful , wonderful dogs !

Anna