The Schapendoes (ˈsxaːpəndus) or Dutch Sheepdog, is a breed

Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

 of dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

 originating in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. The Schapendoes was originally a herding dog and general farm dog, but today also participates in dog sports such as agility and flyball.

History

The Schapendoes descends from a general type of farm and herding dog popular in the Drenthe

Drenthe

Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...

 province of the Netherlands, and the Veluwe

Veluwe

The Veluwe is a forest-rich ridge of hills in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Veluwe features many different landscapes including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe's largest sand drifts....

, an area of forests and swampland. The dogs there had many names, and were not a specific breed as we use the term today. They were the local working dog, adapted to the people, environment, and types of work needed. They were exhibited in early dog shows (in the 1870s) as Domestic herding dog.

The dogs became nearly extinct during World War II, and the modern day breed descends from the few survivors. The Dutch Raad van Beheer (national kennel club) first recognised the breed in 1952, and the first standard was written in 1954. Related breeds are the Bearded Collie, the Puli, the Owczarek Nizinny, the Old English Sheepdog, the Briard, the Bergamasco Shepherd Dog (Cane da pastore Bergamasco) and the Old German Sheepdog (Schafspudel), all of which are small versions of the "mountain type" herding and livestock guardian dogs.

The breed was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

 in 1971, as breed number 313 in Group 1, Section 1: Sheepdogs. Exported to the North America, the breed is recognised by the Canadian Kennel Club

Canadian Kennel Club

The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C...

 (as Dutch Sheepdog) and the United Kennel Club

United Kennel Club

The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...

 (USA) in their respective Herding Group

Herding Group

Herding Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. It does not refer to one particular type of dog. How the Herding Group is defined varies among kennel clubs, and different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their...

s. The American Kennel Club

American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...

 has listed the Schapendoes as part of its Foundation Stock Service, the first step in breed recognition. In addition it is recognised by numerous minor kennel clubs and internet-based dog registry businesses.

Appearance

The Schapendoes is a medium sized dog with long, thick fur on the body, legs, tail, and face. Small ears hang down, covered with long fur. The face has a moustache and beard. The coat

Dog coat

Dog coat can refer to:*rug , jacket or blanket for a dog*coat , dog's fur or hair...

 is of any colour.
Height is up to 50 cm (19.7 in) at the withers

Withers

The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...

 and 12–20 kg

Kilogram

The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...

 (26–44 lb

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

), up to 25 kg (55 lb) for males, in weight.

Temperament

The breed standard describes the Schapendoes as friendly, high spirited, and affectionate. He is not a guard dog or aggressively protective, and if properly socialised while young, would most likely make a good family dog, as well as a good dog for active sports. Lively and intelligent dogs must receive regular training and outings. Temperament of individual dogs may vary.

Health

Health problems or claims of exceptional health have not been documented for this breed. Before acquiring a puppy, make sure that sire and dam have all health clearances.

External links

• Schapendoes club in Holland
• International Schapendoes Federation a group working to coordinate breed development internationally
• The American Kennel Club lists two breed clubs, but when the breed is accepted, there will be only one parent breed club. The Schapendoes Club USA will be vying with the Schapendoes Club of America