Schapendoes

About the breed

The Schapendoes is a Dutch herding dog with a long, lightly waved coat, a top knot, moustache and beard; the FCI standard gives a height at the withers of 40–50 cm. The FCI title is Nederlandse Schapendoes (Dutch Schapendoes); it sits in Group 1 (Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs), Section 1, without working trial.

The breed is not for everyone: it is cheerful and alert but independent-minded, needs plenty of exercise and mental work every day, and its long coat calls for combing right down to the skin. It can suit a family with children or a first-time owner, but only under the conditions below.

A Dutch shepherd that nearly vanished

The FCI standard says that at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century the Schapendoes occurred throughout the Netherlands wherever there was heathland and flocks of sheep, and that shepherds valued its intelligence and tireless pleasure in work. The Raad van Beheer (the Dutch kennel club) adds that Drenthe farmers herded sheep with small, long-haired dogs called herdersdoes, siephond and olde grise.

During the Second World War the breed almost disappeared. The standard names the kennel authority P. M. C. Toepoel as founder; between 1940 and 1945 surviving specimens were used for breeding wherever they could be found. The breed club was founded in 1947, the Raad van Beheer recognised the breed provisionally in 1952, the standard was drawn up and a stud book started in 1954, and definite recognition followed in 1971. Since then, the standard says, only registered dogs have been bred from.

Height, weight and build in the FCI standard

The FCI standard gives a height at the withers of 43–50 cm for dogs and 40–47 cm for bitches, so it is a medium-sized breed. The standard sets no weight. The Dutch information centre LICG gives about 18 kg for males and about 13 kg for females, while the American Kennel Club (AKC) lists 26–55 lb, roughly 12–25 kg; as the sources differ, treat weight as an approximate range.

The standard describes a lightly built dog, slightly longer than high, that moves lightly and springily; it must jump well and turn swiftly; the standard calls it a remarkable jumper.

Shaggy, not curly: the coat

The standard describes a long, dense coat with undercoat, a good 7 cm or more on the hindquarters and lightly waved; definitely curly hair is not permitted. The hairs are fine and dry, never silky, so the long coat tends to stand off in tufts and gives the dog a large girth, especially at the rear. The standard mentions a tremendous top knot, moustache and beard, and the Dutch breed club Vereniging De Nederlandse Schapendoes (VNS) adds that the coat reaches up to 10 cm in places. All colours are permitted, with preference for blue-grey to black.

Combing to the skin, not clipping

An adult Schapendoes needs a thorough combing down to the skin, and the sources give different frequencies: LICG every 1–2 weeks, the VNS weekly brushing plus, on average, a thorough combing every 2–3 weeks for about an hour, the Schapendoes Club (the other Dutch breed club) every 2 weeks. According to the VNS, a neglected coat mats into dense felted plates.

The coat is combed layer by layer from the bottom up, with a brush and coarse comb plus a fine comb for small tangles; a brush alone does not remove tangles because it does not reach the skin, the Schapendoes Club warns. The hardest period is the change from puppy to adult coat, which the club places between 8 and 12 months, and LICG says that daily combing is sometimes needed for a while.

The Raad van Beheer warns that washing strips the coat of oils, so it gets dirty and mats sooner; LICG says mud falls out on its own once dry, that the coat protects against heat and cold, and that it should not be clipped. You may trim the hair under the paws and around the genitals, and tie back or lightly thin a top knot over the eyes; a straight cut leaves sharp ends that irritate them.

Temperament: a cheerful herder with a mind of its own

The FCI standard describes an attentive, courageous dog that is intelligent, watchful, jolly, lively, friendly and high-spirited, and very attached to people it knows. LICG adds that it is sensitive and independent, hence sometimes wilful, and usually reserved but friendly towards strangers.

Behaviour problems stem from its herding nature: LICG warns that it may enjoy chasing runners, bicycles and other animals and will bark when visitors arrive. The FCI standard disqualifies aggressive or overly shy dogs; the Schapendoes Club adds that not every Schapendoes is everybody's friend, which is fine unless the dog is extremely fearful or aggressive.

Exercise and work: agility, running, herding

According to the VNS, about an hour of running a day keeps a Schapendoes fit and prevents nervousness, and LICG says it is calm indoors when it gets enough exercise. The Schapendoes Club says a short lead walk is not its favourite; agility, dog dancing, frisbee, flyball and a long off-lead walk suit it better.

It also needs mental work: LICG recommends clicker training, puzzles and search games. Few work with sheep today, but the VNS says the breed remains a herding dog by inclination: alert, active and ready to bark.

Training: friendly but consistent

LICG advises friendly but consistent, clear training with rewards and varied, playful exercises, and stresses that the dog is sensitive to the voice. A puppy class is a good start, and a follow-up course pays off in adolescence, when the dog can be markedly wilful. A puppy should learn early to ignore runners, cyclists, cats and livestock, to stay alone briefly and to stop barking on request.

Family, children, other pets and flats: conditional

A Schapendoes can be a family dog, but only in an active family with time for it. The VNS calls the breed suitable for families, children, dogs and cats, while adding that everything has to be taught. According to LICG it is fairly tolerant of children and enjoys playing with them, but children must respect its limits, and dog and child should never be left alone. It usually gets on with other pets after socialisation, although the urge to chase remains.

Sources point to factors that matter in a flat: an hour of running a day, barking at visitors, a wish for human company and a coat that brings sand and leaves indoors. Our own assessment is that a flat works only with well-organised exercise and no long absences.

Health: eyes and heart

According to Utrecht University research summarised by LICG, the most important hereditary condition in the Dutch population is progressive retinal atrophy (PRA); the data were collected in 2004–2013. LICG also mentions patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and distichiasis, and the clubs report cataract, which does not always cause blindness. A direct gene test exists for PRA (VNS), and a 2010 study described the cause in the CCDC66 gene.

The Raad van Beheer and LICG say the Dutch breed clubs require an ECVO eye examination and a PRA DNA test for breeding dogs, and LICG adds that for PRA only matings that cannot produce affected dogs are allowed; the Schapendoes Club exempts dogs listed as “clear due to birth” (PRA-free by parentage) from the mandatory test. A 2012 retrospective study at the Utrecht clinic (102 dogs with PDA) found a predisposition in three breeds, the Schapendoes among them; these were one clinic's patients, not a population prevalence. The VNS says it knows of at least 11 Dutch cases treated in Utrecht and that the mode of inheritance is unknown.

Myopathy, agility and rarer conditions

Utrecht University reports a hereditary muscle disease (myopathy) in the Schapendoes, inherited in an autosomal recessive way: a dog with two copies of the mutation has an increased risk. Signs may include reduced exercise tolerance, heat intolerance and muscle weakness, but they vary greatly, and some dogs show none or the owner does not notice. For dogs with two copies, the university says it is sensible to limit explosive movement and advises against wild play and sports with many turns or jumps, such as agility. The Dutch clubs currently do not recognise the disease clinically in the Netherlands but cooperate in the research.

The same source mentions chronic hepatitis and copper accumulation in the breed, which on current knowledge appear separate from the myopathy. In a 2026 Dutch study the estimated prevalence of epilepsy in the Schapendoes was 0.23%, the lowest of the estimates in that study, but it is an estimate drawn from club data and known cases.

Lifespan

A Schapendoes usually lives 12–15 years: that range is given by the AKC, and LICG says the breed reaches about 14 years on average. Neither source explains what data it rests on, so treat the figures as a rough guide.

Schapendoes, Bearded Collie or Polish Lowland Sheepdog

According to the FCI standards, the Schapendoes is smaller than the Bearded Collie and barely differs in height from the Polish Lowland Sheepdog: Schapendoes dogs measure 43–50 cm, Polish Lowland Sheepdog dogs 45–50 cm, the Bearded Collie has an ideal height of 53–56 cm, and the Old English Sheepdog stands at 61 cm and upwards. On coat, the Schapendoes has fine, dry, lightly waved hair, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog coarse, dense, profuse hair and the Bearded Collie flat, harsh, shaggy hair. The Schapendoes standard lists all these breeds as related; the standards do not compare temperament, so we draw no behavioural distinctions.

What to ask a breeder

Ask for the ECVO eye examination and PRA DNA test results of both parents, for any PDA in the lines, and for the myopathy test result where the breeder uses it (it is part of ongoing Utrecht research, and the VNS calls the DNA marker test not yet validated). In the Netherlands both breed clubs require an eye examination and a PRA test; Slovenian or Croatian breeders may follow different rules, so ask for documents. Ask also about socialisation, the contract and meeting the parents. LICG warns against buying cheap puppies online or from dealers with several breeds. Prefer a breeder who documents the work.

Two common myths

• “A plush look means an easy dog.” The VNS calls this a big mistake: under the coat is a herding dog that decides for itself.
• “It must be clipped in summer.” No: the VNS regrets clipped or shaved dogs, and LICG says the coat protects against heat and cold.

Who it suits and who it does not

The Schapendoes suits active people who like working with a dog, have time for daily exercise and an hour of combing every few weeks, and are not bothered by barking and wilfulness. It can fit a family with children who respect its limits, or an owner drawn to agility, provided the parents' health is checked.

It suits less well someone who is away most of the day, wants a coat without upkeep or a calm companion without work, or dislikes a dog that chases runners. LICG says experience is not essential but welcome, while the VNS calls the breed a challenge above all for beginners; a first-time owner can manage with consistent training, classes and regular combing.

Pros & cons