Schapendoes Information & Dog Breed Facts

The Schapendoes, also known as “Nederlandse Schapendoes”, is the sheepdog of Holland. With the rough, dense, long coat and drop ears, the breed is physically similar to the Beardie, Puli, and other European varieties. Very little is known with certainty about the breed but according to experts the rootstock is believed to be the same as that of Briard, Bearded Colie, and Bergamasco. Although the Dutch Sheepdog has been in existence for many centuries, they are not well known by many people. They did not attract the attention of the royalty back in the time but remained a dog of common people, therefore they were rarely found in art or literature.

Although the origins of the Schapendoes will probably never be fully known, a few stories and hypotheses developed over the years. Some have theorized that the Romans brought their sheep herding dogs to Belgium, from where they spread to the Netherlands. On the other hand, others believe that the Germanic tribes possessed a long-coated sheepdog very similar to the Sheep Poodle, which would explain the distribution of such dogs across lands that were settled at one time or another by German speakers. Still, others think that these dogs might have been introduced much more recently by Dutch wool traders who may have acquired English dogs while doing business in London. However, until more evidence is discovered we cannot actually know the truth.

Moreover, what we know for sure is that the Schapendoes was an all-around farm dog and sheepherder in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, most commonly found in the province of Drenthe, in the northeast part of the country. The shepherds valued the breed for the tireless pleasure they took in their work and also for their intelligence. However, eventually, the flocks of Dutch sheep were taken care of by two sorts of shepherd dogs. The larger of the two, the Dutch Shepherd and the smaller hairier now known as the Schapendoes. These two land breeds had complementary tasks with the herd. The Dutch Shepherd was the herder, who kept the herd together once they reached their destination, and the Shapendoes was the drover, whose job was to bring the flock to the destination. However, the native sheep dog’s popularity in its home country declined and one of the reasons behind this was the importation of the English Border Collies. Being imported from the United Kingdom, the Border Collie proved to be so successful at herding sheep in the Netherlands that it largely replaced the Schapendoes and other native breeds. However, the breed remained relatively popular among the Dutch farmers who preferred to use their traditional breed right up until World War II. World War II generally impacted the future of the breed, as, despite the country’s attempt to remain neutral, the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi forces. The German occupation placed a substantial hardship on the Dutch people and their dogs. Some Schapendoes dies in the blitzkrieg or in the resistance movement. Also, many farmers were forced to abandon their dogs when they could no longer afford to care for them. Breeding almost fully ceased.

However, there was a Dutch inspector and publicist, P.M.C. Toepoel, who discussed the breed’s characteristics with others who were also interested in the breed. He became the driving force behind preserving the Schapendoes. Furthermore, he gathered a group of experts and dedicated breeders that gave the breed a solid foundation, and in the 1940s the first specimens were shown. Their cheerful and playful temperaments, with their rough and tumble appeal, increased the Schapendoes’s popularity. The growth in numbers has been tempered with caution by wise breeders and eventually, the breed became known in several European countries as well. In 1947 the breed club was founded, and 5 years later the Schapendoes was recognized by the Kennel Club in Holland. In 1954 the standard was set up and a studbook started. At the beginning of the 70’s the closure of the breed registry started which meant that the dogs of unknown heritage could no longer be involved in the breed registry. However, it had progressed far enough to be able to carry on using only dogs with certain ancestry. Thanks to the people who dedicated themselves to reconstruct the breed, the sheepdogs are still working in their native land, firmly nudging the animals with their noses and shoulders. Their weather-resistant coats serve them well in the harsh weather as well. In 1989, the breed was also recognized internationally by the Federation Cynologique International (FCI). The first Shcapendoes arrived in Canada in 1998 and in 2005 the Canadian kennel Club also fully recognized the breed in the ‘herding group’ under the name of ‘Dutch Sheepdog’. A year later, in 2006, the United Kennel Club granted full recognition to the Schapendoes as a member of the herding dog group as well.