Schapendoes

Shaggy herding dogs of this type worked on Dutch farms for centuries, particularly in the province of Drenthe and on the Veluwe, where large flocks of heath sheep grazed the open moorland. They belong to the wider European family of shaggy herders that also produced the Bearded Collie, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog, the Puli and the Bergamasco, all descended from mountain-type herding stock. There was no formal breeding programme; farmers simply kept the dogs that worked.

The breed nearly disappeared twice. As Dutch agriculture changed and Border Collies were imported for herding work in the early twentieth century, the native dog fell out of use, and the Second World War almost finished the job. In 1947 the cynologist P. M. C. Toepoel appealed publicly for surviving dogs, and a small number of animals gathered from farms across the country became the foundation of the modern breed.

The Raad van Beheer, the Dutch kennel club, granted provisional recognition in 1952, and the breed standard was drawn up in 1954. Full recognition followed in 1971, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale placed the Schapendoes in Group 1 with the other sheepdogs. The Nederlandse Schapendoes Vereniging has managed the small gene pool carefully ever since, including a controlled outcross programme.

Outside the Netherlands the breed is still uncommon. It is recognised by the Canadian Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club, and the American Kennel Club currently lists it in the Foundation Stock Service rather than as a fully recognised breed.

The Schapendoes is a medium-sized dog built for lightness rather than substance. Males stand about seventeen to twenty inches at the withers and females about sixteen to nineteen, with weight generally between twenty-six and fifty-five pounds. The body is slightly longer than it is tall, the bone is light, and the movement is the point: an easy, springy, ground-covering trot and a remarkable natural jump.

The coat is long, thick and dry to the touch, with a slight wave and a dense undercoat, and it stands away from the body rather than lying flat. There is abundant hair on the legs and tail and a generous moustache, beard and topknot that partly veil the eyes without obscuring vision. It is a working coat, designed to shed rain and heather rather than to be sculpted.

All colours are permitted by the standard, though shades of blue-grey through to black are the most typical and often the most admired. The eyes are large, round and brown, set fairly wide, with an alert, good-humoured expression that is very characteristic of the breed.

Schapendoezen are friendly, lively and notably affectionate with their own people. They like to be involved in whatever the household is doing and tend to be genuinely good with children, having none of the sharpness that some herding breeds carry. With visitors they are usually open and cheerful rather than suspicious, and they generally get on well with other dogs.

This is a highly intelligent breed with a strong independent streak - a shepherd's dog had to work at a distance and solve problems for itself. That means a Schapendoes learns very quickly and also decides very quickly whether your idea is a good one. Owners describe them as clever, a little cheeky, and easily bored.

The herding heritage shows in a tendency to watch, circle and occasionally chase. It is manageable, and most Schapendoezen are far less obsessive about it than a Border Collie, but it is worth channelling into a sport or a game rather than letting it settle on joggers and cyclists.

They are vocal enough to be useful as alarm dogs and are attentive to what is happening around their property, but they are not guards and not territorial in any serious way. What they are is busy: a Schapendoes with nothing to do will invent something, usually involving the garden or the furniture.

The original job was driving and holding flocks of heath sheep across open ground in Drenthe, and some Dutch owners still herd with the breed. Its athleticism and speed of learning make it a strong performer in modern dog sports, and it has become well known in agility in the Netherlands and Germany, where its natural jump and light frame give it a real advantage.

Beyond sport, the Schapendoes does well at obedience, rally, flyball and scentwork, and its friendly nature suits it to therapy and visiting work. As a household dog it is a good size for most homes, adaptable enough for town living if the exercise is genuinely provided, and reliable company for hikers, runners and cyclists.