Schapendoes

The Schapendoes is a medium-sized herding breed from the Netherlands, developed to move sheep across open heathland. It relies on stamina and quick changes of direction rather than raw strength, and its gait is light and springy.

Its most distinctive trait is the long, slightly wavy coat that falls over the eyes, giving the face a soft, open expression. Beneath the hair is a lean, athletic dog with moderate bone. Adults typically stand 40 to 50 cm at the shoulder and weigh around 12 to 25 kg.

The Schapendoes has a friendly, good-natured and intelligent character. It bonds closely with its family and stays cheerful and busy through the day. The breed enjoys problem-solving and physical activity, and does well in dog sports such as agility and obedience.

Who it suits

The Schapendoes suits a household that is home often and can offer an hour or more of activity every day. It fits owners who want a partner for walks, park runs and dog sports, rather than a dog content to nap on the sofa all day. The coat needs regular brushing, so be ready for a grooming routine that will not go away on its own.

Do check housing rules before committing. Most HDB flats only permit breeds on the approved list, and the Schapendoes' size generally puts it outside that list, so a landed home or an approving condominium management is usually needed. The breed is people-oriented and does not cope well when left alone for long stretches, which also makes it a poor fit for owners who are out at work from early morning to late at night.

The Schapendoes developed in the Netherlands as a working sheepdog on the heathlands and small farms. For generations, shepherds kept it purely for its herding skill rather than its looks, so type varied a fair bit from one region to the next. The name means roughly sheep dog in Dutch, matching its everyday job of moving and guarding flocks.

It belongs to a broader family of long-haired European herding dogs that also includes the Bearded Collie, the Puli and the Bergamasco. These breeds share a shaggy coat built for wet, cold weather and a body suited to working over rough ground. For most of its history the Schapendoes went undocumented, since it was simply a farm dog passed down among working shepherds.

Dutch cynologist Pieter van der Sande took up the cause of preserving the breed in the 1940s. Numbers had fallen sharply during the Second World War, when many dogs were lost and breeding almost stopped altogether. A small surviving group formed the basis of the recovery effort.

The Dutch breed club was founded in 1947, and a breed standard followed soon after. The Raad van Beheer, the Dutch kennel authority, recognised the Schapendoes, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale later did the same. The breed remains most common in the Netherlands today, valued both as a companion and as a sport dog. The Singapore Kennel Club recognises it through the FCI framework, but registrations here are rare, so anyone keen on the breed should expect a long search and possibly an overseas breeder.

The Schapendoes is slightly longer than tall, with a lean frame and moderate bone throughout. The overall impression is of a light, agile dog, not a heavy one. Its head carries plenty of hair, forming a topknot, moustache and beard, and the long coat falls forward over the eyes. The tail is long and well feathered, carried low at rest and raised when the dog is on the move.

Coat and colours

The coat is what most people notice first: long, dry to the touch and slightly wavy, with a thick undercoat for some weather protection. Hair can reach 7 cm or more on the body and forms the furnishings around the face that give the Schapendoes its look. The texture is meant to be functional, not silky, and a slight curl is fine.

All coat colours are permitted under the standard, though shades from blue-grey through to black turn up most often. Some dogs carry white markings. In Singapore's climate, the coat needs even more regular attention than in cooler countries: humidity encourages matting, particularly behind the ears, under the legs and around the rear, so brushing cannot be left to once a week.

The Schapendoes is an affectionate, lively dog that wants to be part of everything the family does. It attaches closely to its people and tends to trail them from room to room. The breed is good with children as a rule and usually gets on with other dogs when raised and socialised properly from young.

With strangers, the Schapendoes stays alert and may bark to flag a visitor, but it is not a guard dog and warms up fast once it has had a proper introduction. Its herding background shows through in a habit of watching everything and reacting quickly to movement, which can turn into chasing or circling if the dog has no other outlet.

This is a clever breed that thinks for itself. It picks things up fast but can be strong-willed, so it suits owners who keep training varied and engaging rather than repetitive. Boredom and too little exercise tend to show up as barking, restlessness and chewing. Give it enough activity and company, and the Schapendoes settles into a cheerful, balanced companion.

Grooming

• Brush the coat thoroughly two to three times a week to stop the wavy hair from matting; step this up in Singapore's humidity.
• Pay extra attention to the areas behind the ears, under the legs, around the collar and at the rear, where tangles start first.
• Bathe only when needed, then dry and brush the coat out fully so it does not mat while drying, which happens fast in humid weather.
• Trim hair around the eyes and check the ears regularly for debris and moisture, especially important in a hot, humid climate.
• Keep nails short and check the paws after time outdoors on rough or hot ground.

Exercise

• Give at least 60 minutes of activity a day, split between walks and free running.
• Add mental work such as training games, scent games or puzzle feeders.
• The breed does well at agility, flyball and obedience, which put its energy to good use.
• Exercise during the cooler parts of the day, early morning or evening, to avoid the midday heat.
• Allow safe off-lead time in a secure, fenced area so it can move at speed.

Environment

The Schapendoes can settle into a house with a garden or an active flat household, as long as it gets daily exercise and is not left alone for long hours. Singapore's climate runs hot and humid all year, and the double coat that keeps a Dutch farm dog warm through a wet winter works against it here, so shade, air conditioning during the hottest hours and constant access to water matter more than they would in a cooler country. Because the breed is so people-focused, it does best in a home where someone is around for much of the day.

The Schapendoes does well on a complete and balanced diet formulated for active medium breeds. As a working-type dog, its calorie needs rise with exercise and fall during quieter spells, so portions should be adjusted to keep it lean. The ribs should be easy to feel but not visible. Fresh water should be available at all times, especially given how much a dog can lose through panting in Singapore's heat.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent or less of daily calories and factor them into the day's total. Use small, low-fat rewards for training. A healthy dog on a complete diet usually does not need extra supplements, but a vet may suggest omega-3 fatty acids or joint support for older or hard-working dogs. Bring in any diet change gradually, over about a week, to avoid an upset stomach.

The Schapendoes is a hardy breed with fewer inherited problems than many pedigree dogs. With good care, most live 12 to 15 years. The breed's gene pool is small but actively managed, and responsible breeders screen for the conditions known to occur in the line. Buying from health-tested parents remains the single best way to cut the risk.

Preventive care

• Keep core and recommended vaccinations up to date.
• Run a year-round parasite programme for fleas, ticks and worms, since Singapore's climate leaves no off season for these pests.
• Book annual vet check-ups, moving to twice a year once the dog is a senior.
• Brush the teeth regularly and offer dental chews.
• Keep the dog at a lean weight to protect the joints.

The Schapendoes learns fast and likes having a job to do, which makes training genuinely rewarding for both sides. It can also be independent and bored easily, so drilling the same exercise over and over tends to backfire. Keep sessions short, varied and upbeat, and stop while the dog is still keen. The breed takes well to activities that combine thinking with movement, such as agility and trick training. Broad socialisation from an early age, with people, other animals and everyday situations, helps this naturally watchful dog grow into a confident, settled adult.

Basics

1. Start name recognition and a reliable recall in a quiet space from a young age.
2. Teach sit, down and stay using food or toy rewards in short bursts.
3. Build loose-lead walking before the dog is strong enough to pull hard.
4. Practise calm settling and short periods alone to prevent over-attachment.
5. Add a release cue and an interrupt cue to manage the herding instinct to chase, which matters in a busy setting with joggers, cyclists and other pets around.

Responsible breeding of the Schapendoes puts temperament, working ability and health first, with real care taken over the breed's limited gene pool. Both parents should have hip scores and eye tests done before mating, and breeders usually wait until a dog is physically and mentally mature, at around two years old. Bitches are normally mated within a planned, deliberate programme rather than at the first season.

Gestation runs about 63 days. Litters usually hold four to six puppies, though numbers vary. The dam does most of the early rearing, and gentle human handling should start early to raise well-socialised puppies. Pups are typically weaned by seven to eight weeks and should stay with the breeder until at least that age, with many kept a little longer. Early exposure to household sounds, sights and gentle handling lays the groundwork for the breed's friendly adult temperament. Because the Schapendoes is uncommon in this part of the world, anyone planning to bring in a puppy should budget time for import paperwork and AVS requirements alongside the usual health checks.

Registering a Schapendoes in Singapore

The Animal & Veterinary Service requires every dog here to be licensed and microchipped by three months of age, so for a Schapendoes the chip is settled law. What stays on you is the record behind it. A free United Pet Club profile holds your contact details against the dog for as long as he is yours, and it keeps working even outside Singapore. Registering your dog takes minutes and never costs a cent.

Your Schapendoes's chip went in before his third month, as the rules require; whether the number leads anywhere is a separate question. Give it a live answer with United Pet Club: registration free for life, every brand accepted, every update free. Microchip registration plus a free account, and the whole thing is squared away.