Schapendoes

Grooming Tips

The Schapendoes has a dense double coat with fine hair that is lightly waved. At its longest, on the hindquarters, the hair is approximately three inches long. The breed’s head and face are characterized by a topknot, mustache, and beard.Beyond regular weekly grooming, the occasional bath will keep the Schapendoes clean and looking his best. Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your dog.Still, it's best to check him a few times a week formatting and brush him accordingly. To help prevent tangles, puppies may need to be groomed two or three times a week as their adult coat comes in. Bathe the dog as needed.You won't find yourself wearing your Schapendoes’ coat or wiping hair off your hand after you pet him because the breed typically sheds very little.The rest is basic care. The strong fast-growing nails should be trimmed regularly with a nail clipper or grinder to avoid overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris, which can result in infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.

Exercise Tips

As a herding dog, the Schapendoes is lively and active. This breed requires a good bit of daily exercise and they particularly enjoy participating in dog sports likeflyballand agility. These dogs do best when given plenty of outdoor space to run and play but they can be adaptable to apartment life if they receive sufficient daily exercise.Certain outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, and retrieving balls or flying discs can provide a good outlet for expending energy. If you live in an apartment, even short walks in the hallways can give your dog some exercise, especially during inclement weather. Training for dog sports like agility, obedience, and rally can also be a great way to give your dog exercise.

Feeding Tips

The Schapendoes is a herding breed which means that it has a great deal of energy. This being the case, it is recommended that you feed your dog a commercial dog food formulated especially for active breeds. This will ensure that your dog’s energy needs are met, especially if you decide to train your dog for dog sports.If you get a Samoyed puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.Treatscan be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about whichhuman foodsare safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

Health Tips

Some dogs may be faced with these issues in their lives, but the majority of Schapendoes are healthy dogs. Working with a responsible breeder, those wishing to own a Schapendoes can gain the education they need to know about specific health concerns within the breed. Like all dogs, however, this breed may be affected my minor health concerns including ear infections, progressive retinal atrophy, andhip dysplasia.

Trainability

Schapendoes like to learn and they do so willingly, but they may also have an independent streak. But the Schapendoes breed is intelligent – this dog loves to learn and he excels at a variety of dog sports. These dogs can be a little independent, so a firm hand in training is required and positive reinforcement-based training methods are recommended. These dogs require plenty of mental stimulation in addition to physical stimulation (exercise).

The Schapendoes (also known as the Dutch Sheepdog) is a member of a wide-ranging group of long-haired herding dogs that have densely coated heads. At the turn of the century, the breed was well known in the Netherlands, being prized for his intelligence and the tireless pleasure that he took in his work. Following the World War ll, the breed was resurrected from a few remaining individuals.The Breed Club for Nederlandse Schapendoes was founded in 1947 and, in 1952, the breed was provisionally recognized by the Raad van Beheer. In 1954, the standard was set up and a Stud Book started. Definite recognition followed in 1971.Recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006, the Schapendoes has been recorded in the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service since 2005 but does not have full recognition.