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So you want to live with a Shaggy Herding Dog?
I hope you have a sense of humour !!!
Here are a few facts that will either change your mind or convince you that Schapendoes is the only breed for you.
Herding breeds are very intelligent. They need to be to outsmart the sheep under their care, but they can be stubborn! If you have a sense of humour, they'll have you grinning at some of the wiles they'll use to get their own way.
They are for the most part very agile. They can easily jump over barriers, squeeze under fences or get up on things that you won't believe until you've seen it for yourself. A minimum 5' fenced-in yard with no gaps underneath is a must if you want to leave them out in the yard with no supervision. Once they mature and have been taught a perfect recall they can be off leash for walks in the woods etc. but until then they have no qualms about leaving the yard to go visit the neighbourhood.
Like all long-haired breeds Schapendoes need regular grooming. They don't really shed so they will become a matted mess if you don't regularly brush them out. Don't believe the websites that say Schapendoes are low maintenance!. They do get matted and will smell if they come in wet from the rain. Bathing them at least 4 times a year will keep them smelling nice and will help get rid of the dead undercoat. This breed does not look good when clipped! Clipping them changes the coat texture making it harder to manage. Be prepared to thoroughly brush out your dog at least once a week and 2 to 3 times a week when a puppy is changing into his adult coat. My motto is why buy a long-haired breed if you are not willing to keep it groomed or pay for professional grooming. Last but not least don't cut the bangs because you think they can't see at the teenager stage, the best way to deal with them is to tie them back until the grow long enough so that they naturally part.
Schapendoes are very trainable but you better have patience because they are easily bored and will make a fool of you if they can. They love doing agility and some people are even patient enough to compete in obedience with them but they need partners who are willing to make the effort to develop their dog's full potential and make good use of it's working abilities.
If you are not into dog sports at least be prepared to go out every day and play a game of fetch in the yard with your dog and or take it for a long walk. Mine prefer a Frisbee game where they can really burn off their energy to a walk on leash. They do love an off-leash walk on wooded trails but we live in the suburbs where there are leash laws. Off leash walks in the woods are special outings for them. Both these breeds are calm in the house and will snooze the afternoon away when they know you don't have time for them. If you have more than one dog they'll play together but they really prefer activities with their people.
Last but not least, Schapendoes are not guard dogs. They will raise the alarm if something unusual happens around their home and will bark in greeting but aren't nuisance barkers (unless chasing their Frisbee). I have found that they are protective of their humans when it comes to other dogs. This is a good reason to take them as puppies to classes and to places where they can interact with other breeds of dogs, early on. The problem arises mostly in the home environment. I often board friends' dogs and have friends with dogs staying over. Once the boundaries have been set everything goes smoothly but they will take offence if they think a doggie guest has overstepped his boundaries and quickly remind them of their manners. This breed gets along very well with other species of animals. Mine live with 3 cats, they all get along but I'm not sure if they appreciate our cat Noirot who thinks he's dog and is always hogging thier food bowls.
Herding Dogs are loads of fun to live with as long as you can appreciate their qualites !
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