At a glance
IDOG charges 0.5% a year, above the 0.33% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $573.0M in assets, the 6th largest of that group; it paid 4.39% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +20.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +23.2% a year. At its worst it fell 34.5% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 25.3% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 8 months and 6 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 22.8% of the fund, out of 50 in all.
The short version
ALPS International Sector Dividend Dogs ETF (IDOG) tracks the S-Network International Sector Dividend Dogs Index. The index picks the five highest-yielding stocks in each of ten sectors across developed markets outside the Americas and holds about 50 stocks in equal amounts. Picking stocks sector by sector keeps any one industry from taking over the portfolio. The trailing 12-month yield was 4.39% as of October 27, 2026. Its 0.50% expense ratio is higher than all six similar funds compared.
Price history
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IDOG +20.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDOG official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +39.83% | — | +13.18% | +9.67% | — |
| S-Network® International Sector Dividend Dogs Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +40.44% | — | +13.59% | +10.10% | — |
| Morningstar Developed Markets ex-North America Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +31.68% | — | +8.47% | +8.05% | — |
| IDOG price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.4% | +20.1% | +23.2% | +14.0% | +10.9% | +8.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, IDOG returned +20.1%, 4th of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +14.0% and its 10-year +10.9%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 34.5% and regained its old high 8.4 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2018 (-13.4%); its best was 2025 (+40.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 37.3% (Jan 2, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020), recovered by Jan 6, 2021.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.4% | — |
| 2025 | +40.0% | +39.83% |
| 2024 | +1.4% | +1.53% |
| 2023 | +23.6% | +22.64% |
| 2022 | -4.5% | -4.23% |
| 2021 | +11.3% | +11.36% |
| 2020 | -1.8% | -1.34% |
| 2019 | +21.9% | +20.86% |
| 2018 | -13.4% | -13.09% |
| 2017 | +25.6% | +25.81% |
| 2016 | +4.8% | +3.97% |
| 2015 | -6.2% | — |
| 2014 | -7.7% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 34.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 34.5%, back to its old high 8.4 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 20.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 25.3%, back to its old high 6.3 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.4900 | |
| 2025 | $1.6500 | +16.2% |
| 2024 | $1.4200 | -2.1% |
| 2023 | $1.4500 | +27.2% |
| 2022 | $1.1400 | +6.5% |
| 2021 | $1.0700 | +37.2% |
| 2020 | $0.7800 | -47.7% |
| 2019 | $1.4900 | +39.3% |
| 2018 | $1.0700 | +11.5% |
| 2017 | $0.9600 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | $0.9500 | -4.0% |
| 2015 | $0.9900 | -16.8% |
| 2014 | $1.1900 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 50 securities; the ten largest made up 22.77% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| A.P. MOLLER-MAERSK A/S | 2.37% | |
| Nippon Steel Corp | 2.37% | |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | 2.37% | |
| Coloplast A/s | 2.34% | |
| Omv Ag | 2.28% | |
| Equinor Asa | 2.27% | |
| Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | 2.22% | |
| Publicis Groupe Sa | 2.20% | |
| Daimler Truck Holding Ag | 2.19% | |
| Banco Bpm Spa | 2.18% | |
| Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Sa | 2.17% | |
| Astellas Pharma Inc | 2.16% | |
| Capgemini Se | 2.16% | |
| Erste Bank Polska Sa | 2.16% | |
| Canon Inc | 2.14% |
By country
France 19.43%Japan 13.2%Germany 7.99%Australia 7.94%United Kingdom 7.37%By asset type
Stocks 99.4%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $23.0M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -4.03%, +6.12%, +1.72%.
How it works
IDOG is an index fund. Its adviser, ALPS Advisors, Inc., aims to match the S-Network International Sector Dividend Dogs Index before fees. The index starts with the S-Network Developed International Equity 1000 Index. That is a pool of mostly large companies based and listed in Europe, Australia and the Far East, in countries the World Bank classes as high-income. Stocks from the Americas are left out. Companies must also pass screens for size, share price and trading volume.
Each year, the index ranks stocks by dividend yield as of the last trading day of November. Dividend yield here means regular cash dividends paid over the past 12 months, divided by the share price. It then takes the five highest-yielding stocks in each of ten of the eleven GICS sectors. GICS is a standard system for sorting companies by industry, and real estate is the sector left out. The 50 picks are weighted equally, so each starts near 2% of the index. The new lineup takes effect on the third Friday of December, and the index is rebalanced quarterly.
As of August 31, 2026, the fund held 50 stocks and no derivatives, with 0.27% in cash. A.P. Moller-Maersk, Nippon Steel and Honda Motor were each about 2.37%, and the top ten made up 22.77%. Turnover was 53%. Because the fund follows an index, it will not drop a struggling company unless the index removes it.
What it really costs
- IDOG charges 0.5% a year, versus an average of 0.33% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $51 in the first year and $628 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDOG | $51 | $160 | $280 | $628 |
In a retirement portfolio
It holds high-yielding stocks from developed markets outside the US and pays a 4.39% trailing yield in quarterly payments, as of October 27, 2026.
IDOG launched in June 2013, so it has no record from the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 34.5% and took about 8.4 months to recover. Its deepest drop was 37.3%, from January to March 2020, and recovery took 9.5 months. In 2022 it fell 25.3% and won back its losses in about 6.3 months. Its worst calendar year was 2018, at -13.09%. Anyone who needed to draw money during a slump like early 2020 would have done so at much lower prices. The fund paid a 4.39% trailing yield as of October 27, 2026, in quarterly payments. Companies can cut dividends, though. At 0.50% a year, it costs more than any of the six similar funds compared. Past results don't predict future returns, and a retirement plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors seeking dividend income from developed markets outside the US. The trailing yield was 4.39% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- People who want a rules-based value tilt that weights 50 stocks equally across ten sectors instead of concentrating in a few industries.
- Mostly-US investors adding foreign stocks. France, Japan and Germany were the largest country weights as of August 31, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: IDOG's 0.50% expense ratio compares with 0.09% for HDEF and 0.17% for VYMI.
- Anyone uneasy with sharp drops: it fell 37.3% in early 2020 and lost 25.96% in the first quarter of 2020 alone.
- Investors who want US, Canadian or Latin American stocks, or real estate companies. The index's rules leave all of these out.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDOG this fund | — | 0.5% | $573.0M | +20.1% | +23.2% |
| IQDF FlexShares International Quality Dividend I… | 13% | 0.47% | $1.16B | +20.2% | +24.4% |
| EFV iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | 13% | 0.33% | $29.11B | +21.9% | +23.3% |
| DOL WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend … | 12% | 0.48% | $814.8M | +18.9% | +22.6% |
| HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equ… | 10% | 0.09% | $2.35B | +17.8% | +21.0% |
| DWX SPDR S&P International Dividend ETF | 9% | 0.45% | $503.7M | +12.8% | +18.5% |
| VYMI Vanguard International High Dividend Yield … | 8% | 0.17% | $21.87B | +23.2% | +24.4% |
Questions investors ask
Does IDOG pay monthly dividends?
No. IDOG pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.87 per share, a trailing yield of 4.39%. The payout depends on dividends from about 50 foreign companies, so it can change from quarter to quarter. The prospectus warns that high-yielding companies may reduce or stop their dividends, which would lower the fund's yield.
What is IDOG's expense ratio?
IDOG's expense ratio is 0.50% a year, according to its prospectus filed March 30, 2026. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested with a 5% yearly return. On that basis, costs would total about $51 after one year, $160 after three, $280 after five and $628 after ten. Six similar international dividend funds averaged 0.33%, and IDOG was the most expensive of the seven.
What's the difference between IDOG and IQDF?
Both hold international dividend stocks, but they share only about 13% of their holdings. IQDF, the FlexShares International Quality Dividend Index Fund, charges 0.47%, compared with 0.50% for IDOG. As of October 27, 2026, IQDF returned 20.2% over one year and 24.4% a year over three. IDOG returned 20.1% and 23.2%. IQDF is also larger: $1.16 billion in net assets as of July 31, 2026, compared with $573 million for IDOG as of August 31, 2026.
How has IDOG performed over the long term?
IDOG has beaten its broad benchmark over longer periods. As of December 31, 2025, its average annual returns were 39.83% over one year, 13.18% over five years and 9.67% over ten years. The Morningstar Developed Markets ex-North America Index returned 31.68%, 8.47% and 8.05% over the same periods. Results have been uneven, though. The fund lost 13.09% in 2018 and gained 39.83% in 2025. It was up 14.4% for 2026 through October 27.
What does 'Dividend Dogs' mean in IDOG?
"Dividend Dogs" are the five stocks with the highest dividend yields in each of ten industry sectors in the fund's universe. The prospectus says these stocks often have deep value traits: low share prices compared with their earnings and their peers. That can mean bargains. It can also mean the market expects trouble, such as a dividend cut. Because IDOG follows an index, it keeps a struggling company until the index removes it.