Australian Kelpie

Size
Medium (11kg - 27kg)
Exercise
40 min/day
Training
Weekly
Size of home
House with garden
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Weekly
Barking preference
Moderate
Personality
Independent + affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Ms Arpine Ankeshian (Dustybelle)

rpne@hotmail.com
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Breeder - Mrs Fiona Scott (Eurowenban)

kelpie@outlook.com.au
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History

The Australian Kelpie is one of the true Australian breeds with its origins in the rural paddocks of western Victoria. The story goes something like this... it was a dark night in 1870 and Jack Gleeson was sitting beside a creek near Casterton in country Victoria contemplating what to call his new puppy. He had just swapped a horse for her and she was a black and tan female with floppy ears. This mating was the result of two Scotch Collies imported by George Robertson. As the mist rose off the creek he decided to name her “Kelpie” - the word being Gaelic for water sprite. About the same time a Mr Arthur Robinson of Yaraldra Station, Victoria imported a dog “Brutus” and a bitch “Jenny” from Scotland, “Brutus” being a big smooth haired, black and tan dog with pricked ears and “Jenny” a long-haired bitch with half erect ears. These two produced Caesar, Nero and Laddie, with Caesar eventually being mated with Gleeson’s Kelpie to produce “King’s Kelpie”. It is from these beginnings that we have the Australian Kelpie today.

By the late 1870’s Kelpies were winning sheep dog trials in country NSW and Victoria and in 1896 the first Sydney trial was one by the Kelpie “Gay”.

Today the breed is still popular in the working paddocks and in the show, obedience and agility rings and is exported all over the world especially to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada and America where they are used for tracking, customs, search and rescue work, plus in the artic regions herding reindeers. The Kelpie was bred to work sheep and for many farmers their dog is worth the wages of several men. Their hardiness and ability work long hours make them a valuable asset, but it is their devotion and loyalty to their family that makes them a suitable pet for today’s families.

Appearance

The general appearance is of a dog that is slightly longer than taller, lithe, athletic and muscular. The Kelpie should look and feel like it can do a day’s work without any effort. They have a tractable nature, are highly intelligent, alert and eager to please.

The gait is a four-square gait and the Kelpie must be perfectly sound as even the show dog must display a ground covering gait in recognition of the work that the Kelpie was bred to perform. When herding the Kelpie must be able to turn suddenly at speed and be capable of couching, stealthy creeping towards the intended animals.

The reason the eyes must be almond shaped is to avoid dust getting into them from the paddock or yard. If they had big round eyes they would be more open and susceptible to dirt. The ears should be pricked and the inside of them are well furnished with hair to keep out the dust of the sheep yards.

The Australian Kelpie comes in seven colours black, black and tan, red, red and tan, chocolate, fawn, and blue, any deviation from these colours is not acceptable in the show ring.

Temperament

Personality is the Kelpie: oodles of personality, a wicked sense of humour, they can be cheeky and mischievous. It is often thought that the Kelpie needs hours and miles of exercise, which is not the case. A breed with exceptionally high IQ, he will quickly get into mischief if he is always left to his own devices. His greatest joy is tender loving care.

His greatest disappointment is inactivity and lack of attention.Kelpies are velcro dogs, where their humans are that is where they are, whether it is in the garden, going for walks or on the lounge watching television.

They can be reserved and timid with strangers and this makes them good watchdogs but as they are not biters, they are not regarded as good guard dogs.

Health

Hip Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) are said to exist in the breed, however the Kelpie is a relative healthy breed with very few hereditary problems. For further information on these hereditary problems it is best to seek out registered breeders. As the Kelpie is a moderate dog and has been bred to be hardy they have very few health issues throughout their life.

Suitability

The Australian Kelpie is suitable for families and singles, who are willing to make their dog part of their family. Kelpies do not like to be left out, because of their medium size and wash and wear coat they can be included in most activities and once trained will give more back than they take.

Words: Megan Kain on behalf of the Australian Kelpie Club of NSW Inc

Image by Amy Curran Photography

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Australian Kelpie you may have think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Australian Kelpie and its needs and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 01 Jan 1994)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

The general appearance shall be that of a lithe, active dog of great quality, showing hard muscular condition combined with great suppleness of limb and conveying the capability of untiring work. It must be free from any suggestion of weediness.

Characteristics

The Kelpie is extremely alert, eager and highly intelligent, with a mild, tractable disposition and an almost inexhaustible energy, with marked loyalty and devotion to duty. It has a natural instinct and aptitude in the working of sheep, both in open country and in the yard. Any defect of structure or temperament foreign to a working dog must be regarded as uncharacteristic.

Temperament

(See under characteristics)

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	The head is in proportion to the size of the dog, the skull slightly rounded, and broad between the ears. The forehead running in a straight profile towards a pronounced stop. The cheeks are neither coarse nor prominent, but round to the foreface, which is cleanly chiselled and defined. The muzzle, preferably slightly shorter in length than the skull. Lips tight and clean and free from looseness. The nose colouring conforms to that of the body coat. The overall shape and contours produce a rather fox-like expression, which is softened by the almond-shaped eyes.
Eyes	The eyes are almond shaped, of medium size, clearly defined at the corners, and show an intelligent and eager expression. The colour of the eyes to be brown, harmonising with the colour of the coat. In the case of blue dogs a lighter coloured eye is permissible.
Ears	The ears are pricked and running to a fine point at the tips, the leather fine but strong at the base, set wide apart on the skull and inclining outwards, slightly curved on the outer edge and of moderate size. The inside of the ears is well furnished with hair.
Mouth	The teeth should be sound, strong and evenly spaced, the lower incisors just behind but touching the upper, that is a scissor bite.
Neck	The neck is of moderate length, strong, slightly arched, gradually moulding into the shoulders, free from throatiness and showing a fair amount of ruff.
Forequarters	The shoulders should be clean, muscular, well sloping with the shoulder blades close set at the withers. The upper arm should be at a right angle with the shoulder blade. Elbows neither in nor out. The forelegs should be muscular with strong but refined bone, straight and parallel when viewed from the front. When viewed from the side, the pasterns should show a slight slope to ensure flexibility of movement and the ability to turn quickly.
Body	The ribs are well sprung and the chest must be deep rather than wide, with a firm level topline, strong and well-muscled loins and good depth of flank. The length of the dog from the forechest in a straight line to the buttocks, is greater than the height at the withers as 10 is to 9.
Hindquarters	The hindquarters should show breadth and strength, with the croup rather long and sloping, the stifles well turned and the hocks fairly well let down. When viewed from behind, the hind legs, from the hocks to the feet, are straight and placed parallel, neither close nor too wide apart.
Feet	The feet should be round, strong, deep in pads, with close knit, well arched toes and strong short nails.
Tail	The tail during rest should hang in a very slight curve. During movement or excitement it may be raised, but under no circumstances should the tail be carried past a vertical line drawn through the root. It should be furnished with a good brush. Set on position to blend with sloping croup, and it should reach approximately to the hock.
Gait/Movement	To produce the almost limitless stamina demanded of a working sheepdog in wide open spaces the Kelpie must be perfectly sound, both in construction and movement. Any tendency to cow hocks, bow hocks, stiltiness, loose shoulders or restricted movement weaving or plaiting is a serious fault. Movement should be free and tireless and the dog must have the ability to turn suddenly at speed. When trotting the feet tend to come closer together at ground level as speed increases but when the dog comes to rest it stands four square.
Coat	The coat is a double coat with a short dense undercoat. The outercoat is close, each hair straight, hard, and lying flat, so that it is rain-resisting. Under the body, to behind the legs, the coat is longer and forms near the thigh a mild form of breeching. On the head (including the inside of the ears), to the front of the legs and feet, the hair is short. Along the neck it is longer and thicker forming a ruff. The tail should be furnished with a good brush. A coat either too long or too short is a fault. As an average, the hairs on the body should be from 2 to 3 cms (approx. 0.75 - 1.25 ins) in length.
Colour	Black, black and tan, red, red and tan, fawn, chocolate, and smoke blue.
Size	Height: Dogs 46-51 cms (approx. 18-20 ins) at withersBitches 43-48 cms (approx. 17-19 ins) at withers

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.