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Working Kelpie

alert / intelligent / eager
Foundation Stock Service >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

19-25 inches

Weight

28-60 pounds

Life Expectancy

12-15 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    100% 100%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    100% 100%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    100% 100%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    100% 100%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The Working Kelpie is incredibly attentive, enthusiastic, and smart. His open, amiable, lively, yet calm demeanor strikes a solid balance between his desire to work and his capacity for relaxation. The Working Kelpie is an energetic dog with seemingly limitless energy. They are devoted to their work and have a strong inherited natural inclination for working sheep and other livestock in both open fields and yards. The Working Kelpie has a medium-sized, lithe, athletic, heavily-muscled physique that suggests its capacity for tireless labor. Reindeer, goats, cattle, and of course, sheep have all been effectively managed under his leadership. In Sweden, kelpies have hauled sleds and earned police dog titles.

 

Additionally, they are frequently employed as search and rescue canines. Kelpies require company. He can be content to spend hours on the chain, but he also needs to spend time with you every day and get exercise by going for walks or playing with a ball or a stick. This working breed of dog cannot be expected to spend all day outside without any mental or physical exercise. Inevitably, he will start looking for a job, which may involve chasing automobiles and attempting to “work” them like sheep. A Working Kelpie makes a great family pet, gets along well with “his” kids, and almost all of them live peacefully with other household pets due to their inherent gentleness.

What To Expect When Caring For a Working Kelpie

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Most working kelpies are in good health. Those who want to own a Working Kelpie can learn all they need to know about the breed's particular health issues by working with a responsible breeder. To lessen the possibility of sickness in their puppies, good breeders genetically screen their breeding material.  

Grooming

It is sufficient to occasionally go over your Working Kelpie with a hound mitt to remove any dried-on dirt because this breed has a silky coat and little undercoat. A wash every now and then will keep your Working Kelpie clean and looking his best in addition to routine weekly grooming. For you and your pet, grooming can be a great way to strengthen your relationship. To prevent overgrowth, splitting, and cracking the strong, quickly developing nails should be clipped as needed with a nail clipper or grinder. In order to prevent a buildup of wax and debris, which can lead to infection, the ears should be periodically checked. When necessary, brush your teeth.

Exercise

Working Kelpies are extremely spirited and demand a lot of physical activity. Exercise options include playing outside, especially in a fenced-in area, or taking frequent walks. Exercise can also be obtained through indoor games like hide-and-seek, chasing a ball that has been rolled across the floor, or practicing new moves. Hiking and retrieving balls or flying discs are two examples of outdoor activities that can be a wonderful way to burn off energy. It's also possible to train for dog sports like agility, obedience, and rally.  

Training

From the age of 16 weeks, dogs should be trained or brought to reputable training facilities to learn the fundamental commands. Early on in a behavioral issue, the right guidance should be obtained (for example, from a reputable livestock working dog handler/trainer, veterinarian, or dog behaviorist). The length and frequency of training sessions should be regulated by the animal's responses and overall health to avoid overworking it.

Nutrition

The Working Kelpie should thrive on premium dog food, whether it is produced commercially or is made at home under the guidance and consent of your veterinarian. Any diet should be suitable for the age of the dog, whether it is a puppy, adult, or senior. Watch your dog's calorie intake and weight level because certain dogs are prone to obesity. Treats can be a valuable training tool, but offering them in excess might lead to obesity. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any worries about your dog's weight or diet, consult your veterinarian. Fresh water that is clean should always be accessible.  

History

It’s interesting to note that the first owners of the dogs that went on to become the Australian Working Kelpie sheepdog were not shepherds as one might assume, but rather landowners and prominent family members. The five Rutherford brothers immigrated to Australia in the mid-1800s and come from a very reputable sheep-farming family in Sutherlandshire, NSW. Gilbert S. Elliot and William Allan were both the sons of very well-connected families in England and Scotland. George Robertson and his cousin John G. Robertson traveled from Scotland to Victoria. The development of the Kelpie breed was entirely accidental, yet the benefits have been enormous for Australia’s pastoral sectors.

 

The black and tan Collies known as Brutus and Jennie, which Arthur Robinson bought from Jedburgh, Scotland for his brother-in-law Gilbert Elliot, are the ancestors of the breed. Gilbert Elliot’s passing caused William Allan to take Brutus to Queensland. Caesar, a member of the litter born on the ship to Australia, was given to Mr. John Rich of the Yalgogrin-adjacent Narriah station as a pet. Jack Gleeson mated his dog, named Kelpie, to Caesar while he was in charge of Yalgogrin in order to have the litter of which Kings Kelpie was a member.

 

Due to the short time span between Brutus and Jennie’s arrival, Gilbert Elliot’s demise, and Williams Allan’s departure to Queensland, the lineages of this imported Collie pair were restricted. The only information that is now accessible is that Caesar married Gleeson’s Kelpie to produce Kings Kelpie, Nero, which is owned by James Cunningham of Kildary station, Swan I and Wylie I, both of which bred successfully, and Swan and Wylie I. During the 1800s, these early ancestors of the Working Kelpie were presented and displayed at numerous sheepdog trials and other occasions, where they not only triumphed in the competitions but also in the hearts of the spectators.