We get many letters asking us basic statistics about Kelpies. We hope this page helps to answer some of those questions. Please note that any comments expressed are our personal opinion only.

The Kelpie is a medium sized dog that fits many people's idea of an average sized dog. Males tend to be a bit taller than females and in different strains they can be light framed or a bit heavier boned. They should always look lighter and leggier than an Australian Cattledog.

The original line of working Kelpies tend to be a little taller than the close relative, the Show Kelpie breed. Although there are always variations, females are usually around 18-20 inches (46cm - 51cm) measured at the withers (shoulder). Males are nearly always over 20" (51cm) and many would be around 21" or 22" (53cm - 56cm) at the withers.

As the height is a minor concern to Kelpie breeders many do not even bother to measure their dogs. There has been some suggestion that breeders overseas are attempting to produce a bigger Kelpie which some suggest puts more strain on joints. Obviously the weight of a Working Kelpie would vary according to if it is working or not. As a general guide, most Working Kelpies in Australia would be from 14 - 21 kg. (30 - 46 lb).

KELPIES AND CHILDREN

As long as a Kelpie is properly socialised we have always found them to be excellent with all children and very tolerant of young children. In fact we often go out of our way to get young children to play with our Kelpies. We have sold many dogs into homes with young children and get back reports on how tolerant the Kelpie is. Many will even put up with mild abuse from children such as tail pulling, riding on their backs etc. We have also found the Kelpie to be reliable and predictable in this regard. Old Kelpies with no previous contact with children may not be as tolerant of course. 

 

WORKING KELPIE COAT

The Kelpie is well known for its short coat. Although it is a good idea to brush your Kelpie every now and then , many thousands are never brushed in their life. They do shed a little bit each year but usually it is not a big problem. In times past the Kelpie had a thick undercoat but these days most Kelpies don't even have any sign of undercoat at all. Some people mistake some banded hair (Agouti) that is often around the neck and chest as undercoat but it is actually a light coloured hair with the tips of each strand the normal body colour. (See section on Colours)

EXERCISE

The Kelpie should be given a reasonable amount of excerise. This does not need to be excessive and in many cases it is more important to stimulate a Kelpies mind more than the body. This is an area that confuses a lot of people that think because the Kelpie is a working dog they need large amounts of space and lots of exercise. We actually find Kelpies can be very happy with just the occassional amount of exercise. In fact less than a lot of other popular pet breeds. We would stress however that all dog breeds should get as much exercise as possible. It helps them to keep their weight down, keeps them fit, and is something they enjoy. Puppies should have a fair amount of exercise to allow bones and muscles to grow properly.

It is the mental stimulation that is far more important. We always stress that the Kelpie needs a job. Something to do. Whether that is doing household chores such as fetching the newspaper or doing tricks, or obedience, agility, flyball or of course working livestock. They excel at any activity where they have to think. We have however over a 20 year period sold many Kelpies to city and suburban homes. Not all Kelpies are suitable for city living but many are. In fact certain strains of Kelpies can be extremely calm dogs and make better house pets than many of the popular breeds kept as pets today.

In Australia, among the city based people is a belief that Kelpies need hundreds of acres to run on. This is definitely not the case. Our dogs (and hundreds of others we know) sleep most of the day near the back door and go nowhere unless there is a reason. Many of our dogs can go months without ever seeing stock.

HEALTH AND GENERAL CARE

The Working Kelpie has very few health problems. It is one of the healthiest dog breeds in the world. Because the dog is primarily designed to be a tough working dog very little extra care above normal worming and vaccinations is required. Their coats do not need to be clipped, Their feet carry very little hair so are also low maintenance and don't often pick up grass seeds like other working breeds. They are not prone to organ problems like many small dogs or joint problems like a lot of large breeds. Nails are usually short but some may need to be clipped occasionally. This would be more likely in a non-working situation or on soft ground.

Kelpies are probably one of the healthiest breeds in the world. They are medium sized without any exaggerated parts of their body, they are short coated and they are bred as working dogs. Since the 1800's Kelpies have been bred for one thing - work! They have to be tough, resilient, fast, and have stamina and agility. If they don't have these things or if they have health problems they are not kept. In fact most would be killed. It can be a hard world on an Australian property (farm).

Remember, that this is not a breed just called working dogs - they really are working dogs. The Kelpie is NOT a show dog. In fact in most countries including Australia - they can not be shown even if the owner wanted to. This ensures the breed is bred for it's original purpose and not bred to show fashions of the time that have damaged so many other breeds.

It is estimated there are about 200,000 Working Kelpies in Australia. As far as I am aware the breed has no particular health problem that is common to the breed. The occasional one will have arthritis, cancer, heart attack, or kidney failure or something else but this is a normal part of life and is NOT something that crops up regularly in the breed. Joint problems are not common unless by an accident. In general, they don't suffer from coat, ear, eye, feet or skin problems that seem to be common in other breeds.

KELPIES INDOORS

Surprisingly, most Kelpies are very good house dogs. There is a wrong perception that they are very active, excitable and even destructive indoors. We have never found this to be the case and apart from our own line of Kelpies we have used many others over the years. It is rare that a Kelpie cannot become a good house dog.

With puppies of course there is a normal amount of activity but with adults no! In fact they are very calm dogs indoors. We have different Kelpies inside all the time and even with young dogs 4-5 months there is only one in 20 that would even be considered slightly excitable. In Kelpies aged over a year you should not get a high level of indoor activity at all. We find most of them quiet and relaxed indoors but still aware of everything that is going on around them.

 We have around 12-18 Kelpies at any given time. They all take turns at being house dogs. They have their own dog beds and are extremely well behaved in the house. We have had guests stay overnight with two or three Kelpies in the house and the guests haven't even noticed they were there.

Every now and then we breed an excitable Kelpie that will run around and make a nuisance of themselves but this is the exception rather then the rule. We would never sell a dog like that to a new owner or a town situation.

Lets look at temperament. The working Kelpie is usually a friendly dog that can make an ideal family dog as long as he has reasonable excercise and stimulation. If left idle on a chain day after day most will bark from boredom. On the big plus side they don't show the aggression that is common with some working breeds. Some will bark at strangers but they are very rarely a breed that bites unless trained that way. We never encourage their sale as guard dogs.

Kelpies that are socialised properly usually make great companions for children. They have a very stable temperament and are affectionate and protective of children. They are good at learning tricks and love to do little tasks for their owners. They are very faithful dogs and often bond very strongly to one owner. They are alert dogs and always know what is going on around them. They enjoy being involved in everyday activities and hate to be left out of things.

Although the majority of Working Kelpies are fairly biddable a few can be very strong willed or excitable and these would be unsuitable for the average familiy pet.

Here are some comments from people who own Kelpies as pets:

" I also keep two kelpies in suburbia, who in spite of dour predictions from all manner of people (many of them not even dog owners!) are both happy and well adjusted dogs. While they aren't a dog to be left languishing in the back yard (and what dog really is?) with a bit of time and attention they are very rewarding and affectionate pets. I can safely say my dogs are happier to just hang out with the humans than run 25 kilometres a day...which is the amount of exercise a kelpie needs according to one animal behaviourist I spoke to! (And he was a German Shepherd owner) - Gayle Adams ...Western Australia

THE THINKING KELPIE

The Kelpie is well known for their high degree of intelligence. They often have good ability to think through things and solve complex problems. The Working Kelpie is generally a dog that uses its own initiative. It is important to know and understand this. It can be a great asset or a big problem. Service dogs such as Police dogs and Guide dogs are often chosen from dogs that use their own initiative. These are dogs that can think and solve problems. They cope when a situation changes.

A Kelpie can do absolutely amazing things if handled the right way but if the breed is not suitable for you, all you'll have is problems. Dogs like Golden Retrievers and Border Collies will wait for your command and then do it as they have been taught. A Kelpie is different. They like to understand what they are doing and why. They work best with you if they have a good and fair relationship with you. They like to think for themselves.When you are training a Kelpie you try hard to make sure the dog understands the command. You test your dog or set up a problem and see how the dog reacts.

There is a big upside to all this. A Kelpie understands what the job is, he could probably do it even if you went and sat down. I have known of a number of Kelpies that could do a sheepdog trial in the correct order without the handler being on the field. In obedience or agility work this can mean a big difference.

TRAINING

The Working Kelpie can be a very intelligent dog. They can learn complex things in a short space of time. However they can also be difficult because they can get bored easily if the task is too monotonous. They tend to use their own initiative and because of that would be less compliant than some other breeds. A well trained Kelpie can be amazing! They can do incredible things but to get there they need to form a good relationship with their owner and need to respect that owner.

In Australia they are usually listed as one of the easiest dogs to train but to a completely inexperienced owner that may not be completely true. The Kelpie must respect the owner. therefore the owner should be very firm and fair in all dealings with the dog. If a command is given to the dog and is disobeyed and the dog allowed to continually get away with being disobedient then you will soon have a lot of problems. a person like this is not suitable as a kelpie owner.

KELPIES WITH STRANGERS

We tend to put Kelpies in three categories regarding this. The first are the ones that love everyone, are very outgoing but can be more of a handful. They run up and jump on anyone and are extremely outgoing. These Kelpies tend to be a touch on the excitable side of temperaments. We like one or two dogs like this because a lot of people love a dog that likes them.

The second category is by far the most common. I would call this more of a neutral temperament and this seems best for dogs going to working homes. These dogs are friendly to everyone but adapt more of a non-reaction. They tend to be devoted to their owner and immediate family (and close friends) but usually don't come running over when called by someone else. They are pleasant dogs but mostly have eyes only for their owner. Many visitors also prefer this type of dog that doesn't get excitable but is nice to have around.

They can work in any situation because traffic, people and noises don't bother them. They don't jump on people, they don't move away or come forward. If they are on a command from the owner such as a 'down-stay' they don't move and strangers can walk over the top of them. If they are patted they wag their tail but don't gush. We always prefer this type of temperament.

The third temperament would be a bit reserved. There are a few Kelpies like this. They are very faithful and loyal to their owners but don't like strangers much. They are not aggressive or anything. They just move away and get on with their work. These dogs can sometimes make great companion dogs.

Many people buy Kelpies as guard dogs but generally although they will bark at strangers if you are not there, they are not regarded as biting dogs and there are many other breeds that would probably be more suited to guard work.

KELPIES IN OBEDIENCE AND AGILITY COMPETITION

The Working Kelpie is becoming sought after as a competition dog for the sports of Obedience Trials and Agility competition.

As for Agility, the Kelpie is born to do it. I cannot think of a single breed that could possibly be better at it. In Australia they are just starting to discover that and there has been a mad rush to buy Kelpies for the sport. Some are doing very well. The Spinifex, Karana, Santolina, Noonbarra, Avenpart and Alinta Studs have Kelpies now working well in Agility.

When you think about it, every day for generations Kelpies have been doing agility. When they run under a long line of sheep in a race they are doing the tunnel, when they fly through the air over rails, the back's of sheep or into the tray of a 4 wheel drive they are doing jumps. They weave and duck and turn on a coin as part of their everyday work. They can move like lightning and are alert.... what more can you say ?

Working Kelpies have done well in the obedience classes for many years. We have worked a number of Kelpies in obedience classes. In fact we often take young Kelpies to classes for a few weeks at least just to socialise them with other people and dogs while at the same time they have to obey commands. We have found them to learn at an extremely quick rate which often can peeve other handlers, especially if they have practised a lesson for months that the Kelpie does in two weeks.

On the downside I personally have found most Kelpies that are working dogs, are easily distracted in obedience classes and can get bored fairly easily. On our property, we need all our dogs to work away from us and not to look at us for directions. This may be why we often don't get the same attention as Border Collie handlers do. I have been told that Kelpies kept as pets show a lot more attention and keep looking up at the handler.

Below are some comments from Kelpie owners:

This email was sent by Kathyn Horn of the USA

Stephen, I have a Working Kelpie out of Austrlaian imports who works beautifully in the sport of agility if the courses are set at enough distance that his long stride and very high impulsion can be accomodated. He is one of the dogs always watched at trials (in spite of the sometimes bumbling handling of his human partner) and is a joy to watch whether the run is perfect or not.

He brings an incredible drive to the sport (not always an asset in its very strong form!) as well as very keen intelligence which makes him really fun to work with, especially in training. Be careful about dabbling in the sport. It can become quite addictive! And keep us all informed as to how you like it and how your dogs like it!

Kathryn Horn. USA.

"I do Flyball with my Kelpie. He is so fast he is awesome at it. I am from B.C Canada. I know a lady who is in Superdogs with her Kelpie as well. They are so versatile and so attentive they can do anything! My guy also loves to go fishing he is the only one who catches a fish everytime! " - Joy Jeffery. Canada.

INEXPERIENCED DOG OWNERS AND THE KELPIE

A Kelpie can be very obedient (almost perfect) but it is hard to train a Kelpie to this standard. The Kelpie is not suitable for owners that are willing to allow them to be the pack leader. In other words an owner that lets them do as they like.

They are also not suitable for unfair, hard or violent handlers. They will not tolerate it. They need to respect their owners and will look to them for guidance. A Kelpie will also occasionally see what they can get away with. I guess they sort of test you out to see if you are deserving of leadership.

New owners that have never owned a dog before, may have problems with their Kelpie taking advantage of them. Before long the dog is eating at the table, sitting in the best chair and taking over the bed. We have found if the new owner is instructed in standard positive dog training or dominance behaviour, they have no problems with their dogs. The Kelpie would also benefit from being taken to Puppy Kindergarten and obedience classes.

THE WORKING KELPIE OVERSEAS

The Working Kelpie is quickly gaining a reputation overseas as an exceptional dog and many thousands have now been exported from Australia. Even Britain, the home of the famous sheepdog, - the Border Collie has been importing our Kelpie. It was recently estimated that there are now around 500 Kelpies in Britain.

Kelpies have now been exported to South Africa, Holland, USA, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, Wales, Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Hawaii, South America, Kuwait, South Korea, Iran, England, Russia, Hong Kong, Italy, Finland, New Caledonia and Norfolk island. This is not a complete list but just some we could locate quickly.

In the USA they now have a number of their own Kelpie organisations, The main one is called 'Working Kelpies Incorporated'. (WKI). They have done a lot of work to promote the Kelpie in that country. There are also a few smaller organisations in the USA devoted to the Working Kelpie. In Sweden they also have a Working Kelpie organisation catering for Scandanavian countries. It is called Nordiska Working Kelpie Radet. Britain also have their own organisation. In the future we expect other countries to start up their Working Kelpie organisations.

Mary and Stephen Bilson Noonbarra Kelpie Stud