Australian Kelpie

General Information - Australian Kelpie

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History

The Australian Kelpie, also referred to simply as the Kelpie, or the Barb if it is all black, was developed in Australia in 1800's to herd livestock. A New South Wales cattle grazer called Allen imported a couple of English Collies into Australia in 1870. One of their offspring was bred with a local black-and-tan bitch named Kelpie. Her progeny became the basis for the breed which was first exhibited in 1908.

Temperament

The Australian Kelpie is a compact, robust, enthusiastic, and tireless working dog. Excellent at herding, the Australian Kelpie is the most popular and successful working dog. Kelpies are devoted one-man dogs but are often far too work-oriented and energetic for a house or apartment existence. Their easy trainability and keenness on the job make them a fundamental component of the Australian work force. They are ready to respond immediately to any signal given by its master, even from a great distance. They are good with children when they are raised with them from puppyhood. Kelpies will try to herd other dogs, pets and animals whether they want to be herded or not.

This workaholic will work until it drops. In their native country of Australia, Kelpies work all day even in intense heat, covering 1,000 to 4,000-plus acres. The breed uses "eye" similar to the Border Collie’s on the tractable stock, but utilises its nipping ability to turn more stubborn cattle. Kelpies can muster thousands of sheep from pasture to pen to truck. The Kelpie will jump on the back of the sheep in a tightly packed flock and run lightly to reach the other side. They make excellent watchdogs and can also be trained as seeing-eye dogs. The Australian Kelpie is not an aggressive dog, but can be protective when needed.

Upkeep

The Australian Kelpie was bred to be active and tireless. This dog needs a lot of physical and mental activity, more than a simple walk on a leash can provide. A good jog or long workout, coupled with obedience lessons or other intellectual challenges, is essential every day. It is happiest when it has a job to perform, and especially when that job is herding. The Australian Kelpie can live outdoors in temperate to cool climates. It is unsuited for apartment life. Its coat needs brushing or combing weekly to remove dead hairs.

Australian Kelpie

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 careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Australian Kelpie

Country of Origin: Australia  

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) 

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 withers, Bitches 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. 

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

DNZ No 508
Copyright Dogs New Zealand
01 Jul 2007

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 and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.