Australian Kelpie

Australian Kelpies thrive in open space making wonderful herding dogs. They are extremely tough and hardy dogs often appearing tireless and require lots of exercise. In Australia, they have earned a very good reputation as they are easily trained and have a great appetite for work. They thoroughly enjoy activities such as dog agility events, flyball, retrieving, Frisbee, rally and competitive obedience.

Working Kelpies come in almost any colour with 3 types of coat: smooth, rough and short. Some carry a variation with a white blaze or points. Show dogs carry solid colours on a short coat with less variation.

Australian Kelpie History:

The Australian Kelpie has been around since 1870, with over 100,000 members of the breed today. They are thought to be largely descended from "English Colleys" (Collies) that had been imported to Australia in the 19th Century.

The name Kelpie comes from the water Kelpie described in a book by Robert Louis Stephenson.

There are two different registries existing in Australia for the Australian Kelpie, due to marked distinction between the working dogs and the show dogs. Australian Kelpies are currently recognised by the United Kennel Club in the United States.