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Kelpie

A Complete Breed Guide for the Australian Kelpie Dog

This article is written by Pet Circle's qualified veterinarian, Dr Carla Paszkowski, BVSc (Hons)

One of the only dogs bred specifically for the harsh Australian climate, the Kelpie is a loyal, hyper-intelligent and hardworking dog. This incredibly clever breed has a high requirement for exercise and a fast-working mind, which makes them easy to train but easily bored. If you are willing to dedicate time, leadership, and energy to your Kelpie, you will have a truly irreplaceable mate for life.

Contents:

1. At a glance

2. History

3. Personality

4. Best Toys for Kelpies

5. Best food for Kelpies

6. Health Concerns

7. Related Breeds

Further reading

Facts about the Kelpie

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How long do Kelpies live?

Kelpies have a life expectancy of between 10-16 years. Like any breed, you can expect them to live longer with premium nutrition, dental care and keeping them at an ideal body weight.

Do Kelpies shed?

Kelpies have a short to medium length double coat which does shed quite heavily. Brushing once or twice a week will keep shedding hair under control. Their coat comes in a range of colours from fawn, blue, red, chocolate, black and tan, all the way through to pure black.

Are Kelpies good pets?

Kelpies are incredibly loyal family dogs. They are excellent pets for children, though you might find their love for herding leads them to rounding up the kids! Given their intelligence and drive to learn, training can be an excellent way to get your children involved in a Kelpie's care. Kelpies have an enormous amount of energy, and coupled with their intelligence, they require a large amount of physical and mental exercise, so they are not well suited to apartment living.

Are Kelpies barkers?

Kelpies have a moderate tendency to bark. If Kelpies are not provided the physical and mental stimulation they require, they can be prone to boredom and developing problematic and compulsive behaviours such as incessant barking and digging. For more information, check out How to Stop Your Dog Barking and How to Stop a Dog from Digging.

How big do Kelpies get?

Kelpies grow to between 11-22kg bodyweight, and stand between 40-51cm at the shoulder.

How much does an Australian Kelpie cost?

The cost of a Kelpie varies enormously. Puppies of pedigree dogs can cost up to $2000 or more.

How do I know which Kelpie breeder to choose?

If you've chosen to purchase a puppy from a breeder, it's important to ensure you find a reputable one. Be sure to inspect the breeders premises and the parents of the puppies, and ask them the 10 questions of how to find a good breeder. Responsible breeders will take care to selectively breed for healthy traits and good temperaments, and to ensure that their puppies go to committed, loving homes.

Kelpie History

The true origins of the Kelpie are shrouded in uncertainty. For many years, the Kelpie is was believed to be the result of wild dingoes interbreeding with collies. In the early 20th century, this belief was generally squashed and proclaimed to be a myth. However, recent DNA research has found that Kelpies harbour 3-4% 'dingo DNA', indicating some truth to the original 'dingo myth'.

Interestingly, one of the reasons why the real story behind the Kelpie's origins is so secretive and vague could be due to the nation's previous attitude towards dingoes. Sheep farmers in the 18th and 19th centuries reviled dingoes, and a bounty was offered for every dingo destroyed. Fines were even imposed on anyone who kept a dingo cross, which may be why their origin is shrouded in mystery.

Regardless of how they began, over time, the dogs were selectively bred. Traits such as independence, ability to herd livestock, and heat and dehydration tolerance were favoured. This led to the development of a tough and hardy breed that can herd independently in the Australian climate.

Some historians go as far as to say that without the Kelpie, sheep flocks could never have spread as far into Australia's inland, and even attribute the success of our nation's wool industry to the Kelpie.

Kelpie Personality

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The Kelpie is a working breed, first and foremost. As they were bred for the harsh Australian climate, they are fairly independant and have an extraordinary tolerance for heat and water deprivation. In fact, first time Kelpie owners are often concerned at how little they appear to drink. Kelpies are also vastly intelligent, incredibly energetic, and easy to train.

Kelpies are extremely active and perform well in dog sports such as agility or rally training. With endless energy, they will persist until their job is done. They are natural livestock herders and if their energy is pent up they may start herding birds, other pets, or even children! Always be sure to provide your Kelpie with sufficient exercise. In addition to a large yard, Kelpies require heavy levels of daily exercise, such as running, swimming, or extended games of fetch. Simply leaving them to run around your yard is not sufficient exercise for a Kelpie, and can lead to boredom and compulsive personality disorders.

Kelpies are extraordinarily intelligent and have an excellent memory, which is great for training but can be detrimental if they have experienced trauma in the past. Once a Kelpie has been hurt, it never forgets. Sadly, they are prone to developing phobias of certain owner demographics (such as men), or objects they have associated with trauma in the past (such as rolled up newspapers). If rescuing a mistreated Kelpie, be prepared to dedicate time, kindness, and lots of patience to their rehabilitation.

That said, Kelpies are notoriously stoic and 'not likely to complain' - in fact, they may not show they are in pain until an ailment has become quite serious. If your Kelpie seems unwell or injured, always take them straight to your vet for investigation.

When it comes down to it, the Kelpie is loving, obedient, and eager to please. They are fiercely loyal and will form a very strong bond with their family. If you can commit the time and energy into proper training, and provide your them with satisfactory daily exercise, your Kelpie will be the greatest pet you've ever had!

Best Dog Toys for Kelpies

To match the Kelpies extreme intelligence and need for mental and physical exercise, our Vet Squad recommend the following interactive toys.

Kelpie Diet and Nutrition

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Kelpie Puppies

Kelpie puppies should eat a premium diet, formulated for medium breed dogs. Premium diets such as Hills Science Diet Puppy and Royal Canin Puppy are designed to be highly digestible and do not change ingredients batch to batch like grocery type brands. For more information, check out our guide to the Best Puppy Food, and for the answers to all your puppy feeding questions, take a look at our Puppy Feeding Guide.

With their intelligence and drive to learn, Kelpie puppies thrive on socialisation and training. Puppy preschool and consistent positive behavioural training at home provides puppies with an excellent start to life and sets them up to be well-behaved, confident doggy citizens. For tips on getting started on obedience training, check out our New Puppy Guide.

On the flip side, a consequence of the Kelpie's extreme intelligence and energy levels is that they can be more prone to some unwanted puppy behaviours such as digging and chewing. Lots of play and mental stimulation, through training and a rotation of toys will help. For more tips on how to combat those problematic puppy behaviours, take a look at out Puppy Training Guide.

Adult Kelpies

If your Kelpie is kept as a family pet, rather than a working dog, and they receive less than 1-2 hour of exercise per day, they will be fine to receive a premium 'Adult' pet food designed for medium or 'all breeds'. Always be sure to seek a high quality diet, as this can help keep your Kelpie's coat soft, healthy, and shiny (and as a breed who sheds a lot of fur, you'll be thankful you did!). Many kelpie owners like to seek an Australian-made dog food designed for our climate, such as Advance or Instinctive Bite.

However, if your Kelpie is a working dog or completing high levels of exercise every day, a 'high performance' diet with higher calorie content might be the way to go. Excellent examples include Eukanuba Premium Performance or Hill's Science Diet Active. But be sure to keep their weight in check, as these higher energy diets can lead to a little 'pudge' if your dog isn't burning it all off!

Best Food for Kelpie Puppies

Kelpie puppies need to eat a premium, complete and balanced puppy diet until they are 12-15 months old. Complete and balanced diets are formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines to ensure that your puppy receives the nutrients they need to thrive during their intense growth period. We recommend the premium diets below.

Best Food for Adult Kelpies

Age-appropriate nutrition is important to ensure that your Kelpie's specific nutritional needs are being met. As mentioned above, adult Kelpies aged 1-7 years who are family pets and exercising less than 1-2 hours per day are fine to eat a premium diet for medium breed adult dogs. Once Kelpies reach 7 years of age, we classify them as 'mature' dogs, and at 10 years of age as 'seniors'. At these points, transitioning to a specific 'mature' or 'senior' diet may be beneficial. These diets contain adjusted levels of calories and nutrients such as sodium and phosphorus, and additional ingredients such as omega fatty acids and antioxidants, to slow the ageing process and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.