The Australian Kelpie Shepherd Dog dog breed is not a very old breed, in fact it was born around the second half of 1800. In 1870 the Rutherford family of Scottish immigrants brought six black and tan Fox Collies from the British Isles to Australia. In fact only Fox Collies proved to be able to withstand the Australian climate. Two of these specimens, Jenny and Brutus, reproduced during the crossing to Australia and the litter was already born when they arrived at their destination. In particular one of the cubs, who was named Caesar, seemed particularly promising. In fact, he and his parents were immediately employed to gather the flocks of Merino sheep, proving to be very skilled and tireless shepherd dogs, heedless of the heat and fatigue.
Another breeder close to the Rutherfords had a bitch very similar to Caesar and in fact they were mated, this female was called Kelpie and they said that there were traces of Dingo blood in her, but this was never proven. Dingoes are the wild dogs of Australia. A daughter of Kelpie and Caesar, also named Kelpie in 1873 won a world contest for sheepdogs and so the demand for dogs of this breed soared. Kelpie in Celtic means water spirit, a name that fits perfectly to this agile and fast breed. From that moment on, these puppies were in great demand, but since there were not many in circulation, breeders began to pair them with Dingoes as well, this made the breed with greater physical endurance.
Character of the Australian Shepherd Kelpie dog breed
The Kelpie is a very intelligent breed, it is alert but at the same time has a calm and thoughtful nature. If well trained, it is a dog that obeys and is very devoted to its owner and also to its family.
It has however an inexhaustible energy, it was born in fact as a shepherd dog and in this it is perfect, it has no problem to endure a long and heavy work with a flock of sheep that manages to keep together both outdoors and in an enclosure. It is truly tireless, for this reason it is not suitable to be an apartment dog; it needs open spaces, a lot of movement and to do something. It has by instinct the aptitude to work with herds, it has a great rapidity in its movements and a discreet speed, and also a lot of courage which allows it to face with intelligence heads of cattle whose weight is several times greater than its own.
Therefore, it needs an owner who respects it and who dedicates the right amount of time to keep it in physical and mental exercise. In fact, it is said that the Kelpie can go without eating but not without working. It is also good with children and a very versatile playmate, with strangers it is quite wary, so it can also be an excellent guard dog. It is also a perfect companion for other pets in the house because it is friendly and playful.
Appearance of the dog breed Australian Shepherd Dog Kelpie
The Kelpie is a medium to large dog, its measurements at the withers range from 51 centimeters for the male, 48 for the female, the weight ranges between 19 and 20 kilograms. Its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of the fox.
It has a well-developed musculature throughout the body, especially in the hind limbs. His gait is firm and loose and everything in him denotes agility.
The head is well proportioned with the rest of the body, has a flat skull, slightly rounded between the ears. The muzzle is long. The eyes are almond-shaped, medium-sized, generally brown. Ears are erect, carried straight up, especially when the dog is moving. Tail has a length that reaches the hock, usually hanging down, rising when in action.
The coat is semi-long, very thick and hard; it has a dense, short undercoat. Colors range from black to brown, reddish and brown, as well as fawn, chocolate and ash blue.
There are two types of Australian Kelpie: the Working Kelpie, a line selected mainly to improve (or maintain) particular aptitudes in working with sheep, and the Show Kelpie, a line selected as a beauty dog (therefore accepted in exhibitions) and suitable for all sports.
Health and Care of the Kelpie Australian Shepherd Dog breed of dog
The Kelpie is a breed selected for its robustness, not afraid of adverse weather conditions. It has a great need for movement and games that stimulate it mentally as well. There are no known diseases typical of this breed, and they can reach 15 years of age if well cared for and with adequate nutrition and activity.
As far as the care of the coat is concerned, this needs at least weekly brushing, as being outdoors a lot, parasites do not settle in the hair causing diseases, even serious ones.
The feeding must be controlled even if the Kelpie eats everything, but it tends to eat more than necessary and if it doesn’t do adequate movement it can tend to obesity.
