Detailed informantion about the Kelpie Dog

The kelpie originated around 1870 and by 1890 had become well established, playing a major part in Australia's sheep and wool industry and usually bred by ranchers and farmers. Descended from British Collies, this dog was created to cope with harsh, hot, landscape and to handle the reputedly unruly Merino sheep kept on extensive acreage. This is a gathering dog, which uses eye, bark and bite or grip to move stock. In the bush they are often worked unsupervised, with their handlers relying on the dog's own wit and spirits. A keen, active breed; always ready for work, legend has it that the Kelpie must carry Dingo blood.

With its mild, tractable disposition, this is a lithe, active breed, showing hard muscle condition and standing from 43-58.5 cm (17-23 in) in height, weighing in the region of 11-20 kg (25—45 lb).The widely spaced ears are pricked, running to a fine point at the tip but strong at the base. The moderately short coat is flat, straight and weather resistant with a dense undercoat and can have a fair amount of ruff, with mild breeching on the thighs and sufficient tail coat to form a brush. Color varies through black, blue, red (from chocolate to light red) and tan (from dark to cream). All these can be with or without tan markings and may have minimal white markings.