AUSTRALIAN KELPIE APPEARANCE:
The Kelpie's short double coat has a thick undercoat and a weather-resistent outer coat. The coat comes in seven colors: black, chocolate, red, smokey blue, fawn, black and tan (from dark brown to a light cream), and red and tan -- in the 'Australian' the colour should be solid; the 'working' can have the colours either solid or with tan, and occasionally with small white markings. Different kennel clubs' breed standards have preferences for certain colours, so what is acceptable for show dogs in some venues might not be acceptable in others. The colour has no relationship to the dog's working ability, so ranchers looking for capable working dogs usually disregard the dog's colour.
Kelpies stand between 17 and 23 inches (43-58.5 cm) at the withers and generally weigh from 24 to 45 lbs (11 to 30 kg).
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE
HISTORY:
Some people claim that Kelpies have some Dingo blood. One possible reason for this belief is that, in areas where it is illegal to keep dingoes as pets, some dingo owners register their animals as Kelpies or Kelpie crosses. Another support for this belief is that the Kelpies seem to be immune to the poison of Australian ticks (a tick from the New South Wales coast can kill a healthy Alsatian dog ). Similar immunity display the dingoes. However, the breed is most likely a cross between Scottish sheepdogs and smooth-haired collies of the past.
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE
HEALTH:
Kelpies are a hardy breed with few health problems.
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE
TEMPERAMENT:
They are clever, loyal, and friendly and typically have an abundunce of energy. A working Kelpie often works sixty kilometers (37 miles) and upwards in extremes of climates and conditions. They are renowned for running along the backs of sheep when moving them through chutes.
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