Dog
Group:
Herding 
Australian Kelpie Champions
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Pronunciation:
aw-streyl-yuhn kel-pee
Breed Description:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog is a medium sized dog that should be compact and athletic in appearance. The body should be slightly longer than it is tall and the dog should be well-balanced with a narrow head and large erect ears. The tail should be held low and it should be medium in length.
The coat of the Australian Kelpie should have a double coat that consists of a short, soft undercoat and a short top coat that is only slightly longer than the undercoat. The topcoat should be hard in texture and it should be straight without any curl. The Australian Kelpie can be found in many colors including chocolate, fawn, red, red and tan, black, black and tan and blue.
Temperament:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog is an intelligent and energetic dog that is a true working breed. They love to have something to do and can become a little destructive when they don't. If they are given an ample amount of tasks, the Australian Kelpie is an affectionate and cheerful companion. They are constantly alert and are usually excellent watch dogs. The breed is very easy to train, with proper guidance, and will wow just about anyone with their abilities. They do need a strong owner who will set firm rule in order to be confident in their home, so they aren't a breed for everyone. The Australian Kelpie usually does well with other animals and they can be exceptional with children. The only downside is the breed is prone to "herding" everything and everyone in their home.
Height:
The average height of an Australian Kelpie is between 17 to 20 inches.
Weight:
The average weight of an Australian Kelpie is between 25 to 45 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog are considered to be a hardy breed, however, they can be prone to Progressive Retinal Dysplasia and blindness.
Living Conditions:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog is an active breed that is not recommended for apartments. They really need room to run and while they can do well in urban settings, the ideal living condition is a home with a very large yard or acreage.
Exercise:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog is a very energetic breed and require at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day. They do have excess stores of energy and if they are not properly exercised they can become very destructive. Australian Kelpie make excellent jogging companions.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Australian Kelpie breed of dog is a very easy breed to groom and you should only expect to brush the coat about once per week. They do not need a bath on a regular basis and can go most of the year with only one or two since they don't have a strong doggy odor. Ears should be cleaned on a regular basis and the nails should be clipped once or twice a week, but other than that, nothing more really needs to be done.
Origin:
The Australian Kelpie was developed in Australia as early as the mid 1800's. Originally, it was believed that the breed was developed by crossing the Border Collie with the Dingo, however, over the last few decades, more evidence has proven that this is not the case. In fact, the Australian Kelpie is believed to have been developed by crossing the Border Collie with the English North Country Collies.
Regardless of what went into creating the breed, the result was a highly intelligent and hard working herding breed. They were commonly used for herding goats, sheep, and cattle and today, the breed is still used in the same capacity. In fact, the breed is heavily used by Australian farmers today. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
