Early Developement

There are many theories about the origin of the Australian Kelpie, most have flowed between fact and folk-lore since their development in the mid 1800's. What is indisputable is that in the 1800's the rapidly expanding sheep industry was in need of working dog that was suited to our Australian climate. Many British breeds were tried and though their working ability was not questioned, their coats which were better suited to the northern hemisphere proved a detriment in our climate extreme heat and cold. The prefered traits for a working dog were a smooth coated, preferably prick eared, lithe, agile and physically tough dog. From these requirement came the development of the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, the Australian Cattle Dog and the Australian Kelpie and the Border Collie (although an English breed the Border Collie as it is known today was developed in Australia). Australian Kelpies and Border Collies were best suited to sheep work although they could work cattle are well, where as the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog and the Australian Cattle Dog's were better suited to cattle work.

The only reliably document evidence about the developement of the Australian Kelpie is as follows. In 1870 a Mr Phil Mylecharane, a stock agent from 'Mort & Company' visitied a property belonging to a Mr Allen of Geraldra Station NSW. There Mylecharane witnessed two black and tan smooth coated, prick eared dogs working sheep, their names were Brutus and Jenny.  The pair had a litter of pups at the time and Mylecharane sought to buy one.  All the pups were sold except a small red bitch which looked exactly like a Dingo. Mylecharane insisted that the pup was part Dingo however Mr Allen claimed that the pair had recently arrived from England and the litter had been concieved onboard the ship on way to Australia. Following corespondence with the breeders in England they confirmed that the two dogs, Brutus and Jenny, had produced atleast 1 red pup in their previous litters in England prior to export to Australia.

Around the same time a Mr Gleeson mated a prick eared, smooth coated black and tan Collie to a son of Brutus and Jenny called Caesar.  The dam was called 'Kelpie' and was later to be known as 'Gleeson's Kelpie. Gleeson gave a black and tan pup from Caesar and 'Gleeson's Kelpie' to Mr CBW King who was the managing a station out at Condobolin NSW. King named his bitch 'Kelpie' after her dam. Kings 'Kelpie' won the first Forbes sheep-dog trial, gaining a popular reputation, pups from King's 'Kelpie' were called 'Kelpie's pups' and so the name Kelpie spread. A number of years later Mark Tully, gave King a smooth coated balck collie called Moss.  Moss was bred by Mr Rutherford of Yarrawanga Station who imported his sire and dam from England.

The Immortal Coil

Singularly the most famous working Kelpie ever documented was the 'Immortal Coil'. The skill and dedication of this fantastic dog brought tears to the eyes of the hundreds of people who withnessed Coil and his owner John Quinn work at the Sydney Sheepdog Trial 1898.  Coil's sire was Clyde, a son or Moss and King's 'Kelpie'. Coil's dam was Gay, acquired by Quinn from Dollar Vale Station of Junee. Quinn trialed and won the first Sydney Sheepdog Trial with Gay in 1896.

Coil was a blue Kelpie who won the first day of the trial with a perfect score of 200.  This impressive result gained Quinn and Coil much respect.  However this alone did not make the Immortal Coil's reputation.  That evening after the trial, Quinn was returning to his rooms with his dog.  Sydney was a busy town at the turn of the century and inexplicably Coil was injured on the foreleg by a passing carriage. Quinn must have been devastated, he cared for his dog and he would have spent a sleepless night worrying over Coil and whether to trial the next night or not. Quinn did trial Coil the next day and the dog's outstanding performance earned Coil another 200 points.  Coil's second run was performed with a broken foreleg which he carried throughout the trial. Quinn's dog cemented the Kelpie as a loyal, tough and intelligent working breed in the mind of many Australians.

The Working Kelpie Council and the Australian National Kennel Control

Whilst many ANKC registered dogs can trace their lines back to a dog call Red Hope, a great-grandson of Coil, not all ANKC registered dogs are selectively bred for their working ability. For various and sometimes unclear reasons there was a split in the registration of ANKC Kelpies (also known as bench dogs) and the working Kelpie in the 1960's. However a few WKC members retain genuine WKC and ANKC dual registrations. Whilst the right to protect strong and proven working lines is valid, it is also true that lifestyles have changed since the 1960's and the Australian Kelpie is just as likely to be seen in an urban lifestyle. 

With the exception of few genuine dual registered breeders who retained ANKC & WKC registration, from 2000 the WKC no longer allow ANKC x WKC lines to attain full registration status under the WKC registration system. This change has had little impact in Australia but for overseas nations such as Sweden where pure bred dogs are governed under an international code, only the ANKC registered dogs are recognised.

The Emergence of Dog Sports

Buyers routinely ask about temperament, nutrition and inheritable disease within all pure breeds. For the dog enthusiast the area of dog sports such as dancing with dogs, agility, flyball, jumping, herding and the more conventional obedience, tracking and conformation showing offer the sought after 'enriched environment' that the urban dog needs and has become increasingly competative.

Regarding the dog world the afore mentioned dog sports are becoming increasing popular, competative and a legitimite lifestyles for an active person and their pet. Australian Kelpies are well suited to the dog sports hobby. Due to their medium size, lithe agile and friendly temperament Australian Kelpies excell in all these areas, particularly if trained under the modern motivational training methods. I recommend people interested in dog sports purchase from ANKC registered breeders who hip score.

ANKC Breed Standard:Australian Kelpie

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