Breed library

Australian Kelpie

Australian Kelpie photograph.
Hilu the Australian Kelpie dog.jpg - Pertti Kärppä. Public domain. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hilu_the_Australian_Kelpie_dog.jpg. License: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hilu_the_Australian_Kelpie_dog.jpg#Licensing. License: Public domain.

Breed overview

The Australian Kelpie, or simply Kelpie, is an Australian sheepdog capable of mustering and droving with little or no guidance. It is a medium-sized dog and comes in a variety of colours. The Kelpie has been exported throughout the world and is used to muster livestock, primarily sheep, cattle and goats. The breed has been separated into two distinct varieties: the Show (or Bench) Kelpie and the Working Kelpie. The Show Kelpie is seen at conformation dog shows in some countries and is selected for appearance rather than working instinct, while the Working Kelpie is bred for its working ability.

  • Breed classification: herding dogBreed reference breed group.
  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: AustraliaBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The ancestors of most Kelpies were British dogs known loosely as collies (sometimes spelled colleys).
  • Some collies were imported to Australia for stock work in the early 19th century, and were bred with other types of dogs - usually with an eye to working sheep without direct supervision.
  • A 1950 article in the Dungog Chronicle as an example, amongst a number of them that can be found in public archives, reports a then-popular account claiming that the first Kelpies descended from a deliberate cross between a smooth-haired Scottish Collie and a dingo around 1870.
  • The story reflected a widespread belief of the time that Australian working dogs owed some of their hardiness to native dingo blood.
  • The research compared some specific genes associated with the visible traits of the ear shape and coat colour but not the breed’s entire genome.

Size and appearance

The Kelpie is a soft-coated, medium-sized dog, usually with prick ears and an athletic appearance. Their coat colours include black, black and tan, red, red and tan, blue, blue and tan, fawn, fawn and tan, cream, black and blue, and white and gold. The Kelpie generally weighs 14 - 20 kg and measures 41 - 51 cm at the withers. They can reach a maximum weight of 25 - 27 kg.

  • Body mass reference: 13 - 19 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 13 - 19 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 43 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 48 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: 46 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 51 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 39 - 51 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 39 - 51 cm. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: short
  • Height category: medium
  • Weight category: medium

Personality and behavior

Show Kelpies generally excel in agility trials and may be shown in conformation in Australia. Kelpies are intelligent and easy to train dogs making them good-tempered and good pets, especially with children. However they require a lot of physical exercise and mental stimulation, otherwise they can become bored and hence be disruptive by constantly barking or digging, or by chewing on objects. Working Kelpies are often described as "workaholics", with a strong drive to herd.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.15 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.24 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.73 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.80 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.50 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.21 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.54 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.77 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.10 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.60 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.46 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.58 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 1.27 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.88 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Australian Kelpie.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: short

Health and lifespan

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12 years based on a sample of 49 deaths for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

  • Lifespan reference: 12 years or moreBreed reference lifespan years.
  • Lifespan reference: Up to 14 yearsBreed reference lifespan years.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The ancestors of most Kelpies were British dogs known loosely as collies (sometimes spelled colleys). These were mostly black, or very dark brown, dogs - hence the name collie, which has the same root as coal. (The official collie breeds were not formed until about 10 or 15 years after the Kelpie was established as a breed, and the first recognised Border Collie was not brought to Australia until after the Federation in 1901). Some collies were imported to Australia for stock work in the early 19th century, and were bred with other types of dogs - usually with an eye to working sheep without direct supervision. A 1950 article in the Dungog Chronicle as an example, amongst a number of them that can be found in public archives, reports a then-popular account claiming that the first Kelpies descended from a deliberate cross between a smooth-haired Scottish Collie and a dingo around 1870. The story reflected a widespread belief of the time that Australian working dogs owed some of their hardiness to native dingo blood.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Australian Kelpie - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Australian Kelpie, revision 1380201910. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_Kelpie&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Hilu the Australian Kelpie dog.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Public domain. Hilu the Australian Kelpie dog.jpg - Pertti Kärppä. Public domain. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hilu_the_Australian_Kelpie_dog.jpg. License: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hilu_the_Australian_Kelpie_dog.jpg#Licensing.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.