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Working Kelpie |
Working Kelpie |
The Working Kelpie originated around
1870, playing a major role in the development of the sheep and
wool industry in Australia. Descended from the British
"working coley" (an origin shared with the Border Collie), the |
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Kelpie was bred to handle the harsh,
hot landscape, extensive acreage, and unruly Merino sheep. Bred
for the harsh conditions of Australia, the Working Kelpie, being a
"natural" dog, has acclimated well to all climates and terrain in
North America. |
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Not a Rare Breed |
In North America the Working Kelpie has been used and raised as a
working livestock dog. The Working Kelpie has not carried a high
visibility profile in North America as it has been used and bred
almost exclusively in working environments in the United States and
Canada for close to, or more than, 80 years. While some may believe
this is a "rare" breed, it is not. With thousands of Kelpies
going to work each day in Australia and several thousand here in North
America we find it unusual that anyone would consider them "rare." |
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Born
to Work |
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The Working Kelpie is a dog bred and
born with purpose - to work. Ranchers and farmers in North
America have found them well-suited to most livestock working
situations. The Working Kelpie has been in North American since
around the turn of the century. |
These dogs were brought to this
continent to expedite livestock handling in the livestock
industry. They could be found in sheep and later on, cattle
working environments. On ranches here in North America, as in the
Australian bush, the Working Kelpie often works unsupervised,
relying on their own wits to find and gather livestock. The
Working Kelpie is a keen, active dog always ready to work. |
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Cattle-Working
Characteristics |
In the last decade or more, many North America breeders have
been selecting for strong cattle-working characteristics as this
is the primary livestock industry. It goes without saying,
however, the Working Kelpie
is certainly the stock dog of choice in all livestock situations. |
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For more history
and detailed origin of the Australian Working Kelpie
please visit
Stephen and Mary Bilson's
The Kelpie
Story.
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