Medium
American Leopard Hound
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:35–75 lb (16–34 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Working Kelpie
Also called Australian Kelpie, Barb and Kelpie
- Easy to train
- Needs space
- Needs lots of exercise
The Working Kelpie is a medium-sized breed of herding dog that originated in Australia. It is an active and energetic breed, with a short, wiry coat. Its head is large and round, with small, erect ears. Its legs are strong and muscular, and its tail is usually docked. The Working Kelpie is an intelligent and loyal breed, and it makes an excellent family pet. It is an active breed, and it needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. It is loyal and affectionate, and it enjoys spending time with its family.
- Weight
- 24–44 lb (11–20 kg)
- Height at the shoulder
- 17–20 in (43–51 cm)
- Life span
- 12–15 years
- Exercise
- About 90 minutes a day
- Coat
- Short, Double
- Origin
- New South Wales, Australia (19th century)
Traits
Family and friends
- Children: OK with children
- Other dogs: OK with other dogs
- Strangers: Reserved with strangers
Home and activity
- Energy: Very energetic
- Apartment living: Not suited to apartments
- Barking: Barks a little
- Training: Very easy to train
Care
- Grooming: Little grooming
- Shedding: Sheds moderately
- Drooling: Hardly drools
Temperament
Alert
Biddable
Eager to work
Energetic
Intelligent
Loyal
Coat colours
Black, black and tan, blue, blue and tan, chocolate, chocolate and tan, cream, fawn, fawn and tan, red and red and tan
Males and females
| Measure | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 35–44 lb (16–20 kg) | 24–35 lb (11–16 kg) |
| Height | 18–20 in (46–51 cm) | 17–19 in (43–48 cm) |
Recognized by
Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC), Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and United Kennel Club (UKC)
Caring for a Working Kelpie
Find pet services near you that suit this breed.
Breeds of a similar size
All medium breeds
Medium
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:33–44 lb (15–20 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Medium
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:22–42 lb (10–19 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Sources
- Breed Standards: Australian Kelpie | United Kennel Club (UKC) (opens in a new tab)
- Australian Kelpie Breed Standard | Dogs Australia (ANKC) (opens in a new tab)
- Australian Kelpie Breed Standard | Dogs NSW (opens in a new tab)
- The Australian Kelpie dog Breed | Hill's Pet (opens in a new tab)
- Australian Kelpie | Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Breed details from The Dog API (opens in a new tab).