Australian Kelpie

Earnest, energetic, and ready to work, the Australian Kelpie is a medium-sized, lean, and muscular dog that was originally bred Down Under as a working farm dog. You’ll know these intelligent dogs by their pricked ears, ready to obey a command. Understanding the Australian Kelpie personality is key to providing the right care for this active breed.

Australian Kelpie Breed Overview

The Australian Kelpie was first bred in the 19th century in Australia to assist with the booming sheep population, descendants of tough working collies that originated from Scotland. They are rugged, intelligent dogs with a tremendous amount of stamina that have adapted over time to handle the harsh conditions of Australia. The name Kelpie comes from the very first black-and-tan dog of this breed. Playful, outgoing, loyal, and whip-smart, they thrive when given a job to do, although they can relax with the best of them after a hard day’s work.

Australian Kelpie Facts

• Working dog with a high drive to complete tasks
• Descended from Scottish collies brought to Australia in the 19th century
• The name Kelpie comes from the very first dog of this breed
• A Kelpie named Maggie was once crowned the oldest dog alive at 30 years old
• Australian Kelpies have pricked ears
• They have served a lot of functions throughout time, including as herding dogs and watchdogs

How to Care for Your Australian Kelpie

Here’s what you need to know about caring for your Australian Kelpie, including nutrition and feeding, health and wellness, grooming and hygiene, and the right lifestyle for them.

Nutrition & Feeding

What to Feed an Australian Kelpie

Highly active dogs like the Aussie Kelpie need rich, protein-forward food formulas to help them keep their stamina and endurance levels up. Consider foods like Purina Pro Plan Sport Active 24/7 or Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance foods to help them get the quality calories, vitamins, and minerals they need. However, if they are not frequently active, a regular food designed for their life stage, such as Pro Plan Essential Puppies or Pro Plan Shredded Adult, is also a great option.

How Much to Feed an Australian Kelpie

The Australian Kelpie dog weighs between 35 and 50 pounds. Consult your dog’s food bag label or your vet for guidance on amounts needed per day. Because these dogs are so active, some might need more calories and food, something to discuss with your vet. Australian Kelpies should be fed on a schedule rather than free feeds to maintain their energy. To get an accurate food amount for your dog based on weight, age, and activity level, use the Purina Feeding Calculator.

Treats & Supplements

The Australian Kelpie is super active and can be rewarded occasionally with low-calorie treats for a job well done or in conjunction with positive reinforcement training. They might be eligible for supplements with fatty acids and/or glucosamine, which can help support their highly active joints and potentially slow down the effects of genetic conditions they are prone to, such as arthritis and hip dysplasia. You can discuss supplement use with your vet.

Health & Wellness

Veterinary Care

Part of being a responsible dog owner is proactive preventive care. Schedule regular checkups with your vet to discuss vaccines, parasite prevention, and more. Include dental care in your dog’s healthcare routine, and talk to your vet about spaying or neutering your dog.

Australian Kelpie Enrichment & Exercise Needs

The Australian Kelpie is a very active dog, used to working long hours under harsh conditions in their native Australia. They require owners who can devote a lot of time and attention to their exercise and enrichment schedule, filling the dog’s days with long runs, hikes, swimming, trick training, agility courses, and actual farm work, if available. This breed can also find work as assistance dogs, search and rescue dogs, detection dogs, and more. They are highly intelligent dogs that need mental stimulation as well, which you can give in the form of training, games, herding activities, and puzzles.

Understanding Your Australian Kelpie’s Behavior

Australian Kelpies can become destructive if they are not mentally and physically stimulated enough. This is something to keep in mind to see if it matches your lifestyle. They need a highly active schedule or can default to destructive behavior like digging and chewing, excessive barking, herding behavior towards small children and other pets, or anxiety, particularly separation anxiety. The Kelpie dog’s personality is highly trainable, and if you provide adequate mental and physical stimulation to them and establish a consistent routine, they are well-mannered and happy dogs.

What to Expect as Your Australian Kelpie Ages

Fun fact: One of the oldest living dogs on record was an Australian Kelpie named Maggie. Not every Australian Kelpie will live into their 30s, but many can live a long and happy life of about 10 to 13 years if cared for properly. As they age, you’ll want to watch out for joint and mobility issues and adjust their activity level as recommended by their vet. When they reach six or seven years of age, you can switch them to a senior dog food to ensure they are getting the nutrients they need to support healthy aging.

Grooming & Hygiene

Skin & Coat Health

The Australian Kelpie has a double coat that protects them in harsh conditions. Their coat sheds and requires regular brushing to remove loose and dead hairs and redistribute the oils on their skin. Naturally clean dogs, you can bathe them only when necessary.

Ear, Paw & Dental Care

Create a regular dental care routine for your dog to prevent tartar buildup and gum disease. The Australian Kelpie will ideally spend a lot of time outside, so you should check your dog’s paws and ears regularly for cuts, scrapes, and foreign objects to prevent infections. Clean their ears with a vet-approved wipe as frequently as your vet recommends, and make sure their nails are trimmed regularly to prevent splitting and breakage.

Anal Gland Care

Medium-sized dogs like Australian Kelpies should be good at naturally expressing their anal glands, but they might occasionally get abscesses that need to be expressed by a groomer or a vet. If your dog is scooting, licking their behind a lot, is straining to go to the bathroom, or emitting a foul-smelling odor, it’s time to call a professional.

Living With an Australian Kelpie

Living Space

While having enough indoor space for an Australian Kelpie to move around is important, the outdoor space and access to the outdoors are the most important factors when considering this dog. They will spend a lot of time outside being active, so a large, fenced-in yard in a rural or suburban area is ideal.

Socialization

Australian Kelpies can be great family dogs when they get enough mental and physical stimulation. They are happy to relax with the family after a long day of work, but can become nippy to small children or other pets if their needs aren’t met. They do best with highly active families with older children who can participate in their activities or families with no children. Generally affable and sure-footed, they can benefit from early and frequent socialization to build up confidence even more in unfamiliar environments. They might be reserved with strangers, but they are typically not aggressive dogs.

Climate Considerations

These dogs were originally bred to withstand Australia’s harsh conditions and do relatively well with higher temperatures, although they should be given plenty of shade and water and not be left outside all day. Their double coat does provide them with some insulation from colder temperatures, although they don’t do well with extremely cold environments.

Potential Challenges

There are some considerations when thinking about getting an Australian Kelpie dog. Ideal owners are experienced and will have a very active lifestyle in which the dog is included in many activities, such as hiking or swimming. If their enrichment and exercise needs are not met, this very intelligent breed can become bored. That could lead to destructive behavior, excessive barking, the herding of small children or other animals, or separation anxiety. Consistent training using positive reinforcement methods and tons of stimulation can reduce the likelihood of destructive behavior. They have a very strong desire to work and will need that to be fulfilled daily in their routine.

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