HomeWelcome to the home of the Working Kelpie Council. We are a national organisation dedicated to the continued growth and excellence of the Working Kelpie breed.
From humble beginnings, the Working Kelpie developed to the stage where it has now been exported to Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, USA, South America, South Africa, New Zealand, Germany, France and the Netherlands. These dogs have been successfully used to manage a variety of stock, including reindeer, goats, cattle and, of course, sheep. Kelpies in Sweden have gained police dog titles and pulled sleds. They are also being widely used as search and rescue dogs.
We have a wide selection of information in our Website including the history and origin of the breed, training methods and characteristics of the breed. Want to buy a pup? We have the current list of pups for sale in the Breeders Notes. Looking for a breeder? We have an excellent search engine (Locate a Breeder) to help you find a breeder near you.
The WKC Board invites an Expression of Interest in organising and Hosting of the 2027 National Kelpie Field Trial in New South Wales. The WKC By-laws require that the trial be conducted on a station property unless this is impossible.
NKFTC Hosting carries a WKC provision of $2000 prize money plus $500 towards host expenses, and if requested the supply of sashes for the Open Championship and a Novice event (if applicable).
The applicant(s) should read the NKFTC BY-LAWS and then provide a preliminary outline of a proposed 2027 date, venue, trial course and budget estimate.
If no applications for hosting in NSW are received before 31st July 2026, then the 2027 trial will be open to hosting in any Australian State.
Cerebellar Abiotrophies (CA) are incurable, inherited autosomal recessive disorders that cause difficulties with movement. Signs include ataxia, high stepping [hypermetria], wide stance, incoordination, falling over, difficulty jumping onto objects, fine tremors, a nodding head, difficulty eating or drinking from a bowl, and, occasionally, seizures.
CA is a progressive neurological disorder, and since there are no therapeutic treatment available the affected dogs are usually euthanized for humane reasons. Signs in affected dogs vary in time of onset according to the CA variant:
- Early-onset from 4–8 weeks of age
- Late-onset from 3–8 months (but sometimes later).
The disease is not common, with the level of CA markers in the population remaining relatively low; however, if two carriers are mated this can produce affected pups. DNA tests have identified a number of DNA Markers, however there are still some unknowns.
DNA testing is available and will return a result of “Tested Clear”, “Carrier” or “Affected”. Carrier dogs do not show any signs of disease, so buyers of working dogs not intending for breeding should have no concern about their health. However, when breeding, one parent dog in every mating must be clear (for each CA type) to ensure that pups will not be affected.
The WKC strongly recommends DNA screening tests of all breeding animals. Carrier dogs with superior working ability do not need to be removed from the breeding pool - simply ensure that their mate is clear for the CA marker(s) that they carry. This may result in some pups being carriers, but none will be affected.
DNA tests are currently available through Australian testing company “Dog Breeding Science”, and other laboratories. The tests of saliva or hair samples can identify whether a dog has any of the DNA markers for the known CA disease variants.
The WKC has commissioned Deborah Maxwell BVSc to prepare a comprehensive report about Cerebellar Abiotrophies in Kelpies. You can learn more about CA from this 10 page information paper:
If you are looking for a high quality working dog, please check out the Breeders Directory here...
National Stud Register
Dogs with (only) 5-digit registration numbers are registered in the WKC National Stud (Main) Register, which defines the breed. These dogs are “Fully Registered” and are deemed “Purebred” (having at least 4 sequential generations of matings to a WKC verified purebred sire). They must also be physically identifiable by a Tattoo marking that is registered with the WKC.
Appendix (A) Register
Dogs with numbers starting with A are registered in the WKC “Appendix Register”, as they are ineligible for the Main register for one reason or another.
The highest grade is A4 for dogs deemed as “Purebred”, which would have been eligible for Full Registration if they were Tattooed. The lowest grade is A1, which are dogs that have only 1 generation of WKC verified bloodlines. The other 2 grades A2 & A3 are for dogs that still have 2 or 3 generations respectively.
Special (S) Register
This facility is for WKC Breeders to record dogs that, whilst demonstrating good Working ability, are not eligible for the Appendix Register. These dogs are not technically “Registered”, so they Recorded in the unpublished WKC “Special Register”. So-called “Station Bred” dogs (with no verified pedigree) are also included in the S-Register.
The Appendix & Special Registers are intended to record the breeding of dogs that demonstrate strong Working ability. Through successive breeding with Purebred male Kelpies, their progeny can be elevated into the National Stud Registry.
The WKC uses a pedigree system of “Grading Up” which is widely used in livestock species like cattle and horses. Grading Up is the sequential use of pure-bred males over multiple generations to produce a “virtually pure-bred” result.
The usual sequence is that a Purebred male is used on females who's breeding is non-pure, unverified, or even of a different breed. The resulting first generation offspring are 1/2 the pure breed of the male. The daughters are then mated to another Purebred male, producing offspring that are 3/4 of pure bred. The next generation provides offspring that are 7/8 pure, the next generation is 15/16, and so on.
The WKC deems a "Purebred" Kelpie as a "4th generation" dog. This means at least 4 sucessive generations (of a line of female dogs) have been "Bred Up" to a Pure-bred sire. Therefore, the pedigree will show at least 93.75% of the dog's genetics are verified to be “Purebred” Working Kelpie.
The WKC Grading of pups is usually determined by the LOWEST grading of either parent dog. However, if the Sire is Purebred (A4 or Fully-Registered) then progeny is Upgraded or Elevated by one level. Since the Sire passes on genes to a larger number of pups, the system encourages “breeding up” to WKC-Registered Pure-bred Sires.
For example, the mating an A2 female with a Pure-Bred (Main Register or A4) sire will result in pups with a Grading of A3 (one grade higher than the mother). However, the mating of an A4 female with an A2 sire will result in Grade A2 pups (equal to the father, who is the lower). Mating of 2 x A2 dogs will result in pups with the same A2 grading.
WKC Registered Grades, with example of Registration Number:
| NATIONAL STUD REGISTER | 70123 (Purebred and tattooed) |
| APPENDIX Grade A4 | A4M-69123-24 (Purebred, not tattooed) |
| APPENDIX Grade A3 | A3F-54817-23 (3rd Generation) |
| APPENDIX Grade A2 | A2M-99123-26 (2rd Generation) |
| APPENDIX Grade A1 | A1F-99123-25 (1st Generation) |
| SPECIAL REGISTER | S-7526-22 (Ineligible for Appendix) |
The progeny of Appendix and Special Register females are elevated / upgraded by one level only if mated to a Pure-Bred male.
Please refer to this Reference table of WKC Pedigree GradesI remember an Englishman who had fought in the first World War, with both the British and Australian troops. His definition of a good handler of troops was "plenty of discipline with the Tommies and plenty of freedom with the Aussies". This applies to the Australian Kelpie and is sound advice to those who handle Kelpies.
There is no doubt that you can make a 'push button dog' out of a Border Collie, who thrives on discipline, but generally, the Kelpie is more of an individual who likes to 'do his own thing' than his British cousin. So, unless you accept this basic facet of the Kelpie, you have chosen the wrong breed and should look for another with a much more reactionary nature.
The first and soundest word of advice, which applies to buying any animal, is 'buy the best!'. The dog may not turn out to be a champion but you have more chance with a well-bred one than one 'off the neighbour' or getting one 'out of Bill Jones' good bitch', or 'a pup by old Tom's good dog'.
Secondly, decide the purpose for which you want your dog; yard work or paddock work. Very, very few dogs will do both these tasks capably. Genetically, any animals that are widely opposed in type and style do not produce offspring that are in between the two. All rounders are the hardest of all dogs to breed. Ask yourself the question, "Can I really run my stock enterprise with one dog? and should I do so?". You should plan the type of dogs you need.
Most stockmen have more than one dog, sometimes three or four, specialising in different jobs. I personally think it sound practice when working Kelpies to have a good paddock dog. When you get to the yards with the mob he will have done a lot of work, so tie him up. Then let your other yard dog work and you will have a fresh dog. You will have your stock work done faster and more efficiently.
When buying your Kelpie, choose a breeder who has good bloodlines. Avoid the breeder who has 'old Dot, the best casting and paddock bitch in the country, and mated to Rover, the best yard dog in the country, so she'll have pups that will be champion all rounders'. Too many prospective owners are obsessed with wanting a dog that has a good cast, is a wide worker, a good droving dog, plenty of bark in the yards and backs sheep naturally. I sometimes wonder would they also like the dog to count the sheep out the gate for them!
The Australian countryside is full of farmers who plan their homes, their fencing, their watering points and wool sheds. They buy good rams and bulls and yet don't even think of their dogs on whom they depend to run these enterprises almost every day.
A rule of thumb calculation is that it is wiser to pay approximately what you would pay your shearer in two days and buy a well bred pup. Thus, if he turns out a fair dog, he should be better value than a man's work for two days of the year. Avoid, 'like the plague' the dealer who buys sheep dog types from the city pound. He takes them home and tries them – if they bark or run round sheep he sells them as 'sheep dogs' to the unwary and inexperienced. A short cut, and cheap but unsatisfactory method of obtaining your Kelpie.
A good dog is one of the cheapest investments you can make on your property. He is an important labour saving device in this era of high cost labour. Find a breeder who has dogs that do work similar to your own. Ask the breeder for references of dogs bred by him working in your area, on your type of country. If he is a responsible breeder he will be more than willing to meet this request.
Another big decision for the prospective Kelpie owner to make is whether to buy a pup or a broken in dog. From experience with Kelpies, the soundest advice I can offer is to break in your own dogs if possible. Kelpies are very faithful, so the pup that grows up with you is generally a better dog than the one I would break in and sell to you. He is basically a one-man dog, and he usually does not take to strangers for a long time. This is even more noticeable with the good ones.
It is sound practice to have a young dog coming on each year or so. If you lose one, or he is getting old, you have a built-in insurance policy at the cheapest possible rate. Don't put yourself in the position of so many people who ring the Kelpie breeder urgently, saying he is in the middle of shearing and his dog was hit by a car and wants an all rounder to replace him. If you have your young dog coming on, this can be avoided.
There is much unexplainable prejudice towards colour in the selection of the Kelpie. So many would-be buyers seem to base their preference on the colour of a deceased favourite dog. Hence if 'old Rover' was red, they want to replace him with a replica. Hardly an intelligent criterion on which to base their choice.
Actually, the only colour guide, if any, in choosing a working Kelpie is a sign of tan markings on the face, chest, paws, etc on a predominately black, red, blue or fawn body. This is opposed to the show type Kelpie which is mainly solid black or red colour. Some buyers will not even entertain the idea of a fawn or cream dog, yet two of the all time great Kelpie sires were these colours. These were Woombi Zinc and Porters Don. Colour has little or no relation to a dog's working ability.
As far as 'bark' in a dog is concerned, I feel generally that the dog for yard work or forcing work of any kind needs to bark. The dog used in large paddocks or in those with little or no visibility should not bark as this will 'spook' the stock.