How to Identify an Australian Kelpie

Co-authored by Toni Woods

Last Updated: March 13, 2023

The Australian Kelpie is a Scottish and Australian breed assigned to the herding group.^{[1]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} Though the breed has their origins in Scotland where they were bred from Collies, their main development took place in Australia to work in their harsh climate and keep large groups of sheep handled.^{[2]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} Australian Kelpies share several traits with other cattle dogs, but they also have some unique traits. This wikiHow will help you identify an Australian Kelpie by recognizing what sets them apart from other breeds.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Checking the Structure

Australian Kelpies are medium-sized dogs. They stand at about 17–20 inches (43–51 cm) in height.^{[3]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

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An Australian Kelpie's head a bit rounded with a straight forehead and well-defined stop. It also has round cheeks that complement the chiseled foreface. In size, it is proportionate to the body's size.^{[4]
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The eyes of an Australian Kelpie are medium-sized and almond in shape. Corresponding to the coat color, they are generally a shade of brown but may be lighter in blue dogs. Their corners are defined well. The eyes help give the dog an expression of intelligence.^{[5]
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Australian Kelpies have fine ears that point slightly outward and curved. Being set a good width apart, they are pricked upward, starting at a strong base and ending in a fine tip. They are moderately sized and coated with hair on the insides.^{[6]
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An Australian Kelpie's muzzle is typically a small amount shorter than the head, appearing foxlike. Their teeth meet in a scissors bite, their lips are tight, and their nose complements the coat in color.^{[7]
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The paws of an Australian Kelpie are a strong, round shape. Their toes are arched and very close together, and the nails are a short length but still strong. The deep pads protect them from rough or rocky terrain.^{[8]
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Having a decent brush, an Australian Kelpie's tail reaches near or exactly at the hock in length. Its good set makes it appear as a continuation of the croup, which slopes. When the dog moves, it is sometimes raised but not above the topline. It curves slightly when it hangs down at rest.^{[9]
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Australian Kelpies are lithe, supple-limbed, muscular, active, and great in quality. They have a somewhat arched neck, sloping shoulders, a deep chest, well-sprung ribs, parallel and straight legs, a level topline, and distinctly raised withers. Their gait is tirelessly free and comprised of good reach and very strong drive while remaining sound.^{[10]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Viewing the Coat

Australian Kelpies have double coats comprised of both an outer coat and undercoat. The weather-resistant outer coat lies flat against and close to the body, appearing uniformly straight and feeling hard to the touch, while the undercoat feels rather dense and is a short length.^{[11]
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Though an Australian Kelpie's coat is comprised of hairs of varying lengths on different parts of the body, the overall average length of the hairs should be around 2–3 centimetres (0.79–1.18 in). Some of the longer hairs appear on the tail as a brush, on the backs of the thighs as breeches, and on the neck as a ruff. On the fronts of the legs and on the head, the hair is a shorter length.^{[12]
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An Australian Kelpie may have a base color of black, chocolate, red, fawn, or smoke blue. A black or red dog may be solid-colored, or they may additionally have tan markings.^{[13]
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Did you know? Australian Kelpies with solid black coats are sometimes referred to as "Barbs".^{[14]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Note of Temperament

Australian Kelpies are among the most intelligent of dog breeds. This can make them easy to train, but they need a great deal of mental stimulation to stay focused, on task, and entertained.^{[15]
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Having been bred to work tirelessly, Australian Kelpies have an abundance of energy and need regular opportunities to put it to good use. Activities such as hiking, agility, or herding, as they were made to do, can help use up their energy.^{[16]
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Australian Kelpies are naturally standoffish toward strangers. To prevent them from becoming overly aggressive, shy, or suspicious, they need to be frequently socialized from an early age.^{[17]
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Due to their high levels of intelligence, Australian Kelpies may act stubborn and are generally independent-minded. They are capable of learning many things but may choose to learn what they would like to learn, which may result in negative behaviors if not addressed.^{[18]
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Australian Kelpies were bred to herd. Thus, they may be driven to chase or "herd" other animals, children, or even vehicles. Their nipping behaviors need to be addressed during training by a firm owner to be curved.^{[19]
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