Australian kelpie is a sheepdog. Kelpies are extremely active, highly intelligent dogs with a natural instinct for controlling sheep. These swift, muscular dogs are used for work in the Australian outback and animal auction yards in Australia.
The kelpie is descended from the Scottish short-haired collie. The kelpie has short hair and pricked ears, and its coat colors are black, tan, red, fawn, chocolate, or smoke blue.
The winner of Australia’s first sheepdog trial in 1872 was called Kelpie (Gaelic for water sprite). The sale of Kelpie’s pups gave the breed its name.
