The working Kelpie originated in Australia around the mid 1800's.
It has now been confirmed that the Dingo had played an early part in the development of the breed but that the Kelpie
has no connection with the Border Collie whatsoever. The Border Collie was formed after the Kelpie was established. The breed
was mainly developed from strains of dogs working various stock. Numbers today, in Australia, are in excess of 250,000 of
the working type.
Breed Colours
Black Kelpies once fairly common but these days are rarely seen in working dogs.
Red and tan very popular and the second most common colour, although
numbers may be in decline as some of the black and tan male sires now used for breeding do not carry any red and tan genes.
Black and tan is the most common working dog colour in Australia
and was considered to be the colour of the first Kelpie that was born around the late 1860's or early 1870's.
Less common colours blue, cream and fawn
and tan.
