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Dog Sports
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Aust CH Linbarlee Killarra CD ET ADX JDX HIT (exp Sweden) The Australian Kelpie is a jack of all trades. Originally bred to work sheep in the harsh Australian conditions they are now making their way into our homes as a much loved pet. Due to their highly trainable natures they are excelling at various dog sports, including Agility, Obedience, Herding and even Lure Coursing (although you have to watch the ones that want to "round up" the lure!). The Australian Kelpie needs to be mentally stimulated probably more than physically. Games and tricks on rainy days will keep them amused. They are also great companions, wanting to spend every minute with you, and will love nothing more than going to work with you or sitting on the couch watching TV. The Australian Kelpie will not respond well to being left in the back yard and ignored. Please be aware that there are actually two strains of Kelpie now. The working bred and the bench bred. The working bred kelpies tend to be more highly strung and require more exercise and stimulation and would be better pets with more experienced and active owners. The bench bred or 'show' kelpie tends to have a quieter nature as the working instinct is not as strong in them. They are still an active dog but tend to make a more sedate pet than the working variety.
Agility & Jumpers Agility and Jumpers are a great sport for the Australian Kelpie. They love it! It is an excellent way to use up all that energy and a great way for you both to spend some really fun times together. Above: CH Linbarlee Limited Edition CD AD ET JD Obedience Australian Kelpies love obedience and excel at it. Their eager to please natures make training them a joy. Firm but fair training and positive reinforcement will bring out the best in your kelpie. When disciplining them make sure they are aware of what it is for, unjust actions will make them quickly lose respect for you. There are 3 levels of Obedience. Starting with Novice, you need 3 passes under 2 different judges. A pass is a score over 170 (out of 200) and this will give you your CD (Companion Dog) title. This class is mostly heel work, on and off lead, stand for examinations, on and off lead, and a recall. This is done individually. After the whole group has completed their workout then a group stay is required, in the sit and the drop positions with the handlers standing on the other side of the ring facing their dogs. The next level is Open. Again 3 passes are required and your kelpie will receive its CDX (Companion Dog Excellent). This class is all off lead and consists of heel work, and retrieving as well as a drop on recall. The stays at the end are done for longer intervals and with the handler out of sight of the dog. The highest level is Utility. Your kelpie will get its UD (Utility Dog) title from this one. This class has heel work with hand signals only (no voice commands allowed) as well as scent retrieving and scent discrimination. In one section you have a choice of "speak", "food refusal" or gloves. "Speak" the dog must bark on command clearly in the drop, sit and stand positions. "Food Refusal" the dog must refuse any food offered in the drop, sit and stand positions. "Gloves" the dog is to retrieve one of three gloves (nominated by the judge) placed on the other side of the ring. Groups at the end is a 10 minute stand with the handlers out of sight of the dogs. The dogs are also given a group Stand for Examination by the judge at this time. When your kelpie has obtained its UD title it can then compete for OC (Obedience Champion). At UD level the dog must obtain 5 scores over 185, 3 of which must be 1st place. There are several Kelpies in Australia with their OC titles. For more information on obedience contact your local obedience club. They usually advertise in the local paper or contact the Canine Control Council and they will direct you to the nearest club to you. Tammy receiving her 1st Place in Novice Obedience at the Brisbane Royal in 2001. She scored a brilliant 192 out of 200 and gained a round of applause from the crowd. She was only 12 months old. Herding Herding is relatively new to Australia, even though dogs have been working stock here for many years. This is a sport for the Group 5 'show bred' working dogs, that are registered with the ANKC. The instinct to work has not been a priority in the breeding of these dogs as they are mainly produced for the show ring. It is exciting to see the working instinct kick in when given the chance. Below are just a few photos from the girls first intro to herding, they had never seen sheep before and had never been taught to 'work'. More photos to be posted as they gain more experience at this exciting new sport to Australia. Above - Aust CH Linbarlee Killarra CD ADX ET JDX HIT (Tammy) is having heaps of fun. She now has her Herding Instinct Test title and she is in training for the next level. Showing Showing the Australian Kelpie can be heaps of fun. In Australia they are a part of Group 5 which is Working dogs. (In other parts of the world they are usually in the Herding Group). They are an easy dog to prepare for the ring, due to their shorter coats. But because they are competing against dogs with lovely flashy coats ie Border Collie, Collie Rough, Old English Sheep Dog, Shetland Sheepdog, and the hard to beat Corgies, they require some time keeping nice shiny coats and good muscle tone. Which can easily be done with good diet and exercise. Keeping your red/chocolate kelpie out of the sun during the day will help keep a rich glossy colour. The kelpie is a happy dog and a great mover so this is what you need to really get your dog to stand out. In the standard it says "lithe, athletic dog" but unfortunately we tend to have to carry a little more weight than we would like to satisfy the judges who like to see a 'well conditioned' dog. Showing for me is a great social event. I have many friends on the show circuit and it is always great to catch up. And if you do well in the ring, what a bonus!
Above is Phoenix winning Puppy in Show at the Cattle Dog and Kelpie Club Specialty Show in June 2004
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