Breeds / Medium
Australian Kelpie puppies
Extremely alert, eager and highly intelligent, with an open and active but placid disposition and a strongly inherited aptitude for working sheep. Loyal to its family, and will try to herd children and other pets if given nothing else to do.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Adult weight 15.9 to 22.7 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 35 to 50 lb
- Adult height 43 to 51 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming Low
- Typical lifespan 10 to 13 years
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Australian Kelpie puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Cerebellar abiotrophy, detectable by DNA test for the LINGO3 and VMP1 variants identified in the breed
- Collie eye anomaly, detectable by DNA test for the NHEJ1 mutation and by ophthalmoscopic examination of puppies at 5 to 7 weeks
- Progressive retinal atrophy, avoided only by DNA testing breeding stock before mating, since there is no effective treatment
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip radiographs scored under a formal scheme at 12 to 18 months
- Patellar luxation, detected by manual palpation of the stifle for a kneecap that slips out of its groove
- Degenerative myelopathy, detectable by DNA test
From Australian Kelpie breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/australian-kelpie. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Australian Kelpie puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Australian Kelpie.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 22.7 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other medium breeds
Previous: Australian Cattle Dog · Next: Australian Shepherd
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.