Kelpies as a stud,

[Chunky11 150]

I have spoken to a few sheep farmers around here who have Kelpie x Collie's. I'm not sure why they cross them but they seem to do the job. Perhaps the pure Kelpie is to much to train! 

[Neal 1,857]

On 10/01/2020 at 04:56, Chunky11 said:

I have spoken to a few sheep farmers around here who have Kelpie x Collie's. I'm not sure why they cross them but they seem to do the job. Perhaps the pure Kelpie is to much to train! 

When I bought my first kelpie cross back in (I think) '97 (!/4 kelpie 1/4 collie 1/2 greyhound) another guy (called Phil I think and from North Wales) was picking one up too and he described a pure kelpie as "Too much of a real dog for most people."

Eighteen months later I bought a pure one as I loved the differences I noticed in the lurcher compared to previous collie cross lurchers I'd either owned or met and while I can see what he meant I think it's more a case of accepting a dog who wants to do it his way (and is usually right) whereas the British mentality tends to prefer a biddable dog which does as it's told. Just my opinion.

[Chunky11 150]

42 minutes ago, Neal said:

When I bought my first kelpie cross back in (I think) '97 (!/4 kelpie 1/4 collie 1/2 greyhound) another guy (called Phil I think and from North Wales) was picking one up too and he described a pure kelpie as "Too much of a real dog for most people."

Eighteen months later I bought a pure one as I loved the differences I noticed in the lurcher compared to previous collie cross lurchers I'd either owned or met and while I can see what he meant I think it's more a case of accepting a dog who wants to do it his way (and is usually right) whereas the British mentality tends to prefer a biddable dog which does as it's told. Just my opinion.

I thing you have it spot on. My last collie died on the first of December & was 19 years old. He came off a farm on Exmoor & was going to be put to sleep when he was 12. He had been kenneled all his life. I took him home & couldn't ask for a better dog. 

I only keep a few sheep to follow behind the horses & don't think I would have the work for a Kelpie but do wonder if a first cross would do the job of a lurcher & the occasional bit of work on sheep. 

[SheepChaser 8,083]

In all honesty - and I am not knocking the kelpie at all, I think in most cases here in the UK the best of the collies would make most of the kelpies about look average. There isn’t much you can do with a kelpie here that you couldn’t do with a collie.

In my honest opinion it’s mainly due to the desire for something different and especially something from down under. 
 

Having said that, there are a hell of a lot of average collies being bred, so I think some people go for a Kelpie in the hope of getting something a bit more raw. The reason for the kelpie x collies is probably because there are a lot more collies about to put a kelpie over than other kelpies and the price tag on a x breed is a fraction of what kelpies are sold for, because they are fashionable.

I am not knocking kelpies at all and would kennel some of the good ones I’ve seen, but have never seen one do anything a collie couldn’t do.

I have a four year old kelpie / collie bitch that I use as a yard dog - speaks on command etc. Handy thing.

[TOMO 26,046]

ive only just this second rememberd who sheep chaser is.....how ya keeping buddy?

[SheepChaser 8,083]

30 minutes ago, W. Katchum said:

Well as far as the cross goes they are deffo different to nearly every half x collie I ever been around

This I do not doubt, I think the blood joins really well with a greyhound and pretty much every kelpie blooded runner I have seen has been a smart and handy beast! 

I think maybe a part of it, is that fact that the quality of collies has gone down a fair bit. A lot of them have no bottle any more. A lot of people wouldn’t like my collies and find them too grippy,  hard and nasty lol.

I am not knocking kelpies, just musing on what I’ve seen in my day to day work. And it’s maybe just because I’m comparing them to my own dogs, where there maybe isn’t a whole lot of difference! 

Edited to add - the best kelpies I’ve seen here have been imported from Scandinavia randomly! 

Edited January 12, 2020 by SheepChaser

[SheepChaser 8,083]

29 minutes ago, TOMO said:

ive only just this second rememberd who sheep chaser is.....how ya keeping buddy?

Haha yes it is I.

Never could find my password for the old account after a few years away.

I am keeping well, living in the land of the enemy haha. But there is more game down here than you could wish for, so me and the dogs are happy enough! 
 

Hope you’re well, it’s good to see that sine if the old guard are still going. 

[socks 32,253]

Buy that kid some shoes for fukcs sake

[socks 32,253]

28 minutes ago, W. Katchum said:

Can’t I owe you the shoe money

Well if that’s the reason his feet will soon toughen up

[jigsaw 11,863]

Out today with my two, their well able to travel, don't get tired too easy 

[stormyboy 1,352]

Pups are shaping up nicely guys.

[jigsaw 11,863]

They were OK with it, not sure what they were to do but piled in by the dog pup anyway, still very young, brought them out to tíre theem out 

[Neal 1,857]

22 hours ago, W. Katchum said:

Aye best a luck way that, Iv never saw mine tired, she switches off okay but still just lays an watches the world go by

Agree there! I've found that with most of mine. A lot of people who've only met kelpies from certain lines think they're all go and no off button but mine have largely been a bit on the Bob Marley side. When I moved into the house I'm currently in, I moved in with my first two kelpies (fourteen years ago). I was teaching full time at the time so all my dog walking was either five in the morning or late in the evening. When it got to the Easter fortnight and I took them out in the day one of my neighbours was shocked to see I had any dogs as she'd not heard a peep out of them. Similarly with the kelpie/collie lurcher, I was bed bound for a week or so once with pleurisy (sp) and he just got a short walk courtesy of my late mum every day (c quarter of an hour) and spent the rest of the day asleep at the bottom of the sofa-bed (I didn't have the energy to crawl upstairs!).

[Marvel 469]

this might help lmrj

[Black neck 15,873]

26 minutes ago, W. Katchum said:

Couple hours out this morn before the driving rain an snow took the fun out the day, pup getting big now, an knows what’s what upto now

Looks well that mate