Sheep Issue

[Aussie Whip 4,133]

14 hours ago, SheepChaser said:

2 - lots of Kelpies are yappy, scatty wastes of space, not wonder dogs from afar.

Some may be but in general are considered THE top working dog around the globe on all types of stock. You have to know what you are doing with them, same as any breed. Only ones I've seen that fit that description are the bored dogs, left on chains and underfed. Then they become the most annoying, deranged animals imaginable.

 

11 hours ago, SheepChaser said:

Yes hat is mostly probably down to training and handling, but also probably breeding. 

All down to that. If you get dogs from a good line or family and give them plenty of work you won't get many duds. 

[Neal 1,873]

9 hours ago, Aussie Whip said:

Some may be but in general are considered THE top working dog around the globe on all types of stock. You have to know what you are doing with them, same as any breed. Only ones I've seen that fit that description are the bored dogs, left on chains and underfed. Then they become the most annoying, deranged animals imaginable.

 

All down to that. If you get dogs from a good line or family and give them plenty of work you won't get many duds. 

Completely agree! As I've said before, when I bought my first kelpie, I simply bought one from the first advert I found in the Farmers Guardian. I was just lucky that he happened to be half Elfinvale and half Boanong and was the best dog I've ever met, let alone owned.

He was knocked over by a van at about a year old and had a deformed pelvis as a result. He walked like Old Man Steptoe and had the turning circle of an old Land Rover, but he knew where to place himself and often caught the rabbit that faster dogs where chasing...and even if he didn't, he invariably made the retrieve of their catch.

As a result, I've been lucky in having a similar gene pool to go back to so that I have a better idea of what I'll be getting. I also trust the breeder to pick a dog which suits my needs. It doesn't always work and I've not always got on with all of them as well as I did with Rusty, but none of mine have been what some would disdainfully call a "typical bloody kelpie."

[Aussie Whip 4,133]

8 hours ago, Neal said:

Completely agree! As I've said before, when I bought my first kelpie, I simply bought one from the first advert I found in the Farmers Guardian. I was just lucky that he happened to be half Elfinvale and half Boanong and was the best dog I've ever met, let alone owned.

He was knocked over by a van at about a year old and had a deformed pelvis as a result. He walked like Old Man Steptoe and had the turning circle of an old Land Rover, but he knew where to place himself and often caught the rabbit that faster dogs where chasing...and even if he didn't, he invariably made the retrieve of their catch.

As a result, I've been lucky in having a similar gene pool to go back to so that I have a better idea of what I'll be getting. I also trust the breeder to pick a dog which suits my needs. It doesn't always work and I've not always got on with all of them as well as I did with Rusty, but none of mine have been what some would disdainfully call a "typical bloody kelpie."

Don't know that much about the kelpie lines but Elfinvale are almost a household name here with their good dogs. I don't doubt their catching ability, I clocked a kelpie running next to the ute doing over 60km's an hour. It surprised me.

[Neal 1,873]

OldPhil, I keep forgetting to mention this to you: do you watch South Today? At the beginning of the programme, when they're playing the introductory music, they show several clips of "life in the south." One of the clips shows a bloke on horseback (looks like it's in the New Forest but could be any of our numerous pieces of heathland) with an Australian cattle dog walking along behind him.

[Neal 1,873]

On 09/03/2022 at 21:03, OldPhil said:

Yes, I would go along with the Aussie dog analogy,...but obviously not everyone wants to buy a Drover's coat and matching Kelpie dog as an essential accessory,...a few good souls, genuinely do want to use them on the farm...

When the first batch of Kelpies hit the UK, their breeder was fairly adamant that she would only sell, to working Shepherds. I was after a pup, but fate led me down another path

Unfortunately, more than a few of these early jukels, seemed to end up in the hands of men who could barely shit straight, let alone school a working dog...

I had a few crazy canines brought to me , and they really were a poor looking bunch of total headcases. Most had been messed about and their mind set, completely fecked up..

Ruined beyond repair...

I always passed them straight on to shepherding lads, they all said the same thing,.. "I'll give them a fair go and if they don't cut it, I'll shoot them".. Fair enough...

The Border Collie gene pool in the UK, far outweighs the Kelpie and Huntaway bloodlines.

Facts are, we didn't really need the kelpie ,..we already have, a superlative herder in the Working Collie...

In saying this, I have seen a few useful Kelpies, and even one or two Bearded Collies giving the sheep job a fair go, but the Border Collie (in all its many diverse types, shapes and sizes), still reigns supreme,...in the UK..

However, as a base for a roustabout rabbiting/mouching style lurcher, I still like the Kelpie and ACD influence...

I have left it a tad too late, to breed from my wee Whippet /Collie hybrid,..so when the time comes, I'll go walkabout and try a find myself a nice sort of pup...I hope there will be a few available,.. but, nowadays,.. ya can just never tell, eh... 

Go careful lads, all the best, OldPhil.

 

 

Crikey! Who's the red and tan in the photo? I was quickly scrolling down through the topic and had to stop for a moment as I'm sure it's Rusty. I can't imagine two dogs being that good looking!

[Black neck 16,110]

44 minutes ago, Neal said:

Crikey! Who's the red and tan in the photo? I was quickly scrolling down through the topic and had to stop for a moment as I'm sure it's Rusty. I can't imagine two dogs being that good looking!

Calm down dear

[Thefieldsaredark 19]

You find that sometimes a dog is ok with a field full of sheep but when there is a single sheep or just 2 or 3 some how when they run its game on and roast lamb on Sunday yet dog will still be ok with a field full of them I get a 20 meter length of rope and when dog go to run after then let him get near the end and give his neck a good yank

[Neal 1,873]

15 hours ago, Black neck said:

Calm down dear

It was a genuine observation. My wife is adamant that, not only is that a photo of my first kelpie, but that the photo was taken at our wedding. But neither of us remember the photo being taken. When I looked back at it again, I even realised that's his lead. I recognize it as it was a thin ferret lead as I don't like thick leads. I'm genuinely curious. When did you take it OldPhil?

[Black neck 16,110]

1 hour ago, Neal said:

It was a genuine observation. My wife is adamant that, not only is that a photo of my first kelpie, but that the photo was taken at our wedding. But neither of us remember the photo being taken. When I looked back at it again, I even realised that's his lead. I recognize it as it was a thin ferret lead as I don't like thick leads. I'm genuinely curious. When did you take it OldPhil?

Dunt let on that u can't remember your own wedding, there be hell 2 pay neal

[OldPhil 5,802]

4 hours ago, Neal said:

It was a genuine observation. My wife is adamant that, not only is that a photo of my first kelpie, but that the photo was taken at our wedding. But neither of us remember the photo being taken. When I looked back at it again, I even realised that's his lead. I recognize it as it was a thin ferret lead as I don't like thick leads. I'm genuinely curious.

When did you take it OldPhil?

Well, I do get,.. 'out and about' ya know..

I am surprised that you did not remember Neal,...I was actually,...the Vicar

 

Edited March 12, 2022 by OldPhil

[Black neck 16,110]

35 minutes ago, OldPhil said:

Well, I do get,.. 'out and about' ya know..

I am surprised that you did not remember Neal,...I was actually,...the Vicar

Vicars are skill

[Neal 1,873]

1 hour ago, OldPhil said:

Well, I do get,.. 'out and about' ya know..

I am surprised that you did not remember Neal,...I was actually,...the Vicar

But we had a female vicar! Honestly.

The only other time I can think of when you might have taken it (based on how old he looks in the photo) is when I met you at the New Forest Show. Do I get a prize if I get it right?

[OldPhil 5,802]

If you need any other images of Rusty, just PM me your Email addy and I'll send them over to you

[Black neck 16,110]

46 minutes ago, Neal said:

But we had a female vicar! Honestly.

The only other time I can think of when you might have taken it (based on how old he looks in the photo) is when I met you at the New Forest Show. Do I get a prize if I get it right?

I've looked into it neal ,turns out u can sue old Phil for a fiver ill go half's for sorting it all out tho 

[Neal 1,873]

5 hours ago, OldPhil said:

If you need any other images of Rusty, just PM me your Email addy and I'll send them over to you

Thanks OldPhil, that'd be brilliant!