Cross Breed, But Wondering What Are Kelpie Traits?

[Tisha'sMummy]

Hi allIn January I adopted a then 13 month old female, advertised as a kelpie/border collie cross. Well, I have no idea where the border collie is meant to be, as there is absolutely nothing to suggest that, but she has a fair amount of kelpie in her. I have never had a kelpie before. She has some endearing traits, that I would love in the next dog I get (not for a few years, I have a 10 year old dog as well). I was wondering if anyone knows whether these things are kelpie traits, some other breed, or just my girl's general personality.She talks. There are all these different barks, yips and whines. She talks when she plays with my other dog, by herself, or with us. I have to say, I am not a lover of barking dogs, but these are definate talking sounds. lol (she also has to have the last word when told off for making too much noise. But, according to my son, that is just a female trait)She uses her paws in such an endearing way. Not her claws. She wraps her paws around our hand when we start to move it away from her. She will put her front paws around my neck and then wrap her paws behind my neck - a more definate hug I have never seen!She is also part goat - running across the backs of chairs etc. That is so not a trait I would like to replicate. lol But it does make me laugh. Okay, I am sure as soon as I hit post I will think of a million more traits I wanted to question. I am going to try and post a picture of her. But my computer skills and my desires may not be compatible...

[Kavik]

Kelpies can be quite vocaL dogs and they are very agile - we were practicing balancing on rocks and trees on our walk yesterday.

[Gayle.]

Just because you can't see the Border Collie, doesn't mean it's not there. That's a common working breed cross, and many of them look like kelpies, many others look like BC's and many look like a definite cross.

My Aussies all use their paws like hands....to hug, to open things, to hold things. Maybe it's a collie thing.

[Tisha'sMummy]

Thanks for the replies guys. She is the most fantastic dog, full of personality and mischief. I never would have believed I would find it funny to be down to one pair of half chewed shoes. LOL Love my Tisha to pieces.

[koalathebear]

I think it really varies. I've seen extremely vocal, chatty Kelpies - one Kelpie at recent agility trials barked all the way through the course - but my dog Hoover is extremely quiet. He normally doesn't make a sound and when he does bark or whimper, it's very funny and unexpected. Elbie, my Kelpie/Border Collie cross generally doesn't bark much - although he has a bad habit (which we are working on!) of barking when he's tied up or when one of us walks away from him. Elbie definitely uses his paws like hands and will swat, put his paw on top of our hand, grip things etc.

The traits that are generally common to Kelpies are - smart, eager to please, responsive, alert and affectionate. Most people will also say high-energy, but to be honest my two are fine with only one walk every two days (I alternate - I walk one dog one morning, the other dog the next day etc). I haven't noticed any nuisance barking or destructive behaviours but they do self-exercise as they chase each other around the yard, rest, chase then rest

Edited May 27, 2011 by koalathebear

[Guest Ams]

The running along the backs of chairs is a Kelpie thing. They are used to run along the backs of sheep to herd in shearing sheds. She sounds like a giggle a minute though.

[Ons]

not sure about kelpies but all the things you mention are very coolie like especially the holding hands and the vocal noises "woo woo woo" is a common sound from my male coolie. Wait till you tell her off and then she answers back And kelpies were derived from coolies so sounds like you have a normal kelpie there

I fostered a kelpie last year for a few weeks, the most beautiful dog ever but oh she was a livewire

there is a great kelpie thread in general dog discussions

[Tisha'sMummy]

Guys, you are all fantastic. One other thing I wanted to question. My other dog, who Tisha is devoted to (she is definately HIS dog lol) enjoys sleeping under the blankets as the weather cools down. Tish panics. She doesn;t know where he is, and I have had to resort to uncovering a portion of him. Even after I show her where he is, if you cover him again she panics again. I would swear she honestly does not realise he is still there. If my son or I cover our face with our hands, she will panic and scratch, bloody hard, til we remove our hands. Now, she is most definately intelligent enough to work it out, so was wondering if it was a breed trait?

She really is a character. I have never had a dog with so much personality. When I got her, she was a biter. Not hard, just play biting. But, I wasn;t going to allow that. Now she yawns, and 'accidentally' just happens to get her mouth around your arm. lol I have to be so strong to not laugh at her but tell her off. lol

As someone else said, she self exercises. She will grab anything, (pliers, paper, ball etc) and run off, waiting for the couch potato of my other dog to chase her. lol She has made him loose all his excess weight, which is great, and he enjoys life so much more.

Hmm, now the barking when left, that is my other dog, I really need to know how to stop that. I swear one day some one will report me for cruelty, when I have just tied him up outside a shop. He would go on many more walks if he would wait quietly like Tisha does.

[Ons]

I don't think the panicking about where you are is a breed trait because as you say your dog is highly intelligent and would work it out. My gut feeling is, but there are more experts on this Forum about it, is a security thing for her and she may be getting anxious. She was a bit older when you adopted her, she obviously is very much loved and spoilt and may well not have had the bestest of lives previously to January so she may just be still a bit insecure that the rug is about to get pulled under her feet and panic when she can't see you. I would imagine as time goes by that she will settle more, it has only been four months. Try saying a loud "no" too when she scratches you and then a big cuddle when she stops, smart dog easy to train . And I probably wouldn't pander so much to her by showing where the other dog is, distract her with a toy or a game will all help.

good for you for the biting! It annoys me so much that people can't teach their dogs as puppies simple things as not to play bite! I had a stumpy tail cattledog foster dog who was about 11 months old who had never been taught not to playbite - he certainly learnt quickly but oh gosh I had some bruises in the meantime!

As for barking, when I can solve that problem with my Latte I will answer yours

[BMAK]

you deffinately have a part kelpie, sounds like my girl, as you stop patting her she demands more by wooing and making crazy noises + softly and putting her paw out on you until you keep patting they are very persistant and demanding i find when they want to do something.

also i notice when she eats something slimy or yummy after she has eaten she will rub her face on the carpet or her bed making same noises and growling in plesure ahah.

and face pulling is part of it.

[Tim'sMum]

also i notice when she eats something slimy or yummy after she has eaten she will rub her face on the carpet or her bed making same noises and growling in plesure ahah.

My Kelpie X, Tim, does that too...uses my leg or the couch as a serviette.

He also barks a bit but isn't as 'chatty' as our Staffy.

[Chezy]

Guys, you are all fantastic. One other thing I wanted to question. My other dog, who Tisha is devoted to (she is definately HIS dog lol) enjoys sleeping under the blankets as the weather cools down. Tish panics. She doesn;t know where he is, and I have had to resort to uncovering a portion of him. Even after I show her where he is, if you cover him again she panics again. I would swear she honestly does not realise he is still there. If my son or I cover our face with our hands, she will panic and scratch, bloody hard, til we remove our hands. Now, she is most definately intelligent enough to work it out, so was wondering if it was a breed trait?

She really is a character. I have never had a dog with so much personality. When I got her, she was a biter. Not hard, just play biting. But, I wasn;t going to allow that. Now she yawns, and 'accidentally' just happens to get her mouth around your arm. lol I have to be so strong to not laugh at her but tell her off. lol

As someone else said, she self exercises. She will grab anything, (pliers, paper, ball etc) and run off, waiting for the couch potato of my other dog to chase her. lol She has made him loose all his excess weight, which is great, and he enjoys life so much more.

Hmm, now the barking when left, that is my other dog, I really need to know how to stop that. I swear one day some one will report me for cruelty, when I have just tied him up outside a shop. He would go on many more walks if he would wait quietly like Tisha does.

I don't know about trait , but my small terrier used to do the scratch at covers thing, I used to do it and turn to get a back scratch