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Noonbarra Kelpies are very intelligent dogs and like to have an outlet to use those brains. That is why they do so well in Obedience and Agility. They also make good tracking dogs. You do not need lots of acres for your dog to run. This is an important point because even if supplied with hundreds of acres, our Noonbarra Kelpies want to be with you. So unless you go with them, they'll just lie near the back door doing exactly the same as they would do in a city environment.
Obviously it is a good idea to walk your dog on a regular basis or even better to go for a run in the park but Kelpies need to be stimulated mentally as well as physically. Mental exercise is extremely important if you own a Kelpie. They are very intelligent dogs. Usually just a ride in the car can be enough stimulation. But even better would be to teach your dog tricks or learn tracking, agility, Flyball etc. Take your dog out with you. If you drop into the Video store clip your dog up outside. The same at the newsagent. Even a few minutes out with you helps.
Find out about your local
obedience club. These usually charge just a few dollars a week and it
is a great day out for and the dog. The added advantage is your dog
learns to fit in with the community. We often take our young dogs to
obedience for a month or two just to help them to be well socialised.
We have found it has made a huge difference.
Our Noonbarra Kelpies are very
intelligent and need to at least have some sort of mental
stimulation. They love to be around people and don't like to be left
out of things. In fact as I write this, it is raining outside and I
have two Kelpies lying on the floor. One is less than 6 months old
and not a problem at all in the house. The dogs on the Noonbarra
lines are bred to be easy to train and quite willing and capable of
learning tricks and complex commands. That is why they are so good at
film and TV work. But owners must be able to be consistent and fair
in all their dealings with a Kelpie. Kelpies do not respect an owner
who does not seem capable of being in the leadership (alpha dog)
position.
Because they are bred to withstand harsh conditions in the Australian bush and hot outback they rarely get too many health problems and the short coat means not too much dog hair or grooming. They are not prone to many of the common genetic diseases that seem to plague other breeds of dogs.
In the past we have taught our Noonbarra Kelpies to be handy helpers in the home. They can be trained to get things from your room such as shoes. We had one trained to know the difference between running shoes, slippers and work boots. Ask your dog to get the tea towel from the kitchen or find the TV guide. All this can be done and much more. You should start by teaching some basic obedience and then pick up a book on dog tricks.
Of course each Noonbarra puppy has his own personality and some are better suited to a city environment than others. We will certainly do our best to supply you with the Kelpie that is the most likely to fit into your situation. Another thing we like about our dogs is the fact that they rarely upset other animals. Some well bred Kelpies can upset horses, cattle, and even run sheep off and into fences etc. The Noonbarra lines of recent years are much better in this regard and tend to be calmer around animals. However, it should be noted that small fast animals such as cats, birds and rodents will often excite young Kelpies and must be introduced carefully to the new puppy. Older, mature Kelpies are usually fine with any animal.
If you are prepared to put just a little bit of time into making your dog part of the family it will pay off better than you ever thought possible. They are wonderful dogs to own.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Please note that cross-bred Kelpies, Show Kelpies, dogs from Pounds, and Kelpies from other breeders may not behave in the same way as Noonbarra Kelpies. We have spent many years and a lot of money to get our Stud to the level it is today.
We have had a number of people recently that have liked what they read about Noonbarra Kelpies but mistakenly thought it applied to the entire breed and even to cross-bred dogs. Many have bought dogs elsewhere that did not behave the way they expected and they then got no support from their breeder. We can only talk about how our Noonbarra Kelpies behave in these situations but we are happy to try and help people who are having problems with dogs that they have bought somewhere else. We of course give full on-going support to all Noonbarra customers.
SHOULD YOU OWN A WORKING KELPIE AS A PET?
We would like to point out that although one of our Noonbarra Working Kelpies can make an ideal pet for most families they are a very intelligent dog and also need an owner they can respect. These things need to be considered. You must be firm and consistent when you give your dog a command, this is especially important when dealing with puppies. In fact, if the owner allows a Kelpie to do whatever the dog likes there will quickly be a change in the dog's attitude and obedience. The dog will assume he is boss and leader and the owner will be (in the dog's mind) pushed into second place.
We prefer new Kelpie owners that have owned a dog before, so they at least have some idea of the responsibilities of owning a dog. If you are the type of person that when you walk into a room and find your Kelpie sitting up in your favourite chair, you decide to sit somewhere else, then I would not recommend a Kelpie. Kelpies are too smart and soon your dog will be doing whatever he likes and certainly not listening to you.
You don't have to be tough or hard, or even experienced, to own a good Kelpie but you should be firm and fair (and consistent) in your demands. Kelpies need leadership and guidance from their owners and will not respect a owner that gives into their every whim.
NOONBARRA WENDY AT NOONBARRA
Don't ever buy a Kelpie (or any dog) on a whim. Owning a dog is a big commitment. Go and see breeders, research the breed and take your time to make an informed decision. Don't buy a dog just because you think one would look good around your home or might be good for the kids. A Noonbarra Kelpie should never be bought just as an ornament and kept bored in a backyard, day after day. Our Kelpies deserves more than that. They can be a fabulous dog and a good friend an devoted mate if you are willing to share your life with one.
Every dog owner has a responsibility to their dog. They should provide a good life for their dog and they should make every effort to teach and help their dog to learn. They should provide companionship and fun for their dog. Please don't buy a dog unless you are sure you can do the right thing by the dog!
We very strongly recommend that anyone buying a Noonbarra Kelpie as a pet takes the dog to 'Puppy Kindergarten' and after 4 months of age to 'Obedience School'. Obedience schools are often held on weekends and/or at nights at local parks and usually go for an hour or so. The cost is often only a couple of dollars each week. Your dog learns to socialise with strangers, children and other breeds of dogs. Apart from that, your dog learns to obey you even when there are distractions around. It is a great learning experience and a whole lot of fun for the dog as well as the handler.
Our Noonbarra Stud Kelpies have a reputation for being very calm. They are especially calm inside but can be very active when needed outside. This is a good balance. Even though they are calm, it should be pointed out that this is in comparison to other Kelpies and other working type dogs.
A little puppy will usually not be very calm. Puppies are puppies. You have to expect a degree of excitability, very little attention span, a few toilet accidents and maybe something chewed up. This is just being a puppy. As your Kelpie begins to mature you will see more and more of their calmness coming through. They tend to be most excitable around 9-14 weeks of age and then very gradually get a bit better.
As breeders, we of course want
every one of our dogs to get the best possible start to life and with
that in mind we try hard to make sure the new owner puts at least a
bit of effort into the early behaviour training of their puppy. We
often keep in touch and send out helpful hints and tips on training
and we are always available if you need experienced
advice.
NOONBARRA MAX AND HIS LITTER OF PUPS 2002
New 3rd edition of this very popular manual designed for all Kelpie owners of every level from raw beginners through to experienced trainers. This practical manual deals with everything involved in owning and training a Kelpie to ensure he grows up to be a well mannered, obedient dog.
The book is not about training on livestock! It deals with general obedience training, socialising your Kelpie, feeding, crating, toilet training, preventing problem behaviour, dominance issues, car travel, bathing, digging holes, stealing food, walking on a lead, coming when called... and much more.
Over 100 pages. ... $30 (Plus $5 post Aust.)
Please note that cross-bred Kelpies, Show Kelpies, dogs from Pounds, and Kelpies from other breeders may not behave in the same way as Noonbarra Kelpies. We have spent many years and a lot of money to get our Stud to the level it is today.
We have had a number of people recently that have liked what they read about Noonbarra Kelpies but mistakenly thought it applied to the entire breed and even to cross-bred dogs. Many have bought dogs elsewhere that did not behave the way they expected and they then got no support from their breeder. We can only talk about how our Noonbarra Kelpies behave in these situations but we are happy to try and help people who are having problems with dogs that they have bought somewhere else. We of course give full on-going support to all Noonbarra customers.
Email:
kelpies@noonbarra.com
www.noonbarra.com