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We are a small family run and well established Australian Working Kelpie Stud. We are regarded as a 'Parent' Stud, breeding along many years of our own proven Noonbarra bloodlines and supplying many Noonbarra Kelpies for other breeders. We often only breed a small number of puppies each year. For example, we only bred 25 pups in 2007, and not many more in 2008. Despite only selling small numbers of puppies compared to some other Studs, we have a National and International reputation for breeding outstanding Working Kelpies. We also have a very high profile with our customers who are proud to own a Noonbarra Kelpie and often help to promote our Stud through word of mouth.
We breed our Noonbarra Kelpies to be good natured, very clever, friendly dogs. We like them to be able to settle and have a degree of natural calmness in them. We prefer kind, gentle dogs that are devoted to their owners. This type of dog is ideal as working companions for Jillaroos, stockmen and farmers as well as for families living in the cities. Our dogs have been selected and very carefully bred to have the very best attributes and abilities of the bred. Noonbarra Kelpies are smart thinking, steady workers who are extremely versatile and have the ability and stamina to work at the highest level on cattle, goats, sheep, ducks, pigs, Alpacas and other livestock as well as close yard work or wide outrun and break out when mustering in paddocks.
We only breed a small number of Kelpies each year but our dogs tend to get high profiles are highly sought after. Our Noonbarra Kelpies are very much bred along the old-time sheep and cattle station bloodlines and have retained their superb holding ability, break-out and style that is sadly missing from so many of the modern lines.
We have bred State and National Sheepdog Trial Champions and winners in Yard, Utility and Arena Sheepdog Trials. We have Noonbarra Kelpies working on 5 acre Hobby Farms and on Sheep & Cattle Stations of more than 500,000 acres as well as in the cities as companion pet dogs.
Our dogs have also made a big impact with people wanting good loyal companion dogs. Our stock is so highly regarded that they have been used in more than thirty other Kelpie breeding establishments around Australia as well as overseas. We are very proud to be producing some of the very best breeding lines in Australia.
BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR NOONBARRA KELPIE
We like our customers to be 100% sure before they book their Noonbarra Kelpie. With that in mind, it is best if you have seen a few Kelpies and understand that they are very intelligent and are dogs that want to be involved with you and your family. They need regular walks and exercise like all breeds. No more - no less. Don't buy on a whim. Owning a dog is a serious commitment. We suggest you get a copy of our DVD and a the 'Kelpie Basics' book first to ensure you know what is involved in owning one of our Kelpie pups.
Before you book and send a deposit please give us as many details as possible about what you require in your puppy.
It is important to be prepared for the arrival of your pup. If you are picking your pup up from the Stud please bring a dog crate if you have one. If not, we have bought in a few good sized crates for our customers at cheap prices ($90 in 2011). This size is suitable even for medium sized adults. (small crates $60) We crate train all our own puppies and have found it the easiest way to work with little pups. We also have optional packages where we start all crate training for you before you pick him up. If you don't want a crate then bring an old sheet or towel or some plastic sheeting to put on the seat of your car.
Bring a leash with you as you will need to stop on the trip home to let the pup relieve itself. Those wet napkins you get at KFC and fast food outlets are great for cleaning dirt off puppies feet.
When you get your pup it is always a good idea to get the pup Vet checked a few days after arrival and get your Vet's recommendations on any particular diseases or health problems in your area such as Ticks, Heartworm or Parasites. There are now new vaccinations available for Ticks and Heartworm. This applies even more to overseas sales where countries may have unusual diseases such as Rabies that are not found in Australia.
After getting your pup don't waste any time in getting a dog tag. The last thing you want is for your pup to go missing in the first week or so.
INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ON CRATES AND CRATE TRAINING
If you email or phone us and let us know when you want a puppy we'll
contact you and let you know of upcoming matings etc that may be suitable for
your needs.
If you wish to proceed with the purchase there is a deposit of $100 required to secure your choice. (This is for Australian deposits only. Overseas deposits are $250 due to veterinary, export organising and any special requirements etc.). Deposits are non-refundable.
As most litters have a number of bookings and some are fully booked before the pups are even born, we strongly suggest that if you are really serious about buying a Noonbarra puppy that you get a deposit to us as soon as possible. It doesn't have to be for a particular litter. It might just be for a certain sex, colour, size, behaviour or working ability or by a particular sire or dam.
We are very happy to spend time discussing your dog needs and what would suit your situation. We strongly encourage every customer to send in a email or letter describing in detail as much as possible about the Kelpie they want. We then keep this on file for you. We try to help everyone to the best of our ability and we especially try to be clear about what owning a dog entails. We will try to give you an indication of what is coming up but with regards to gender, size, colour and numbers in a litter, we often have to leave that to mother nature. The more details we have, the easier it is for us to get you a great match to fit in with your lifestyle, experience with dogs, traits, requirements etc.
From this point, a deposit is absolutely essential if you want to secure a booking and have a puppy held for you. Once we have your deposit you are put onto a special list with details about what you require that we refer to constantly and your needs are discussed in relation to the puppies we have and that are coming up. This list is what we work from. Customers who have booked and paid a deposit are always our priority. Unless someone is on the secured booking list we can't do any planning or evaluating of pups for them.
A deposit is an indication that you are genuine about purchasing a puppy. We need to spend the time & effort with people we are know are serious about owning a puppy. We get a lot of young people (and a few older people) enquiring that often don't have the money to buy a puppy or don't have the facilities to house a puppy. Others enquire and seem serious about it all but enquire about litters every few months without ever making a purchase and this may go on for years as they are really only wishful. Others are not prepared to wait for a quality pup. Each year, we get many thousands of inquiries and we need to know which are genuine because we like to put a lot of time into evaluating and discussing each customer's situation on an individual basis. The sooner you are on 'The List' then the sooner you will get your puppy.
REFUNDS
Your deposit is not refundable!
The whole idea of a deposit is to show that you are genuine and are making a commitment to purchase a puppy. However, if the pup you have ordered is locked into only one particular mating or locked into a very short time period and this has been discussed with us clearly (best to have this in an email to us) before you have proceeded with your deposit and for some reason is not available or we feel the pup/dog is not fully suitable, then your deposit will be refunded in full. Obviously in a case such as this where you are completely locked-in to one litter we will not be looking at any other litters or individual puppies for you and we will automatically allocate those pups to other customers.
The normal wait for a pup to be born that we feel is suitable for your requirements, lifestyle and level of experience may take from about 6 weeks to about 16 weeks (sometimes sooner) but if the customer has special requirements or wants unusual colours or have a large number of locked-in traits or requirements they feel is important to them etc. it could take 12 months or more.
Please do not secure a booking with a deposit unless you fully intend to purchase a Kelpie from us. If you haven't fully decided, then it would be best to wait. This is a serious commitment and it's not like just booking a dinner reservation. We want our customers to be 100% sure before they go ahead. We are happy to answer all your questions (most answers will be on the website anyway) until you are 100% ready to put down a deposit. There is no hurry our end. We are never desperate to sell anyone a puppy. We prefer our customers to wait if their situation is not quite right for them at a certain time (new job, new house, new baby etc.). It is always nice to be able to spend time with a new puppy and enjoy the experience in full.
Please note that a deposit is non-refundable if you just change your mind or buy a pup somewhere else. The whole idea of the deposit is to show you are committed to buying a Noonbarra Kelpie. It allows us to plan our breeding program, our advertising and to organise customers and puppies. Most customers need a few weeks to organise getting a new dog. They may need to take time off work or plan the trip to our Stud, or just set up for a puppy (fencing) etc.
We need to make sure you are serious as a good amount of time and effort goes into selecting you the right puppy. If you want to only book a certain litter and accept nothing else, (or a certain colour, size or gender) then let us know that clearly when you make your deposit so that we don't look at puppies in other litters.
TRANSFERRING YOUR DEPOSIT OR
POSTPONING YOUR PURCHASE
You can transfer your deposit from
litter to litter and we encourage that if the exact puppy you want is not available in a
litter. If you prefer to buy an adult and the right one is available you can
transfer your deposit that way as well. You can also postpone your purchase.
Some customers in the past have postponed for more than a year, which is fine.
You can postpone up to a maximum of 3 years if needed. This happens for a number of reasons such as health issues,
family problems or when stockmen
loses their job or a city person is temporarily posted interstate or overseas
or a new home is not completed when it was expected to be. If possible, please
let us know as soon as possible if you need to postpone so we can make puppies
available to other customers.
You cannot postpone once the pup is 6 weeks old and has been allocated to you. [Your deposit will be forfeited]. Late postponements mean a lot of work for us. Even though we always have customers waiting for puppies, not all puppies are going to be right for people. If you postpone at the last minute, we have to find someone who wants a puppy that exact colour, gender, size, temperament, abilities, personality and behaviour. We have usually also turned a number of people away as the pup was already sold. As well, we can't give customers any time to organise themselves. So it usually takes a lot of time and effort to be able to rearrange a puppy for new customers at such short notice. Most customers need at least a few weeks notice. Often we have to re-advertise the puppy. Late postponements will forfeit your deposit.
DEPOSIT PAYMENTS
Deposits can be paid with Paypal, Personal Cheque (Aust only), Cash, Direct Deposit, Money Order.
Let us know as soon as you have made a payment as in some cases we are not informed by Paypal or bank and we want to get your booking signed in as quickly as possible so you don't miss out.
Click here to Email us or Phone: 02- 6366 0499
Please send
cheques, money orders etc. to:
Mary and Stephen Bilson
Noonbarra Kelpie
Stud
P.O. Box 1374, Orange NSW, Australia 2800
Paypal is very easy and quick. You can even use your credit card over a secure page if you prefer. If you haven't used it before just go to www.paypal.com and follow a few simple directions. Our PayPal account is mary1@noonbarra.com This is the only account that payments can be made to.
So you just make a payment to that account and it is available to us within minutes. (Please contact us when a Paypal payment has been made to avoid any delay in posting your purchases.) Go to www.paypal.com to make a purchase with Paypal.
We can also accept direct deposit. This takes 2 business days to be available from our bank. There is no bank charge in Australia but there is for international deposits.
All prices are in Australian dollars
Payment or deposit can be made via : Paypal, Cash [We offer a small discount for cash], Moneyorder, Direct deposit.
It is important to us that our Kelpies go to good homes. Unlike some other breeders we are quite happy for our dogs to be sold as family pets and companions. We have had great success in this area with very happy customers (see our Pets page or Customer Comments.) As long as the dog has a good life, we are happy.
While the pup is young, we expect our customers to at least be able to spend a couple of hours each week doing some basic obedience or behaviour training with their dog. That's just 3 or 4 lessons of about 30 minutes. It is essential that the pup gets a daily walk. If you haven't got that time to spare it may not be a good idea to buy a pup (of any breed). Perhaps think about getting something a little older, a dog that has already had the basic training, although walking is still needed.
All Noonbarra Stud puppies sold are fully wormed, fully registered in the stud book of the Working Kelpie Council of Australia, vet checked and vaccinated for all major diseases. [C3]. In some of the older pups usually some basic obedience has already been taught. Started dogs are also often filmed working sheep. We are happy for the customer to pick a simple name and we will try to register the dog in their chosen name.
Our Noonbarra Kelpies are fully registered in the National Stud Book for purebred Working Kelpies, held by the Working Kelpie Council of Australia (The official registering body).
PRICES (In Australian Dollars)
Young puppies from $850 - $950
(average price)
See Overseas Page for exporting of our
Kelpies. [Add $50 crate training package for pups being flown
interstate]
vaccinated/wormed/Stud registered/puppy folder/ Vet
checked) Approx. 7-8
weeks
Lightly trained & started Kelpies ... Approx. $1000 - $2000 (Australian)
Fully trained adult Stud
kelpies are not often available but can range up around $3,000 -
$6,000.
Some Stud Kelpies have been offered up to $20,000!
|
Finn was perfectly matched to what Pete was after, and I know he has mentioned before how delighted he is with the job you both did in matching his request with his puppy. |
PRICING
Puppy prices listed on this web site are for 7 to 8 week old pups. If you want a pup held a bit longer, we charge $30 per week after that period, which includes any extra wormings, feeding, cleaning etc. but excludes any extra Veterinary requirements and all training, socialising etc. We do not like to hold pups longer than 10 weeks. After 10 weeks price usually rises dramatically as this is the main period for training and socialising. Prices after 3 months will be based on individuals. If you want a pup held for you, we strongly recommend you get a puppy training package. This will include ongoing basic handling and training, socialising, crating, car trips, interactions with strangers etc. $100 at 8 weeks - $150 at 9 weeks - $200 at 10 weeks.
BASIC
CRATE TRAINING PACKAGE ... $50
This package is for crate training your puppy before you get him.
This training usually takes between 4 and 6 days. We first introduce a number of puppies
together and gradually get down to the puppy in the crate on his own an for
extended periods including a couple of overnight sessions. Puppies are usually
ready to go by 8 weeks of age.
We do a number of days and overnight training of your puppy to accept and be comfortable when confined to a crate. Most see this as their own special den and will go in of their own accord. This is a great help to all customers but it is essential to any pup being transported by plane to their destination. [See info below]. Getting your puppy started well in a crate is a big help to new puppy owners. Some people prefer to do all the training themselves and we are happy with that (unless the puppy is being flown) but for most people getting the timing right and knowing what is normal behaviour in a crate etc. can be daunting and we recommend this basic package to get them started in the right direction.
Without this training, many pups are likely to bark or howl or even panic for hours if not crate trained properly. Many will soil their crate or may vomit just from stress & panic so the initial crate training should be done with lots of understanding and preferably with two pups together for short day periods and then the period in the crate gradually lengthened and the pup in on his own. You have to know when a pup needs to get out to relieve himself and when he is just frustrated at being restrained. Experienced dog owners know how to do this but new dog owners can have a nightmare unless the breeder does the first few days of crate training for them. This crate training package is good foundation training and stops your puppy from panicking in a crate and makes all your other training much easier. More info on how to crate train is in our book 'Kelpie Basics'. Please note that by no means can we make your puppy perfect in a crate within that short time frame. We can make the puppy accepting of the crate, not panicking and content & relaxed most of the time but most pups are not 100% happy to be restrained in a crate until they are at least 5 months of age or older. You should still expect 5 minutes of whining or protest at night for the first week or when travelling in the car. If you continue your pup's crate training he will absolutely love his crate just like our dogs here!
The full puppy training package includes crate training when travelling as well. The Export training package does much more extensive crate training as does the $200 training package for pups at 10 weeks of age.
The crate training you did with him worked wonders and he happily trots into his crate whenever I go to bed, and in the morning is happy to stay there until I decide to wake. James Boyle and Noonbarra Scamp. 2010.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Pups being transported by plane!
We will not allow any pup to fly without a puppy training package. It is not
fair to the pup to send them by plane without a lot of crate training, exposure
to traffic, noise, travelling and people before they leave. We want our pups to
enjoy their flight and not be stressed. This cost is automatically added to the air freight costing. [Interstate pickups at our
Stud are exempt but crate training at least is still recommended]. Often pups can be delayed at airports
and we don't want any of our pups stressed in any way. With this training, your
puppy arrives a lot more relaxed and happy.
*Basic Puppy Training Package ... $100 - 8 weeks of age
We currently offer a great package for puppies before being purchased. This
is the package we would recommend to most customers unless they are very
experienced at dog training. This training is usually done between the 7th week and 8th week but
may be started as early as 6 weeks. Most pups are ready to go to their new homes
by 8 weeks. This has been very popular with many of our customers. It's only
another $50 on top of the crate training. ($100)
This optional training package includes a lot of extra basic training and handling on your puppy before you pick him up. This is a terrific start in the right direction and can make a big difference. This would be very helpful for most customers but may not be as important for experienced dog owners who prefer to do their own basic training. It would definitely be a great head start for beginners that are not used to owning a dog or haven't had a Kelpie before. It includes all the crate training as in the $50 Basic Crate training package but for just $50 more we continue on to include many other things. It is very time consuming for us so we don't like to push it too much but it's important that customers get the best possible start with their puppies if they haven't had a lot of training experience.
This $100 package also includes crate training and tying up when travelling. We modify it a bit depending on the needs of the puppy but the main thing is we get a good start on general training, exposure to new things and socialisation. We also begin teaching general manners and handle the pup a lot more. We do a number of car trips with the pup. We start the Down-Stay lesson. Don't expect anywhere near 100% perfection though as a puppy of this age has only a very little attention span and will often forget and get distracted. The idea is to start the pup off so he understands the training and is already getting into good habits, especially learning to be calmer around people. It takes it so much easier for customers. We also start teaching the 'sit' command. (We like puppies to sit before we give them a meal). We expose the puppy to noise, older dogs and traffic. We also teach general manners in the house and teach the pup to be calm and relaxed (within reason of course) when required. We also do tie up training which is important. The puppy gets handled a lot and learns to interact with older dogs and with us. The puppies spend more time in the house and out and about with us. We also do more socialising & general handling with these pups. Often the pup is taken into town to interact with noise and people.
We also strongly suggest you get a copy of our basic training book - Kelpie Basics!
| She loves being in her crate and has slept through the night happily, pretty much consistently since we got her home. She loves going for walks on the lead and in the last week or so has really started to get the routine down pat, like sitting at the gate to put the lead on, sitting before we cross the road etc. Thanks again for the training you did with her as I doubt we would have been able to achieve all this without the strong foundation you established. Noonbarra Frankie owned by Tara and Alec. |
INTERSTATE PUPPIES
Pups being transported by plane!
We will not allow any pup to fly without a puppy training package. It is not
fair to the pup to send them by plane without a lot of crate training, exposure
to traffic, noise, travelling and people before they leave. We want our pups to
enjoy their flight and not be stressed. This cost is automatically added to the air freight costing. [Interstate pickups at our
Stud are exempt but crate training at least is still recommended]. Often pups can be delayed at airports
and we don't want any of our pups stressed in any way. With this training, your
puppy arrives a lot more relaxed and happy.
*DELUXE Basic Puppy Training Package ... 9 weeks $150 - 10 weeks $200
This optional package is generally recommended if there are special
requirements or special circumstances. It is also recommended for some beginners who
don't have a lot of confidence or experience with dog training. Most people
don't need this much work on their pups and we tend to recommend the $100
package. However as we charge $30 a week for feeding, cleaning worming & care of
puppies, it is only an additional $20 for the training so it's good value. However
customers must be realistic and realise that this is starting pups off in the
right direction. There is no possible way a puppy can be fully trained.
These deluxe packages are similar to the $100 Puppy training package but more intensive and adds a few other things. The puppy stays with us an extra week ($150 at 9 weeks of age) or two ($200 at 10 weeks of age) and gets a lot more basic foundation training and socialising over a longer period and of course is more reliable and better started for you. This package is not always available. It depends on our work load.
These deluxe options are a good idea if you prefer us to do some special training but usually the $100 package is plenty for most people to just get their puppy on the right track. Some customers who are very unsure of owning a puppy opt for a deluxe package but in most cases it is not needed. The $200 Deluxe package is also ideal for special, more complex issues or when the customer needs a lot of extra work done before they get their pup. For example, you might need a puppy that is not sensitive to noise for your situation so we will expose the puppy to noise in a correct manner and evaluate his reactions, so there is no panic and no stress. We have had customers who have needed their pup to be relaxed around stockwhips or heavy machinery or firearms. Over a few sessions done in the right way, he will get used to loud noise without any panic reactions. Another example, you might want a puppy that is good with water so we'll introduce your puppy to water in a gentle way so the puppy associates it with a positive feeling, we'll also do a number of baths etc.
With this deluxe puppy Training package we do more crate training, including travelling in a crate and a lot of overnight crating in the bedroom so your pup is very used to being crated. We also do more down-stay lessons both at the Stud as well as in town. For example, maybe at a cafe with lots of distractions. We would also have a tie up session so the puppy learns restraint and doesn't panic. This is not as simple as it sounds. More details in our book 'Kelpie Basics'. We do slightly different things with each puppy according to their needs but often do a little lesson to get a puppy zoned in on us and seeing us (humans) as leaders and reinforcing their understanding that they are followers. This is a bit too complex to go into here but can make a big difference as most puppies still relate strongly to other pups and dogs rather than humans. We often do a few lessons of walking on a lead although at this age it is very basic. We teach the dog to settle and relax when required and start on toilet training, general house manners, socialising, exposure to traffic, crowds and meeting people (and children), travelling and basic exposure to noise.
This option package is similar to some of the extra training we do for our export pups going overseas. It includes extensive crate training so your puppy is comfortable sleeping overnight in a crate and for any long journey home after being picked up (or flown interstate). Teaching a pup to react well to noise and to travel well. We also teach basic manners and start off a lot of the basic obedience lessons. [Note: We can only start some of these lessons in a very small way as the puppy can only learn a very limited amount at this time. It is important that the owner continue training.]. We start the puppy with our Noonbarra Down-Stay lessons and start off the toilet training. We also start 'sit' training for meals. Your pup is handled quite a bit more and exposed to various stimuli including adult dogs. We also like the puppy to learn to be 'calm' when picked up. This is an important starter lesson as all puppies can be excitable. When the puppy is older, you continue this lesson by getting the older pup to come to you and sit and be calm.
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*Weekly Boarding & Training Package (7 days)... $500
(ALL BREEDS)
2 weeks = $850
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We usually have a number of bookings all year for training and especially the board/training programs so please book ahead. If the problem has to have immediate action or is an emergency then we'll do our best to accommodate the dog straight away. |
When we have the
space and time we offer a boarding/training solution as well. This is an
intensive course in training your dog while your dog stays with us. These courses can be for general training and obedience or may be to
correct certain behavioural problems and bad habits or they may be for sheepdog
training.
Some customers like to do this package when the pup is about 5-6 months old and just want to get the foundation basics handled right so they can continue the training and know they are doing it correctly. It also allows them to work with the dog more effectively. Other customers wait until adolescence at about 8 months to 14 months and want a few bad habits corrected. Others bring their Kelpies every six months or so and have foundation training, obedience training and/or stock training etc. The dog has a great holiday and the owners get back a better behaved dog that has learned new things.
We can do general obedience training, socialising, correcting bad habits, stockyard work or paddock work with sheep. Many customers send their dogs via plane to Orange airport. We can get very cheap rates on flights for you. Others prefer to drive to the Noonbarra Stud. You can also include a one hour (or more) training session at the end of your dogs stay with us for $50. (Ask about discounts for multiple hours with boarding course). For young dogs a week is usually plenty and the same for obedience training unless there are special problems. Some young dogs going into early adolescence can be very excited and distracted and have difficulty calming down. With these dogs it generally takes a few extra days but not always. With sheepwork a week is good but 10 to 14 days is not unusual. A one hour handler/dog training session & evaluation/discussion added into the weekly training course is just $50.
Dogs used to being outside are kept in good sized insulated runs and kennels at night and with us inside, out training or in an exercise yard during the day. Dogs used to being house dogs are kept inside at night and in the day will either be with us in the house or doing training or in an exercise yard playing with other dogs. We are good at getting a dog's trust. All the dogs we have had here so far (many years) see it as a fun holiday and they return home much better dogs for the experience.
We also strongly suggest all customers get a copy of our basic training book - Kelpie Basics! See more details at TRAINING
WEEKEND BOARDING/TRAINING
PACKAGE (2 Days) $300
A lot of our customers requested a two day training package so they
could drive to the rural city of Orange, drop their dog off and spend
the weekend exploring the region, wineries etc and stay in a motel
while their dog is being boarded and trained. It can be the usual
Saturday and Sunday or any two weekdays. As we train the dogs for short
periods on and off over the entire day, this training package is not
suitable for the owner to be present during the training sessions. [We
do have a $150 training session especially for the owners to be
present- see other packages]. We do however spend an hour with the
owners at the completion of the weekend and give them a run down of the
dogs training, future potential etc.
This package is best for Spring, Winter or Autumn when the weather
is suitable. Summer may be too hot for some dogs to work well.
Drop off dog around 9.30 - 10am first day and pick up around 3pm the
next day.
Price for Weekend Training Package is ... $300
DAY TRAINING 2 HOUR
SHEEP WORKING SESSIONS
.. $150
[Three Hour Sessions ... $200]
We also do day training sessions for sheepwork. This is one -on-one training and tailored
especially for you and your dog. We work with you as well as your dog. Sessions include evaluation, practical
training, discussion and advice as well as a coffee break. Sessions run 2
hours depending on the stamina and mental capability of the dog.
DAY TRAINING 2 HOUR
OBEDIENCE SESSIONS
.. $120
[Three Hour Sessions ... $170]
Obedience training can include heeling, sitting, lying down,
coming to owner and/or down-stays. Two hour sessions. We work with you
as well as your dog. Sheepwork training can be either yard work or
paddock work or a combination of both. Obviously problem correction
looks at the individual problem. Most ingrained behavioural problems of
course cannot be fixed in a session of this short length and may have
to go into a longer boarding/training program.
*STARTED SHEEPDOG WORK
PACKAGE
From time to time, we also start young pups on sheep and sell them as
'started'. This varies from just a basic interest in the sheep with
fundamental negative and positive commanding up to having a keen young
dog who can usually be on point of balance and go to the head in the
open (very small) paddock and perhaps backing sheep in a race and
knowing some basic commands such as 'stop'. A few will be even more
advanced with good recall, better obedience training and beginning side
commands as well as being handled and having training in other
behaviours. Prices for buying a started Kelpie from us ranges from
about $1000 - $2000.
PUPPIES HELD LONGER THAN 8
WEEKS $30 a
week.
If you can't take your puppy at 8 weeks of age we charge $30 a week (or
part thereof) to
hold your puppy over an extra week or two. ($60 for 2 weeks etc). This does not
include extra training or veterinary requirements if needed (i.e..
overseas travel). It also does not include car trips, socialising or
obedience. We highly recommend anyone who needs to have a pup held over
getting a training package. $100 at 8 weeks - $150 at 9 weeks - $200 at
10 weeks. We do not normally hold puppies longer than 10 weeks. After
10 weeks is the period where they need the most socialising, handling
and training. Training packages are listed above.
If absolutely necessary to hold longer than 10 weeks of age, and we are in a position to do it and agree, then the price per week rises considerably. We recommend against this and it would be better to wait for another litter and get an 8 week old puppy.
Overseas customers
Please note that the Australian Dollar is around 95% of the US. dollar. (2011). So $1000 Australian would be around $950 US Dollars. The European Euro is even less.
Go to our special page on International /Export of our Kelpies CLICK HERE
Wherever possible, we try to have puppies registered in the same or at least similar name as the customer calls their dog. Working Kelpies do not have long complex names like show dogs and the pedigree system will just cut them off. They usually have simple names the same as people such as Julie, Sam, Ben, Molly, Fred, Amy etc.
If you have a name in mind that is short and can be easily understood and pronounced in English then we'll try to get the same name registered for your dog. We prefer names to be around 8 or 9 letters and single words. You can have two words but they must be very short such as 'Noonbarra Big Red'. You can of course call your dog anything you wish but for the purpose of registration we need a short, easy to pronounce name. It doesn't have to be English but we'd like to be able to pronounce it. Some strange names and spellings (such as Welsh names) in the past have caused a lot of confusion.
Because we are so well known and have a good reputation for matching customers with the right dogs, we get many thousands of enquiries each year. Although we try to accommodate each person to the best of our ability, there is only so much time. Most people just don't realise how much work is involved in running the Stud. If we had open visiting at any time we could easily have groups of people dropping in at all times each day and we would never get any work done. We have been running the Kelpies for over 30 years and we are very well known right around Australia and overseas. We actually get a lot of international travellers visiting. So we don't like to upset anyone but we really need to make a few simple rules just to be able to stay in business. We only run a very small breeding Stud and have no staff. Everything is done by the two of us. (and we are not young anymore). We don't like to offend anyone who wants to visit but realistically we have to keep it to a minimum or we can't get our work done. We prefer visitors to come on the same days as customers are coming to pick up puppies or coming for dog training and will try to arrange that with you. Usually this is a couple of days every few weeks.
When customers come to pick up a puppy we do our best to spend as much time with them as possible and show them how to get the best out of their puppy. Often we have adults and pups interacting with visitors and we often demonstrate things like the Noonbarra Down-Stay method or crate training. We also discuss puppy training and traits of parents etc. These demonstrations can be good for visitors to watch as well.
We have spent a lot of time putting together a terrific little DVD of Noonbarra Kelpies working in all situations and over many years, so that customers can see the dog's traits and real ability. In many ways this is even better than a live demonstration in a training paddock on a few sheep. The DVD also shows many of our dogs interacting with strangers and living indoors, in town, with children etc. We recommend that customers get a copy of our DVD and if possible see other Noonbarra Kelpies in their area. A copy of our book, Kelpie Basics, is also recommended.
FREE VISITING DAYS
Stephen does a lot of professional dog training and stockwork - off property,
(He works with all breeds as a behaviourist and dog trainer) so it can often be difficult to arrange things in order to
set up any visits or dog demonstrations. We prefer to do these on the same days
that other customers are coming to pick up dogs or coming for training lessons.
Then we would have already arranged to have at least part of the day put aside
from our normal work. There is no charge for visits at these times. We are more
than happy to discuss your requirements and make you very welcome. We'll even
give you a cup of tea and you can meet some of our favourite dogs. If we have
some pups that have been vaccinated you can meet these too but we don't allow
people around young unvaccinated puppies.
We do try our best to fit in with people as much as possible but we have to get our cleaning, office work and training done as well as farm maintenance and try to organise people to visit at the same time. Outside of these times we have to charge people and we don't want to do this so we try very hard to organise with people to come when other customers are coming for training or picking up puppies etc. We try to keep visits to about an hour so there is enough time to feed, clean, train, exercise the dogs, do kennel maintenance and handle the office work, vet visits, puppy programs, emails and phone calls etc. There is a lot of work involved in running a professional Stud and most people are not aware that we usually work long 12 hour days, 7 days a week to be able to maintain our high standard.
Noonbarra Stud Open Days:
A few times a year, we have open days to demonstrate our Kelpies, There is no
charge for this. Once we have around 10 people wanting to see our dogs
demonstrated, we will arrange a date. This is usually on a weekend but can be
done during the week as well.
SPECIAL VISITS AT
YOUR CONVENIENCE ($50)
If you absolutely MUST need to come at other times then usually something can be
arranged if we are not extremely busy. If you require to see some of
dogs working, then things need to be prepared for
you. We will need to organise to take time off the farm work, any outside training and
the Stud. If you are
interested in stockwork, we'll need to get some sheep up to a paddock
near the house, so please give plenty of notice. The charge in these special
visiting cases is $50 per hour. (There is no charge on normal free visiting
days). We will also discuss tips on
training, what to look for in a dog and explain what each dog is doing. We will
bring a small mob of sheep up to a paddock near the house for this purpose.
Please arrange these personal dog demonstrations at least a few days to a week before-hand
unless we are already doing dog training lessons.
Working Kelpies (and Racing Greyhounds) are exempt from microchipping in NSW. If your dog works stock or is kept in the western division of NSW then the dog is exempt in the state of NSW from microchipping. However it is important to have identification of your dog and we are currently microchipping all pups instead of tattooing. If you are in the city or suburbs and don't work your Kelpie on stock, you will be required under NSW law to have your Kelpie microchipped.
We offer two health and working guarantees, the official Working Kelpie Council of Australia guarantee and our own, more enhanced, guarantee.
WORKING KELPIE COUNCIL of AUSTRALIA
Official
Breeders' Guarantee:
The dog or pup is returned in good order and condition at the buyer's expense or other mutually agreed to conditions is fulfilled. In the case of demise, or necessary euthanasia by a qualified person, that the cause of the loss can be associated with exposure to or the existence of a condition prior to the time of dispatch. In this circumstance the breeder reserves the right to request the claim be accompanied by a certificate signed by a registered Veterinarian or other suitably qualified person. It can be established that whilst under 'guarantee' the pup/dog had been properly housed, handled, fed and routinely treated for internal and external parasites and protected by routine vaccination against commonly associated diseases such as Canine Distemper. It can be established that the pup/dog was given adequate exercise, training and opportunity to develop its inherited working instinct or in the case of started or broken in dogs they were given adequate time and opportunity to adjust to the new environment.
Noonbarra Stud Health & Working Guarantee
This updated guarantee is effective from March 2011
Over the past 30 years Noonbarra Kelpie Stud has grown into one of the best known and respected breeding establishments in Australia with happy customers right around Australia and overseas. We have spent years and a lot of money and time in setting up what we feel is one of the best breeding programs anywhere. We use a number of Vets for different aspects of our business and have a number of specialists that help us. Over the years, we have become experts not just at breeding but dealing with puppies. We can now often spot the smallest difference in personality or any health issue. The puppies we sell are examined by a qualified veterinarian, wormed every two weeks and are up-to-date with all required vaccinations.
All our puppies are very well looked after. Puppies are kept in a whelping box with heated pad, light and soft warm bedding. Later they are moved to a special insulated kennel run where they can move in and out of. At this stage they are still with their mother. Then we move them to a bigger play yard area. They are wormed at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks. The mother is also wormed. They are vaccinated against Parvo, Hepatitis and Distemper. Their mother is also fully vaccinated before birth. They are treated for fleas, washed regularly, feed a high quality special puppy formula with preservative free chicken mince and puppy milk. We cannot do more to insure your puppy's health.
All our puppies are sold in good faith. We check each puppy before leaving the Noonbarra stud and they are checked by a qualified veterinarian as well. Kelpies are one of the healthiest breeds in the world and do not usually have problems with breathing, movement or breeding as many other breeds do. Our pups are usually very healthy in every way but like all animals sometimes a dog can get ill that no one can foresee. (including Vets). Every Kelpie we sell leaves the Noonbarra Stud in a visually healthy state. However just like children, puppies can catch diseases, have accidents or even a develop a genetic problem.
GENETIC GUARANTEE FOR LIFE OF YOUR NOONBARRA KELPIE
If your puppy develops a life threatening or seriously debilitating illness that is found to be hereditary as listed below and diagnosed by licensed veterinarian, than we will replace that dog for you. Noonbarra Kelpies are guaranteed for their entire life from any of these major inherited genetic defects: Hip Dysplasia, Cerebellar Abiotrophy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Liver shunt, Kidney and Heart failure.
If any of these occur we will replace your puppy/dog at no charge. The affected dog must be returned except in any case of Cerebellar Abiotrophy. This can only be diagnosed by an autopsy has to be carried out and verified by vet as many injuries and diseases can cause cerebellar damage and these have similar symptoms. For Hip Dysplasia, we also need a copy of the official hip score, which must be at least a 26 - 36 score or more which is mild HD. 36-50 is moderate and 51-106 is severe. (Aust). The average for Kelpies is about 13 or 14. Many general Veterinarians not experienced enough to diagnose HD from X-Rays (which is quite difficult) and therefore we need an official hip score by a qualified reader. As long as we have a conclusive veterinary report from you or the problem is obvious when returned we will exchange your Kelpie with a new puppy with no problems. The pup has to be returned to us good condition (excepting existing problem of course).
We will replace with a new puppy within six months unless otherwise advised by customer. We will try to give the same sex and similar age to first puppy . In most cases we will do our best to get you the same colour wherever possible. Any other costs incurred by customer such as travel expenses, medications, veterinary fees, drugs, x-rays, chiropractic, herbal treatments etc. are borne by customer unless prior consultation and agreement with us.
This guarantee is not meant to suggest that your puppy will not have a health problem in his or her entire life. No breeder can guarantee that your dog will not have a health problem at some stage of its life.
This guarantee does not include conditions such as worms, Giardia, coccidioses, umbilical hernias, coronavirus, mites, fleas, kennel cough, ticks, injuries, snake bite or any minor conditions. No vet bills or treatments are covered by this guarantee. A replacement pup of same sex and similar age will be offered as soon as practically possible.
SPECIAL VIRUS DISEASE GUARANTEE
Noonbarra also guarantees your puppy against catching certain acquired diseases. This covers the major viruses for 28 days (4 weeks) from the time the puppy leaves the Stud. These diseases are: Distemper, Parvo, and Hepatitis. Your Noonbarra Kelpie will already be vaccinated for these diseases as are the parents. There are hundreds of less common and less serious diseases and this guarantee does not cover other viral and bacterial diseases such as Coronavirus, Giardia or Coccidiosis. Please note that dogs vaccinated against Parvovirus will give a positive result in a test for up to four weeks from vaccination so it needs to be very high and escalating to be able to confirm Parvo. If your puppy dies from one of these serious acquired diseases with 4 weeks we will replace your puppy at no charge. Obviously as your puppy is vaccinated it is extremely unlikely to happen.
Like all animals, your puppy can get acquired diseases such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and protozoans such as Giardia. It is very rare for one of our puppies to get anything.. but it can happen. It is not possible to treat for everything but we do ensure each puppy leaves here with up-to-date worming, vaccinations and vet checks and that the pup looks and acts 100% healthy.
We cannot foresee your dog getting these diseases and we are not responsible for any veterinary fees, treatments, freight or other costs other than to replace the puppy. When we sell a puppy we take maximum precautions and vaccinate for all major diseases as recommended by Vets.
This guarantee applies only to the original owner and is not transferable. Vet bills, tests, freight costs or medications are not included in this guarantee.
SPECIAL HEALTH SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
This guarantee applies to all customers but is especially reassuring if a puppy is freighted to customer, such as interstate buyers. The customer should have a veterinary examination of the puppy within three days (excluding holidays, weekends) of puppy arriving. If the customer is not satisfied with the health of the puppy, for whatever reason, the buyer may return the puppy at his/her expense for a full refund of the purchase price. All veterinary costs after departure from our Stud are the sole responsibility of the buyer. This special satisfaction guarantee applies only during the first 3 days after arrival. If you are not satisfied, the pup must be immediately returned for refund of purchase price. Delays in doing so will make this satisfaction guarantee void.
Making a claim
In the event that you are unlucky enough to get a puppy that develops a problem that is genetic originated, we will replace that puppy within 6 months (often sooner). You are responsible for any travel/freight costs of the new puppy and any extra training or special medical checks, treatments you request. (beyond normal veterinary procedures we do for all pups). The puppy or dog with the problem must be returned to us.
1. In the event of sudden death, caused by a pre-existing condition or genetic fault, a autopsy report must be made.
2. If your dog develops hip dysplasia, the X-Ray should be clearly marked with identification of the dog on the film emulsion. Information such as Stud tattoo, micro-chip number, registered name etc. Also name of the veterinarian or hospital. Hip score must be included and at least in the mild category of 26-36.
3. Noonbarra Stud cannot be held responsible for veterinarian fees or costs. You must also carry out regular worming, heartworm treatment, and vaccinations. As a dog owner, you are aware that owning a puppy means visits to the veterinarian and understand that you will be responsible for all payments. This guarantee does not cover neglect or poor care by the owner!
NOONBARRA WORKING GUARANTEE
All Noonbarra pups are sold with a 100% guarantee to work sheep. No puppy is sold with a guarantee for any specialised work unless stated in writing. If specialised traits are required then a well -started or fully broken in Kelpie would be a better choice. We do not guarantee any of our dogs for cattle work, although a lot of our dogs have done well on cattle. However as we can’t assess them on cattle nor can we train on cattle we do not guarantee them for this work.
If your Noonbarra Kelpie is not showing an interest in working sheep by 8 months of age, then please contact us. Most of our pups are showing interest between 3 months and 6 months. If you have given your young dog every opportunity and proper conditions to work and the pup is still not interested, then we will replace the dog with a new puppy. If puppy is older than 12 months and we haven’t been contacted beforehand then guarantee is void.
However.... before sending you a new puppy, we will do a weeks basic training and handling on the dog first and if the dog does actually work then we will charge for the training we do as well as boarding costs and return the dog at your expense. So it is extremely important that you are 100% sure the dog is not interested in working due to our genetics and it is not due to poor training methods.
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INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ON CRATES AND CRATE TRAINING
Information on Kelpie history & the outstanding Kelpies of the past can be found in the latest edition of our book
'
FAMOUS KELPIES'
Softcover 136 pages.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & PAYMENT ETC.
Click here to Email
us
NOONBARRA
KELPIES FOR SALE NOW
EXPORT SALES
(OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS)
SPECIAL CUSTOMER INFORMATION & TIPS
PUPPIES AND ADULT KELPIES FOR SALE NOW
CUSTOMER REFERRALS
(Hundreds of great photos and stories customers write about their own
Noonbarra Kelpies. This is our best form of advertising).
We are situated at Mullion Creek, about 20 kilometres north of the rural city of Orange, in the central west of New South Wales. Many people travel to the area and spend a few days or a weekend when picking up their puppy. The large city of Orange, has many good motels, wineries and restaurants and is lovely at any time of year.
Click here for map & more details on getting here & other location information
EVALUATING PUPPIES TO ENSURE EACH CUSTOMER GETS THE BEST POSSIBLE MATCH TO SUIT THEM
Most dog breeders don't think any traits can be seen in pups and just grab any pup out of a litter and sell that puppy to any customer with no thought to their needs or their experience or their lifestyle. This is easy to do but not a great help to their customers. We are the only major breeders we know of that spend a lot of time carefully evaluating litters and then individuals to make sure each customer gets a puppy that is able to fit in well with hat the customer needs. It is very time consuming but we have been extremely successful with this system and it has been 'right on the money' in most cases and is one of the reasons we get so many customers coming back to buy second or third dogs from us.
We don't do much at all until they are over 5 weeks, often around 6 weeks. Before that mostly it is up to their mother. We can do very basic evaluations from about 3 weeks but we still need to do more around 6 weeks. By 6 weeks, the puppies start exhibiting their future behaviour and personality and it is usually around then that we start evaluating each puppy.
We can evaluate & start to start to train puppies between 6 and 8 weeks and do it all the time. This is firstly based on the litter and parents, grand parents and much further back. It is a lot easier for breeders like us that linebreed. We still go back very strongly to the old Kalari bloodlines and have never moved away from that position. When selecting for a customer, we also take into account litters from sisters, brothers and reverse matings like Noonbarra Mick X Noonbarra Nicky ..... and Noonbarra Jackaroo X Noonbarra Kellie. Kellie is a full sister to Mick. Jackaroo is a full brother to Nicky. Of course selection is also based very strongly on previous litters we have done with both parents, either separately or as a repeat mating. Repeat matings are the best indicator of course and some females are always mated to the same male, so we might have three or four previous matings exactly the same. We ask customers for feedback all the time and every single day we get one or two (or more) phone calls, letters and emails giving up updates on a pup's progress etc.
But selection still comes down to individuals within a litter. When evaluating puppies we first watch for responses to stimuli. How do they cope with being handled? How do they react in being moved from the whelping area. How do they react to being separated from other pups, mother etc.? If you turn them over do they relax or do they panic? We worm them, bring them inside the house, travel with them in a vehicle, expose them to different noises. We also colour code them with collars, get them vaccinated, take photos and start training for customers who request it.
We write notes on their files and refer to these notes the next time we handle that pup and compare any changes in basic behaviour. We see their personalities emerge. Puppies react very differently away from their siblings. They may be reserved or bold. They may be shy or friendly. They may be calm and relaxed and able to settle well or may be more intense or active. They may have difficulty adapting to a new situation or get stressed by noise. We monitor how they respond to being told what to do and being restrained. We also watch how they bond with us.
With the various puppy training packages we might expose them to different noises (such as machinery continuous) and banging noise (Guns, hammering etc). We restrain them in crates and on a short chain in back of covered ute. We observe their reactions to all these things. We watch their toilet behaviour (especially for pet homes) Some puppies will go to the toilet anywhere, others try to go as far away as possible but no puppies are ever reliable until much later and accidents inside are always to be expected.
With our range of different training packages, we teach each pup to 'learn' to be calm and relaxed around us. [This can only be trained if the pup is genetically calm to start with]. We do many days of crate training in step-by step learning sessions. This is first done with puppies in together for short periods and progresses over about a week until the pup can be in a crate on their own overnight for about 6-7 hours with no problems. We start the down-stay training. This teaches each puppy to be able to lie down and stay and completely relaxed and accept that they have to be calm with us. We are doing progressive lessons to get the pup into 'good' habits that we desire. We teach each pup to sit for a meal etc.
We are always observing. Are they a pup that is always following closely and at our feet or maybe a pup that is more aloof or perhaps independent. Other things we might look at during training is how agile they are, how they cope with adult dogs, how they react to strangers, children etc. How they feed, how quick they learn, especially problem solving. There is a whole host of things that can be used to evaluate a pup if you have the years of experience, know your dogs well and know what you are doing. Our customers give us plenty of feedback on that aspect.
We try to get the best pup for each customer. If there have been changes to a litter and a customer has to postpone or wants another gender or perhaps wants to move to another litter or we feel the pup is not exactly right for their situation, then we look at our booking list and find a few customers that may be right for the puppy. Usually we can find four or five. Then we contact those customers and discuss the puppy. Sometimes, but very rarely, we don't have customers that suit the puppy or they can't fit the puppy in without more notice or the time frame doesn't suit. In these cases, we put the pup up on the website for sale. But please don't expect this as it only happens a few times a year and often the pup is sold within 24 hours. The last one went in just 20 minutes to a person who had already been making enquiries about our pups for a week or two but hadn't yet put in a deposit.
We sometimes get special requests such as extreme agile dog for international Agility Competitions or one at the moment is for advanced scent ability to be trained for rescue work in the mining industry. Others ask for dogs to be comfortable around motorbikes or good travellers in a vehicle. Another needed a dog that was completely relaxed around stockwhips. The customer worked herds of cattle in scrubby land with a stockwhip cracking often to move the cattle along. The dogs he already owned would often leave and go home if they heard the whip so he came to us for a top class working pup that wouldn't be whip shy and paid for a deluxe puppy package. We trained the pup so we could finally crack the whip next to the pup while he was eating is dinner and it would not bother him. The customer was extremely happy!
Here is part of an email from that customer:
He is such a
great character to have around the place and he makes even the mundane job fun
when he is around. He is getting a bit of work with the sheep whenever I get the
chance and his enthusiasm is endless it seems. I have to say that you really
picked him well with regards to the stock whip, he loves it, he thinks its mans
best invention and is devastated when I put it back in the cupboard. He will
actually sit and stare longingly at the cupboard.
All in all he is everything I could have wished for and then so much more. He is
so faithful and he is my best mate. I want to thank you again for such a great
dog he is everything you said he would be and know I just couldn't imagine not
having him around. Max Kavanagh with Noonbarra Moss
We get lots of customers who get the type of puppies they ask for and with the traits they require and our section on customer comments is full of them but here's another quick one .... She is everything you said she would be - she has a great sense of fun and play, loves to be around you, very smart and very friendly. Callie is also a very calm and confident puppy, an absolute joy to own. The Teys family and Noonbarra Callie.
"Today he had his first real go with the cattle and he was amazing he just loves it. He is not scared of them.. he wanted to stay in the yards even when we brought 2 bulls in. He was not very happy to be put back on the ute. You guys really do know what you are doing with your breeding and getting the right dog for each person." Ben with Noonbarra Ash
She is so good and fun and happy and great to have around. I take her
everywhere and she is so easy now, even at the rugby, (my husband plays) where
there is heaps going on, she just waits, runs around, lies next to me. Everyone
comments on (not only how gorgeous she is!) but also how calm she is for her
age. Really I just wanted to tell you she's perfect.
Tamsin with Noonbarra Peggy.
Finn was perfectly matched to what Pete was after, and I know he has mentioned before how delighted he is with the job you both did in matching his request with his puppy.