Australian kelpie

noun

1. one of an Australian breed of medium-sized sheepherding dogs having a short, harsh, straight coat in a combination of colors that can include black, red, tan, fawn, chocolate, or smoke blue, probably developed by crossbreeding between the border collie and dingo.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Australian kelpie¹

Alleged to be the name of an early example of the breed

Example Sentences

To fly her family — a small but loyal troop of one German shepherd, one Australian kelpie and three cats — from Louisville, Ky., to London this September, it will cost Ms. Abell countless hours of research, loads of paperwork and an estimated $4,300 just in cargo fees.

From New York Times

I have my very own "Best in Show"! Her name is Maggie & she's a rescue Australian Kelpie from central Oklahoma!

From Wall Street Journal

They then orchestrated a predator event by releasing an Australian Kelpie, a sheepdog that also wore a GPS module, on the flock.

From Scientific American

After training an Australian Kelpie working dog to herd a flock of sheep towards an open gate, Dr King's team tracked the movement of the individual sheep as they reacted to the threat and interacted with each other.

From BBC

Biologist Andrew King and colleagues at the Royal Veterinary College of the University of London attached GPS backpacks to 46 sheep and to a trained Australian Kelpie dog.

From Science Magazine