Kelpies as companions - GLENDARI and SEAFORTH KELPIES

'RUAIRIDH' (GAELIC Rory - means Red King)
GLENDARI RED KING ET CCD TD
Bred By Mrs Joan Delaporte
Sire: GLENDARI LEROY BROWN
Dam: Aust Ch GLENDARI CALIPSO COFFEE
Indi is the son of Aust Ch Wingdari Tar Boy and Tar Boy is the Great Grandfather of Ruairidh.

Glendari Red King ET CCD TD - Ruairidh's movie experience

Ruairidh's training was tested in April 2007 when he took part in a short movie. He worked well with hand signals and gained confidence each day of filming. Like most other kelpies, he is eager to learn.

Indi and Ruairidh - relaxing after a run

Indi is the ideal canine companion and gets on well with his new, younger kelpie friend.

My Boys

Me and my boys. Very wet after their daily swim.

SITE UPDATED 03 August 2009

Contents of this web page are for guidance only. Please note that you can train your dog but to have good control and a great relationship with your dog, you need to understand how they think. Dogs are pack animals and do not think and behave as humans would. If you are thinking of buying your first dog, please find out about alpha behavior and some simple dog body language. It will help you manage your dog's behavior.

New link Tips on caring for older dogs. Handy information on easing the aches, pains etc an aging dog suffers. I have one dog suffering from arthritis, so am happy to share my successes and trials with his treatment.

Thought to ponder
Don't run others down because you don't like the type of kelpie they have. Instead, rise above such stupid behaviour and congratulate them for choosing such a wonderful breed.

EVENT NEWS
03 August 2009
Ruairidh filmed a television ad for PRIME dog food today. It happened all very quickly with just one week to learn how to beg, spin and push the product with his nose. He learns very quickly and we hopefully got some great moving shots. Not sure about screening times or coverage but will post them when I find out. The clients very kindly paid some of the fee in their product which is all natural and very good quality. (It's only found in Pet stock as far as a I know).

I have moved to Bendigo, onto a lovely property with 5 acres for the dogs to run around. No time to compete this year so far. We will enter a couple of late trials and perhaps one tracking trial. Been too busy moving.

2008 What a start to his career. Ruairidh has three titles in less than three months! Indi also obtained three titles in one year toward the end of his career. I've been very blessed in owning well bred kelpies with good solid temperaments.

27 July 08 Glendari Red King CCD ET - obtained his Tracking title (TD) at Murray Valley Obedience tracking trial.

31 May 08 Glendari Red King CCD obtained Endurance Title at MVODC Endurance trial in Wentworth NSW.

11 May 08 Glendari Red King Obtained CCD title. Two passes on double trial weekend. Highest scoring CCD dog and Highest scoring MVODC club member.

18 April 08 Glendari Red King - passed CCD obedience. Ruairidh worked well and it is hoped to achieve his CCD title at the next couple of trials.

29 July 07 Glendari Red King (Ruairidh). Passed Track 1 at the Murray Valley Obedience Dog Club Tracking Trial. He Passed with a rating of Excellent. Ruairidh tracked extremely well and with great confidence.

2006 - Ruairidh (Glendari Red King) was chosen for a part in a 15 minute short film (to be seen around Australian and overseas Short Film festivals). Filming is now complete. Please see the attached file for some information and photos.

Ruairidh is now available for future advertising and film roles, mainly because it was so much fun and he really got such a lot out of the experience. We've listed him as a canine actor and whether he gets any more of this type of work the experience he has already had has been quite unique.

Aus Ch Seaforth Murry Swagman CDX TDX ET is now a dual champion by attaining his Tracking Championship at the Murray Valley Obedience Dog Club tracking trial in July 06. Suffering from Arthritis, Indi has been retired from competition. His seven titles were earnt through hard work and determination as Indi was never fantastic at anything. However, he loved tracking and his Championship title was achieved on his first try, and very convincingly done too. I'm very proud of our achievements and encourage everyone with a kelpie to try different events with their dog. It's a wonderful experience and great for the thinking dog.

PUPPY ENQUIRIES ARE WELCOME! PUPPY ENQUIRIES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, BUT PLEASE BE WARNED THAT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE. Breeding is done selectively and not just to churn out puppies for sale. You may have to wait for your kelpie puppy, but believe me, it will be worth it!

You also don't have the luxury of colour selection when obtaining a puppy. Many litters are all one colour. I love the red and tan kelpies but I've learnt that colour has nothing to do with how good a dog is and how much you end up loving it. It's such a small thing compared to a good temperament and sound health.

PLEASE CONTACT JOAN DELAPORTE AT GLENDARI KENNELS ON 08 8733 4346 OR HEATHER TURPIE AT SEAFORTH KENNELS ON 03 5447 8214.

MY HISTORY WITH KELPIES
Kelpies are the breed for me. I have two kelpies who live with me in Mildura,Victoria. 'Indi' - Dual Ch (T) Seaforth Murry Swagman CDX ET (chocolate) and 'Ruairidh' - Glendari Red King (red).

My first kelpie was 'Kiefer' - Sutherland's Son CD (red and tan). He was very loyal and very special.

Owning a dog, any dog, is a privilege, not a right. To own a kelpie is so much more. They offer unwavering loyalty and pleasure as a companion. As they are a true working dog they are not suitable for being kept locked up in a back yard with no stimulation. Kelpies should be alert, sound in movement and health and look like they could work all day. This applies to both the show and working kelpie.

All kelpies should be sound in movement and show the attributes that make them the ideal working dog.

Below, I have some tips for training your dog and puppy. Information contained in this web site is meant as a general guide only. As an obedience instructor I have trained many different dogs, and generally have found that dogs are great thinkers and love a mental challenge. The kelpie is certainly no exception. My first kelpie, Sutherland’s Son CD known affectionately as Kiefer, taught me so much about what not to do. He was a pleasure to own, but we had our problems with training. He had one of the worst cases of separation anxiety that I simply could not fix (and believe me, I tried).

My next kelpie, Indi, has continued to teach me, just as I have taught him. Indi holds seven titles, in obedience - Companion Dog (CD), Companion Dog Excellence (CDX), tracking - Tracking Dog (TD) Tracking Dog Excellence (TDX), Tracking Champion (Tch), endurance - Endurance Test (ET), and showing - Australian Championship (Aus Ch). We have also trained for Herding and flyball but find distance restricts our competition opportunities. My experience with kelpies has shown me that they are a breed that need to have lots of physical exercise, but that this in itself, is not enough. They need mental exercise in the form of play training or serious competition training.

Although I compete in many different dog events, I also teach my kelpie many cute 'tricks' on those days when it is raining or simply too hot to go for a walk, or, just for the fun of it. Indi fetches shoes, papers, remote control and many other things, he closes doors, takes off my socks, bows, spins etc etc. Cute tricks, but also an essential part of keeping him mentally active and therefore happy. Regardless of the titles we have won (although I loved achieving these milestones) he is first and foremost my companion. Any accolades we have achieved have simply been 'icing on the cake' to owning a great dog.

A kelpie's loyalty is beyond measure and they will do anything to please a loving owner. Although bred to endure tough conditions and to be very durable dogs, kelpies can also have soft natures. They respond to positive reinforcement much better than harsh reprimands.

My advice to anyone with any type of dog is never, ever think that there is such a thing as too much praise for a job well done (or even attempted). That is what the dog is working for so we must pay him well, with praise, and LOT'S OF IT!!

SEAFORTH KENNELS
Heather and Graeme Turpie live in Kangaroo Flat in Victoria and have owned kelpies for a number of years. Heather is active in tracking, agility and showing her kelpies and would like to do more but time and training schedules limit the amount of canine events they can handle.

Heather dedicates much of her time to the Kelpie Club of Victoria and the Bendigo Obedience Dog Club. She is a great ambassador for the kelpie breed and all responsible dog owners. Heather's kelpies are great companions and like Joan Delaporte at Glendari kennels, Heather was very particular about where her kelpie pups were homed. An active committee member of the Victorian branch of the Australian Kelpie Club, Heather is keen to promote the breed as a versatile companion. Her dogs have achieved a number of titles which are listed below in the links and photos of the Seaforth kelpie family.

My thanks go to Heather and Graeme for allowing me to own Seaforth Murry Swagman (Indi). He is certainly very special to me and has given me much more than I ever asked for in the way of achievements and companionship.

GLENDARI KELPIES
Joan Delaporte owns Glendari Kennels, situated in Millicent SA, where she breeds Kelpies and Schipperkes. Joan's dogs are bred for strength of temperament and conformation. Her dogs are extremely well socialized and well behaved.

Joan is also a great ambassador for the kelpie. Her selective breeding has ensured that her kelpies move, act and look like a true working dog. Glendari Kennels breed kelpies suitable for show, pet and working homes and prospective owners must meet Joan's criteria as a prospective owner before she will part with her pups.

Joan has been very successful with both dogs in the show ring. Puppy and Breed enquiries for her Kelpies and Schipperke's welcome on (08) 8733 4346.

TRAINING TIPS FOR A WELL BEHAVED AND HAPPY DOG

To own a well behaved, happy dog remember - BE THE PACK LEADER, BE CALM AND ASSERTIVE, PRAISE, PRAISE AND PRAISE!

Never train your dog when you are in a bad mood.

Training sessions should be kept short.

Each of my kelpies have been trained using a mix of various methods. All have been positive methods, based on food, toys and praise. My current eventing kelpie, Ruairidh, is trained using the Alpha method of correction (very simple, gentle and effective in establishing pack heirachy). He is also trained using a jack pot (getting a toy for a job well done) and lots of praise. Because he's very soft in nature, I have to be careful to be firm but not hard on him or I will undo all the good work we have already established.

Each dog is an individual and you may need to investigate a few different training techniques to find one, or a mix of one or more, that suit your needs. Remember - Be a pack leader. Always be in control with voice and body language and keep calm. The dog responds better to a calm, positive approach.

PUPPY TRAINING DO’S AND DON’TS
Do
Praise the dog as soon as he does something right.
When you are teaching them something new and he finally understands, give heaps of praise and lots of pats to encourage them. Praise at the right time. As soon as the dog does the right thing, praise. He will catch on quickly which behaviour is required.
When giving a command, only ever say it once and use a firm voice.
Don’t yell at him, and don’t say it like you are asking him. You are the boss, so tell him.
Your relationship with your dog is so much better and more rewarding when you establish an alpha standing with your dog.
Use single syllable words like sit, down, stay. Find a word to use to get him to train (eg watch, work) and a word to release him (eg okay, free).
If you tell him to sit, then you expect him to stay until you give him a ‘release’ word.
Don’t make him sit for ages when training. Just a few seconds each time and slowly increase the time.

Remember to take it slowly, step by step. don't ask too much too soon. Be care and positive. Praise good behaviour. Don't chastise the dog for failure.

Spend lots of time massaging your pup all over their body. Slow circular motions along the muscles. Gently rub the inside of the ears and massage the gums by softly rubbing the lips. While he is relaxed, work on getting the puppy to turn over on their back and stay that way so you can rub their belly.

When feeding - Teach puppy to sit and wait until you are ready before telling him he can eat the food. This teaches the puppy not to snatch food.

I teach my puppy a -show me- what he has in his mouth command, whether food or toy. He is learning to trust me to give up his prize and also not to guard his food.

Lots of play. Before and after each training session, play with your pup. Try to make the training sessions happy for both of you. Keep your voice happy and give lots of praise when he is good. If training is happy your puppy will learn quickly.

When visitors arrive, put your pup on the lead and use food to keep them calm while the visitors say hello. This will teach your dog not to jump and go crazy each time someone comes to the door.

Don’t
Don’t feed him from the table. The pup must learn that he is not the leader of the pack. Feed away from human food. It also stops them from staring at people when they are eating.

Don’t smack him. Use your voice to growl at them but don’t raise a hand to smack. They can become ‘hand shy’, scared of people when they raise their hands and you don’t want that.

Don’t play tug of war games with your pup unless you make sure that you win. It is NOT a game for them. They see it as a test to see who should be the boss. If you let the dog win too many times he will start to think he's the leader of the pack.

Pay no attention when they whine to be let in or scratches at the window/door. The pup will learn very quickly that you will give him attention if he whines and scratches.

During a thunderstorm, if the pup acts scared, ignore him. The moment you pat him to try to comfort them you will be reinforcing the scared behaviour and make him worse. To stop him from being scared you need to lock the pup in a small dark place where he will feel more secure. Shut them in a covered cage, or closet, ensuring that nothing can hurt them if they jump around. Dogs feel much safer in small dark places. Any fuss you make may increase his anxiety.

Don’t yell at your pup or tell them off when you are trying to train them. Be patient!!! Pups may not know what you want them to do so you have to give them time. They have a very limited attention span, so give them a break.

When training, always end the training session with something that they do well (like sitting). This will end the training on a happy note and give the pup confidence.

Don’t let your pup barge through doors first. Teach them to wait, or to sit, and then call them through after you have entered.

Don’t call your dog to tell them off, EVER! They won’t want to come to you again. Always call the pup and praise them for coming to you, even if they have taken ages to finally obey. when you walk your puppy and let him off lead, call him back often and either praise or feed with a small snack. That way he will learn that coming to you is a good thing. You call him a few times and then let him go again before finally calling him to put him back on the lead to go home. If you only call him to take him home he will not want to come to you so happily.

Don’t let pups play with old shoes or material. They can’t tell the difference between good shoes and old ones or rags and washing.

THINGS TO REMEMBER - Guide only, ask your vet if you need to be sure.

I thoroughly recommend Tillington Touch massage for your dog. It's easy to do and dogs love it. They turn to slush under your hands as you slowly massage the muscles and it builds a trust bond between you and your dog that is very strong. Find out more by searching the web.

Puppies need to chew, particular through the teething stage. They need to break away the old teeth so the adult teeth can come through. Give RAW bones only for them to chew and toys that are designed for chewing (dentabones). Don’t give them stuffed toys to destroy as the stuffing can become stuck in their gut and cause serious damage.

Dogs do not think like people (THANK GOD). They are a pack animal and need to belong to your pack. You need to tell them all the time that they belong at the bottom of the pack (your family). If you let them get away with dominant behaviour like: sleeping on the bed, winning tug of war games, making you let them inside when they want to get in etc, they will assume they are in charge and become harder to handle.

Kelpies have a thick double coat which sheds about twice a year. You will need to strip out the dead hair and keep your dog looking good. A dog’s health is visible in it’s coat. If the coat is shiny and feels clean and healthy, then the diet is right. If the coat is dull and dry, then the dog generally needs to change diet. When buying dog food, consider the dog food labels. I give mine a high protein level. Older dogs need more care. Spend the money and look after them PLEASE! They may need extra vitamins of something for arthritis. Pay back their loyalty by making their twilight years as comfortable as possible. You owe them at least that much.

In the Summer, ensure that there is enough shade for your pup and they have plenty of cool, clean water available. In extremely hot days, freeze small ice cream containers with treats (fruit or bikkies) for them to lick and eat. It will help cool them down.

For sleeping, if the bed is lifted slightly off the ground to let the air circulate the pup will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. A simple wooden pellet on bricks, or a bought tramp bed is very comfortable and helpful.

DON’T FEED
• Onion or onion peel
• Chocolate - is toxic to dogs and builds up in their system
• Processed food like pizza - definitely not good for growing puppies’ digestive system
• Cooked bones - they splinter in the intestine and can kill a dog quickly
• Spicy food - can cause upset stomach

DO FEED
• Raw bones. Raw chicken carcasses or chicken necks are good for dogs. The bones are soft when raw and the dog gets calcium and good meat, giving a healthy shiny coat.
• Meat, vegetables and fruit - in the wild, dogs eat the contents of their prey’s stomach which are full of vegetable matter. They do enjoy vegetables and fruit although they need meat to be their main meals.
• Fruit - avocadoes are very high in protein and great for older dogs. Too much fruit will increase their chances of diabetes and can make the dog fatten up quickly, so give sparingly.

If your dog gets slight diarrhoea (always consult a vet if worried) - They get the ‘runs’ for many reasons, most are not serious. Give lots of water and do not feed for a day to rest the gut. Give a little cooked chicken and rice and increase the amount you give for the next couple of days. Introduce the dog back to normal meals slowly, giving dry bikkies then other foods.

To fatten up a skinny dog, include pasta with each meal. It is full of carbohydrates which will help put on weight. (always consult a vet if worried about your dog's condition). A grossly underweight dog should be fed sparingly and under veterinary supervision.

To help a dog lose weight, halve the amount of food you give the dog and make up the rest of the meal with cooked rice. The dog’s belly is still full, but the rice will not put on any more weight. Any dog which is overweight is in grave danger of having it’s life shortened. Obesity in dogs causes heart problems, joint and back problems and extreme stress on hot days. If you lightly run your hand down the side of the dog you should be able to feel the rib bones. If not, the dog is probably carrying too much weight.

Training your kelpie deepens that special bond between you and your dog. Training begins from the time you first pick up your puppy. Establish your Alpha standing from day one and consistently reinforce that position throughout the dog's life. (in other words, be the boss and stay the boss).

Dogs are pack animals and are happy belonging to a pack of two, three or more. As they grow they instinctively want to assert dominance and gain better positions in their pack. It is your job to show the puppy that they are the omega (bottom) of the pack and that is where they will stay. If this is done positively and consistently, your dog will be happy knowing where it stands. It is often dogs that are allowed to be dominant and exhibit alpha (top dog) behaviour that cause problems for handlers. Not really the dog's fault, but one of the handler for allowing this to happen.

Be consistent, fair and persistent with your dog and you will be rewarded with a happy loving companion.

Good luck with your dog. It's a lot of work to have a well balanced pack, even if it's just you and the dog, but it's so worth it.

Contact details:
Kerry Needs
Junortoun Vic
email: kelpie41@yahoo.com.au

please put the word kelpie in subject of your feedback

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