Under The Radar
With their high energy the Kelpies balance out the stoicism of the guardian dogs and the pastoral feel of the sheep. My life of raising sheep would not be as complete without them. These dogs are my constant companions, along for the ride, and always at my side and in my home, although you may not know it by the few photos I share of them.
In this area of the country Kelpies are still few and far between. They are the best kept secret of the stock dog world and I hope they stay that way lest they become a different dog by way of pet popularity and competition wins, which has been the fate of many other working breeds.
In this way the the guardian dogs and the Kelpies, and me I suppose, are alike – bred for the purpose of work and still flying low under the radar.
We accept each other in a way that makes for a very solid relationship. It’s not like this with every dog. With other dogs there is a subtle, mutual annoyance about our faults always casting shadows over our relationship. He’s the only Kelpie that was born here so we’ve known each other since that day. I don’t have enough experiences rearing and keeping puppies on to know if those first eight weeks of being with a pup make that difference or if we’ve just hit it off. Lucky for me either way.
