About the dog

The Australian Kelpie was developed in rural Australia during the late 1800s as a hard-working sheepdog suited to the harsh climate and enormous grazing properties of the colonies.

The breed’s origins trace back mainly to imported British collie-type working dogs brought by Scottish settlers. One of the key foundation dogs was a black-and-tan female named “Kelpie,” owned by Jack Gleeson in Victoria in the 1870s. She became famous after winning sheepdog trials, and her offspring became known as Kelpie's pups and her name gradually became attached to the developing breed itself.

Today, the Kelpie remains one of Australia’s most iconic rural animals and is exported worldwide for sheep and cattle work. It is especially respected in countries with large livestock industries such as New Zealand, Argentina, Sweden, and Canada.

The first software I developed many years ago was a farm management system and the Kelpie seemed a good name for what we prompted as "A New Friend for Today's Farmer". The dog has stayed with me ever since.

The Scottish Kelpie

The original dog was named after the Kelpie of Scottish folklore.

A Kelpie is traditionally described as a shape-shifting water spirit that inhabits lochs, rivers, and streams in Scotland. It most commonly appears as a powerful black horse near water.

According to the legends:

• the kelpie lures people, especially children, onto its back,
• once mounted, the victim becomes stuck,
• the creature then drags them into the water to drown them.

Some stories say the kelpie could also appear in human form, usually as a handsome young man with clues betraying its true nature — such as water weeds in its hair or hooves hidden beneath clothing.