We have had several people attend training who purchased an Australian Kelpie, with the breeder indicating that the dog would also be able to work with sheep.
Only the WORKING Kelpie can truly herd sheep; the Australian Kelpie CANNOT, or not well enough! The Australian Kelpie is a wonderful family dog with which you can do many sports, but the true herding ability has been lost!
We would like to warn you about people offering Kelpies that are supposedly able to work with sheep, but are unwilling or unable to demonstrate this. Do not buy such a dog; you are buying a pig in a poke!
Ask for the papers from the Working Kelpie Council in Australia, and we advise you to see both parents at work with the sheep!