If you are after a Keldapark puppy, please keep visiting the website, and when there is a litter available, please contact me to discuss a suitable match for your needs as I no longer have a waiting list.  There is usually a considerable wait for red/chocolate females as this is the most popular combination but please remember that ALL Kelpies, regardless of colour and/or sex are great dogs.

Puppy prices for my next litter (2012/2013) will start from $700 on Limited Register (not for showing or breeding).  Puppies on the Main Register (can be used for showing and breeding) are $POA and ONLY by agreement.

Your  Puppy

puppies are not available for local 'handlers' until they are 8 weeks of age.  Puppies travelling overseas have a few more restrictions (see below).*  puppies have been given various experiences around my 5 acre property including socialisation with my dogs and horses and some of the local wildlife: ducks, kangaroos and every pups favourite... the willy wagtails!

  puppies are raised on a completely natural, completely raw diet however, as they draw nearer to 8 weeks, they are also introduced to other diets including dried kibble.  Although I recommend a natural diet, some people prefer kibble so my puppies need to be exposed to this type of feed.

All puppies are wormed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks and have had their first vaccinations.  When you get your puppy home, I highly recommend attending Puppy Kindy.  This gives your pup great socialisation and communication skills.

Your new puppy will be registered with the Canine Control Council (Qld) and/or the Working Kelpie Council.  All puppies will be registered on the Limited Register unless otherwise agreed.  From the age of 6 months, you will need to register your puppy with your local council.

When you pick up your new puppy, you will receive literature about feeding, caring and training your new puppy,  membership form for CCC(Q) or your State Controlling Body and, if possible, information about your local Dog Training School and, if you are a local and can collect your puppy, you will also receive a sample pack of Keldapark's Canine Multi-Vitamin Mix to get you started and a collar, lead, bowl and a toy.

*Puppies cannot be taken until they have been graded and are 8 weeks of age for local buyers or, for overseas purchasers, the minimum age for travel is 12 weeks.  NB: Some countries require a rabies vaccination which cannot be given until puppies are 3 months of age and puppies cannot travel after that for 30 days.

I thoroughly recommend you attend obedience training with your Kelpie, even if you don't intend competing.  Obedience training will give you and your dog and great start to life together.  Puppy Kindy is a great way to socialise your puppy with other puppies of the same age.  Puppies need to learn 'dog language' and this is a great place to learn it.  Most obedience schools and some vets hold Puppy Kindy classes.  From Puppy Kindy, most dogs will progress on to beginners, or 'novice' obedience.  Kelpies need the mental stimulation of this type of work and the bond that you will create is something that will stay with you for the life of your dog.

Kelpies are intelligent dogs and without stimulation they can become bored which can lead to  destructive behaviour.  Keep your Kelpie stimulated with toys, with exercise and with mind games.  Often 10 minutes of mental stimulation (I use trick training, advanced obedience and even basic agility training) is more tiring than 30 minutes of free running. So don't think that just because you live in suburbia, you can't have a Kelpie, but you must be prepared to put the time and effort into keeping a Kelpie's mind stimulated.  Kelpies are a thinking dog; you don't just teach them, you need to let them know why.  Kelpies learn best with gentle methods so I recommend finding a club that uses positive reinforcement rather than the traditional 'jerk and release' method.

My Kelpies don't get a great deal of physical exercise but they do get mental stimulation and quality time.  We train for agility, obedience, herding, tracking and movies most nights and then we are out trialling and socialising most weekends.  When we aren't out, we play games, learn tricks and run around our property with the horses.

If you are not going to be breeding from your pup, whether it is male or female, I recommend desexing at 6 months old.  Breeding your female is risky and raising a litter of pups is expensive and you will rarely make money on breeding a litter of pups.  Breeding because 'it's be nice for the kids to see' is not a good reason to breed a litter and certainly not a good reason to put your much-loved girl at risk.  While Kelpies are a fantastic breed, Kelpie puppies are a handful!

You should take care not to let your Kelpie get overweight as this can cause structural problems and decrease life expectancy.  If you want more information on feeding, please don't hesitate to contact me for some advice on natural diets.

Thank you for considering a

Kelpie!

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