Koolie – All-Purpose Farm Breed

January 31, 2020

The Koolie is an Australian breed prized for its tenacious workability, strength and endurance. Primarily job of the dog was to herd and protect sheep and cattle. Being a herding dog, it has a tendency to herd anything moving. In the absence of cattle, it will herd humans. The dog has striking coat color which gives it unique look. As they have the working tendency, so definitely they do not thrive well in apartment. They need an open land where their movement is not confined.

The dog is happiest when it has been given responsibility of some work. Koolie make great addition to active family who are ready to fulfill its exercise needs and spend time in obedience training. They are not the type of dogs that can be left alone in garden. They have jest to live adventurous life and in the search of adventure they could go to any extent. They may chew your favorite shoes or destroy the flower bed or make your house a mess. Housetraining and obedience training are must for them.

Herding dogs have independent mindset; they trust their own instincts rather than other. Training them is not piece of cake. Only firm and strong leader can domesticate this dog according to his suitability.

Koolie Origin

Koolie is a 19^th century breed from Australia. Exact documents about its origin are unknown but there are many speculations related to its history. Few historians believe that, Koolie is the result of cross breeding between blue merle Collie and Black and Tan Collie. While others believe that the dog is descendent of German tiger which was European herding dog. Studies have also proved that the dog has similar bloodline to Welsh Collie.

Koolie Characteristics

The dog belongs to Australia and is a herding breed.
It is a dominant, independent, dedicated and diligent breed.
Life expectancy of Koolie breed is 16 to 18 years.
They are 34-60 cm tall and weight of the dog is 15-24 kg.
The dog comes in black, tri merle, red merle, blue merle, merle and tricolor.
Average cost of the puppy is $400 – $600 USD
The dog can tolerate cold as well hot temperature equally well.
It is not meant for isolated lifestyle. They crave for human companionship.
They need at least an average size yard to live happily
The dog doesn’t bark unnecessarily.
It is a suitable breed for kids and is meant to be friendly with them.
The dog sheds averagely, grooming their coat is easy.
They need strong leader to train as tend to be independent minded.
It is not a hypoallergenic breed.
It makes wonderful watchdog.

Appearance

Koolie has diverse appearance. They have different gene pool for different areas. In the northern part of Australia, they are tall, agile and light boned. In this region they are bred for mustering.

In the colder region, they have short stature and are thick coated as their job is to flush small livestock from the dense bush and work in extreme climatic conditions. The dogs are immensely adaptive and based on the needs of grazers, stockmen and dairy farmers, they select the breed.

Size and Weight

An adult breed height ranges from 40 – 60 cm irrespective of sex. They are 15-24 kg in weight.

Coat and Color

Just like appearance, Koolie coat also varies from region to region. Their coat is either short like blue merle Collies or medium in length like Border Collie. Majority people prefers smooth coat instead of coarse because they are water and dirt resistant. These dogs come in black, tri merle, red merle, blue merle, merle and tricolor.

Grooming

No matter the texture of coat, they shed averagely and have easy maintenance coat. You need to regularly comb the coat so that the dead hair falls off and the natural oil in the skin gets spread evenly. This will make your dog’s skin and coat lustrous and clean. Bathing is not required to be done frequently.

If your dog has become dirty or smells foul you can wash your dog with water and soap. Trim the nails and clean the ear to maintain the overall health of your dog. During the time of excessive shedding, they require extra care and maintenance.

Koolie Temperament

Personality – Koolie is first and foremost working dog. They are dedicated workers and crave to work alongside humans. They are affectionate and have an easy going attitude but still they are considered as challenging breed because of their high energy. They are true to their lineage they were bred and therefore their motto in life is to work and be happy. An ideal dog’s mind is home of devil. They are anxious to please humans and will do any role given to them pragmatically.
Behavior – They are generally peaceful with other animals. In the absence of animals, they will try to herd humans. Around children they are patient as well as playful. They have a carefree attitude and are high spirited. The dog enjoys life to the fullest and is lively. They make good watchdogs but lacks aggression to make reliable guard dogs. They are immensely intelligent and hardworking They also excel in sporting activities. The dogs have a strong willingness and desire to work in any situation.
Trainability – The dog is bestowed with stamina, endurance and agility. Even a puppy will show its natural instinct to herd. They are easy to train in their areas of interest like herding, watching and working. But for other activities like obedience training and house training they require strong leader.
Activities Requirement – If you want a dog only for companionship, this is not right dog for you. You have to give the dog any job role. They have strong work ethics and excel at herding, search and rescue mission, tracking and agility. Do not forget that the dog has mind which needs stimulation beyond obedience commands.

Feeding

The quantity of food depends upon their muscular built up body, duration of physical activity and age. But comparing to other dogs their meal intake is more because this dog isn’t a couch potato. Do not keep the food on your dog’s plate every time because this can make your dog overweight.

Lifespan

The dog can live up to 16 to 18 years of age.

Health Issues

They are not hypoallergenic breed. Koolie is one of those breed with long and healthy lifespan. Because of diverse gene pool, they are not prone to any deadly health issues. Skin allergies and joint problems are some minor issues that may get affected to.

Habitat

The dog is meant for countryside. If you plan to domesticate the dog in urban area, make sure that your house is spacious and is accompanied with yard. Koolie can thrive in any temperature.