The Kelpie is a dog breed that stands out when it comes to showing loyalty and affection to its owners.
This dog breed has charmed its ways into our hearts due to its pet and kid-friendly nature and its determination to please its owners by diligently performing its tasks.
However, this hound, just like most hounds, when bored it tends to act out by being aggressive or destructive, making it necessary to get it a companion.
So, whether you just adopted this easy-to-love and energetic dog and you are finding it difficult to leave on its own (due to its nature of disliking boredom), and you are wondering which is the best companion dog for Kelpie, then read on as this article got you covered.
We walk you through 9 of the best companion dog breeds for your Kelpie and the reasons that make this dog breeds the best fit
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Australian Shepherd
This breed, also known as the Aussie originated in the 1840s from the Western United States (California to be exact) and not from Australia as the name suggests.
This breed was only popular among ranch owners until the mid of 20th century when a rodeo performer named Jay Lister made it famous.
After putting on a show stopper performance, this dog breeds became widely known, and by 1979 the United Kennel Club had recognized the Australian Shepherd.
Around the 1990s, the American Kennel Club also acknowledged this dog breed.
Physical Features
Standing at 18-23 inches long, this breed comes in a variety of colors, including solid Blue and black, Blue Merle, Red Merle, which may or may not have white marking and tan spots on its fur.
The coat patterns are so unique to the extent that no 2 dogs share the same coat pattern.
This fun-loving dog possesses a special feature when it comes to its eye color as it can have 2 different colored eyes, a condition known as Heterochromia.
Temperament
This breed has sturdy innate herding instincts. It’s also known for its adaptive, intelligent, and playful nature.
It’s highly destructive when it feels physically under-stimulated.
Lifespan
This boisterous dog can live for 11-13 years.
However, medical conditions such as Epilepsy and vision problems have been known to reduce this dog breeds lifespan and quality of living.
What Makes This Dog Breed A Good Companion For Your Kelpie?
- It’s not aggressive
- It will protect your Kelpie due to its innate herding and protective instincts
Jack Russel
Getting its name from the Reverend Jack Russel, who bred one of the finest dog breeds we have today, this dog breed is known for its high vocals and superior hunting skills.
Loved for its low grooming needs and its tendency not to drool, this dog breed is usually white with black or tan markings on its coat.
Lifespan
It can live for up to 13-16 years.
Common medical conditions that may shorten your Russel’s life expectancy or lower its quality of dog life include;
- Bone growth defects
- Deafness
- Blindness
Why Is A Jack Russel The Best Companion For Kelpie?
- It’s a very social dog
- It is equally energetic as a Kelpie, which perfectly complements your Kelpie’s energy drive and needs
Fox Terrier
As the name suggests, this dog breed was intentionally bred to flush out Foxes (due to their remarkably good eyesight and a keen sense smell) during a fox hunt.
And they are still up to date performing their task diligently (fox hunting) in the Northeastern side of the USA.
The Fox terrier has 2 different types of breeds, namely the Smooth Fox terrier and the Wire Fox terrier, both of which are descendants of the British terriers.
The main difference between these 2 breeds is their coat type and texture.
Physical Appearance
Both the Smooth Fox terrier and the Wire Fox terrier have a white coat with tan or black markings on them.
The smooth fox terrier’s coat texture is soft, short, and dense, typically lying flat on its body.
On the other hand, the Wire fox terrier’s coat type is wiry with a crisp texture.
Having a long and wedge-shaped head, with the ears assuming a V-shaped point, these hounds typically grow to a height of 14-16 inches.
Temperament
This lively and quick-witted dog breed is famous for its attentive, affectionate, eager to please, and playful persona.
What Makes This Breed A Good Fit For Your Kelpie?
- It is outgoing, and it won’t mind having your Kelpie around
- It loves being physically stimulated, just like a Kelpie making it a good play buddy
Sheepadoodle
Also known as the Sheep-a-poo, Sheeppoo, Sheepdoodle, and Sheepdogpoo.
These adorable dogs are a crossbreed of the old English sheepdog and the Poodle dog breed.
Their omnivorous diet makes them a good fit for a person who enjoys trying new dishes as your lively and adorable friend won’t mind indulging in your delicacies (if you let them).
Physical Attributes
These dog breeds come in a shade of curly grey, white and black, and rarely red and white coats.
Growing up to 13-28 inches long, these vibrant dog breeds typically have dark brown eye colors, with some inheriting the blue eye colors from the Old English breed.
They have a set of floppy ears, which accentuates their already adorable looks.
Temperament
This attention-loving dog is inarguably known for its affectionate, even-tempered personality and easy-to-train nature.
Reasons That Make A Sheeppoo The Best Companion Dog Breed For Kelpie?
- It’s not an aggressive dog breed, and rarely will it get involved in a physical brawl
- It’s a high-spirited dog just like your Kelpie, making it a perfect match for your Kelpie’s active nature
Corgi
Originating from the Pembroke shire, Wales, these dogs are not only famous for their striking appearance, but also their easy to train and affectionate nature.
The dog name ‘Corgi’ has conflicting narratives when it comes to its meaning, with some experts suggesting it a Welsh word for a watch-over dog and others suggesting the name stands for a dwarf dog.
Both names fully represent this dog’s breed characteristics as it’s a sheep herder and a miniature dog measuring around 14-17 inches long.
Physical Appearance
If you are a ‘fairy tale’ enthusiast, then it won’t be hard for you to see the ‘fairy saddle’ markings on the shoulders of the Red, Sable, black tan, Black and white, and Fawn (most unique and rare color) colors of this breed’s coat.
Temperament
This bold breed is known for its playful, outgoing, and protective nature.
What Makes A Corgi A Good Companion For Your Kelpie?
- It is charming and doesn’t mind having another dog around
- It is very active and playful, thus matching your Kelpie’s energetic and playful nature
Rough Collie
The sassy nature of a Rough Collie is unrivaled. Its long hair screams ‘grandeur’.
But don’t let this dog’s looks deceive you since it is a ‘demon’ when it comes to herding flock.
Its intuitive, loyal and quick responsiveness to training has made it one of the most popular dogs breeds to be adopted.
What Makes This Agile Dog Breed A Good Companion For Your Kelpie?
- It’s unreserved when it comes to its outgoing nature
- It’s even-tempered and most of the times it’s a genius at tolerating dogs around it
Golden Retriever
This medium-large-sized dog growing to an astounding 28-32 inches long was initially bred as a hunting dog to retrieve upland bird(non-water birds like the pheasants, turkeys, grouse) games.
Being the 4th most intelligent dog breed globally and having a life expectancy of 10-12 years, this hound has coat colors that are light and dark golden or cream in color.
It is famous for its reliable, sharp wits, friendly and loyal nature.
What Makes A Golden Retriever A Good Companion For Your Kelpie?
- It loves forming strong relationship bonds with other dogs
- It’s a conflict-free dog that rarely engages in hostile confrontations
Border Collie
If you are looking for an impressive companion dog breed for your Kelpie, then the Border Collie will fit the bill.
Known for its impressive work ethic, stamina, and agility, this dog breed was originally bred to herd sheep in Scotland.
Its name is coined from two words: the border (since it thrived so well between the Scottish and English border) and Collie, a scotch word that means sheepdogs.
It’s a maestro at herding sheep due to its stern and intense eye stare that automatically intimidates any animal around it.
Physical Appearance
With coats that can be solid black or white, Red Merle, Sable Merle, lilac, or chocolate, this dog breed can grow to 22-27 inches.
Its chest is predominantly white with blue or grey markings on it.
Its eyes color ranges from dark brown, to blue with some of the dogs born with 2 different eyes colors.
Temperament
This dog breed is so intelligent that it can learn more words and commands than most dog breeds.
In fact, Chaser, a Border Collie is worldly recognized as the most intelligent dog due to its mastery in vocabulary as it knows more than 1000 names of different objects.
These dogs ace at alertness and quickly respond and pick up to their training.
Fun Facts About Collies When It Comes To Acing At Championships
- Jumpy holds the Guinness world record in dog skating
- Striker set the first canine record of rolling down a manual car window
- Sweet pea, in 2008 set a record for dog balancing
What Makes This Doggy The Best Dog Companion For Kelpie?
- It is energetic and playful, just like a Kelpie
- It innately enjoys the company of another dog or animal
- Just like your Kelpie, this dog doesn’t appreciate staying idle
Shetland Sheepdog
Ranking at number 25 out of the 200 breeds registered under the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Sheltie (its nickname) was intentionally bred to be small in order for it to adapt and survive on less food when compared to other dog breeds.
Breed on the Shetland Islands of Scotland, this dog breed, also previously known as a toonie dog (coming from the word toon, which means farm in Scotland), has positively impacted our lives to the extent that on 1st June of every year, the International Sheltie Day is celebrated.
They are such a vocal breed that won’t hesitate to bark if they get excited or sense danger.
These dog breeds are so sharp witted as they can easily understand a new command after being taught/trained for less than 5 times.
Reasons That Make A Sheltie A Good Companion For Your Kelpie?
- It’s a peaceful dog breed thus it is unlikely to engage in any hostile confrontation
- Its quite an emotional dog and value strong family bonds
Are Kelpies Good With Other Dogs?
Yes, Kelpies are extremely good with other dogs.
in fact, a healthy Kelpie needs the company of another dog for it to achieve a maximal happy dog life fully.
Their extroverted nature helps them easily relate with dogs of the same or different breeds.
Think big! Get Your Kelpie A Companion Today!
Don’t hesitate to get your Kelpie a companion.
Ensure that you slowly introduce and socialize your Kelpie, to its new canine companion, to avoid ugly confrontations.
Keep in mind your Kelpie’s personality before adopting them a new doggy friend as this will substantially determine how the 2 dogs will relate.
Make sure that the 2 dogs’ personalities complement each other’s physical, emotional, and social attributes.
Always adopt your doggy from a known and certified breeder to ensure that you get a dog or pup with the right quality genes.
