Dog breed · Australia
The Koolie (also known as the Australian Koolie or by the historic misnomer "German Coolie") is an Australian dog breed. The Koolie is a working or herding dog which has existed in Australia since the early 19th century when it was bred from imported British working dogs. Robert Kaleski, in an article on Cattle Dogs in the August 1903 issue of the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, describes the "Welsh heeler or merle, erroneously known as the German collie," as a "blue-gray dog about the size and build of a smooth-haired collie, generally with wall eyes." The British background predominated in the dogs that came to be associated with the "German collie" name.
There is substantial variation in the Koolie population, as Koolies were bred to exhibit different characteristics in different regions. The breed is based on its ability to work rather than on its conformation. However, most Koolie breeders refer to the Koolie as a breed rather than as a type, and assert that it "breeds true", with various types or strains.
The Koolie is a "herding dog", one which has a natural instinct to circle widely round sheep and bring them back to their owner. Koolies are known as silent, upright, working dogs. They are used for herding sheep and also for quiet careful work at close quarters at lambing time or for "shedding" (cutting out) sheep.
Temperament: Graziers, stockmen and dairy farmers across Australia since days long past have typically selected breeds which display the abilities required to meet their working needs. The temperament found in a Koolie is a culmination of these much sought-after abilities. The optimal worker possesses a combination of working skills and bonding temperament.
There are times when an uninitiated dog owner or a new enthusiast mistakes the Koolie as a shy, reserved or even a timid animal. The Koolie's temperament needs to be understood in proper context when one seeks an optimal match of skills and demeanour. Koolies are intelligent animals, and the most experienced handlers know well that they need guidance in training. A steady and supportive approach will be productive, proving the Koolie's adaptability in diverse situations when given time.
Owners will be rewarded through the Koolie's diligence in varied roles such as in work situations, sporting activities, loyal service or the time honoured role of companionship. Known to be patient, temperate, dedicated, with a strong sense of willingness and devotion. They show an untiring enthusiasm for work and an admirable hardiness when the job or circumstance requires.
Given their nature, it is paramount that pups are well trained for obedience and are given both mentally challenging goals as well as physical exercise.
Appearance: The Koolie is as diverse as the country it originates from, Australia. In the north of Queensland and New South Wales they are tall, medium boned and agile, bred for mustering cattle over many miles. In New South Wales, they are thicker set and shorter to flush low lying cattle from the dense bush and gullies. In Victoria, one finds the smallest variety of the Koolie, primarily used for sheep. Koolies are bred to meet the needs of the stockman, grazier and farmer; all agile, all with the same ability to adapt to any situation, all with a strong willingness drive. Male Koolies stand between 17 and 20 inches (43 to 51 cm) tall at the shoulder, while females typically measure slightly smaller, ranging from 16 to 19 inches (41 to 48 cm). Most often, they are seen in the merle coat pattern, but can exhibit any combination of colour and coat lengths. The solid red or black Koolie are often mistaken for Kelpies, and some bi-coloured Koolie have been taken for Border Collies by the general public. As all of these breeds share Collie ancestry, they resemble each other.
Coat: The Koolie coat ranges from short/smooth (like that of the original blue merle Collies from Scotland), short (like a working Kelpie), medium and, not common, long (like the show Border Collie). Koolies are typically slightly longer than tall. The majority of owners prefer the short/smooth coats as they do not pick up grass seed, and are very easy to maintain, with the occasional swim to keep the coat glossy and free of parasites.
Health: The median longevity of Koolies is about 15 years, which is a typical lifespan for this breed. Koolies have a diverse but small gene pool and can suffer from the many genetic problems found in recognised breeds. Many of these problems have genetic tests currently available, but hip and elbow scoring is necessary to reduce the incidence of Hip and Elbow Dysplasia. The merle for which the Koolie is most recognised by can produce blind and/or deaf white pups, if 2 merles are bred together, so merle testing should be performed prior to breeding.
The Australian Koolie Association is the only Koolie breed registry which has mandatory DNA breed ID testing before a dog of unverified breeding can be registered and also requires all stud dogs to be fully health screened by DNA & hip and elbow dysplasia tested.
History: The Koolie's ancestors were thought to be the smooth-coated blue merle Collie (imported from Britain in the 19th century) and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland (black and tan collies are not a breed); but dogs imported by early German settlers are believed to be descended from the "German Tiger", a European herding dog, however DNA evidence is yet to be found support this. DNA testing has found that the Australian Kelpie is the closest known relative.
During the industrial era some bloodlines were influenced by Kelpie and Border Collie, as explained by one grazier in Western Australia, "You bred from the good workers which were around and Koolies were not always to be found, so you bred to the next best worker that was and this was either the Kelpie or Border depending on the region you lived and the stock you worked". Many breeders still out cross both Kelpie and Border Collie lines, which are accepted practices with the Koolie breed registries.
In 2000, the Koolie Club of Australia was formed to preserve and promote the Koolie breed. Later the Working Koolie Association & Australian Koolie Association were formed as well. None of these registries actively work towards bench standard recognition, feeling this would only be detrimental to the breeds working future. As of (2013), no bench standard exists.
