SHEEP DOG NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 33

SHEEP DOG NOTES.

* KELPIES. Mr W. Melville writes under date, Brisbane, Queensland, August 11: —“As an old shepherd and native ot Utago I am sending you an article on the history of the kelpie dog winch 1 obtained front the North Queensland Register, and which, no doubt, will bo of interest to a great number of your readers. Kelpies are quite common in New Zealand, but their origin is a mystery. The general belief is rfiat they are a Cross between a dingo (Australian wild dog) and a (Scotch collie. Messrs King and M’Lcod are well-known in New Zealand to all interested in dog trials, having won the championship at the Exhibition Trials at Cashmere, Christchurch, in 1906, with their famous imported oollie, Tweed of Roxburgh. The origin of the kelpie has been the subject of much discussion. By many this grand stock dog is claimed as Australia’s production. Messrs King and M’Leod, of C'anonbar Station, Miowera, New South Wales, hold a contrary view, expression of which is given in the following letter:—‘We have recently imported a typical blue kelpie bitch, and she is now in quarantine in Sydney. Wo imported this bitch specially to settle once and for all the senseless disputes and arguments that have arisen regarding the origin of the above breed. They are quite plentiful in Great Britain, both rede, blues, black-and-tans, and black-and-whites. The Australian so-called kelpie is a direct descendant of the Border collie, and this fact is endorsed by the breeders in Great Britain. The kelpie type of dog at Home is bred from certain strains of dogs on the borders. The bitch now in quarantine, Kelp of Kelso, is open for inspection by anyone who cares to make the trip. Wo may add that she had two blue dog pups, but, unfortunately, these were lost. We are now making arrangements to import a red or blue dog of the same strain and typo.’ ”

Dear £i Terror,”—ln yours of August 13 I notice that Mr Paterson has managed to rake up another dog by Border Bose who is a winner at trials, which I believe, is the only win by th«» dog. with the exception of the other eight he knows of, but lets them down by insinuating that, the shepherds who have them cannot work them. Certainly not a bad way of putting it. And the above, according to Mr Paterson, stamps Border Boss the best breeding dog Now Zealand has ever soon. Mr Paterson, I feel sure, is not a doggie man, and has never competed at a trial, or he would not have written as he has done. He lets us know by the way. accidentally—that he paid £2O for a Border Boss pup! This seems strange. Others could buy them for from £3 to £5; but I suppose it is always the way—a man has to pay for his experience. What I said in my last letter was that when ordinary dogs could have wins, we naturally expect great things from dogs with hicr pedigrees, and I a.ni sure everyone will admit this to bo correct. That the run of Border Boss’s at Mosgiel was the best performance ever seen in public is all moonshine.” I saw the run, and if people had not known it was the renowned Border Boss it would have passed without comment. At hand he flopped about on the ground and lightened his sheep, and could do nothing with them, and the man who worked him, if he did not want to yard, seamed to me to be anxious, for ho did as much running as the flog. I feel certain that Pollock’s Bob would boat him in eight out of 10 rims, and as a breeder he ha= left a number of good working clogs, and from what f can learn he is onlv a cross with the kelpie and the Now Zealand collie. With regard to prices, I think the dogs named in my last letter, imported by Mr T T) Robertson, easily hold the record. Lord Lovat was sold for £SO to a Xort.i Island dog-dealer, and event nail v re-sold a f . I have no doubt, a profit Thus. I think, constitutes a reeord for a New Zealand-trained dog: and his full sist< r. a little younger (Lochiel Jed) was sold for £25. a,nd she was untrained at that time. Lilieo Again must he a wonderful dog. and it is passing strange that he lias had four runs in the North Island Championship without winning when he has such records; lint no doubt he meets better dorrs there than in the backblocks of the Nortli Island.—l am, etc.. Fair Plat