How long does a Working Kelpie live?

The listed lifespan for a Working Kelpie is 12–15 years.

How tall is a Working Kelpie?

The listed height for a Working Kelpie is 19–25 in.

Is a Working Kelpie good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Working Kelpie is 5 out of 5.

When is a Working Kelpie full grown?

The growth size band for a Working Kelpie is up to 24 months.

Foundation Stock Service

Working Kelpie

Working Kelpie is a large dog in the Foundation Stock Service. Adult weight is 28–60 lb, height is 19–25 in, and the listed lifespan is 12–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Alert, Intelligent, Eager.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Working Kelpie dog — Photo: Aliénor Wayne · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–15 years

Weight28–60 lb

SizeLarge

GroupFoundation Stock Service

Height

19–25 in

Energy

5 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

1 / 5

Trainability

5 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 119 single-size large breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13.5 years is about 0.9 years longer than the 12.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 44 lb is about 15.2 lb lighter than the 59.2 lb average for those large breeds.

The listed origin is Australia. The coat is described as smooth, short. The AKC energy score is 5 out of 5, 1.4 points above the group average of 3.6 for the Foundation Stock Service. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 1 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 5 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5.

Adult size is usually reached in up to 24 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): larger breeds require up to 24 months).

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