The full history of the Koolie has been lost to time and a
lack of record keeping, but the most widely accepted theory is that their
ancestors were German or European herding dogs of some sort that immigrated to Australia
with their owners, who then mated with wild dingoes that were native to the
area. Some of the breeds that have been credited as contributing to the development
of the Australian Koolie include blue merle Smooth Coated Collies, Black and
Tan Collies, Welsh Collies, and possibly a herding dog known as the German
Tiger, although these claims have not yet been substantiated. Whatever the combination that went into the
original herding dogs, the addition of the wild Dingo resulted in a new line that
frequently came in a shorter, single-layer coat that was better suited to the warmer
climate. This breed became sought after in it’s home country for it’s prowess
at all facets of herding: casting, driving, blocking, and even backing, a
technique in which they jump on the backs of the animals they are herding and was utilized in the development of other
Australian working breeds, including the Australian Cattle Dog and the
Australian Kelpie. While some individuals maintain that the name Koolie was a
German pronunciation of the word Collie, others believe it to be a reference to
the term Coolie, a derogatory term used
to describe immigrants to Australia. While the breed is well-known throughout
Australia they are primarily a working dog and until recently the breeding
records are exceedingly sparse, and due to the diversity within the breed, an accepted breed standard has not yet
been drawn up.
