A team of vets working with Sydney University have launched a survey of working dogs, the Kelpie, the Border Collie, and the Australian Cattle Dog are the principal working breeds as part of a study into the genetic characteristics of a 'really good dog', information provided by everyday people like you from handlers to breeders.
Jonathon Early is a vet and a PhD student working on the study and he's encouraging people to provide information on the naturally bred in traits they value like speed, stamina, agility, obedience, the ability to work the most difficult of stock, this will also cover breeding, training and performance for yard work and or paddock work.
The farm dog survey will collate what traits farmers value most in their working dogs. The ground breaking study aims to help mould the farm dog of the future to participate in the survey.
Note: The survey has not finished taking responses and the link has been removed from this web page.