In his book, The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture, Max von Stephanitz, the “father of the German Shepherd Dog,” discussed German working sheepdogs. His remarks about their importation into Australia and the coloring of “tiger” sheepdogs have since been cited in accounts of the Australian Koolie’s ancestry.

That connection is intriguing, but it isn’t a settled pedigree. The Koolie Club of Australia’s history describes contributions from British working collie types and German working dogs, while acknowledging that research into the breed’s origins continues. One theory also links the Koolie’s ancestry to the British collie types associated with Thomas Hall and the development of the Australian Cattle Dog.

The name’s origins are no less debatable. One explanation connects “coolie” with “collie,” possibly through local pronunciation or the speech of German settlers in South Australia. It remains a theory. In Scots, “collie,” “colly,” and “colley” were names for sheepdogs, not exclusively the modern pedigree Collie.dsl+1

As for the proper spelling and country prefix, let the games begin. Some prefer “German Coolie,” while others use “Australian Koolie” to emphasize the breed’s Australian development. The Koolie Club of Australia chose the “K” spelling in 2000 to distinguish Koolies from Collies, but welcomes either name.

The musical nod is to “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Shall We Dance (1937). You can see it here. 

Image: “Koolie Dog” by Robin Arthur
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