Sophie Gilmore, 15, with 15-month-old kelpie Chilli. Photos: Sophie Baldwin and Djembe Archibald
Chilli is the working dog of the Gilmore family’s small dairy farm in Durham Ox. Sophie Gilmore, daughter of Travis and Karlee Gilmore, spoke to Country News about Chilli’s life as a working dog and how it’s been to train her at the age of 15.
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What is your dog’s name, age and breed?
Chilli is a red and tan female purebred kelpie from Luke Twigg, Hilton Park Kelpies, and she is 15 months old.
Do you have any other dogs?
Yes, we have two other small dogs that are pets and their names are Peppa and Frenchy. We also have a semi-retired border collie, Sasha.
There’s nothing Chilli loves more than being outside and spending time with people.
What tasks does she do?
I am currently training her to be a working dog. I am training Chilli to bring the cows home from the paddock, help draft and do work in the yards with cattle.
What are some of her favourite things to do when she’s not working?
Chilli loves to go on the back of the ute and in the side-by-side, she enjoys jumping up on to things, especially hay bales, she likes to go for walks, chew bones and play with balls outside.
Chilli is full of energy, but her personality is what Sophie loves most about her.
Why did you want to get her?
I was inspired to start dog training from watching the series Muster Dogs, and my uncle gave us his semi-retired border collie Sasha to see if I could handle a working dog.
Does she have a favourite spot to relax?
She relaxes whenever she is sitting next to me and likes to put her head in my lap.
“Training Chilli has taught me patience and resilience,” Sophie Gilmore said.
What is her personality like?
Chilli is very energetic and never slows down, all she wants to do is work. She can be quite loud sometimes and loves to go with me anywhere. She has great breeding behind her and has a lot of natural ability and instinct. She knows how to make me laugh, and we always have fun together.
What’s it been like to train her?
It definitely has not been easy because she is so full on, it has been difficult to get her to slow down and stop when I want her to.
Training Chilli has taught me patience and resilience because some sessions don't go to plan.
What is your favourite thing about her?
I love her personality and the fact that she likes to learn new things.
Sophie and Chilli attended a dog training day in Undera together.
