The Koolie, as a working dog with a good deal of energy, is best suited for super-active, experienced owners. Overall Koolie care and maintenance will take a moderate amount of work, and will need to include lots of daily exercise.
Below you'll find details on caring for a Koolie including puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. Find answers to your questions about raising a Koolie in the following sections!
As extremely active, task-oriented dogs, Koolie exercise requirements are pretty extensive. Breed members will need a variety of daily activities that both condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports). They make good jogging companions as well.
The typical adult Koolie, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need an hour (at the very least) of proper exercise each day. You can start exercising your Koolie puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.
Precautions with Koolie exercise:
Exercising your Koolie every single day is an absolute must. These dogs are incredibly energetic and have strong work ethics--they pretty much constantly need something to do, in other words!--and without consistent activity they'll become frustrated, disobedient, hyperactive, and destructive. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Koolie exercise ideas:
When indoors, give your Koolie access to balls or toys that will let the dog burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks or jogs after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.
These dogs don't need a ton of maintenance overall. Koolie shedding is fair, and drooling isn't really an issue.
Though some variations exist, the most common Koolie coat is single-layered and short to medium in length. These coats shed moderately all year long, so owners can brush their Koolies about twice per week with a pin brush to help collect dead hairs. Cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary from time to time, but won't be a constant chore.
And a Koolie rarely drools at all. If your Koolie is drooling excessively, it may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.
The Koolie diet will need to include animal proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to sustain its health in the long term. The best Koolie food, then, is premium dry kibble, as it has balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients.
Koolies do best with food formulated for active breeds. Royal Canin and Dr. Tim's are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of high-energy food.
The typical adult Koolie will need about 3 cups of premium dry food per day, divided into two meals. Koolie puppies will need less: depending on age, about two cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months old.
For more info on feeding a Koolie, see this chart:
*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult formula to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.
If possible, try and stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these dogs can become overweight--and a fat Koolie will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. You can help control your Koolie's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.
If you're worried your Koolie is overweight, try this test: run a hand along the dog's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!
