Shimmy Downs Kelpies

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Busselton, WA
Shimmy Downs Kelpies

SDK is a family owned & operated working dog training & kelpie stud based in Busselton, WA.

Our aim is to train working dog breeds to successfully work on farms & to provide working breed pet dogs mental stimulation, using their natural instincts.

06/09/2026

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's (both human and fur!) in the SDK crew! We hope you've had a fantastic day. ❤️

03/09/2026

SDK ANSWERS #001

We get asked this one all the time, so it seemed like the perfect question to kick off our new SDK ANSWERS series! And the answer is… BOTH!
Your dog absolutely does not need to live on a farm, work stock for a living, or even have seen a sheep before coming to SDK.

We train herding breeds of all experience levels, from working farm dogs to much loved family pets who have never had the opportunity to use their natural working instincts.
In fact, we LOVE introducing pet dogs to sheep.
For many owners, it’s the first time they get to see that little switch flick in their dog. That moment they realise, “Ohhh… THIS is what my dog was bred to do!” And it’s pretty special for us to watch too.

Whether your goal is to develop a working farm dog, give your pet an outlet for those natural instincts, learn more about your dog, or simply come out and have a go, you are welcome at SDK.
No sheep at home required. No farm required. No previous experience required.
Just a herding breed and a willingness to learn together.

Got something you’ve always wondered about SDK or working dog training? Drop your question below. It might become a future SDK ANSWERS!

31/08/2026

Introducing SDK ASKS…
We thought it was time we heard a little more from you!
Every so often, we’ll be throwing out a question about working dogs, training, the lessons you’ve learnt along the way with a few just-for-fun ones too.
And where better to start than right at the beginning…

When did you first realise your dog had working instinct?
Was it the first time they saw sheep? Did they start eyeing off the chooks? Herding the kids around the backyard? 😂 Or did you always know exactly what they were bred to do?

Tell us your story in the comments, we’d love to hear it!

30/08/2026

Koby 🤍
Yesterday we said goodbye to our beautiful old boy, Koby, just shy of his 14th birthday.
He may not have been a kelpie, a working dog, or particularly interested in sheep 😂, but Koby has been part of the story behind Shimmy Downs from long before Shimmy Downs Kelpies even existed.

Koby was my dog. I got him before I had even met James. He was there before the farm, before the business, before marriage and before our girls. He came along for all of it.

Over almost 14 years, he watched my whole life change around him. From being just the two of us, to meeting James, building our family, moving to the farm and somehow finding himself surrounded by kelpies. Through every version of life, Koby was there.
He was never the biggest dog in the yard, but he held a very big place in our family, and an especially big one in my heart.

Yesterday I got to hold him close and tell him just how loved he was as we said goodbye.

Almost 14 years but it still wasn't long enough.
Sleep peacefully, my little mate. 🤍
Thank you for being there for all of it.
Koby
2012–2026 🐾

29/08/2026

OUR WORKING WEEK AT SHIMMY DOWNS
We thought we’d share a little look at who is around at SDK during the week and what we’re all up to behind the scenes!

JAMES | Monday–Friday + fortnightly Saturdays
James is our Head Trainer and is available Monday–Friday for 1:1 training sessions. You’ll also find him running our fortnightly Saturday morning group classes, working with everything from puppies just starting out through to more experienced dogs and handlers.
Outside of lessons, there’s always plenty keeping James busy around the property, working and training our own dogs, caring for the sheep, maintaining the training areas and tackling the never-ending list of farm jobs!

IMOGEN | Monday–Wednesday
Imogen is with us Monday–Wednesday and is available for 1:1 training sessions across all three days.
When she’s not working with clients, Imogen is a huge help with the day-to-day running of SDK, exercising and working dogs, helping care for the animals and keeping things running around the property. If you’ve booked a weekday session, there’s a good chance you’ll see her out and about!

MICHELLE | Monday admin + evenings
Monday is my dedicated SDK admin day — emails, bookings, invoices, website updates, socials and all the other behind-the-scenes jobs!
Tuesday–Friday I swap SDK for my day job as a teacher. I still try to check emails and messages each evening, but sometimes replies may need to wait until I have a little more time to give them the attention they need.

We’re a small team and there is always plenty happening behind the scenes, so we really appreciate your patience if we don’t get back to you immediately. ❤️
And remember, if you’re looking for a training session, our available appointments can be viewed and booked online anytime at www.shimmydownskelpies.com.au/book-online

24/08/2026

There’s something pretty special about our Puppy Starter Classes! 🥰
On Saturday we held not one, but TWO completely full Puppy Starter Classes and James was absolutely beaming after each!
We had a great mix of first-timers and returning pups, and it was fantastic to see the growth in every single pup.

Puppy classes will always be a bit special for us because we get to witness that moment when a young dog “switches on” for the very first time. ✨ That little change when instinct kicks in and suddenly they start to realise what those sheep are all about!

I managed to sneak out from behind the scenes and watch the second class on Saturday, and I LOVED seeing the owners’ faces when their pups started showing those natural instincts. There’s a mixture of surprise, pride and “Oh wow… my dog can actually do this!”

No matter how many times we see it, it never gets old and it certainly never fails to put a smile on our faces too.

A huge well done to all of Saturday’s puppies and their humans. We can't wait to see where you all go from here! 🐾🐑

22/08/2026

Upcoming Group Classes
Our group classes have been filling fast, so we’ve decided to release our October dates a little earlier than usual!
We’ll be taking a short break from group classes over the school holidays, which means there’ll be a three-week gap between our September and October sessions.
There are still a few spots available in September, or you can get organised early and secure your place for October.
As always, classes are kept small with just 4 dogs per class, giving everyone plenty of time on the sheep.
Check out the upcoming dates below and book early if you have a particular class in mind!
All herding breeds welcome, pets and farm dogs. 🧡

21/08/2026

WE WANT TO SEE YOUR DOGS IN ACTION!
We get to meet so many awesome dogs here at Shimmy Downs, and now we want to fill our feed with your dogs at SDK!
Drop a photo in the comments of your dog training, working sheep or just hanging out at SDK!
Whether it’s their very first time on sheep, a proud training moment, an action shot, or one of those “I absolutely nailed that” faces ... we want to see them! 📸😂
Bonus points if you tell us your dog’s name and what they love most about coming to SDK!

Address

Busselton, WA
6280

Website

http://www.shimmydownskelpies.com.au/

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