AUSTRALIA'S best sheep dogs will be travelling to Tasmania with their handlers in the next few weeks, for national championships.
Both the Australian Yard Dog and National Kelpie trials will be held in the north of the island state.
National Yard Dog Association president Peter Allan said about 90 dogs and their handlers, from all states, were expected to come to Tasmania for the trials.
"The championships travel from state to state and every six or seven years they come to Tasmania, Mr Allan said.
Dogs are expected to work 12-15 sheep through yards, races and on and off a trailer.
"It is similar to what they would do on farm, but they've only got 10 minutes to do it.
"The only thing the handler can do is open and shut the gates, the dog has to do the whole lot."
Some dogs were so clever they "think they can open and shut the gates too," he said.
The Yard Dog championships would be held at the Ross Recreation Ground, between April 9 and 12, and a Queensland representative White's Dixie was again favourite.
As 90 per cent of the entrants were kelpies, most would go on to Connorville, Cressy, for the National Kelpie Field Trial (NKFTC), between April 16-18.
The University of Sydney has also established that the typical working dog yields a producer a five-fold return on investment, netting an average value of $40,000 during 10 years.
"While the costs associated with acquiring and keeping stock herding dogs are minimal, such modest costs should not be considered a reflection of their worth," said Elizabeth Arnott, a Faculty of Veterinary Science researcher.
"Labour efficiency of this magnitude can only be considered extremely valuable."
Ms Arnott said said the purpose of the study was to estimate the net economic worth of the Australian working dog, which would help owners assess their value when making financial decisions relating to their care.
