ONLY 18 months into the business and Jillaroo-Kippen Stud (JKS) has developed a reputation for breeding quality working dogs.
They have a waitlist full of eager customers wanting sought-after Australian Kelpie puppies and a sold-out working dog clinic.
Ciara Douglas and Matt Kippen, both aged 27, breed family and farm dogs - with litters born about twice a year.
"When we have a litter come up, they're pretty much gone when they're born," Ms Douglas said.
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There's a high demand for working dogs in Western Australia and prices across the State reflect this.
In 2022, the first working dog auction was held in WA.
"They're worth their weight in gold," Ms Douglas said.
"If you employed someone to be doing this job, you could be paying $100,000 a year.
"So, spending money on a dog is more than worth it."
By breeding on demand, JKS can use its studs and bitches to breed pups for specific purposes and with different traits, catering to customers on their waiting list.
"It just depends what people want and what the demand is," Ms Douglas said.
With 11 dogs, the JKS team is strengthened by diversity, with a multitude of personalities and abilities.
The dogs get practical exposure to livestock, with Murray Grey stud heifers and Dorper sheep also being bred on Ms Douglas and Mr Kippen's Denbarker farm.
They have been living in Denbarker for three years, having lived in Perth and Bullsbrook prior.
"I have been working on farms most of my life and Matt is the same," Ms Douglas said.
"He's worked on different farms.
"We both just fell in love with the agricultural industry."
Coming full circle, Ms Douglas met Mr Kippen at a working dog clinic and now they run the dogs together.
With a little more than three years each of dog training behind them, the couple has observed an industry that is showing high demand, but little uptake - especially from young people.
"Our main goal is to get younger people involved and people in the industry who haven't utilised dogs and aren't aware of how amazing they can be on the farm," Ms Douglas said.
"There's a common misconception that if you've got a working breed, you've got a working dog and they don't realise what they can get out of those breeds - the connection they can develop and the natural abilities they can work with."
A lack of awareness and opportunities limits people from entering the industry and, Ms Douglas said, she had noticed some people in the industry who weren't aware when training days or shows were on.
"When you do go to show, it's the same club and the same people who constantly compete and are in the winning pools," she said.
"This is disappointing because the agricultural industry and working dogs are massive here.
"So, I guess our goal is to bring the younger people into it and raise awareness."
A sold-out clinic was held on April 13-14 and featured the skills of Simon Leaning, an international working dog clinician who has been coaching the couple for more than three years.
"Most of our participants were about our age (27), with the youngest being 12-years-old," Ms Douglas said.
She said the first session was about obedience, connection with the dog and basic commands, while Mr Leaning used the second day to share his expertise and to provide demonstrations.
While there's no plans set in stone for future working dog clinics, Ms Douglas said there was a high chance there would be another one held later in the year due to the high demand.
