Its exact origins are lost in the mists of time but after about 100 years, unique working dog the New Zealand huntaway has become this country’s first registered breed and now looks set to receive international registration too.

The New Zealand Kennel Club and the New Zealand Sheepdog Trial Association have agreed to the huntaway’s registration in this country – and the NZKC has applied to the world’s largest canine body the Federation Cynologique Internationale to ratify the breed too.

NZKC’s immediate past president Owen Dance says once the FCI recognises the huntaway as a district breed, its recognition by the two other international bodies, the British and the American kennel clubs, is likely to follow “almost automatically”.

A proposal from NZKC three years ago to register the breed was initially turned down by the New Zealand Sheepdog Trial association, says president John Harvey.

“There were concerns that some people might breed the huntaway as a show dog, and its unique qualities as a working dog might be lost,” says John.

“However, when it became apparent the kennel club shared those concerns and in fact wanted the huntaway protected as a working, not a show dog, we were more than happy to work together to make that happen.”

The official description of the huntaway makes it very clear the New Zealand huntaway is “first and foremost a working breed, selected solely for its ability to tirelessly work stock day in and day out”.

The official breed description, agreed by both bodies, goes on to say: “the only consideration when breeding should be as to their working ability and physical soundness. There should be no deviation from this when breeding”.

The breed standard document also says: “It is the opinion of the New Zealand Sheepdog Trial Association that the huntaway should never be shown due to the large variance in colour, type and size and the inability to prove in a show ring their core [and only] task of working stock”.

“No changes to the official breed standard of the New Zealand huntaway will be made without consultation with the New Zealand Sheepdog Trial Association.”

The standard also includes the statement the NZSTA’s opinion is the New Zealand huntaway shouldn’t be kept solely as a pet.

John says it’s appropriate a dog which plays such a significant role in New Zealand farming, should become this country’s first registered native breed on the official NZKC Registry.

There are 223 different breeds on the registry but all have offshore origins.

For dogs of a recognised breed to be registered with the NZKC they must have a pedigree of at least three generations.

“The origins of the huntaway are lost in the mists of time but probably go back to the 1840s or 1850s, when shepherds working sheep on hill country and bush realised the border collies were less able to cope with the mild, moist climate and the size of the farms,” says John.

With the shepherd often far behind the dog, the silent working method of the collie made it difficult for the shepherd to manage the flock and keep track of the dog. So they looked for a dog with a short-haired coat, greater stamina and ability to bark to control the flock.

Those shepherds looked for dogs with the potential to produce the attributes they needed and began to cross border collie and bearded collie with labrador, rottweiler, harrier, gordon setter and smithfield collie.

That’s why finding an accurate description to officially define the New Zealand huntaway wasn’t easy.

In the end both the NZSTA and NZKC agreed the huntaway should be: “usually a short-haired breed, the coat can be smooth, rough or wiry; and a huntaway’s colour, coat and size are totally irrelevant as compares to their working ability; although it is accepted a high percentage fit into the mid-size, black and tan, smooth haired range”.

The description gives weight to the dog’s endurance, activity, intelligence and voice, which should be “deep, loud and able to be maintained all day”.

Owen says it’s hoped by registering and defining the New Zealand huntaway, and discouraging it from the being shown, the breed won’t be distorted for appearance – as have others, such as the bulldog.

New Zealand huntaway are found overseas and Owen says there was a risk another country might try to register it as a breed.

“It is rightfully a New Zealand breed and should be registered as such,” says Owen.