The love between a dog and his master is very strong. A Kelpie needs a balanced environment in which to develop satisfactorily. By this we mean that he needs stimulation by training and handling and some peace and quiet in which to reflect on his lesson. In other words, the Kelpie which is over-stimulated by constant excitable activity children playing etc. will develop into a highly-strung excitable animal, unlikely to be reliably obedient.