While kelpie breeder Shane Maurer might have 26 mouths to feed, he says the drought has led to a trend of quality over quantity when it comes to working dogs.

"In the past 12 months, I think farmers have realised they can have one less employee and a couple of good dogs to do the job," Mr Maurer said.

"It saves them in the long run by paying more money for the right dog.

"It's a man's wages; they could cut out a bloke's employment really."

Mr Maurer set a new Australian record price for a working kelpie at the Jerilderie Working Dog Auction, in southern NSW, earlier this year when he sold his bitch Eveready Possum for $25,000.

She was highly sought after with five buyers pushing the bidding into record territory.

Shane Maurer has been breeding and training dogs for the past 20 years. ( ABC Riverina: Hannah Laxton-Koonce )

Mr Maurer said a decent working dog did not come cheap.

"To get yourself a handy dog you're looking at $5,000 plus," he said.

He said auctions were where the big money was made. Very rarely does a dog sell for that much privately.

"You need to have two or three buyers that really want your dog and have a pocketful of money — and a bit of rivalry when bidding doesn't go astray."

One dog, four owners

While Mr Maurer cannot claim bragging rights for breeding Eveready Possum, he was responsible for training her to reach her full potential.

"She was bred by a mate, he sold her as a pup to another mate, who didn't get along with her," he said.

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"Then I bought her when she was six months old, and grew her up and worked her everyday until I sold her."

Mr Maurer was keen to take on Eveready Possum as she had all the qualities he was looking for.

"She was a very strong little bitch, classy, very direct, she was an easy one to take on," he said.

She was bought by Dwayne Evans from Wilcannia in north-west New South Wales.

"He bought my top-price dog at the Jerilderie auction the year prior for $14,000, and I think he has seven dogs off me so far," Mr Maurer said.

Wagga Yard Dog Club Working Dog Auction organiser Steve Condell said young dogs were highly sought after.

"At around two years of age the work skills are there, they can take them home and put them straight to work," Mr Condell said.

"People want to make one investment and have some time to get a good six or seven years out of that dog."

Wagga Wagga's latest working dog auction saw 27 dogs sold for an average of $4,466. ( ABC Riverina: Rosie King )

Mr Condell has found demand for working dogs remained strong during the drought.

"We've still got to look after our stock, they've got to be tended to, they've got to be moved from paddock to paddock, the job never stops," he said.

"Farmers have worked it out. Rather than have a pack of dogs, one good quality dog can do the work."

Parting ways with man's best friend

It was not uncommon for a working dog to be bred and raised by different people and on-sold again.

"If you can't get along with a dog, there is no point keeping it. You may as well move it onto someone else," Mr Maurer said.

"It will just grow old and get wasted. You need to get along with the dog and it needs to like you."

Mr Maurer sold Eveready Possum when she was three years and eight-months-old with her five pups.

He said parting with dogs and pups was part of the business.

Eveready Possum and her pups will make their new home at Wilcannia in north-west NSW where they will be put to use chasing goats, sheep and cattle. ( ABC Rural: Cara Jeffery )

"You try and not get too attached. There are a couple of favourites that will never leave, but you need to move most of them on or you will end up with 50 old dogs and no young dogs to work," Mr Maurer said.

At her new home Eveready Possum with be chasing goats, sheep, and cattle.

"I think she will love it, she'll have to toughen up a bit for the rougher terrain," Mr Maurer said.

With the Australian Premier Working Dog Auction on next weekend at Casterton in Victoria, Mr Maurer was unsure his record would stand for long.

"They beat my previous record last year at $22,000, so who knows what will happen?" he said.