How to play with a herding dog?
Lorine Bode
2025-06-28 13:13:37
Count answers: 5
So the hack is, instead of letting your puppy first see and get herdy with a moving car, motorbikes, a bird, a cat, wildlife, a shadow, planes, running kids, your own dogs moving around…. first create some highly reinforcing experiences with playing with and herding things you have 100% control over like dog toys. Once playing and herding the toys is established, you can then have your puppy look at the things you don’t want him to herd and mark and feed treats after 1 second of looking without thinking of moving toward the thing. Then you can mark and feed for ignoring the distraction. If shadow chasing or light chasing is in your dogs lines, or you just want to play it safe, the first few times you play with toys where you throw them or you are moving around, play when it’s cloudy or dusk so there is no possibility for your puppy to notice and follow the shadow of you or the toy. Never have your puppy wear a tag on his collar that creates a reflection. And if your puppy notices a light or shadow as soon as you can get your puppies attention, or pick him up and redirect him to something else.
Sheila Casper
2025-06-28 12:50:15
Count answers: 10
Agility training and other dog sports are an excellent outlet for your herding dog's stalking and chasing instincts. Considerations for Apartment Living with Herding Dog Breeds indicate that an apartment complex with a nearby dog park can substitute for a yard and provide your dog a place to run, burn off excess energy and play a nice game of fetch that can help satisfy their herding instincts. Otherwise, you'll need to take your pooch on plenty of walks, or possibly even take up jogging with them to satisfy their daily exercise needs. Indoor Activities for Herding Dogs include Treibball: Pronounced "tribe ball," this is a sport designed just for herding breeds. Simply provide your dog with several inflatable fitness balls of varying sizes and colors, to stand in for livestock. The object of the game is to get your pup to "herd" the balls from one end of the room to the other. Hide-and-Seek: This game requires no special equipment and is a fun way to bond with your dog. Simply hide in various places around your apartment, and let your pooch seek you out, rewarding them with a treat when they successfully find you. Indoor Fetch: Herding dogs love fetch. If you have sufficient space, such as a large living room or a long hallway, tossing your pup's favorite toy for them to chase and retrieve is a great way to satisfy their instincts to chase and grab.
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