Border Collies are a breed of dog that has been around for centuries, originally used to herd sheep and cattle, but now they have evolved into great family pets. But how best to keep them entertained given their high energy levels and brainpower? In this article, we bring you 10 of the best activities for you both to enjoy!
Activities for Border collies – 10 Great Ideas! There are many different activities that you can enjoy with your Border Collie. Here are 10 of the best: 1. Walking, jogging or hiking; 2. agility training; 3. swimming; 4. hide and seek; 5. burying (digging for!) treasure; 6. obedience training; 7. teaching new tricks; 8. entering local competitions; 9. dog sports and 10. playing fetch.
See below for more details on these and other ways to keep your high-energy pup or adult Collie from chewing up your sofa! these will help give your dog the physical and mental stimulation they need to stay happy and healthy.
Activities for Border Collies – 10 Great Ideas!
Border Collies are so fit, active and curious, there are almost limitless possibilities of activities and play to enjoy with your four-legged companion. You can go on a hike or run together, play fetch in an open field, or even just lay outside and enjoy the weather. Border Collies love being active so any activity will be great!
They also love being around people so playing games at home is always fun too! If you want to get involved with something more strenuous there are agility courses or flyball races where you can compete against other teams from across the country! Whether it’s running through tunnels or jumping over boxes, playing with your Border Collie is lots of fun.
Here are ten ideas for activities you can experience with your Border Collie;
1. Walking or jogging – Border Collies are high-energy dogs that need to be exercised on a daily basis. Make sure walks are not too short otherwise the dog will become bored and play up when it is time to come back inside. Also, don’t run long distances with your dog, especially in the heat. Dogs enjoy a run in short distance, but need the time and freedom to sniff around and explore!
2. Agility training – This type of exercise stimulates the mind as well as tires out any excess energy in less than thirty minutes! If you have the space try setting up some obstacles around your home for them to jump over or crawl through. There are even books on this topic available for purchase online if you are interested in learning more about how to start an agility course at home without spending too much money. See this website for more on agility training.
3. Swimming – Some border collies enjoy swimming so this could be an option for you to consider. If the weather permits, take them to a local pond or lake where they can have some fun in the water! If it is too cold outside then try putting the hose on and playing fetch with their favorite toy instead.
4. Hide and seek – There are many ways you can play this game but one way is to get your dog to sit while you go hide somewhere in the house! Keep them occupied by throwing treats into different rooms every now and then to keep their mind sharp. When their treats run out return back into view and ask them you are hiding! Another version of this game is to hide their favorite toy and ask for them to find it.
5. Burying treasure – Collies LOVE to dig, so you can combine this instinct with a fun game, burying a toy in dirt or sand, either in your garden or on the beach. Just make sure it is in an area you don’t mind getting messy, so as not to encourage future digging up of your flower patch!
6. Obedience training – When performed regularly, obedience training is not only a great exercise but also helps to strengthen your bond with your border collie. This could mean that they will respond better to requests like “sit” and “stay” which makes life much easier when you go on walks together!
7. Teaching new tricks – To help build up your dogs’ mental capabilities try teaching them something new every day! Border Collies are great at picking up on new skills so it will not be long before you have them doing some crazy tricks without having to break a sweat. A good way of doing this is by using food or treats as an incentive to get them to follow simple commands which are the foundation of many different skills. An example would be teaching your dog how to roll over first then combining that with another trick like “jump through a hoop”.
8. Entering local competitions – There are plenty of events held around the country for all types of pets where they can demonstrate their skills in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of people! This type of activity is usually high energy and competitive but also keeps your dog healthy and fit while giving them a self-esteem boost that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
9. Dog sports – If competitive events are not really your thing then why not try something a bit more laid back like agility training? Not only will this help to tire out your dog but it also helps build up their muscles and keeps them flexible and healthy! You can even compete in local shows yourself for fun!
10. Frisby Fetch – You can add even more physical activity into your daily walk by elaborating on the traditional ball or stick version of ‘fetch’. Collies LOVE chasing and attempting to catch frisbees, and this can be a fun game with friends and family joining in too! Choose a durable one, but one which is not too hard so as not to give your Collie a head ache! You can extend this to tennis balls to mix it up – there are also many different ball launchers available on the market to send your tennis ball even further!
Always remember the goal is to have fun with your dog not just to burn off pent-up energy. Spending time with your pet is good for both of your mental well-being and promotes calm behavior overall.
How Do You Entertain A Bored Border Collie?
Border collies are incredibly smart dogs, they need to be provided with daily mental stimulation and physical exercise. If not, they can become bored and then start to act out in negative ways. When Border Collies get bored they often find their own ways of entertaining themselves which is usually destructive or annoying for the owners. For example, one owner said her dog would sit on top of the refrigerator until she got home from work just so he could jump down on her when she walked through the door!
How do you entertain a Border Collie? There are countless ways to keep your Border Collie entertained. Both mental and physical games and activities will help alleviate boredom and keep them stimulated. This could include visiting new environments such as a new woodland with all the novel sights, sounds and smells, burying a favorite toy for them to exhume or meeting up with canine friends for a social. Indoor games and toys can focus on mental exercises and learning. Learn what brings your dog the most excitement and joy and play to their strengths and preferences, every dog is unique.
When we sign up for living with, caring for and entertaining a Collie we have to consider their large brains, curiosity and high levels of activity. They may love or loathe some of the activities suggested above, you will have to use trial and error to find the things that will keep them occupied and interested. These will also likely change and evolve over time as they get bored of certain things and also mature into new favorite activities. Anything to keep them out of trouble!
Indoor Games For Border Collies
With our busy lifestyles, it is inevitable that your Border Collie will find themselves home alone from time to time. During this time it is still vital to provide a mentally challenging game to keep this active dog breed happy and help avoid destructive behavior traits that can occur. Just like their human counterparts each dog is an individual and will have favorite games think about this when leaving toys for them to play with when you are away. Brain games that offer positive reinforcement when completing a task can be a great option.
Electronic dog toys – Another great way to keep your Border Collie entertained through mental exercise is by giving them access to an electronic toy which you simply activate by pushing a button or throwing a switch before hiding away somewhere else in the house! This type of toy is designed to stimulate your pet mentally as well as physically and they will quickly learn how to use only their natural instincts to move the toy into a position that makes it trigger itself. You can also use this as a form of training for when you go away as they will be more than content playing with these toys on their own!
Nose games – whether you hide treats in cardboard boxes around your house or opt to buy a Kong or similar fillable toy this can help to keep boredom at bay. Snuffle mats can be an alternative that can provide a Border pup with an entertaining treat.
Conclusion
Border Collies are fantastic dogs that love to spend time with their owners. They are wonderful family pets and love spending time outside. An intelligent breed, their herding instincts, high energy demands and cognitive function means they need plenty of physical and mental stimulation. We hope the above ideas – from swimming, burying treasure, hide and seek, tricks and novelty toys – have given you some inspiration to make the most of your time with your Border Collie. They will certainly sleep well, as will you!
