Australian Shepherd Activities You Can Enjoy

Last Updated on July 4, 2023

Australian shepherds are widely known for their neverending amounts of energy; these dogs can easily last for hours without tiring from strenuous activities and are more or less eager for work.

Australian shepherds are generally at their happiest when they are given an activity to do. Therefore, it is essential to ensure they are given such activities to remain obedient.

Suppose you are the type who can give time to your Australian shepherd. In that case, this article about Australian Shepherd activities you can enjoy may just be what you need! Keep reading below to learn about what activities your Aussie may like.

Do Australian Shepherds Need a Lot of Activity?

As Australian shepherds are high-energy dog breeds, they need reasonable amounts of Australian shepherd activities to keep them from becoming depressed and ultimately destructive in the long run. This need for an activity generally stems from their upbringing as a herding dog breed meant to protect livestock from hunters along with helping their humans in some manual work.

Therefore, Aussie won’t have a good time living in a cramped apartment space as they are highly active dogs and should get at least 30-60 minutes or even 90 minutes of daily exercise to keep them happy.

Australian Shepherd Activities You Can Enjoy

Suppose you are wondering what activities may be needed to make your Aussie happy while keeping you from boredom. In that case, this list of a few activities curated below may be up to your picking for Australian shepherd activities:

Take Daily Walks

Having daily walks on a routine can be a massive requirement for a healthy Aussie. By fulfilling this need, one can ensure that their Australian shepherd remains healthy and energetic most of the time.

Even if one cannot fill this requirement, they may still take out their Aussie on every alternate day to ensure they do not become obese or unhealthy from staying at home constantly or even becoming destructive.

30-60 minutes of the walk should be sufficient, especially if you intend to make your Aussie do other activities such as jumping through hoops or exercises.

Solve Puzzles

Mental stimulation can be one of the most crucial points for Australian shepherd puppies; therefore, getting them puzzle toys or toys with food dispensers can be an ideal way to get them engaged and moving. You may bring them even a ball to play around it and have them figure out how to get food out of the way. You may also get dog chew toys to get them engaged in sucking to ensure they don’t become bored sooner than thought.

Specifically, toys from KONG or Trixie can be ideal for your dog to be engaged in mental activities; make sure to bring elaborate toys as dogs such as Australian shepherds can quickly become engaged to such for even 3 hours straight without tiring.

Training With Tricks

It is a fact that Australian shepherds need training and socialisation, so what could be a fun way to train them while also ensuring they learn correctly? Of course, you will have to use various tricks while making them learn commands, such as throwing a ball to have the Aussie catch it or making them sit up or down while doing it yourself to give them a good laugh.

You may also play dead or “shake” hands with your dog, as these are some of the first tricks taught to any dog; walking backwards can also be a fun and great activity to keep your dog engaged.

Starting a Canine Sport

Besides training and exercising, you may also make them engage in outdoor sports such as the ever taught Fetch, or you may make them do activities such as Agility, Scenting or Freestyle. Obedience sports can benefit both dogs and the owner by teaching your dog to be obedient and mentally stimulating to remain happy.

Or if you have an Aussie, you can make them engage in Sheepdog trials to test their herding abilities on real animals. Dog sports can be some of the best ways to keep your Aussie fit and in shape.

Work Your Dog

As Australian shepherds are multi-utility dogs and can be used as either service or rescue dogs, it is no wonder that making them perform some small chores around your house, such as retrieving a lost object or like, can be helpful.

Australian shepherds are generally stimulated by being given actual strenuous work. They won’t show you a dirty look if you happen just to hand them a rather challenging task. You may even make them retrieve objects that have fallen in the water, as Aussies are natural swimmers in most cases.

You may also make your dog hike up the hill with you to get appropriate mental stimulation while also becoming tired at the end of the day.

What Is Typical Australian Shepherd Behaviour?

Australian shepherds, in most cases, are of calm temperament. They won’t needlessly attack strangers unless they consider them a threat. Also, Aussies are fun-loving and can work well in a family. These dogs are emotional and can form bonds with the owner on a deep level and may need the training to deal with separation anxiety.

On that note, training an Aussie for Australian shepherd activities can be a relatively easy task owing to an Aussie’s “eager to please” attitude, which results in them following your commands. Australian shepherds need a prominent place to enjoy themselves; usually, living in a cramped space can make them anxious.

In some cases, if your Aussie displays the unbecoming behaviour of an Australian shepherd, then it might be time to get them checked by an animal behaviourist or an animal vet to rule out diseases or the like.

Conclusion

Letting your Aussie enjoy themselves the most in Australian shepherd activities can be crucial to ensuring they remain happy while remaining in a fit shape appropriate for an Australian shepherd! If you face problems with solving your Aussie’s behavioural issues, don’t forget to visit an animal behaviourist. As stated before, you may also look for the factors, especially if your Aussie starts behaving strangely after changing locations.