The fact is that nowadays a large number of people in Florida, especially in Dade City, have companion dogs living with them in families. However, it is worth remembering that first and foremost they are mostly Healthy Australian Shepherd Pups or Adult Australian Shepherds. And like any other working dog, these dogs require highly energetic activities. They need not only mandatory daily walks and physical exercise, but also mental work. It is not enough to simply provide your Shepherd with two walks on a leash, but give them the opportunity to engage in both physical and mental activities.
Naturally, you can’t promise your dog to take him out to the fields or to the sheep every day. But try to set aside at least part of your day off and with the whole family on a long bike ride, to the river to swim, to a farm where you can graze sheep, or to a training ground. Keep reading this blog to be aware of some energetic activities for your Australian Shepherd.
1. Retrieving
Healthy Australian Shepherds are passionate retrievers. They are ready to bring you any objects. At home, these will be their favorite toys, and on a walk – ropes or sucks. Remember that playing with sticks is not safe for them. Therefore, when going for a walk, don’t forget taking a ball, puller, or another toy that your pet likes with you. In a place where there are no cars, you can play – throwing a toy and motivating the dog to bring it.
2. Swimming
This is perhaps the most useful and simple general strengthening activity for your dog. In fact, swimming not only gives the dog pleasure from walking, but also exercises almost every muscle in the body. Exercising or moving in water enables your pet’s body to experience less strain on joints and muscles than exercising on land. This activity is especially useful for overweight dogs. Combine swimming with retrieving, using toys that do not sink.
3. Bicycle ride
Introducing a dog to a bicycle should be done at an early age. The first training sessions should be very short, with a gradual smooth increase in the duration of the loads. The dog should calmly move on a leash next to you. Don’t pull you forward and rush from side to side. Don’t let the dog gallop (jump), and a steady trot is preferable.
4. Agility
Agility is a competitive sport that is gaining popularity all over the world. In this, competitive activity, your dog navigates through an obstacle course under your guidance. It is probably the most difficult activity for both dogs and humans. Perhaps it is precisely because of this complexity and uniqueness that this sport is so interesting and popular. Agility cannot be practiced without a professional trainer since this sport is very stressful for the dog. Australian Shepherd pups like those from the Royal Australian Shepherd Creek delivered by Autumn Creek Aussies are particularly well-suited for agility, and the reasons include their intelligence and high energy levels.
5. Frisbee
Frisbee or dog-frisbee is a sport with a dog that combines elements of play and jumping. The essence of frisbee is not only for the dog to catch a flying disc, but to do it as effectively as possible. Frisbee is a very difficult and traumatic activity and requires mandatory work under the guidance of an experienced trainer who will distribute the loads and monitor the dog’s health.
6. Dog Puller
Probably the heathiest sport activity with a dog, which involves exercises with a training apparatus puller. It is presented in the form of many different disciplines jumping, catching, running, accuracy, distance. Along with agility and frisbee, dog puller is a very serious kind of sport, which must be practiced under the supervision of a trainer, carefully distributing physical activity and exercises.
7. Training
Various types of training are some of the most common canine disciplines. In Florida and across the US, these include general training courses, such as controlling the dog in streets, obedience training, which adheres to international standards and is perceived to be the most challenging of all disciplines recognized officially. Each type of training involves competitions at different levels, which are regularly held.
8. Tricks [H2]
Trick or circus training is a great activity for Australian Shepherds. It not only gives the dog physical and mental exercise, but also constantly trains endurance, obedience, and contact with the handler. Unfortunately, there are no competitions for circus training, but believe you will be the center of attention wherever you start demonstrating tricks!
9. Pasture [H2]
Believe me, even if your Australian Shepherd has never shown herding qualities, seeing sheep will not leave it indifferent! Many pet owners, seeing how their pet works enthusiastically with sheep, sign up for regular herding classes and then even pass an exam in a separate discipline at trials and competitions for herding dogs.
10. Dog fitness [H2]
Some owners, due to lack of time, cannot always devote the dog to the necessary physical exercise and training. Then you can occupy the dog with dog fitness. The trainer usually works with a set of exercises: stretching and balancing on special equipment, running in a circle or on a treadmill, jumping and cavaletti (a set of poles as obstacles), swimming in the pool.
When engaging energetic sports and training activities with your Australian Shepherd, do not spare time and money for a professional trainer. Look for such a person not through ads, but through recommendations from dog owners and successful trainers who have worked with dogs. After all, such a specialist has vast experience – they will not only help you properly organize work with your dog, but also select a set of exercises with valuable advice. Initiative and self-activity in this area is inappropriate – do not overestimate your knowledge and the dog’s capabilities.
Remember the most important rule of any training: from small to large. Any training cannot give everything at once, you can’t give the dog a huge load in the first week of training. You don’t immediately lift a 100 kg weight or let your children run a 10 km sprint for the first time, do you? Always start with very short training sessions, gradually increasing the load. For more information, contact one of the most reliable Creek Aussies Breeders in Dade City, Florida – Autumn Creek Aussies – that delivers healthy puppies responsibly and carefully nurtured!
