3 Cool Dog Games for Shelties

If we throw a ball for our Shelties, they'll never retrieve it. So how does your Sheltie like to play? Here are 3 cool dog games to stimulate your little herding dog.

Many dogs love to play Frisbee, or fetch, or tug-of-war, but Shelties are far more idiosyncratic.

As herding dogs, they love to chase moving targets, but the concept of picking it up in their mouths and returning it is off the radar.

So how do you exercise your Sheltie without such classic dog games?

We looked to our own dogs for the answer. The first thing we learned was how to initiate a game - with the Play Bow.

The Pet Owner's Guide to Shelties by Becky Casale

The Play Bow

Get down on all fours like a dog. For added effect, waggle your rump as if you had a tail as well. Your hands should be underneath your shoulders. You'll notice two dogs doing exactly this when they're ready for play.

The Play Bow: Part I

Then, suddenly sprawl your hands forwards and outwards and lower your chest towards the ground. Spread your fingers and tilt your head, just like a playful dog. This move is called the play bow and is the universal signal to a dog that you're ready to play a game.

The Play Bow: Part II

When you perform the play bow, your dog will get excited and start to play a game with you right away.

When we bow to Howard, he goes off to find one of his stuffed toys like Wolfie and brings it back (but holds it slightly out of reach). This is a signal for Howard's favorite game: Who's Got The Toy?

Each dog has his own favorite game. When we play bow to Piper, he starts a game of Puppy Wrestling! So what are the rules to these games?

1. Howard's Favorite Dog Game: Who's Got The Toy?

THE GOAL: Try to keep possession of a toy for as long as possible. It's not so much a tug-of-war (submissive Shelties don't really like that game) as a challenge to reach it.

THE RULES: You aren't allowed to use your fingers to hold it! Keep your fingers pressed into your palms to form a paw-shape. This is important because with our opposable thumbs we can grip the toy too easily and it's game over immediately.

LET'S PLAY: With the toy in your possession, try to bat it along the ground and keep it directly underneath your chest. Try to keep the toy moving at all times so your dog gets to hunt a moving target.

Your Sheltie will try to use his mouth and paws to get the toy off you and carry it away. At that point, it's your job to get the toy back off your dog.

BENEFITS: This cool dog game challenges your Sheltie both mentally and physically, as it mimics two dogs competing for a bone but without the nastiness of true competition (as when food is involved).

Howard's Favorite Dog Game: Who's Got The Toy?

2. Piper's Favorite Dog Game: Puppy Wrestling

THE GOAL: To playfully dominate your opponent and gently wrestle your dog onto his back before quickly letting him up.

THE RULES: Match your dog's level of strength and ability. Piper is an extremely sensitive Sheltie and doesn't like to be dominated at all in real life - but as long as he knows you're just playing, he LOVES the competition of puppy wrestling.

LET'S PLAY: Puppy Wrestling starts with a play bow and you very gently putting your hand on the top of your dog's head and pushing it gently downwards. This mimics a domination pattern that dogs perform on one another when playing.

Keep your own body low at a reachable level so your dog can do it back to you. When he does, you can roll over, cower, or retaliate with rapid pitter-pattering on the top of your dog's head and shoulders.

With a sensitive Sheltie, this game should finish with you on your back and him standing with his front paws on your chest and tail wagging. He's the winner!

BENEFITS: This game is great for bonding and a confidence booster for little Piper. It's also a good way to entrain the social lesson of bite inhibition if you have a puppy or older dog who still nips or play bites (in short, you yelp and turn away).

Piper's Favorite Dog Game: Puppy Wrestling

3. A Classic Sheltie Dog Game: YCMFABTICY (pronounced Ya-sim-fab-ticky) AKA You Chase Me For a Bit, Then I'll Chase You AKA Zoomies

THE GOAL: Absolutely no-one knows. Years of meticulous study by the world's top mathematicians and sport scientists have been unsuccessful at determining the exact rules to this game. It's simply the thing two Shelties do when they feel a bit snazzy.

THE RULES: After a mutual play bow, one dog chases the other dog for a bit, then they switch roles and the chasee becomes the chaser. There seems to be no set rules as to when the exchange takes place.

LET'S PLAY: To instigate Zoomies, lower your stance and stare directly at your dog. Creep slowly towards him like an eye dog. As long as you're in his field of view, he'll notice you and his instinct will be triggered. Keep your eyes fixed and lick your lips. Act like you're ready to pounce at any moment.

This is the stalking phase. The longer you can draw out the stalking phase, the more effective. Your Sheltie will wait until you're almost close enough to touch him - then suddenly dash away, at which point you should give chase.

Do a few circuits, then stop to sniff something delicious you might find on the ground. Then allow him to stalk you and try to run away for a bit. This should not last long as an agile Sheltie will easily catch you, but you can prolong your capture by hiding behind rocks or trees.

BENEFITS: It's a lot of fun and tires them out.

Our Shelties Play Zoomies

Final Thoughts

What games have your Shelties taught you? We found it's easier to find out when you have two or more Shelties as you can watch them at play every day. And every Sheltie is different, so they each prefer to initiate different types of games.

Sometimes dog games may seem to have no real goal or way to win. But remember it's for your dog so logic doesn't matter. The alpha dog gains love and respect from his pack by engaging in games now and then. It keeps the troops happy. Try it right now: find your Sheltie, do the play bow and see what happens...