satisfy the herding instinct

Just wondering if any of you guys have ideas or recommendations on how to satisfy the herding instinct in our dogs when you don't have access to livestock? Franklin has a very strong herding instinct and LOVED to play with sheep in his herding instinct test we did recently but its $35 a session and with the weather turning rainy/muddy we won't be able to take lessons for a while. Do you have an suggestions of games or toys that will satisfy this instinct? The cats are getting fed up with getting poked by a corgi nose everywhere they go!!

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Permalink Reply by Jen on November 17, 2010 at 5:14pm

I let Ginger heard me! It gives her exercise and gives me exercise. I'll run around the house and let her chase me...if I'm moving to slow she bops me with her nose on the back of the calf. I'll also throw 4 or 5 balls all at once and she chases all of them and shoves them into a pile. If one starts to move (we live in an old house where nothing is level, including the floors), she'll push it back. Kind of crazy, but it works.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on November 17, 2010 at 9:07pm

Livvy was always trying to herd my goats in their pen! I now have her chasing a "fetch it" ball and it works for her! Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Markley on November 18, 2010 at 12:48pm

A big soccer ball....a cat was going to be my second suggestion, but you already have that covered :-)

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Permalink Reply by JACLYN and ENZO on November 18, 2010 at 2:11pm

Haven't tried this yet as my corgi hasn't displayed the need to herd, but I seen it used on my friend's border collie! She would release a pack of 6 tennis balls on a hard surface they rolled everywhere and that guy would keep rounding them up and she would keep kicking them away it was hilarious hehe.

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Marie O'Bryan on November 18, 2010 at 2:47pm

i do exactly what Jen does. me and my hubby run all though the house and let him heard us. the cats dont really seemed bothered when they chase them. sometimes they are the ones who r asking for it! lol also i play fetch in a tennis court

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Permalink Reply by Wesley Belcheer on November 18, 2010 at 3:50pm

I do this in the back yard and it wears me out fairly quickly with all the quick sprints and turns and making sure im not going to kick them but they love it.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on November 18, 2010 at 5:07pm

Casey herds a soccer ball around our backyard. It's very effective and drains energy fairly well.

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Permalink Reply by Quincy ^,,^ & Michelle : ) on November 18, 2010 at 8:13pm

Quincy herds a basketball in the backyard. It is the only ball I find that he can't pop!

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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on November 18, 2010 at 10:14pm

Rosie popped her basketball. Took maybe 15 minutes and she had a hole in it. Now she can pick it up. If I could just get her to not stand in front of it when I go to kick it, she would have more fun!! What a goof!

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey Corkern on December 8, 2010 at 5:35pm

Leia invented a soccer game that I figured out was actually a herding thing. She will bring her ball to us and play goalie while we try to kick it past her. We have a U shaped kitchen and cook a lot, so this is the main place she tries to play this game. Its cute, fun, and wears her out.