Ok, I'm sure I am not the only person who has a Corgi who needs a way to keep busy! Madison is happy enough to play, or not, as the mood strikes you. She'll chase a ball but if you don't throw one, she's just as happy to curl up on your lap and go to sleep.
Jack, on the other hand... well, we can never do enough to tire Jack out. The dog needs a hobby. I'm thinking of agility, but herding would be my first choice. Not many herding instructors around here, though. In the meantime, keeping him happy can be a challenge. I mean, we walked the dog in a St Patrick's Day parade this spring. It was maybe three hours including the meet-up and the prep and the march. Probably 100,000 people along the route, a few dozen dogs in our group, dozens of kids petting him. I thought "He'll sleep for days!" Hah! An hour nap later and he was dragging out his toys for us to play. He chases balls up and down our hallway like a crazy dog.
I know a few people on here have given their dogs soccer balls. I have suggested it once or twice to my husband, but he wasn't sure it was a good idea (they do puncture). Well, we came into a free one today, and took it and the dogs over to the park, and oh my god! what a blast!!
Jack was chasing it like mad. I don't mean poking around after it, but full-speed all-out run, the length of the field and back. I don't know how he kept it moving so fast without tripping on it; it's almost as big as he is. He was panting so hard I could see his sides going up and down. He loved it! If there is a Canine Olympic Soccer Team, we can sign him up. Madison found it quite exciting too, but she didn't have the idea of how to push it so she just waited for Jack to do the work and went tearing after, barking.
My only suggestion would be to make sure you are in a fenced area. Honestly we have let Jack off-leash regularly since he was about 8 months old, as long as we're away from traffic, but he was running full speed in straight lines and I could envision him pushing it full speed right into a road that might be a block or more away, he was that quick. Also make sure there are no edges or corners they can run into, or banks they can flip over, because he had that crazed look in his eye and I don't think he noticed anything but the soccer ball. I think it really appeals to their herding instinct, as they can push it and bite it and bark at it and change its direction.
Well worth the time, if you have an intense player! Maddie is more submissive and when she pushed the ball carefully and not much happened, she didn't know what to do. Jack, however, has pushed things around with his nose since he was a pup, so he got the idea instantly.
Anyone else let their dogs play soccer?