Border Collie Exercise – Physical and mental exercising needs & Ideas

Every Border Collie dog owner know how energetic and restless this breed is. Despite all your efforts to keep them busy or tire them both mentally and physically, they will still want to play, run around and chase you down.

In a way it’s good that they are always physically and mentally active because it keeps them healthy, otherwise you’ll have to make them exercise every day. Besides, believe it or not as an owner you would always want to have a tired Border Collie at home, because they are not at all easy to manage when they are full of energy.

How much physical activity and exercise is required for them?

To know how much exercise they need to perform, we must understand that Border Collie dog breed was bred for herding sheep, which is not an easy task by any mean. It requires them to have lot of energy, stamina, enthusiasm and intelligent thinking to be the best at what they do. Therefore, even if your collie is not trained to herd sheep around your house, he will still need a way to occupy his mind and release that energy. That is also the reason why Border Collies are known for their nipping behavior.

For this breed it is extremely important to keep them engaged in some sort of mental and physical activity. Lack of activity is the main reason why people find it difficult to handle their Border Collie dogs. Their owners do not take them for walk, or play with them and because of that they become restless and agitated which may lead to several bad behavior problems such as chewing furniture, ripping clothes, excessive barking and nipping.

Meet Elli, she just loves playing with crazy things. (Actually a pretty good way to cut down on Border collie’s energy)

So how much exercise or physical activity is needed for them? The answer is pretty simple; just let them roam around freely. Although as much as they possibly can should be the right answer, but at least 20-30 minutes of running everyday is ideal. However, undoubtedly your Border Collie would definitely prefer a lot more.

Best exercises for a Border Collie

There are several easy ways to make your dog exercises that it needs to stay fit and healthy. Given below are some exercises that you try with your dog. However, you are not limited to these few exercises only; these are just some basic tips to get you started:

Nothing beats running – For both the owner and dog, running is probably the best exercises. You can start with taking your dog for running on your morning or evening runs. Well, if you don’t run then it could be blessing in disguise for you to get started with your dog.

Throw and Fetch Game – It’s a no-brainer! Just like Border Collies, any other dog breed just loves to play “Throw & Fetch Game”. Almost every dog knows how to play fetch and if your collie also likes it then it is an ideal way to get your dog run around, because it makes him exercise and fun simultaneously.

Running in open fields – If you have pet parks close to your house or have large open fields, let your Border Collie freely run around there. At times he may feel a bit lonely to play by himself, but it’s always a great physical activity for your Border Collie.

Take Long walks – Take your dog for long walks everyday if it is possible for you, or else do it at least every alternative day. Walking can be a great exercise for your dog and also it gives them an opportunity to social with new people they meet in the park or during the walk.

Get him/her a playmate – Although it is not a good option for all of us because we all our own problems. However, if you have large backyard space and also if you can afford to have another Border Collie (or any other breed dog) it can be the best thing ever you can do for your dog. Just like we humans need a companion, dogs also need someone with whom they can play and spend time.