Activities For Aussie-Flats
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Introduction
If you are the owner of an Aussie-Flat, consider yourself lucky. You are one of the few who get to own his new hybrid breed of dog! However, that unchartered breed territory may have you asking a few questions about your pup. What kinds of games do they like to play? How can you keep them happy? The answers all lie below! These games and activities have been handpicked to be exciting and fun for your Aussie-Flat.
Agility Course
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Sunny Day
Moderate
Normal
1 hr
Items needed
Agility Equiptment
Treats
Activity description
Aussie-Flats are very active dogs who also respond well to their owner's commands when trained properly. While the breed can get a little headstrong, when they are trained from a young age, they will follow their owner's direction happily! When you combine the intelligence of this breed along with their desire to please their owners, you get a pup who is perfect for agility training. By training your dog to do each agility obstacle separately then linking them together, your dog will be able to run through any course and compete with the best pups around! TIme to start training that pup and sign up for a few local agility competitions near you!
Step
1
A-frame
Train your dog to run up and over an A-frame obstacle, which is very common in dog agility courses. While you can purchase an A-frame, you can easily make one by connecting two pieces of wood and fastening small steps to one side. Your dog runs up the little steps and down the smooth side. See how quickly your Aussie-Flat can make it over!
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Hurdles
Teach your Aussie-Flat to jump hurdles by using anything you have in your house to act as a hurdle. As your dog gets used to leaping over the jump, make it taller or wider to increase the challenge. Invest in a real hurdle once you and your Aussie-Flat get serious about agility competitions.
Step
3
Tunnel
While a blanket over a few chairs will do as a makeshift tunnel, there really is no comparison to the real thing. Luckily, dog tunnels can be fairly inexpensive and your Aussie-Flat will find it exhilarating to run through! Once they have learned all of these individual agility challenges, combine them into a course for your Aussie-Flat to run through while you guide them along with commands.
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Hare Coursing
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Sunny Day
Cheap
Normal
30 min
Items needed
Mechanical Toy Hare
Collar
Treats
Activity description
Since the Australian Shepherd part of your dog's genetic makeup has herding prey instincts, you may find that your Aussie-Flat is a big fan of chasing small animals. While this can be a frustrating trait while at the dog park (watch out little dogs!), it can be a fun attribute to put to use when playing with your pup. Herding dogs are more apt to seek and chase animals and objects based on sight rather than on smell which means your pup will like to see something moving fast and go after it. You can make this happen for your pup by training them in hare coursing, a fun and classic way to exercise your dog.
Step
1
Hare coursing center
Look for a local club or dog training center that has hare coursing classes and sessions. While this is an activity you can do at home with your Aussie-Flat, it is easier to simply go to a place where everything is set for you! If you can’t find a place nearby, look into purchasing a motorized hare or another object your Aussie-Flat can chase (kids remote controlled cars work great!).
Step
2
Go!
Bring your dog to a wide open area and hide the mechanical hare where your pup won’t immediately see it. Then, make the toy move and watch as your Aussie-Flat springs into action, chasing that hare as quickly as they can. Try to keep the toy away from your dog for as long as possible to get your pup running and playing a lot.
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3
Compete
Try hare coursing with another dog friend which is the classic way to play the game. See which pup can catch the hare first - whoever does is the winner! If you find that your Aussie-Flat is especially good at this game, find a hare coursing competition and sign your pup up!
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Flyball
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Sunny Day
Cheap
Normal
30 min
Items needed
Treats
Hurdles
Flyball box
Activity description
Another fantastic and slightly competitive game that your Aussie-Flat will like to play is flyball. This high energy game is ideal for dogs who like to run and who are very trainable. While there are flyball centers and competitions, this is a game you can also just play at home with your dog - they will never get bored! Think of flyball as a far more advanced version of fetch combined with doggy agility. Sounds like a workout, right? Well, it is! But it is one your Aussie-Flat will love and if they do become experts at flyball, you can always look into those competitions!
Step
1
Equipment to use
To play flyball you will need to invest in some equipment including hurdles, a flyball box and a few tennis balls. While there are a few guides online to help you make your own flyball gear, you can also purchase it online or in higher end pet stores. It is money well spent though, as your Aussie-Flat will get a lot of use out of their flyball course!
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Set up
Set up the hurdles in your yard, keeping them spaced far enough apart for your dog to take one or two running steps before jumping over the next. Have the flyball box at the end of the hurdle row and loaded with a tennis ball! The last thing to gather is treats for your dog to reward them when they learn how to fly through the course.
Step
3
Training
Train your dog to run and jump over each hurdle and then pounce onto the flyball box. The box is triggered to release the tennis ball which your Aussie-Flat then catches and holds as they jump back over the hurdles to you. Sounds complex but it really is something that your smart pup can easily learn and play everyday!
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More Fun Ideas...
Tricks
Aussie-Flats behave best when they are kept occupied so teach your dog some new tricks a few times a month. Try having your pup roll over, spin on their hind legs or even jump through a hoop for fun!
Bubbles
When the weather is nice, bring your Aussie-Flat outside to catch some bubbles. Blow bubbles in the air for your pup to jump toward and try to grab with their mouth. This playful, sight driven breed will love this easy game.
Conclusion
Aussie-Flats are a fantastic new breed of dog that you are sure to love. They are great with kids and in suburban homes, however, they still need a good deal of exercise and attention. The great thing is that this characteristic means that you will get to have a lot of fun with your dog as well! Start with any of these activities and you will immediately see your Aussie-Flat spring to life, excited to learn and play something new with their favorite person - you!