Activities For Sheltie Shepherds
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
If you're looking for a dog that's got a lot of personality and charm, then look no further than the Sheltie Shepherd. Sheltie Shepherds are hybrid dogs who have Shetland Sheepdog and German Shepherd in their DNA. This unique pedigree allows Sheltie Shepherds to engage in a wide assortment of activities that range from strength training, mushing, hiking, and more! Sheltie Shepherds are also fairly even-tempered dogs, which makes it much easier to train one of these pups than a dog of more rowdy persuasion. Sheltie Shepherds can learn to become just as versatile as either of their parents once they've been given some structure and affection.
Strength Training
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
30 min
Items needed
Weighted Dog Vest
Tennis Balls
Ladder
Activity description
As intense as this activity might sound, helping your dog improve their fitness and strength is actually a lot easier than you may initially be thinking. That's largely because strength training isn't one activity but rather a wide range of activities of varying difficulties. Yes, there are a number of strength training activities for dogs that are really hardcore and require dogs to push or pull large amounts of heavy weights. But there are also just as many, if not more, strength training activities that can be completed without ever needing to set foot in a gym. We'll detail a few of those below.
Step
1
Inclined exercises
One of the easiest, safest, and most fun ways to train your dog's strength is to take them to an area with inclined terrain like a park or some sand dunes and then play around as usual. Merely playing a game of fetch or tag with your dog on an inclined surface will be enough to train the legs of both of you, increasing their strength while you two have the time of your lives.
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Weighted vest
A weighted vest is another easy way to help your dog become stronger without needing to push or pull any large amount of weight. Here, you will outfit your dog with a special vest that weighs about 5 or 10 pounds before the two of you go for a walk. The same effect can be replicated by getting a backpack for your dog and filling it up with enough items to give them a workout.
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3
Ladder walking
This activity also doubles as an agility training exercise because your puppy will need to be extra dexterous to complete it. For this ladder walking activity, you'll simply encourage your dog to move through a special ladder that you've laid out on the floor by hopping in between the spaces that separate each rung.
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Hiking
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
1 hr
Items needed
Hiking Supplies
Food and Water
Leash
Activity description
Sheltie Shepherds just love the great outdoors, so it's no surprise that these dogs make excellent hiking companions just as both of their parents would. Dogs can benefit a lot from going on hikes with humans as both parties will bond with one another over the course of the experience in a lasting and meaningful way. Sheltie Shepherds will also meet their physical activity needs for the day by going on a hike with their human companions, so the health benefits of hiking can't be understated. Hiking with a Sheltie Shepherd can be an inexpensive, fun and rewarding experience provided that you plan ahead for the trip and that you bring along the appropriate supplies.
Step
1
Plan ahead
This is probably the most difficult part of hiking for beginners but it's also the most crucial. You'll want to plan for your hiking trip long before you and your dog actually set foot on the trail by performing inventory checks, gathering missing supplies and learning the lay of the land you two will be hiking through.
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2
Walk softly
A very important bit of knowledge to remember while hiking is that it's not a race; don't try to rush through the trail or outpace any other hikers you might encounter along the way. This activity is all about taking your time and drinking in nature's splendor. Naturally, you'll want to complete your hike before it gets too late but you should be able to complete a trail in an hour or less.
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Mushing
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
45 min
Items needed
Mushing Sled
Mushing Harness
Activity description
Sheltie Shepherds typically do well at this moderately expensive activity so even though it's the most physically strenuous form of exercise on this list, we didn't feel right deeming it a "hard" activity for a dog with a pedigree as impressive as the Sheltie Shepherd's. Mushing was initially used for transportation purposes but people have taken to mushing recreationally over the years. None of this is to say that mushing still isn't a very challenging activity; it takes strength, endurance, and focus for a dog to pull a sled with the best of them - it's just that Sheltie Shepherd's have a lot of naturally inherited traits that make them great mushing dogs.
Step
1
Walk before you mush
One of the best ways to help your dog learn how to mush is to outfit them with the harness they'll be using for this activity and then simply let them walk around your home with the harness on. This will allow the dog to become familiar with their harness and to adapt their gait to it.
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Bring out the board
The next thing to do is attach a board to your dog's harness and then encourage them to pull it. It doesn't need to be a heavy board - in fact, it's better to use a light board early on. The main idea here is that you're going to be teaching your dog how to compensate for the weight of a sled over time.
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3
Command and conquer
Here, you'll teach your dog how to understand mushing commands; you can teach your dog how to understand commands like "left" or "right" by holding a lure in the corresponding direction, issuing the command, and then rewarding your dog with a treat or some praise when they move in the right (or left) direction. Put all three steps together and head out to a quiet area where you and your dog can put into practice what you have learned over time. Be aware of your companion's fatigue level and don't overdo it your first time out.
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More Fun Ideas...
Dog Puzzles
Sheltie Shepherds can learn to solve all kinds of puzzles if you teach them. Dog puzzles, however, are interesting exceptions to our previous claim because you don't necessarily need to teach your dog how to solve them; most dog puzzles have been created in a way that enables your pup to intuitively be able to solve them without much external help.
Boating
This activity is a good fit for Sheltie Shepherds due to the relaxed, easy going demeanor these dogs typically have. Boating just refers to sailing out to sea in a vessel of some sort - be it a motorboat or a paddle boat. Should you take your dog boating, we'd advise bringing along a few life jackets, swimming goggles, and snacks enough for all to share.
Conclusion
Sheltie Shepherds are amazing dogs who can make great companions for all kinds of people; due to their natural athleticism, these dogs make perfect partners for people who like to travel or workout a lot. Because of their friendly demeanor, Sheltie Shepherds also make wonderful pets for people with kids or elderly family members in their households. For those who live a more solitary life, Sheltie Shepherds are an affectionate and loyal household member. We feel that you can't go wrong adopting one of these puppies; whether you're a new pet parent or an experienced caretaker, a Sheltie Shepherd will likely be a good fit for you and your lifestyle.