5 Ways to Spoil Your Border Collie on National Border Collie Day

Anyone who lives with a Border Collie knows what pawsome pets they are! Bred and trained as herders, these pups are active, intelligent, and affectionate. They’re always ready for an adventure and are the pawrfect companions for walks, hikes, dog park play, and other fun. In fact, Border Collies need intense, prolonged physical activity to stay happy, so these doggos will eagerly take part in any activities you come up with. This breed has sure done some pretty amazing things, which is why we love them so much!

Show your pup some love this World Collie Day on July 21st or National Border Collie Day on November 24th by making their day extra special. Here's how!

Toys and puzzles develop and maintain a Border Collie’s natural abilities while entertaining them – and you! A tug toy attached to a tree with a stretchable rope is a pawfect way for your fur baby to happily spend hours in strength and strategy training. 

Puzzles that make your doggo work to get a treat are another way to up your Border Collie’s strategy game and satisfy their food drive. You can buy puzzle games in different levels to keep play challenging or make your own at home. But these fun additions do more than just entertain your pupster. Border Collies are extremely smart and need lots of mental stimulation to thwart boredom, which can cause anxiety and even destructiveness in the breed. So, get your game on for lots of happy licks!

Got a pup who loves to get pampered? Bathing, brushing, and a massage are pawsome gifts you can give your active pup for some relaxing, pampered downtime. Border Collies form strong bonds with their humans, and a spa day just for them is a furbulous way to show them how much you love them! Watch as they melt under your gentle hands, and don't furget to enjoy it, too!

Border Collies love activities that take them outdoors with their human faves, and a hike is a furtastic way to test their ability to go the distance while challenging their climbing and navigating skills. If they’re off-leash, they may jump at the chance to herd any animals or people they encounter, so it’s important to stay alert and keep control of your working pup for everyone's safety. Sniffing and exploring new territory is a pawfect way to keep your dog healthy and happy!

These puppers are naturals at shifting speed and direction while they maintain control of their herds. They use all their senses to keep track of their charges and prevent escapes. While agility course equipment doesn’t move around as livestock does, the difficulty of some of the challenges can mimic those they might find in the field. 

Furthermore, Border Collies live to please their dog parents and are excellent learners, so they won’t get frustrated or give up easily.  You can invest in an agility course set-up for your yard or locate some equipment to use for free at a local dog park. A homemade course made of logs, stumps, and some old steps may be all you need to put them through their paces and give them a new challenge!

If you don’t feel up to hiking or are an inveterate couch potato, you can still get your Border Collie to exercise and stimulate their mind by teaching them to play a new interactive game, and one which they will love- finding you! Hide and seek is a furbulous game with dogs, and can easily become a family favorite that can be played inside or out!

Need a bigger challenge? You can change the game up by hiding a furvorite toy or treat and encouraging them to find it by sniffing it out. Border Collies love to use their noses and they’ll proudly strut their stuff when they locate their prize!

Still need more activity? Soccer is a pawfect game for these herders, so get out the ball and get those paws moving! Your pup will seriously love herding the ball to the goal.

Border Collies are woofderful family dogs that can keep everyone in the family smiling and active been known to do some pretty amazing things. Show your pup just how much you love them on National Border Collie Day, and every day! 

Are you lucky enough to live with a Border Collie? Share how you’re spoiling them in the comments below, and tag #wagwalking or @wag on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our feed!