Best Toys for Herding Dogs: Keeping Your Pup Happy & Engaged

Herding dogs are amazing, intelligent companions. But that also means they need more than just a simple game of fetch. Finding the right toys for herding dogs is key to keeping them happy and stimulated. This article explores some of the best toys for herding dogs, including options specifically for breeds like Border Collies and Australian Shepherds. We'll help you discover the perfect herding toys for dogs to tap into their natural instincts and keep them entertained for hours.

Sheep dogs and corgis and German shepherds, oh my! Herding dogs are a diverse group of breeds who have been used to work with human handlers to gather, herd, and protect livestock. Regardless of their current occupation of Chief Snooze Officer, dogs bred for herding may display behaviors that reflect the jobs humans originally used them for — with high energy levels to match. Many of these breeds, like the Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog, and Border Collie, are especially known for their engagement with their people. They form deep bonds with their family members, allowing them to learn impressive tricks and enjoy interactive games.

Energetic breeds like herding dogs benefit from regular mental stimulation and physical exercise.

Understanding Your Herding Dog

Humans have bred dogs for thousands of years, and herding behavior is ultimately modified predatory behavior. Bred to accentuate different parts of the predatory sequence, these working dog breeds have different skills. German shepherds and Malinois guard. Border Collies herd with lots of strong eye contact. Blue heelers are known for nipping, which is how they got the nickname “heeler” as they’d go after heels while herding cattle.

Think about toys that help your dog safely express their natural instincts and species-typical behaviors like foraging, sniffing, and licking, as well as breed-typical behaviors, like chasing/herding and biting. Toys for herding dogs are more than just different balls, though plenty of dogs do enjoy chasing, herding, or fetching a ball. What’s most important is setting up opportunities for mental exercise — at a range of difficulty levels — where your herding dogs can get a good physical workout on top of satisfying their innate desires.

Why Herding Breeds Need Specialized Toys

Common Behavioral Challenges in Herding Dogs

Key Takeaways

• Choose toys that tap into herding instincts: Herding breeds thrive with toys that encourage chasing, problem-solving, and instinctual behaviors like herding or retrieving.
• Prioritize both mental and physical enrichment: Don't just focus on physical exercise. Provide puzzle toys, food-dispensing toys, and opportunities for sniffing and licking to keep their minds engaged.
• Train with positive reinforcement and breed-specific activities: Focus on rewarding desired behaviors and incorporate activities like herding or agility training that align with their natural instincts.

Best Toys for Herding Dogs

Consider your own dog’s likes and dislikes when deciding on toys and enrichment activities for them to engage in. Avoid physical or mental activities that frustrate your dog. Look for signs of satisfaction — like an ultimate decrease in destructive behaviors that suggests your dog is getting adequate exercise and fulfillment — as opposed to signs of pent-up energy.

It’s also worth noting that plenty of dogs can benefit from this list based on their likes, not just herding breeds!

Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole: Exercise and Fun

If your dog likes to chase and catch, a flirt pole may be a fun activity for you to engage in together. This long pole with a grippy handle includes a bungee cord with a lure at the end (or sometimes other versions substitute a rope toy) which enables you, the human part of the interactive game, to easily maneuver the lure for your dog to chase and bite.

This design does stand up to some tugging, but chasing and biting — in short bursts, rather than the longer periods of time you might leave your strong chewer with a designated chew toy — is really the name of the game. Unlike balls, flirt poles enable your dog to get some great exercise in a small space. Lure coursing is a sportier option for dogs who love the physical stimulation of running and chasing.

Jolly Egg: A Classic for a Reason

https://jollypets.com/collections/made-in-the-usa/products/jolly-egg-dog-toy

The Jolly Egg is a hard plastic toy that can really stand up to some abuse. It’s perfect for aggressive chewers because the egg-shaped ball makes biting and chomping down difficult, reducing the risk of damaging teeth — or the toy itself.

Your Blue Heeler, Border Collie, or other herding dog can chase, herd, and pounce on this unique ball toy that rolls in an unpredictable pattern (better emulating the experience of herding sheep or herding cattle).

The 20-inch Boomer Ball is another popular option. Need some space to play chase-the-egg? Bring it on out to a Sniffspot!

Jolly Pets Push-n-Play: Engaging Their Instincts

A true classic for herding ball fun! The Push-n-Play is the perfect herding ball, durable and great for treibball practice. It is not a rubber ball, which makes it better able to stand up to the wear and tear that your pup’s regular exercise ball might get. It also floats and can be filled with water or sand for a bit of a challenge (if your dog is into that kind of thing).

The Jolly Pets Push-n-Play traditional herding ball is a great choice if your dog enjoys engaging in their natural herding instincts and if you think they’d get frustrated with the more unpredictable roll of the Jolly Egg.

While we’re on the topic of Jolly products: Jolly makes a number of ball toys designed specifically for herding breeds like Blue Heelers, Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and more They come in a range of sizes (along with an amazing array of products) and include soccer balls, balls with handles, and balls with rope toys attached for flinging and tugging fun. They also make a number of treat-dispensing balls for additional mental stimulation.

CollieBall: Durable and Engaging Herding Ball

Available Sizes and Benefits

The CollieBall's design specifically engages a herding dog’s natural instincts, making it a great choice for owners who want enriching play experiences. You can find more information on herding dog enrichment toys here.

Agility Kits: Taking Playtime to the Next Level

Bring some treats and have some engaging fun with your pup. If you’re interested in competing, find an agility facility in your area that uses humane, science-based methods for training.

Frisbees: Encouraging Jumping and Retrieval

Choosing the Right Frisbee

Weighted Balls: Adding a Challenge to Herding

Safety Considerations for Weighted Balls

Jolly Ball with Rope: Combining Tug and Fetch

SodaPup Pop Top Tug Toy: Durable and Rewarding

Does your dog love a game of tug? Try this cute pop-top tug from SodaPup! This toy is durable, but is not meant for chewing. Play together, but provide a different toy, like the SodaPup peanut or other product developed for chewing when it’s time to relax and chew.

Kong Wobbler: A Treat-Dispensing Challenge

We know that a treat dispenser like this might not seem to satisfy your dog’s innate herding instincts the way some other toys, like the Jolly herding ball for dogs mentioned above, do — but food enrichment can still be a great part of your pup’s daily routine! It’s especially important to shake things up to keep your dog entertained, so this is an excellent complement to more direct herding activities.

Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble: Slow and Steady Feeding

Another great intro food dispensing toy is the Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble ball by Pet Safe. This toy provides mental stimulation and resembles a herding ball, which can help burn excess energy while more clearly satisfying your pup’s strong herding instincts. The hard plastic material is easy to take apart for filling and cleaning. Foraging is a natural instinct for domesticated dogs, but some toys can be frustrating. The Kibble Nibble ball can be adjusted to release food more easily for beginners.

SodaPup Lick Mat: Soothing and Enriching

SodaPup has some of the cutest, most creative enrichment toys on the market, and their enrichment mats (lick mats) are no exception. These flexible rubber mats are designed with ridges to have soft treats like peanut butter, cream cheese, wet food, pumpkin, or any other snack your dog fancies, spread over the surface.

Why are we including so many food enrichment items as a toy for herding breeds? Well, as mentioned above, herding dogs need more than just endless adrenalizing games of fetch with ball launchers and straight up physical exercise!

If your pup has a lot of energy and you think they need more mental exercise, a lick mat is a great, affordable option. Licking and sniffing are calming activities for dogs, with an added benefit of figuring out how to get all of their favorite spreadable treats out of every crevice on the mat. Load up the mat and freeze it once your dog gets good at cleaning it off. This material is durable (and machine washable!), but lick mats are not meant for chewing. With any type of enrichment toy, supervise your dog, especially if it is their first time interacting with the item.

WestPaw Toppl: A Puzzle Treat Toy

If you buy one enrichment toy for your dog, regardless of breed, this is possibly the best option for mental stimulation. The WestPaw Toppl is durable, versatile, machine washable, and holds up to some chewing. This toy comes in two sizes, which are designed to be used separately or fit together into one megatoy. Both sizes have a rounded end, which wobbles when used separately. Ridges inside are great for spreading on peanut butter or other soft treats, or can be used to wedge a solid treat inside. Load up one or both ends and freeze it for an extra challenge once your dog is good at emptying the toy. Holes in both sizes allow small food or treats to fall out when they are fit together. This configuration can hold nearly a cup of small kibble, and can be used as a food dispensing toy for meals.

ZippyPaws Burrow Toys: Hide-and-Seek Fun

ZippyPaws heard your dog liked stuffed toys so they stuffed some stuffed toys inside of a stuffed toy! These toys are super cute and creative. Great for dogs who love to shred and de-squeak stuffed toys, but allow for an added foraging bonus. Tuck some treats inside and let your dog solve this plush puzzle! If your dog is a shredder, save some toilet paper tubes, fold one end in, tuck in some treats, and then fold the other end. Put the treat-filled cardboard tubes inside of the burrow for a fun game.

Nina Ottosson Puzzles: Mental Stimulation

Let your dog flex some brain muscle with a puzzle toy! If your herding dog is a quick learner who enjoys figuring out a nice puzzle, Nina Ottosson’s are the best. Different levels of difficulty help dogs learn at their own pace and make for happy herding dogs enjoying excellent exercise (mentally, that is).

Benebone Chew Toys: Long-lasting and Satisfying

If you’re looking for something for an aggressive chewer, Benebones are a good bet. Chewing is a calming natural instinct that also helps keep your dog’s teeth clean. Many small pet stores carry Benebones if you like to shop local.

Choosing the Right Toys for Your Herding Dog

Struggling to find the best exercise balls and other herding toys for your pup? Consider providing a few horse toys on top of the options we talk about in this article! It might sound strange at first, but horse toys are especially well designed to stand up to rough wear — and you can find a great size variety on the larger end if your dog needs more challenging levels of play.

Key Considerations for Toy Selection

Don’t limit yourself to toys designed specifically for herding breeds. Plenty of dogs can benefit from toys designed for herders, regardless of their breed. Think about toys that tap into your dog's natural instincts. Does your dog love to chase? A flirt pole or a classic frisbee might be a great fit. Do they enjoy using their nose? Puzzle toys or toys that can be stuffed with treats can provide hours of entertainment. Don't forget about simple pleasures like chewing, sniffing, and licking, which can be just as enriching as high-energy activities.

Safety Tips for Herding Dog Toys

Effective Toy Rotation Strategies

Variety is important for dogs, too. Offer a range of toys that cater to different play styles and instincts. Combine physical toys like balls and frisbees with mental puzzles and treat-dispensing toys to keep your dog stimulated and entertained. Get creative! You can incorporate training into playtime by using toys as rewards or including them in obedience exercises. A visit to a Sniffspot can also provide a novel environment and new opportunities for play and exploration.

Expert Review

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Kelly Hayden
Owner & Lead Trainer – Ardent Dog – Certified Separation Anxiety Professional Trainer

Training Tips for Herding Dogs

Positive Reinforcement Techniques

Fetch Training for Herding Breeds

Leveraging Playtime for Training

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Related Articles

• Guide to Herding With Dogs | Herding Behavior in Dogs
• Best Toys for Herding Dogs - Border Collies, Cattle Dogs, Shepherds
• How to Train a Herding Dog Breed | Sniffspot
• Top-Rated Dog Trainers for Herding training in the US | Sniffspot
• German Shepherd Dog Aggression Causes, Myths, and Training

Frequently Asked Questions

This behavior stems from their ingrained herding instincts. They're wired to control movement, and sometimes that translates to trying to "round up" their human family. Providing outlets for these instincts, like herding balls or flirt poles, can help redirect this behavior in a positive way. Training can also help teach them appropriate interactions.

My herding dog isn't interested in fetch. What games will they enjoy?

Traditional fetch might not be stimulating enough for a herding dog. They often prefer activities that involve chasing and controlling movement. Think flirt poles, herding balls, treibball, or even agility training. These games tap into their natural instincts and provide a more satisfying outlet for their energy.

What kind of toys are best for a herding dog who loves to chew?

Durable chew toys are essential for any dog who loves to gnaw, but especially for herding breeds with strong jaws. Look for tough, non-toxic materials like those used in Benebones or Jolly Eggs. Remember, even durable toys should be supervised, and any toy showing signs of damage should be replaced.

How can I use toys to help train my herding dog?

Toys can be powerful motivators in training. Use them as rewards for good behavior or incorporate them into obedience exercises. For example, you can use a flirt pole to teach commands like "come" or "stay," making training more engaging and fun for your dog.

Are herding balls good for all herding dogs?

While herding balls can be a great outlet for herding instincts, not every herding dog will automatically love them. It's important to consider your individual dog's preferences. Some dogs might find them stimulating, while others might be indifferent or even frustrated. Observe your dog's reaction and adjust your approach accordingly. A variety of toys and activities is always a good idea.

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