A trainable dog like an Australian Shepherd is an ideal herding dog since they are naturally obedient and also very smart. Born to be herders, Australian Shepherds have very quick defencive senses that also make them the perfect watch dogs. Aussies are not noisy and only bark when possible danger looms. Aussies also form wonderful friendships with their owners, thanks to their friendly nature as lively, gentle and fun loving.

While Aussies are traditional working dogs, they can also be excellent pets. However, to make this work, an owner of a new Aussie should know they will need to spend some time with the dog. When left alone for a long time, an Aussie will get bored just like all smart creatures do. Boredom makes an Aussie very uneasy and leads to unwanted behaviour such as digging holes and scratching. To successfully prevent boredom, expose the dog to numerous activities and allocate appropriate time for exercise. Being natural herding dogs, they require energetic activities and lots of moving around.

There are a number of activities that can be used as great exercises for dogs. These include: