So i will start by saying, its probably our fault for starting this, but i still want to get some input.
A while ago we started doing something different when playing tug with Gizmo. instead of just going back and forth in front of us, we would sit on the floor and have him go in circles around us and then like mini circles in front of us. He LOVED it, so we kept doing it. then after a while, it got to where we could let go of the toy, while he still carried it, and just move our arms around us like we were still holding the rope, and he would chase our hands.
Well, for about the last month now, ANY TIME we are sitting on the floor playing with him, if we arent throwing something down the hall for him to fetch, he is doing zoomie circles around us. he does it to myself, my husband, AND my toddler (she gets a pretty big kick out of it). And quite often Gizmo gets really excited doing this and will start barking like mad as he goes in circles. There have even been a few times, where i will be sitting in our recliner, but on the edge, not all the way back. and he will run and jump onto the couch, over to the recliner, run behind me, jump to the floor and back around to the couch. and he will do this over and over until i either get out of the chair, or slide to the back.
If we throw something down the hall, he will stop doing zoomie circles and fetch what we had just thrown, but if we dont throw it again right away, back to circles he goes.
So like i said, it is probably our fault for starting this, but i have a couple questions. Do you guys think that he is just trying to get even more attention by doing this (he does it even if we are in the middle of playing with him)? or have we inadvertently "trained" him to do this? or do you think it has something to do with his herding instincts? Should we try to stop this behavior or just let him do his zoomie circles, because he seems to really enjoy doing it?
Oh, I have another question, though not quite on the same topic. For the last couple months, every once in a while Gizmo will get like MEGA energy boost very suddenly and just RUN AND RUN AND RUN like a mad man. he will do this for a few minutes then stop and go back to how he was before. Is this normal in shelties?
A while ago we started doing something different when playing tug with Gizmo. instead of just going back and forth in front of us, we would sit on the floor and have him go in circles around us and then like mini circles in front of us. He LOVED it, so we kept doing it. then after a while, it got to where we could let go of the toy, while he still carried it, and just move our arms around us like we were still holding the rope, and he would chase our hands.
Well, for about the last month now, ANY TIME we are sitting on the floor playing with him, if we arent throwing something down the hall for him to fetch, he is doing zoomie circles around us. he does it to myself, my husband, AND my toddler (she gets a pretty big kick out of it). And quite often Gizmo gets really excited doing this and will start barking like mad as he goes in circles. There have even been a few times, where i will be sitting in our recliner, but on the edge, not all the way back. and he will run and jump onto the couch, over to the recliner, run behind me, jump to the floor and back around to the couch. and he will do this over and over until i either get out of the chair, or slide to the back.
If we throw something down the hall, he will stop doing zoomie circles and fetch what we had just thrown, but if we dont throw it again right away, back to circles he goes.
So like i said, it is probably our fault for starting this, but i have a couple questions. Do you guys think that he is just trying to get even more attention by doing this (he does it even if we are in the middle of playing with him)? or have we inadvertently "trained" him to do this? or do you think it has something to do with his herding instincts? Should we try to stop this behavior or just let him do his zoomie circles, because he seems to really enjoy doing it?
Oh, I have another question, though not quite on the same topic. For the last couple months, every once in a while Gizmo will get like MEGA energy boost very suddenly and just RUN AND RUN AND RUN like a mad man. he will do this for a few minutes then stop and go back to how he was before. Is this normal in shelties?
