About the game

Sheepdog Sim: a free sheep herding game

You play the dog. Read the flock, work around its edge and bring every sheep through the gate into the pen. It runs in a browser tab, with no download and no account.

One dog, one flock, one field

Every solo round is played on the same fenced field, 200 meters on a side, with one gate and one pen. Choose 25, 75 or 200 sheep. Move around the flock to steer it, sprint to get into position and bark to push nearby sheep. The cel-shaded field, grazing flock and farm sounds set an unhurried pace.

There is no time limit and no way to lose a sheep. A round ends when the last one is in the pen, or when you choose to stop. The run clock stays hidden until you turn it on, so you can race your personal best or ignore it.

Why it feels like moving a flock

Nothing directs the flock as a group. Each sheep keeps its own space, moves with the neighbors it can sense and runs from any dog inside 8 meters. A push on one side can turn a group, and a careless run through the middle can split it. With 25 sheep you can watch single animals, alone or in small groups. With 200, nearly all of them start as one large group, far wider than the 8 meters at which a sheep reacts, and you work it in parts.

The herding guide explains these rules and how to use them.

Play alone or with friends

Solo rounds keep a personal best for each flock size, with optional online solo times. Multiplayer rooms hold 2 to 4 players. Co-op puts everyone on one flock and one pen. Competitive gives each player a pen to fill from a shared flock. Send an invite link or open a public room. See how multiplayer works.

Is this the sheepdog game you want?

It is, if you want to move a flock yourself and start now. You steer the dog directly, and the skill is in where you stand and when you bark.

It is not a whistle-command game, a story adventure or a farm to manage. There are no levels to unlock. If you want those, you will be happier elsewhere. If you want one field and a flock that reacts, this is it.

Free to play in your browser

No download or account is required to start. The game has no ads and nothing to buy. It gives you a running name you can change, and saves personal bests on your device. An unavailable score service does not stop a local game. A browser with JavaScript and WebGL2 or WebGPU support is required; performance varies by device and flock size.

Controls and settings

The game supports keyboard, gamepad and touch controls. Switch between Classic and Follow camera views. See the controls and browser requirements before your first round.

The Studio lets you name your dog and each sheep, and pick one of five dog coats and the breeds in your flock.

Settings include rebindable keys, Reduce motion, a Blue dog marker and separate volume for the meadow, sheep, dog, field and interface.

Open source

Sheepdog Sim is made by Matthew Kissinger. The source code is available under AGPL-3.0-or-later. The repository includes the simulation, renderer, input, audio system, deterministic asset recipes and release tests.