Happy Life GamesSheep Herder Guide: How to Herd Every Sheep Into the Pen
Sheep Herder puts you in charge of a sheepdog in a meadow full of sheep that would rather be anywhere else. You don't move the sheep. You move the dog, and the sheep run away from it. Your job is to use that one fact to steer every sheep through a narrow gate into the pen before the clock runs out.
The fun is in how lifelike the flock feels. Sheep bunch together, wander off when nobody is watching, get distracted by clover and scatter if you charge at them. Herding well means moving with patience and putting the dog in exactly the right spot.
How to play
- Touch and drag anywhere on the field. The dog runs toward your finger, and a white ring marks where it's heading.
- Lift your finger and the dog slows to a stop where it is.
- Sheep flee from the dog. A sheep within range runs directly away from it. The closer the dog, the faster it runs. A yellow "!" appears over a frightened sheep.
- Get every sheep into the pen. Once a sheep is inside, it stays there. The counter at the top shows how many are penned.
The dog can't enter the pen, and sheep tend to shy away from the outside of the fence. Right at the gate, though, the hay inside draws them in. The timer at the top counts down, turning red under ten seconds. If it reaches zero before the last sheep is penned, the level is lost.
Stars are based on time. The three stars beside the timer start full and drop as the clock passes each target, so the faster you finish, the more you keep. The hint button shows a ghost dog at the ideal spot and an arrow pointing the way to push the sheep, and a skip button is there too.
The core technique: stand behind, push toward
Imagine a straight line from the gate through the sheep and out the other side. The best place for the dog is on that line, a short distance behind the sheep. From there, every step the sheep takes away from the dog is a step toward the gate.
- Circle wide to get behind. If the dog is on the wrong side, don't run straight through the flock. That sends sheep in every direction. Loop around at a distance.
- Close in gently. Move to just inside the sheep's flee range. A light push gives a slow, controlled walk.
- Steer with small sideways moves. If the sheep drifts left of the gate, shift the dog a little to the left so it pushes the sheep back right.
- Aim for the front of the gate, not the pen wall. Get the sheep lined up straight in front of the opening, then push it through.
Beginner strategy
- Herd the group, not one sheep. Sheep stick together. Pushing from behind the whole flock moves them as one, which is much faster than collecting them one by one.
- Gather stragglers first. When two sheep start far apart, push one over to the other before heading for the gate.
- Don't chase. Running straight at a sheep makes it bolt. If it heads the wrong way, stop, circle and come at it from the other side.
- Use trees as guides. A sheep pushed straight into a tree just gets stuck. Push at an angle so it slides around the trunk.
Special sheep and obstacles
Black sheep
The black sheep is stubborn. It reacts only when the dog gets close, and it moves slowly even then. You need to crowd it, staying tight behind it the whole way to the gate.
Bell sheep
The sheep with the golden bell floating above it is the leader, and the rest of the flock follows it around. Pen the bell sheep first. Once it's inside, the followers near the gate trot in after it on their own. Herding the followers first wastes time, because they keep drifting back toward the leader.
Jumpy lamb
A lamb is skittish. It notices the dog from farther away and runs faster. A dashed pink line connects it to its mum. Leave the lamb alone and herd the mum. When she's in the pen, the lamb trots after her.
Clover
Calm sheep drift back to a clover patch to graze. If you leave a sheep near clover while you work on another one, expect to find it eating when you come back. Herd sheep away from clover and keep pressure on until they're through the gate.
Bushes and ponds
Bushes are small obstacles with gaps between them, so steer the flock through the gaps. Ponds are larger, and sheep can't swim. Plan a route around the edge.
The wolf
A wolf patrols the field, and sheep scatter from it the same way they flee the dog. The wolf keeps away from the dog and from the pen. When it wanders near your flock, run the dog at the wolf to drive it off, then go back to herding.
Narrow gate
Some later pens have a tighter opening. Line the sheep up straight in front of the gate before you push, because an angled approach bounces them off the fence.
Common mistakes
- Getting too close too fast. A charging dog scatters the flock. Slow pressure keeps them together.
- Pushing into the fence. Sheep avoid the outside of the pen. Bring them around to face the gate first.
- Ignoring the leader. On bell and lamb levels, the order you pen sheep in is the whole puzzle.
- Walking away from a sheep at the gate. If you leave too early, it may wander off. "So close!" means a sheep reached the gate and walked away again.
What changes in later levels
Each level opens with a card naming its idea. New elements arrive one at a time: a tree in level 4, the black sheep in level 5, the bell sheep in level 6, the lamb in level 7, clover in level 8, bushes in level 11, the pond in level 13, the wolf in level 16 and the narrow gate in level 19. Level 10 and every tenth level after it is a "Big flock" level with more sheep.
From level 13 the layouts vary more. The pen can sit on any side of the field, flocks grow larger, and several elements can appear together. The time limit is set from how long a computer herder takes, with room to spare, so every level can be finished.
FAQ
Can a penned sheep escape?
No. Once a sheep is inside the pen, it stays there for the rest of the level.
Why won't the dog go into the pen?
It's kept outside by design. You push sheep through the gate from behind.
How do I get three stars?
Finish quickly. Herding the flock together and penning leaders first are the biggest time savers.
What's similar?
For another game where you guide something with careful moves, try Save The Doge. Our guide to thinking through physics puzzles covers the general approach.