Treibball - Ball herding for dogs

Treiball is a relatively new sport for dogs where the object of the game is to herd one or more gym balls and fetch them back to the handler or place them in a goalkeepers net. The sport started in Germany and has become very popular in America.

Just about any breed of dog can take part and of course the herding dogs love it. As you would expect treibball appeals to them and goes some way towards satisfying the need to do the job they were bred to do.

At the time of writing Treibball in the UK is in its infancy but people are interested in learning and it won't be long before training clubs are formed and competition can get under way.

To see Treibball in action have a look at a couple of videos on Youtube. In the first clip this dog responds so well to the handler's signals and brings the correct gym ball back to her. It reminds me of "Shedding" in sheepdog trials where one or more sheep are split off from the main flock and placed exactly where the shepherd wants them.

Interested? The second clip is a little training video that shows your dog how to push the ball. It can take your dog a little while to understand the concept but once they've learned what is required they'll thoroughly enjoy the training and the exercise.

For more information about treibball have a look at the American Treibball Association's website.

They have a good deal of information on their site which will help you to get started and I've heard that they are very helpful if you contact them with your questions.

If you want to start training, all you need is a dog, a gym ball and some treats and you're away. Have fun.