Treibball or Push Ball

Treibball is a very exciting dog sport that can be practiced in a fairly small yard. It started in Germany as a way to engage working dogs in an urban setting. It is a great game to exercise dogs, or dogs that need a bit of entertainment. Do you have a working dog without a job? This is for her, specially if she is a herding breed.

Playing consists of a combination of classic obedience and herding cues. Instead of herding livestock the pup herds big exercise balls. The dog must use her nose or shoulders to drive 8 balls into a goal under 10 minutes. The first ball to go in the goal should be the point ball, after that the dog must drive the balls she is asked to push. For example the blue ball or the large ball first. In this sport the dog runs around while the handler stands at the goal and cues, so the handler doesn't need to be in great shape like in other sports.

Some of the cues your dog needs to learn to play treibball are target, stand, stop, down and how to move off leash to the left and right. You can begin with just one ball and as your dog becomes more proficient add balls of different sizes and colors. And later who knows? People and their dogs travel  nationally and internationally for competitions, you might like it too.