The German word for "treibball" means "kick the ball." The homeland of this kind of cynological sport is Germany, where it arose at first as a kind of useful and pleasant pastime.
The owners of herding dogs were worried that their four-legged wards were beginning to lose their grip, as they practically ceased to have direct contact with real sheep. Therefore, a way out of the situation was the created system of exercises that allowed the pets to maintain their shepherd instincts at the proper level.
Competitions and rules
The first treibball competitions were held in 2007. Today it is played not only in Germany, but also in various European countries, as well as in the USA.
According to the rules of treibball, the four-legged shepherd "grazes" not sheep, but large inflatable balls - eight pieces, obeying the commands of the owner. His main and only task is to drive them into the gate. The owner is allowed to stand near the corral and give commands by voice: "Left!", "Right!", "Forward!", "Back!" He can also use gestures, a whistle, all other manipulations are prohibited and fined.
The easiest version of the game is when the balls are located on the starting line in the form of a triangle. The “athlete” must drive these balls into the “corral” goal. The dog can push the sports equipment into the gate with its paws, muzzle - whatever, but it is important not to pierce the sports equipment.
A difficult option involves rolling balls according to the established order: for example, blue-yellow-orange.
Training
You do not need a lot of space for classes, as well as expensive equipment. You can train with one or more balls. You better train outside, because it can be dangerous for your home. You can also train with your friends with pets.
The first thing to do is teach your dog to be comfortable with the balls. She must lie down on command and remain in this position, even if the ball rolls past. But he cannot be directed directly at the ward, otherwise he may be frightened.
Next, you should teach the dog to adjust the balls to the owner, but only on command, otherwise it will run away with the sports equipment, thinking that this is a game. It is necessary to achieve strict and exact obedience, without the dog's independence. When this is achieved, you can put the gate so that it drives the balls into them. After that, all that remains is to increase the speed and accuracy of hitting the gate.