Treibball (,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
for drive ball), also known as urban herding, is a competitive
dog sport
Dog sports are competitive activities specifically designed for dogs. Dogs typically participate in sports with the help of owners, although some dog sports do not require human participation. A 2015 survey found that dog owners of all classes pa ...
which originated in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
in 2005. In the sport, a dog must gather and drive large
exercise ball
An exercise ball is a ball constructed of soft Elastomer, elastic, typically in 5 diameters of 10 cm increments, from , and filled with air. The air pressure is changed by removing a valve stem and either filling with air or letting the ba ...
s into a
goal
A goal or objective is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.
A goal is roughly similar to ...
by working with a human handler.
History
Treibball originated in 2005 in Germany, and was invented by Dutch dog trainer Jan Nijboer.
The sport was invented to keep herding dogs active in places where livestock herding is not possible, such as urban environments.
He introduced the sport to his students, and it quickly spread across Europe.
The first sanctioned Treibball competition was held in 2008.
The sport eventually gained popularity in the United States after 2009 when a video featuring the sport titled went
viral.
Sport
The aim of the sport is for the dog to get eight large exercise balls into a goal. The eight balls are initially set up in a triangle formation similar to
billiards
Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue stick, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as . Cue sports, a category of stic ...
,
and the dog's handler stays in one spot near the goal. Using only whistles, verbal commands, or hand signals, the handler must communicate with the dog to get it to push the balls into the goal.
The balls must be put into the goal in a particular order, and there is a time limit.
Treibball balls range from 45 to 75 centimeters in diameter, and are known as "rolling sheep".
The playing field is between 30 and 50 meters long and between 15 and 25 meters wide.
Treibball is loosely based on
herding trials, and because of this,
herding dog
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a Dog type, type of dog that either has been trained in herding livestock or belongs to one of the dog breed, breeds that were developed for herding. A dog specifically trained to he ...
s have a natural advantage in learning the sport. Unlike livestock herding, however, any breed of dog is capable of learning and playing Treibball effectively.
See also
*
List of dog sports
Dog sports are competitive activities specifically designed for dogs. Dogs typically participate in sports with the help of owners, although some dog sports do not require human participation. A 2015 survey found that dog owners of all classes pa ...
References
External links
NATE - National Association of Treibball Enthusiasts(USA)
American Treibball AssociationAssociazione Italiana Treibball
{{Authority control
Dog sports
Sports originating in Germany
Sports introduced in the 21st century
Games and sports introduced in 2005
2005 in German sport