Treibball (experimental class)

4 one-hour sessions PREREQUISITE: PREP and Family Dog Manners 1 or equivalent Go to list of all courses to learn more about prerequisite class(es)

Treibball originated in Germany about 2003 and is yet another sport that dogs and people can enjoy together.  Trained with positive-reinforcement, this competitive dog sport fits perfectly into TCCA’s offerings.  What do you do?  The human stays with the goal (think soccer net goalie) and the dog goes out and gathers large balls and “drives” them into the goal by pushing them with their muzzle or shoulder.  The handler gives the dog encouragement and directions, helping the dog guide one ball at a time into the goal.  Especially for herding breeds, this is an opportunity to “herd” if you don’t own sheep or cattle, but all breeds seem to have a real blast playing Treibball.  There are sanctioned competitions in the U.S. now, if you really want to compete!  This experimental class will focus on the training necessary to get our dogs to go out and around a ball and push it toward us.

Special Notes:  My goal (this is Patricia) is to find a handful of clients who have been through several classes at TCCA and who would like to try out the training needed for successful Treibball skills.  I have not yet trained my own dogs in Treibball to any great extent, but I have taken classes in how to train Treibball and would like to partner with a small group so we can all work hard and learn together.  I have the equipment, the “system for training” and the building – and have priced this class to reflect only the expenses we need to cover.  It is an experiment!!  Anyone out there want to play ball???

This class is best suited for: flexible risk-taking learners who like experimentation, and who have a dog who is already able to focus on training even when other dogs are working in the same general space.  People will need time to practice between classes in order to get the behaviors. 

 Min/Max Enrollment : 4/6

 Bring the Following to Every Class
- Flat buckle collar or harness (head halters not appropriate for this class)
- 6 foot leash
- water and water dish
- treat bag (easy access) and MANY incredibly tasty treats
- clicker

You will Learn:
- the training system for basic Treibball skills
- the rules/intent of the game at the novice level
- to create appropriate cues for the behaviors

Your dog will learn: 
- to target
- to target at distance
- to go around a ball
- to start pushing a ball with muzzle and/or shoulder toward you