In the words of Top Gear: 'how hard can it be?'

[bunn]

Brythen and I are off to an introductory Treibball class this evening on Dartmoor.  It is supposed to be a herding game for dogs, using balls rather than sheep.

I have a suspicion that I shall arrive and find we are in a class of border collies...

I just hope he stays awake.  If he gets everything wrong, but stays awake, at least everyone will know he's trying.

Comments

[mcmurphy79.livejournal.com]

Likely but I've known Lurchers be outstanding at stuff like this so hopefully he will do you proud and you'll get a crowd of accepting collie owners.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Well, in the event it was a tiny group - only two other dogs! One bearded collie, one terrier... thingy.

He was very confused by the whole thing, but I am hopeful he will warm to it!

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

Sky would absolutely LOVE that. Balls are so much better than sheep. You might be surprised, you might find it is full of doofy lurchers who are all of the same mind on this issue.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Well, it was actually really tiny - only two other dogs turned up!

Brythen is rather greyhoundy in his view of balls, he thinks they are a bit baffling unless very squishy. But I am hoping he may warm to the idea.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

Sky never used to be interested in balls or objects at all, but we encountered a problem when we did our silver (I think it was the silver) Good Citizens - one of the requirements is the dog has to give up a toy on command. Our problem was not so much the giving up as the persuading Sky to show the slightest bit of interest in the first place so any of part of her behaviour could then be construed as giving it up on command. So I clicker trained her to pick up one of those dumbbells that's covered in tennis ball stuff, and it seemed to activate the tennis ball switch in her brain and ever since then she's been all tennis ball all the time. So the trick is to find Bryth's tennis ball switch.