What is Treibball? An Interview with Ramona Nisi
What is Treibball? Ramona Nisi, Csen and Fidasc athlete, trainer, and National Treibball Representative for Csen, explains it to us. She approached this discipline in 2022 with her miniature poodle named Maybe and immediately found new motivation to engage in activities with her dog. They compete in the Champion category and have consecutively won the title of Absolute Italian Champion Fidasc for the past two years. They are currently preparing for international competitions.
Treibball is a low-impact activity suitable for dogs of all sizes and ages. It was originally developed for herding dogs in situations where sheepdog work was not possible, with the balls symbolizing sheep. The dog must push the balls into the goal towards the handler, who stands at the goalpost. Despite its playful nature—the colorful balls instantly bring joy—Treibball is far from a simple game; it is an engaging and stimulating activity. Through Treibball, dogs learn to focus on their human partner, follow instructions, and collaborate without a sense of competition.
Specifically, in Treibball Csen and Fidasc, this activity takes on a sporting connotation, allowing teams to compete in competitions and grow by facing increasingly greater challenges as they progress through the levels.
There are three levels: Beginner, for those approaching this activity; Advanced, the intermediate level where the skills the dog must acquire to achieve a good result increase; Champion, the highest level where, in addition to the increased distance of the balls from the goal, the dog must know several commands to bring the balls into the goal in a specific order set by the judge.
In the Beginner level, there are four balls involved, sized appropriately for the dog, placed at a relatively short distance from the goal. The handler sends the dog, who starts from the starting area located to the left of the balls, towards the balls arranged in a pyramid shape. If the dog first brings the peak ball, they earn a bonus, while the subsequent balls can be brought back in a random order.
In the Advanced level, there are six balls involved, sized appropriately for the dog, and placed at a medium distance from the goal. The handler sends the dog, who starts from the starting area located to the left of the balls, towards the balls arranged in a pyramid shape. The first ball to be brought is the peak ball, and the other balls must then be returned in the order called out by the handler before sending the dog.
In the Champion level, there are eight balls involved, sized appropriately for the dog, and placed at a long distance from the goal. The handler sends the dog, who starts from the starting area located to the left of the balls, towards the balls arranged in a pyramid shape. The first ball to be brought is the peak ball, and the subsequent balls must be returned to the goal in a specific order set by the judge. In this level, the dog must distinguish between multiple commands and pay close attention to the handler’s instructions.
Treibball is a canine sport that engages both the mind and body, fully involving the dog. With this discipline, even the most active dogs can release all their energy. Tackling the different exercises of this sport together strengthens the bond between the dog and its handler. The dog must engage both physically and mentally, and be able to listen to and follow the instructions of its partner. It is an excellent combination of initiative and collaboration, physical activity, and the ability to focus on the task at hand.
Internationally, Treibball is a well-structured sport practiced in several European countries, with a game that is, in some aspects, very similar to ours (Treibball Fast) and in others quite different, featuring well-defined evolutions that the dog must perform, such as figure eights, slalom, circling around the balls, etc. (Treibball Smart).
In 2025, there will be two major international competitions: the European Treibball Start, which will take place in Prague on March 15, and the World Treibball Experience, which will be held in Spiaggia Romea as part of the Dog Sport Experience on June 8.
