countryboy Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Can a border collie be trained to play volleyball (and should it)? I love volleyball and I was curious as to whether a border collie can be trained to play volleyball. In this video, the dog plays volleyball. The first part of the video is clearly fake where the dog turns the pages of a book. You can see the guy's hand turning the pages. Is the second part with the volleyball also fake? It seems to me that the dog's eyes clearly follow the ball, but are the dog's volleyball playing skills faked? Either way, can a border collie be trained to play volleyball? Secondly, should a border collie play volleyball? Would this be bad for the dog's hips for instance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I tell ya these guys can be trained to do ANYHTING. My dogs play volleyball. I throw the ball up in the air and they hit it back to me with their nose. Of course we use a basketball,(more durable) as they get overly enthusiatic after awhile and chew it up after (trying to convince that ball to listen to them and go where they say!) . But it's alot of fun. And wears them out(A worn out BC is a happy BC). BC's thrive on working and having a job to do. Even if it is a fun one like volleyball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I have seen some BC's play teather ball and have, well a ball with with it So I guess yeah they could play it. I don't really know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoe Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Dylan plays volleyball with me - I use my hands, he uses his nose - and we can keep it going for quite a while. We attract quite an audience sometimes ! BUT - we use an iflatable plastic ball which is almost weightless. ( so it is hard to play on windy days ! ) And more importantly, I try to keep it really low because I don't want him jumping and landing with all his weight on his back legs. He does do that sometimes though, so we really don't play it very often. One way to prevent that is not to do the continual hitting it back to him from my side. If I catch it then throw it low, there is no risk of him jumping. He also gets excited about it so we don't play at all from late Spring to mid Autumn or else he would overheat It was really easy to teach. I'd just be careful about the jumping part. I assume you meant play volleyball with a person and not with other BCs. But, hey, who knows. They are smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marky48 Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I've built Riley a Tether Ball set up.....he loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Annie did not need to be trained. One day when I was walking her in the neighborhood, she saw some kids playing volleyball, and was immediately fascinated. I let her off her leash (at the kids' request), and she started hitting the ball back to them with her nose. She also has an affinity for playing soccer, again using her nose; occasionally, however, she uses her paws, and then I have to penalize her for "handball"... Her soccer skills are a source of amusement for the Special Olympians when DW brings her to the State games that I am refereeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkie Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 beth, u use a basketball ? ouch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Well I got it for them to herd but they starting doing the volleyball thing.... I'm guessing if it hurt they wouldn't do it? Heck they herd it, bite it, shake it, (killing it) and bop it with their paws and nose....lol....very amusing and yes I agree you can get quite an audience at the park when you start up a game, as people love to watch. My neighbor's and strangers have told me, that my pup's are so well behaved, smart and funny. (I just had to brag!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Can a border collie be trained to play volleyball (and should it)? Can it? Should it? My question is why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprman Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 The video is neat, but clearly edited. Just about every time he passes the ball to the dog it cuts to a new angle. That combined with him trying to 'hide' the dog turning pages in the mag shows that dog isn't playing vball as well as he seems. My old BC did the exact same thing... bumped it up with her nose. Was fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 I must set up tetherball for Dean. He would LOVE it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 what fun ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Oh yeah these guys are very versatile(and fun) when it comes to what game you want to play with them. They love to chase any kind of ball, hockey pucks, frisbees, you name it! They also love to swim, hike, jog, and run alongside a bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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