Sizing
What size does my dog need?
Measure the shoulder height — ground to the top of the shoulder blade. Then check the size guide, which lists breeds and heights for all four sizes. If your dog is between sizes, go bigger. The size finder will do it for you in two questions.
My dog is a mixed breed, or not a herding breed at all. Will it work?
Herding breeds take to it fastest — the pushing movement is what they were bred for. But drive matters more than pedigree. French Bulldogs, Staffies, Labradors and mixed breeds with energy to burn all use it. If your dog invents its own job when you do not give it one, this is a job.
I bought the 75 cm ball and the inner ball looks too small
That is normal before it is fully inflated. The inner ball is designed to fill the cover under pressure, not to arrive at full size. Keep inflating until the cover is firm and the seams are taut.
The product
What is the difference between a gym ball and this?
A gym ball is one sealed piece of PVC. One puncture and it is finished. CollieBall is two parts: an inflatable inner ball with a needle valve, and a ballistic fabric cover over it. The cover takes the teeth and the claws. Each part is sold separately and can be replaced on its own.
How is this different from the copies?
CollieBall launched the first fabric-covered inflatable herding ball in June 2021. The first copies appeared on Amazon that November. What you are usually looking at now is a single-layer ball with a printed pattern — no separate inner, no ballistic cover, no double zipper. The shape is the same because it was taken from this one.
How durable is it with a rough player?
The cover is ballistic fabric with double-stitched seams and heavy-duty nylon thread. It is built for dogs that push, chase and bite. We do not claim it is indestructible — nothing a dog can reach is. What we can say is that when the inner ball fails, you replace the inner ball rather than the whole product.
Why a needle valve? It takes forever to inflate
It holds air significantly longer than a standard push valve, which matters more over months of use than the ten minutes it costs you at the start. Use a compressor or a pump with a needle adapter — the adapter is a standard part from any sports shop. For the 95 cm, a compressor is the only realistic option.
The ball will not hold air
Check three things, in order. First, the needle: a bent or blunt needle can widen the valve. Second, temperature: air contracts in the cold, and a ball inflated indoors will feel soft outside. Third, the valve itself — a drop of water or valve oil on the needle before inserting it helps it seal. If it still loses air overnight, contact us.
How does it handle snow and cold?
The cover handles snow, wet and cold without trouble — winter is when a high-drive dog needs the outlet most. The inner ball loses pressure in low temperatures, like any inflatable: top it up when it gets cold, and let it warm up before over-inflating indoors.
How should I store it?
Deflated in the drawstring bag if you are putting it away for a season. Inflated and out of direct sun if you are using it regularly. UV is harder on the materials than the dog is.
Using it
My dog is scared of it. What now?
This is common and it passes. Start with the ball still and let the dog approach it on its own — no encouragement, no pushing it toward them. Reward any interest, however small. Once they touch it, roll it slowly away from them, never toward them. Most dogs go from wary to obsessed within a few sessions. Do not force it and do not make a game of chasing them with it.
Will it calm my dog down?
Owners tell us the barking, the chewing and the digging settle once the dog has something to push. We are not going to promise it fixes behaviour problems — a ball is not a training plan. What it does is give a working dog a job that tires the head as well as the legs.
Can I use it for treibball?
Yes. All four sizes work for treibball practice and competition. The ballistic cover gives the right push-grip without letting the dog get a jaw around it.
Can two dogs share one?
Yes, and most dogs push harder with company. Size for the larger dog. Watch the first few sessions — the ball moves fast with two dogs behind it, and the risk is them colliding with each other, not with the ball.
About CollieBall
Who made this?
Dog owners, not entrepreneurs. After the 2020 Santa Cruz fires and six months displaced with Huckleberry — an Australian Shepherd × Border Collie who does not switch off — nothing on the market survived her. So they built it. San Francisco, 2021. The longer version is here.
Orders and delivery
What currency are prices in?
All prices are in euros (EUR), including VAT where applicable.
Shipping cost and delivery time?
See Shipping & Delivery. Orders ship from our warehouse in Zagreb, Croatia.
I made a typo in my delivery address
Contact us immediately with your order number and the correct address. If the parcel has not left the warehouse we can change it. Once a carrier has it, we can request a redirect but cannot guarantee it.
What is the return policy?
See Returns & Exchanges. Your statutory right of withdrawal applies in addition to anything stated there.