There are many activities you can enjoy with your Poodle. To find out more you can visit www.dogsnsw.org.au and click on Resources, Dogs NSW Magazine, Articles, Well Being, Fun and Games – 9 ways to keep fit and active. Here is some of the information you will find there.

Flyball

This sport is thought to have originated in North America (USA and Canada) in the 1950s. Flyball is a relay race between two teams of four dogs racing side by side. It involves one dog from each team jumping over four hurdles, triggering a Flyball box pedal, catching a ball that is shot out upon the trigger, and then racing back over the four hurdles to the finish line, where the next dog awaits its turn.

Flyball has become extremely popular over the past few years and competition is fierce! Flyball became an official canine sport in Australia in 1996, when the Australian Flyball Association was formed.

Contact the Australian Flyball Association for details of upcoming events at www.flyball.org.au

Ball Herding

Poodle owner Karen Richardson has discovered another activity, a very new dog sport called Treiball. Her Toy Poodle "Pipin" is the first poodle in Australia to demonstrate the sport, also known as Ball Herding, as part of the "Treiball Try Hards Demo Team" at Dogs On Show.

The sport originated in Germany and has quickly spread around the globe. The premise comes from Herding, but any dog breed can participate - large or small. A number of balls are set up for the dog to "herd" individually, into the goal posts. It is a time trial, and points are earned for accuracy.

Pipin has achieved Novice demonstration level - going out a minimum distance of 12 metres to the balls and herding each ball individually to the goal posts. Here are photos of Pipin at work Ball Herding.