Ball
Herding Ball for Dogs — 45cm Tough Oxford Cover
- Material
- 1800D polyester Oxford fabric with a PVC coating
£29.99
Dog toys
Herding Balls for Dogs
Playtime, all the time.
A herding ball is too big to bite, so the dog has to push it — with nose, chest and paws — which is exactly what collies, shepherds, cattle dogs and most bored big dogs want to do all day. Pick by your dog's size and how hard they play: a covered inflatable for most dogs, a hard Boomer-style ball for the ones who puncture everything.
Toys worth getting excited about.Find the right herding ball straight away
Just type your dog’s breed and we’ll tell you the size they need and which balls come in it.
Crossbreed or not sure? By weight:
Shop herding balls for dogs
Little essentials. Lots of love.
Ball
Inflatable Herding Ball for Dogs — 25, 45 & 55cm
- Sizes
- 25cm · 45cm · 55cm
- Material
- Fabric cover over an inflatable bladder
From £15.99
Ball
Herding Ball with Handles & Pump for Dogs
- Sizes
- 25cm · 45cm · 55cm
- Material
- Tear-resistant fabric shell over an inflatable bladder
From £15.99
Ball
Interactive Activity Ball Dog Toy with Cover
- Sizes
- 45cm · 55cm · 65cm +1 more
- Material
- Fabric cover with inflatable ball
From £23.99
Ball
Inflatable Herding Ball for Dogs with Pump
- Sizes
- 25cm · 45cm · 55cm
- Material
- Oxford Cloth
From £19.99
Coa Boomi Ball Lime 10"/25cm
A hard, non-chewable 10-inch (25cm) Boomi Ball for push-and-chase play, sized for German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Dobermanns
£29.99
2 items together
Herding Ball Play Set
Included
- 1 × Coachi Boomi Ball Electric Lime 10"/25cm
- 1 × Happy Pet Tug Rope King Size
£42.99 for the set
Save £4.99 vs buying separately
2 items together
Herding Ball & Pump with Snuffle Mat
Included
- 1 × Inflatable Herding Ball for Dogs with Pump
- 1 × Round Snuffle Foraging Mat for Dogs & Cats
£40.49 for the set
Save £4.49 vs buying separately
2 items together
Herding Ball & Chase Buddy
Included
- 1 × Inflatable Herding Ball for Dogs
- 1 × Chase Buddy Boredom-Busting Dog Toy
£39.99 for the set
Save £4.99 vs buying separately
2 items together
Park Session Herding Kit
Included
- 1 × Herding Ball with Handles & Pump for Dogs
- 1 × Dog Travel Water Bottle with Flip Bowl & Bag Holder
£29.99 for the set
Save £2.99 vs buying separately
2 items together
Body & Brain Herding Set
Included
- 1 × Inflatable Herding Ball with Handles for Dogs
- 1 × Plush Snuffle Foraging Mat
£39.49 for the set
Save £4.49 vs buying separately
Company of Animals Boomi Ball, Teal 20cm
A hard, non-chewable 8-inch (20cm) Boomi Ball for push-and-chase play, sized for Retrievers, Boxers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers
£19.99
Coa Boomi Ball Sky Blue 6"/15cm
A hard, non-chewable 6-inch (15cm) Boomi Ball for push-and-chase play, sized for Border Collies, Cocker Spaniels and French Bulldogs
£12.99
A little guidance
Which size and type
Size by the dog, not the garden. The ball has to be too big for the jaws to close around, so if your dog sits between two sizes, go up. Covered inflatables run from 25cm for a terrier to 75cm for the biggest shovers, and the cover takes the teeth and claws; if it does get through, the bladder can usually be patched or replaced. Hard balls run smaller because the dog cannot squash them, and they are the answer for a dog that has already killed an inflatable. It is an outdoor toy: grass, short first sessions, and put it away once a cover tears. The size table below matches ball to dog.
| Your dog | Ball size | Type to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Small, under 10kg (dachshunds, terriers, small spaniels) | 25cm | Covered inflatable — light enough for a small dog to shove, too big to bite — or a 10–13cm hard ball |
| Small to medium, 10–20kg (cockers, beagles, staffies) | 45cm | Covered inflatable, or a 15cm hard Boomi ball |
| Medium to large, 20–30kg (collies, springers, labradors) | 55–65cm | Covered inflatable with a 1680D cover, or a 20cm hard Boomi ball |
| Large, 30kg and over | 65–75cm | Covered inflatable, or a 25cm hard ball for dogs that puncture covers |
| A dog who destroys everything | Any | Hard polyethylene (Boomer-style) — no cover to tear, no air to lose |
What a herding ball actually does
Herding breeds were bred to move things that are bigger than they are. A ball they cannot pick up gives that instinct somewhere to go: they nose it, chest it, circle it and drive it across the garden, and most of them will keep going long after a fetch ball would have been dropped at your feet.
It suits more than collies. Any dog with energy to burn and a habit of chasing — shepherds, cattle dogs, boxers, huskies, lurchers — usually takes to one within a session. It is also the toy behind treibball, the sport where dogs herd large balls into a goal.
Inflatable with a cover, or a hard ball
A covered inflatable is a PVC bladder inside a tough fabric shell (1680D Oxford is the strongest common grade). It is light, so smaller dogs can move it, and the cover takes the teeth and claws. If the cover does get through, the bladder can usually be patched or replaced. Most dogs are best served here.
A hard ball — the Boomer Ball and its relatives — is solid polyethylene with nothing to puncture. It is heavier and louder on patio slabs, and a small dog will struggle to shift the bigger sizes, but for a dog who has already killed two inflatables it is the answer.
Getting the size right
The ball should be taller than the dog's muzzle can open around: if they can get their jaws on it, it becomes a chew toy and will not last. Go a size up rather than down. For inflatables, 25cm suits small dogs under about 10kg, 45cm dogs to about 20kg, 55–65cm most medium and large dogs, and 75cm the big shovers.
Hard balls run smaller because the dog cannot compress them. The Boomi guide from Company of Animals is 10cm for a Jack Russell or Pug, 15cm for a collie or cocker, 20cm for a retriever or boxer, 25cm for a German Shepherd or Rottweiler; the Happy Pet Indestructiball covers the 9cm and 13cm end for small dogs.
Introducing it, and keeping it safe
Roll it slowly the first time and let the dog investigate. Some dogs bark at it for a minute; that is normal. Reward any push. Keep the first few sessions short so the novelty holds.
Supervise play, especially with a new inflatable, and take it away once a cover tears so nobody swallows fabric. Store it out of the sun — UV is what ages both PVC and fabric. A herding ball is an outdoor toy; indoors it becomes a battering ram.
Everything here is chosen to be genuinely useful in everyday life with your pet — quality-checked, fairly priced and shipped tracked across the UK. For any health concern, your vet is always the best first port of call.
From the Knowledge Hub
Common questions
What size herding ball does my dog need?
Bigger than they can bite. For inflatables, 25cm for small dogs under about 10kg, 45cm for dogs to about 20kg, 55–65cm for medium and large dogs, 75cm for the biggest shovers. Hard balls run smaller: 10cm for a Jack Russell, 15cm for a collie or cocker, 20cm for a retriever or boxer, 25cm for a German Shepherd.
Are herding balls indestructible?
No ball is. A hard polyethylene ball has nothing to puncture and lasts longest; a covered inflatable relies on the cover holding, and a determined dog can eventually get through it. Supervise, and retire a torn cover.
Will a non-herding breed use one?
Usually, yes. Any dog that likes to chase will push a ball it cannot pick up. Herding breeds tend to keep at it longest, but boxers, huskies and lurchers take to them too.
Can the ball be used for treibball?
Yes. Treibball uses large inflatable balls of roughly 45–75cm, sized so the dog pushes rather than carries. The covered inflatables on this page are the right kind; use several sizes if you want to train the full game.
Can I use a herding ball indoors?
It is really an outdoor toy. A dog driving a 45–75cm ball at full speed turns it into a battering ram in a living room, and hard balls are loud on hard floors. Use it on grass in the garden or a field, keep sessions short at first, and store it out of the sun when it is not in use, because UV is what ages both the PVC and the cover.
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