mentorship programme
Team SheepBalls® 2025
Team SheepBalls® is group of specialists that can provide support, practical work and recommendations to People With Collies and collie-cousins.
This is a 12 month course which covers:
➤ Learning more about what is happening and why; the Collie Brain; prevention of extreme responses. Why the standard labels and protocols seem to fail with Collies.
➤ Fine details in management techniques that make a significant difference to the quality of life for both people and Collies living together. Coaching individual owners to teach these skills and the value of the learning.
➤ Developing observation and analysis skills and teaching the essentials of the Pet Brain Repertoire; a Sheepballs® Games; a range of activities; learning and concepts to balance life for the Collies.
➤ Building healthy lifestyle for Collies through restorative rest, handling, husbandry, nutrition and every day activities. Make plans for a long-term lifestyle. Strategies for dogs that are selecting the Wrong Sheep as outlets.
➤ An understanding of the Working Dogs, their training and use of inherited skills and intelligence.
This includes particpation in:
➤ Introduction to Working With Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs. 6 week course.
➤ Games for Collies: learning SheepBalls®, Mouse, Sheep to Market, designed to bring out the best in a Collie. 8 week course.
➤ Teach the practical skills of the essential Pet Brain Repertoire for Collie Brain management. 6 week course.
➤ Lifeskills for Collies: including Boring Walks, Resting, Diets, a range of rewards for a Collie Brain that contribute to healthier balance. 6 week course.
➤ Setter and Flock Membership: access to the Workbooks and Flock material for 12 months.
£1,575
Format of the Learning
You will be assigned your own section of the TeamSheep course-forums to gather your own material, video feedback, resources, journals, projects and plans. You will be able to access this whilst your Membership is active.
You will also be part of the Team Sheep group work and able to share your progress and the Live sessions with other learners.
Feedback will be available on your personal development and training with a max of 5 minutes of video per week. Video hosting in NOT within the course you will need to upload the video to YouTube or similar service.
Live Sessions
Will be recorded and held every 2 weeks on a Tuesday morning at 11am (1100 GMT/UTC) to discuss progress, case studies and teaching/coaching skills.
Attendance is not essential but highly recommended.
On successful completion of the course you will be able to advertise as part of the Team Sheep and teach SheepBalls®. Ongoing membership is expected for those who want to be recommended as Team SheepBalls®. This is currently £160 annually.
“Team SheepBalls® beyond my expectations, which a rarity in life!
The continual support, detailed and helpful feedback, the amount of knowledge you have and generously share, thank you!
And what a pleasure to be within a group that is diverse, so supportive and enthusiastic too, it’s certainly felt like a good team to be in.
I feel more informed and confident to help and guide people with Collies, whether it is an an issue of their dog honing in on moving cars or joggers on walks, or whether their dog is on the go at home and struggles to settle, or for pleasure – to learn a new activity such as SheepBalls®
It is a course that has rekindled the pleasure of learning. It has also increased my awe of Collies.”
There is a flood of myths created around these dogs, some in admiration, some in denigration – but those are people who don’t understand a Collie. Sadly modern media has bloomed more misinformation by labelling the dogs as freaky, obsessive or addicted. Generic solutions that pool all herding breeds as equal disregard the need for the Collie to exhibit their natural instinct.
Membership is for 12 months and suitable for those who are just beginning or those already in the business who have recognised they need to upgrade their skills and understanding. There will be permanent access to the group forums where complex cases and a growing list of activities that make a Collie’s heart sing will be maintained.