XXL Herding Ball for Dogs: The 37-Inch Truth
Updated September 2026
The real XXL herding ball for dogs is 37 inches (95cm) — 23% larger diameter than any competitor "XXL" listing on Amazon or eBay. Ballistic-fabric ripstop cover, double zipper, replaceable inner. Sized above the bite line for 75-plus pound working dogs: Malinois, working-line GSD, Rottweiler, Doberman. Everything else is a smaller ball with an XXL sticker.
"XXL" is a marketing label anyone can print on a package. Amazon has 22-inch balls titled XXL. eBay has 25-inch balls titled XXL. Even Race & Herd's biggest listing tops out at 30 inches. The only actual extra-extra-large herding ball built to the fabric-and-replaceable-inner spec is the 37-inch. Everything smaller is either a large ball with a big word on the box, or a medium ball with a bigger word.
Why the 37-Inch Is the Only Real XXL
A 90-pound Rottweiler has a jaw gape wide enough to close on a 25-inch ball if the dog gets underneath it wrong. That's not XXL for that dog — that's a chew toy on delay. The whole point of the size number is the bite-line math: the ball has to sit above what the jaw can open around. At 37 inches (95cm), the ball is physically un-mouthable for the biggest working breeds. That's the XXL threshold. Anything under 30 inches doesn't meet it for a full-size working dog.
The size difference sounds small on paper. 30 vs 37 inches. But diameter scales the volume — a 37-inch sphere is about 87% larger in volume than a 30-inch sphere, and it presents dramatically more surface area to the dog's shoulder and chest. That's why working-line owners who tried the 30" and moved to the 37" report the ball actually starts working the dog rather than the dog working the ball.
What Separates a Real XXL from a Marketing XXL
Cover: 1680-denier ballistic ripstop. The same weave category used in ballistic-fabric dog beds. Ripstop grid prevents a single tooth puncture from traveling. Double-stitched seams on every panel edge. Marketing-XXL balls skip the ripstop and skip the double-stitch — one tooth catch and the seam opens.
Inner: fully replaceable inflatable bladder. Swaps out in about ninety seconds if it ever loses air. Marketing-XXL balls fuse the inner to the outer — one air-loss event ends the whole product. Over three to five years of working-line play, our owners replace the inner one to two times and keep the same cover.
Zipper: double zipper with detachable exterior pull. The pull is not on the ball during play. Marketing-XXL balls use a single-zipper closure — the pull becomes the softest thing on the entire product, and an aggressive chewer finds it inside three sessions. For the full engineering story see our aggressive-chewer write-up.
XL vs XXL: Which One for Your Dog
The 30-inch XL fits 50-75 pound dogs — Aussies, Kelpies, Goldendoodles, show-line GSDs. The 37-inch XXL fits 75-plus pound working dogs — Belgian Malinois, working-line GSD, Rottweiler, Doberman, Great Dane. Between two bands, size UP. A 74-pound working-line Malinois takes the 37, not the 30 — the extra diameter buys margin over the bite line. See our XL sizing guide for the full breakdown across every size.
What Other Owners Say
What Other Owners Say
Common XXL Herding Ball Questions
What's the biggest herding ball you can buy?
The 37-inch (95cm) CollieBall. It's the largest fabric herding ball sold to consumers — 23% larger diameter than any competitor's biggest listing. Race & Herd's biggest is 30". K9 Ballistics tops out at 30" (XL). GoSports is 25". The 37" is a category of one at that size.
Is a 25-inch ball considered XXL?
For medium-large dogs (50-75 lb Aussies, Border Collies, ACDs), sure — but that's really just XL. Genuine XXL means the ball sits above the bite line for a 90+ pound working breed, and that takes 37 inches. Amazon listings labeled XXL at 22-25 inches are marketing, not sizing.
Do I need the XXL 37-inch or the XL 30-inch?
If your dog is over 75 pounds, XXL. If between 50-75 pounds, XL. Working-line dogs at the top of a band go up — a 74-pound working GSD takes the 37", not the 30". A 78-pound show-line Aussie can go either way; the 30" is enough for the frame, but the 37" gives more margin for a hard chewer. Size up when in doubt.
Will a 37-inch ball fit in a normal yard?
Yes — but it will look enormous the first day. Standard suburban yards handle a 37" ball fine. Roll it on grass, avoid ice or slick surfaces. Storage: deflate for winter or off-season use; reinflates in a few minutes with the included pump (or faster with an electric pump — hand pump takes real effort at 37 inches).
How much does an XXL herding ball weigh?
The 37" CollieBall complete package is around 4-5 lb inflated (ball + cover). Light enough that a working-line Malinois can roll it hard across the yard, heavy enough that wind doesn't take it. The inflated volume is what gives it presence — mass stays reasonable.
What's the price difference between XL and XXL?
XL 30-inch is $81 discounted ($90 list). XXL 37-inch is $104.50 discounted ($110 list). A ~$24 difference for the correct size on a 90-pound dog is the cheapest insurance in the whole toy category — a 30" that a Rottweiler chews to death in a week costs more than the extra spend on a 37" that lasts three years.
The Bottom Line on XXL
If "XXL" on a package matters to you, it should mean the ball sits above the bite line for a 90+ pound working dog. That's 37 inches. Anything smaller is a good ball with a big word on the box. Match the number to the dog: XL 30" for 50-75 lb, XXL 37" for 75-plus. Everything else in the CollieBall lineup scales down from there. Size up between bands. That's the whole game.
Written by Huckleberry, CollieBall Spokesperson. Updated September 2026.
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