Fans of German dog sport ask, ‘Who needs sheep?’
With shouts of “point” and “drive” from her handler, the 3-year-old German shepherd charges into the triangle of brightly colored rubber orbs, scattering them with her nose like a cue breaking balls on a pool table. Then, zigging and zagging, Riley nudges the big purple one expertly down the field and into the goal.
“There’s a good girrrrrrl,” Melissa Breau coos as she engages in a brief tug-of-war with Riley’s favorite chew toy. Playtime over, Breau calls out to the judge for the next ball color.
“Light green,” comes the shout. And Riley is off.
This is Treibball – German for “drive ball,” or more loosely translated, “ball herding.” The sport originated in Germany about a decade ago and migrated to the U.S. five years ago.
“Our organization has grown literally from just a few people to a little over 400 people in six countries,” says Colorado resident Dianna Stearns, co-founder and president of the American Treibball Association. Another group, the Montana-based World Treibball League, started in 2012.
Bobby Chastain, one of about 140 ATA-certified Treibball instructors, says the sport helps dogs develop focus, confidence and impulse control.
“We have a lot of reactive dogs in it,” says Chastain, whose own dogs compete. “We have a lot of shy dogs in it. We have a lot of dogs that have a lot of energy. It helps burn the energy but also can help calm a dog because they’re working.”
The sport’s creator, Jan Nijboer, a Dutch hunting and herding dog trainer, noticed his clients’ dogs pushing their water dishes around after their lessons. Realizing they still had plenty of energy, he wondered if he could teach them to play soccer, Stearns says.
And Treibball was born.
The rules are pretty simple. Eight exercise balls are arranged in a triangle at center field. Depending on the age and size division of the dog, the canines have seven to 10 minutes – dogs 7 years and older get an extra two minutes – to “herd” them toward their handler and into a goal. Since dogs don’t see as many colors as humans do and also perceive color differently, handlers use directional commands such as “center,” “back” and “over” to coax the animals to the correct ball. When the dog reaches the right one, the handler shouts “push” or “drive.”
The ATA group held its first national competitions in 2013 in Colorado, Michigan and North Carolina. The sport is so new here that only three dogs have reached champion level.
“We had to have a critical mass of trainers and students who knew the game before we could hold competitions and issue titles,” Stearns says.
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Melissa Breau uses a hand gesture to direct her German shepherd Riley toward a ball during a Treibball competition in Youngsville, N.C. Loosely translated as “ball herding,” this low-impact alternative to agility is catching on across the United States. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, border collie Simon takes a breather at owner Shelly Harris’ feet after making a Treibball run at Teamworks Dog Training arena in Youngsville, N.C. Simon is among a growing number of dogs taking part in the German sport, which came to this country about four years ago. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, two women arrange exercise balls according to a whiteboard chart at the Teamworks Dog Training arena in Youngsville, N.C. In Treibball, a dog must break the triangle and “herd” each ball into a goal within a certain time limit. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, a cake awaits the crowning of the latest Treibball champions at the Teamworks Dog Training arena in Youngsville, N.C. The German agility sport is so new to the United States that only a handful of dogs has achieved that status. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Angus the Cockapoo lunges at a grouping of balls during a Treibball competition in Youngsville, N.C. Angus was competing in the “teacup” division of this German agility sport, which came to this country about four years ago. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, trainer Karen Mielke strokes 9-year-old Cheyenne after the German shepherd rescue dog made a successful champion-level run at a Treibball meet in Youngsville, N.C. Because the German sport is still young in this country, Cheyenne is one of just a handful of American dogs to have achieved that title. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Riley, a 3-year-old German shepherd, nudges an exercise ball toward a goal at the Teamworks Dog Training arena in Youngsville, N.C. The German sport came to this country about four years ago and is slowing catching on. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Angus the Cockapoo launches a pink exercise ball into the air with his snout during a Treibball meet in Youngsville, N.C. Using verbal commands, the handler directs the dog to a particular ball, and the animal “herds” it into a goal. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Bobby Chastain, left, and Marcia Pines check the rundown sheet for a Treibball competition at the Teamworks Dog Training arena in Youngsville, N.C. The German agility sport is so new in the United States that trainers and owners alike take turns judging, timing and tallying scores. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, a plastic tote filled with ribbons sits on a table during a Treibball competition in Youngsville, N.C. The American Treibball Association has grown to more than 400 participants across the country since forming about four years ago. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Charlie, a 6-year-old black Labrador, prepares to break a group of balls at a Treibball competition in Youngsville, N.C. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
In this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 photo, Luna rests her chin on an exercise ball after a day of Treibball competition in Youngsville, N.C. The Australian shepherd was one of two dogs who attained champion status in the sport, which came to this country from Germany about four years ago. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)