Flyball for Dogs
One of many organized sports for dogs
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Flyball is a timed relay race for dogs of
all kinds both mixed and purebreds, large and small. A team of four dogs run one at
a time along a 51' course jumping over four same-height hurdles. At the end of the
hurdles they step on a spring-loaded platform connected to a wooden box which tosses them
a tennis ball.
start line
---6'---hurdle---10'---hurdle---10'---hurdle---10'---hurdle---15
feet---box
They catch the ball and run back over the
hurdles to the start line. The second, third and fourth dogs do the same
thing. How far is 51 feet? A five-story building would be about 50 feet tall.
The fastest team time, without errors, wins the heat. Tournaments can be
double elimination (either best of 3 or best of 5 heats) or round robin with teams winning
a point in the tournament for every 3-out-of-5 heats they win. The fastest recorded
official time is 16.06 set in July of 1999. That is only 4 seconds per
dog!
Flyball was invented in California in the
1970s and is organized in the US by the North American Flyball Association (NAFA).
North American
Flyball Association, Inc.
1400 W. Devon Ave, #512
Chicago, IL 60660
Click here to go to NAFAs site
There are also Flyball associations in
other countries such as the British
Flyball Association with similar rules. Dogs can be registered (border collies,
retrievers and shepherds dominate but toy poodles show up too!) and can earn points toward
rankings and certificates. Serious Flyball teams travel long distances to compete in
tournaments.
Flyball hurdles are set at different
heights based on the shoulder height of the shortest dog on the team so small dogs can
compete on an even playing field. In fact, Flyball teams with a really short dog can
be at an advantage. The shortest or "height dog" (a Chihuahua for example)
sets the height of the hurdles for the entire team. The hurdles are set 4"
lower than its shoulder height. The minimum is 8" and the maximum is 16".
Can my dog play Flyball?
Here are some basic requirements in order to be a successful Flyball novice:
He should be
socialized to other dogs, to strange people and to noise and activity.
He should be well schooled in
obedience including come, sit and down stay.
He should be able to retrieve a tennis ball.
He should be in good physical condition.
He should want to play Flyball!
Why should my dog play
Flyball?
It's a fun, organized way to meet with other dogs and dog-loving people. For
dogs, especially hyperactive ones, it's a way to burn off excess energy without tearing
the house apart. It's also another reason to take good care of your dog.
Flyball athletes must be healthy, happy and well trained. Most importantly,
it's entertaining for you even if you just want to go and cheer on other teams.
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