AN INTRODUCTION TO FLYBALL

Flyball is a sport in which any dog can participate, regardless of breed, shape or size.  It encompasses all things dogs love…. chasing, jumping, catching, retrieving, competing and striving to please their owners.  Unlike any dog activity to date Flyball is pure fun for everyone, the dogs, the handlers and the spectators.  Spectators are encouraged to applaud, laugh and even scream as they cheer on their favorite team.  Just looking at the dogs waiting for their turn to run and trying for all the world to sound like banshee’s, or the look of sheer exhilaration on the dog’s faces (including some handlers we know) – all this tells a story of how much they enjoy the sport of flyball.

Flyball Racing

Each team consists of six dogs, two reserves and four dogs racing in each heat.  Reserves may be interchanged after each heat so everyone gets a run.  There are two sets of jumps and Flyball boxes and elimination heats decide which teams progress to the next round of competition until a winner in found.

The Flyball course consists of two racing lanes side by side down a 15.54 metre (m) course.

Each team’s racing lane consists of 4 jumps spaced at 3.05m intervals.  The first jump being 1.83m after the start/finish line, and a Flyball box placed 4.57m after the fourth jump.  The Flyball box is springloaded and when the dogs triggers the box by standing on it the ball pops out and the dog catches it.

Each dog must run in relay fashion down the jumps, trigger the box, retrieve the ball and return over the jumps, then the next dog is released to run the course.  The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course without errors wins the heat.

Missed jumps and dropped balls require the dog to rerun the course after the rest of the team have finished.

Jump heights for each team are set at 5 inches lower than the shoulder height of the smallest dog in your team.

The History of Flyball

Flyball began in North America in the 1970’s and began as a demonstration only activity.  It wasn’t until 1983 that the first ever “full on” competition was held. It has now developed into a very popular sport that has taken America by storm.

 Here in Australia the earliest flyball activity we know of occurred in Perth in 1982.  Since then small groups have been demonstrating the sport all over Australia.  This went on until the Australian Flyball Association (AFA) was formed in October 1996.

The Australian Flyball Association

The object of the Australian Flyball Association is to promote responsible dog ownership through the sport of Flyball.  Flyball is an exciting spectator sport that can be used to promote responsible dog ownership.  When the general public sees how much fun the dogs and handlers are having, it makes it much easier to encourage these people to become involved in organized dog activities, such as Flyball, Obedience and Agility.  It is this process that can make the promotion of responsible ownership easier.

Flyball does not interfere with obedience training.  In fact the sport reinforces the disciplines taught in obedience class.  Many dogs, having earned their championships in the breed ring and their obedience titles go on to learn flyball.  Often it provides an after school treat.

Almost any dog, regardless of breeding, can learn to play Flyball.  We cannot think of a better way to exercise our dogs than to incorporate Flyball once a week into their training.  To have the option to compete at competitions and earn Flyball Titles as well is a big incentive, as is watching the pleasure the dog gets at being able to play Flyball.

If you would like to spend an hour or so of quality time with your pet once a week, and you feel the desire for an adrenaline rush, then why not give it a go.

The Australian Flyball Association will gladly help anyone interested in getting started in this spectacular sporting activity - www.flyball.org.au