Among the various dog sports that I teach regularly, Flyball is one of my all-time favorites. This very high-energy sport is not for everyone, but if you and your dog enjoy loud, enthusiastic, and energetic play, it may just be the sport for you.
A Flyball race is a four-dog relay between two teams, with each dog required to run over the four hurdles, hit the spring-loaded box, retrieve a tennis ball from the box, then return to his or her handler back over the hurdles as the next dog approaches to enter the course. The team whose four dogs complete the course fastest without errors (such as dropped balls or missed hurdles) wins the heat.
Flyball was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Southern California by trainers who combined scent hurdle racing with retrieval of a tennis ball. Herbert Wagner is said to have developed the first Flyball box. He did a demonstration on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, making the sport known across the country.
The first Flyball competition was held in 1983. In 1985, the first Flyball rulebook was written by the first executive director of the fledgling North American Flyball Association, Mike Randall. In 2004, the United Flyball League International (U-FLI) was founded to give people additional options for racing, including singles and pairs racing.
When I began competing in Flyball in 1992 it was still a relatively young sport. The timing was by hand and the training was very different than it is today. Back then, we were happy to just complete a race without errors, and a time under 24 seconds was considered outstanding.
Today all timing is electronic and the “Division 1” teams at tournaments are regularly running under 20 seconds, with the world record teams running all four dogs in under 15 seconds. The average fast competitive dog now runs between 4 seconds and 4.5 seconds. Nevertheless, there has always been a place for slower dogs who just enjoy running, and for many this is part of the allure of the sport.
Aside from the fast-paced action, there is something else that differentiates Flyball from other dog sports – the unparalleled camaraderie. Because flyball calls for teams of dogs, the flyball club is the core of any team, where people build relationships. My club, Pawdemonium, is my extended family. Members of our club read at our wedding, and two of them are the godparents of our daughter. We support one another tremendously, and when one member is ill or going through hard times, we all pull together as a family.
Is Flyball right for your dog? I suggest that you also consider whether it is right for you. Because – aside from the natural dog sports such as herding, hunting, and go-to-ground – the sports your dog enjoys will largely depend on those you enjoy. It is really all about spending quality time with your dog.
Here in the South Bay Area, there are several clubs dedicated to the sport and we not only compete against each other but also help each other out if, for instance, someone is shorthanded at a tournament or needs help with training a particular dog. Classes in flyball are available in the South Bay at the Humane Society Silicon Valley as well as through Bay Racers Flyball Club.
Here are some Internet resources for learning more and/or getting involved.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyball
flyball.org
u-fli.com
therealjackrussell.com/trial/gtg.php
flyballdogs.com/locator.html
M. Cecilia Sternzon, CPDT-KA as been a professional dog trainer for over 20 years and is the principal and founder of Canine Higher Learning. She specializes in high-energy dogs as well as working with dogs and children.
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Main article photo by: Keith Currier
