Friday, February 23, 2007
Flyball dogs... like agility, it's SPORT for dogs
Flyball, like agility, is SPORT for dogs.
It is a team sport and was invented in the USA... California to be precise... in the late 70's - so, at around the same time as Agility was first introduced at Crufts in the UK.
What is flyball? A brief explanation follows, for those who have never seen flyball dogs...
Four dogs comprise the flyball dogs team [obviously a team will have a couple of reserves in case of injuries, etcetera] and they work in a RELAY.
The flyball course is comprised of a starting line, behind which all dogs and handlers congregate [and handlers and non-competing dogs must stay]. Then in each lane you have four hurdles spaced 10 feet apart over the course... [the height of the hurdles is set to be 4" below the shoulder height of the smallest dog in a team]... and at the far end of the course there is a 'BOX'.
The first dog must jump the hurdles, then step on the pedal of the spring loaded 'flyball box' and catch the tennis ball which is shot out from it - then run back over the hurdles in its own lane to its handler... once it re-crosses the start line the next dog in the team can go... until all four dogs in the team have completed the flyball course.
Flyball is fast, furious and extremely exciting.
The dogs have to be fast AND accurate. Both are equally important, as if the ball is missed it has to be retrieved, so valuable time is lost.
Flyball competitions are normally run with two teams against each other, and normally are the best of three [or 5] runs per team. Losing flyball teams are eliminated, winners go on to the next round, until just two teams remain.
These two teams will compete to win the flyball dogs final and receive the winners trophy... just imagine the noise and excitement when it gets to this final stage!
It is a team sport and was invented in the USA... California to be precise... in the late 70's - so, at around the same time as Agility was first introduced at Crufts in the UK.
What is flyball? A brief explanation follows, for those who have never seen flyball dogs...
Four dogs comprise the flyball dogs team [obviously a team will have a couple of reserves in case of injuries, etcetera] and they work in a RELAY.
The flyball course is comprised of a starting line, behind which all dogs and handlers congregate [and handlers and non-competing dogs must stay]. Then in each lane you have four hurdles spaced 10 feet apart over the course... [the height of the hurdles is set to be 4" below the shoulder height of the smallest dog in a team]... and at the far end of the course there is a 'BOX'.
The first dog must jump the hurdles, then step on the pedal of the spring loaded 'flyball box' and catch the tennis ball which is shot out from it - then run back over the hurdles in its own lane to its handler... once it re-crosses the start line the next dog in the team can go... until all four dogs in the team have completed the flyball course.
Flyball is fast, furious and extremely exciting.
The dogs have to be fast AND accurate. Both are equally important, as if the ball is missed it has to be retrieved, so valuable time is lost.
Flyball competitions are normally run with two teams against each other, and normally are the best of three [or 5] runs per team. Losing flyball teams are eliminated, winners go on to the next round, until just two teams remain.
These two teams will compete to win the flyball dogs final and receive the winners trophy... just imagine the noise and excitement when it gets to this final stage!
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