Flyball Fever
Jun 2006
By Holly Sherburne and Sumac Grant-Johnson
High energy and fun best describe this exciting sport.
A flyball "swim turn"
Running, jumping, barking, cheering and a whole lot of fun is what you will find when you attend any flyball event. It is one of the most exciting and fast-paced sports in which dogs and their owners participate, and you will be hard-pressed to find a group of dogs and their handlers having more fun.
Never heard of flyball? This sport is still largely unknown in Maine, even though the first flyball team, Maine Coast Runners, was formed in 2000. The timed relay race comprises teams of four dogs. Each dog sprints down a track over a series of small jumps, retrieves a tennis ball and returns to his teammate at the start line as fast as possible.
During a flyball race, two teams of four dogs are matched against each other. Handlers hold their eager dogs at the start line and release them at the sound of a bell. The two dogs race down a 51-foot flyball track, hurdling four small jumps along the way. At the end of the track, a slanted, spring-loaded box holds a tennis ball. The dog pounces on the box and performs a “swimmers’ turn” triggering the release of the ball. The dog catches the ball and sprints back down the track to his handler.
As the dog crosses the finish line, the second dog in the team is released to repeat the course. The team with the fastest time wins the match. The world record for a four-dog team is 15.22 seconds.
All Dogs Welcome
Dogs of all shapes and sizes can play flyball. There is no breed or age requirement, only a desire to have fun. Flyball is a perfect activity for high-energy dogs that are happiest when they have a job to perform. Border collies, naturals at the sport, are some of the top speed dogs, but all breeds from the small Jack Russell terrier and papillon to the larger weimaraner and mixed breed dogs can learn to play flyball.
Carol Stover from Lincolnville and her dog Cinder, a 1-year-old black Lab and German shepherd mix, have been participating in flyball since last fall. Stover, who rescued Cinder from the pound as a puppy, said, “I wanted to find something to do with Cinder instead of her just being a dog around the house.”
That’s when Stover saw flyball featured on the television program, “Bill Green’s Maine.” While researching flyball on the Internet, she discovered a new team in Maine called Flyball MAINEiacs and signed up for their beginning classes. Six months later, she and Cinder are participating in intermediate level classes.
Susan Thiem of Lincolnville read about flyball in her local newspaper and began attending the same classes Stover was attending. Thiem’s dog, a Welsh corgi named Mickey, was 4-and-a-half months old when he started flyball. Mickey, now 9 months old, loves the sport. Thiem said, “Retrieving the ball is a hard thing for him because he doesn’t really care about it. He does it for the treat.”
Training the Flyball Dog
Flyball training is a step-by-step process that gradually brings together all elements of the game. Monica Roberts, captain and founder of Flyball MAINEiacs, said it’s a misconception that a dog has to be obsessed with tennis balls to be a good flyball candidate.
“A dog doesn’t have to be a ball dog,” she said. “Sometimes it’s better if they are not. A dog that isn’t so focused on the ball can be easier to train, because you can concentrate on all parts of the activity.”
Besides retrieving the tennis ball, dogs must master focus, ball possession, jumping, reward play and the swimmers’ turn—when the dog reaches the flyball box, she pounces on the box to release the spring-loaded tennis ball, makes a sharp turn to the right and with ball in mouth, pushes off the box to sprint down the home stretch.
For many dogs, tuning into the game and tuning out the surrounding excitement takes time and practice. The intensity of the sport adds a challenging layer to training. Some basic obedience training and good socialization skills go a long way to making the flyball experience fun for handler and dog.
History
Flyball, developed in the early 1970s, is one of the fastest growing dog sports in the country. It is thought that the game originated when a group of dog trainers threw tennis balls as a reward at the end of a hurdle racing exercise.
At some point, the group decided to build an automatic tennis ball-launching machine, which eventually became the first flyball box. It was a flyball demonstration by Herbert Wagner, credited as the official inventor of the flyball box, on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” that first gave the game national exposure. Subsequently, flyball demos were held at dog shows around the country and the first flyball tournament was held in 1983.
Opportunities in Maine
Maine has a growing flyball community that welcomes new participants. Clubs and instructors offer opportunities to see the game in action, which can help determine if flyball is the sport for you and your dog. Whether you want to compete in flyball tournaments or you are just looking for a fun way to spend time with your dog, joining a club is a great way to get started.
Roberts describes flyball this way, “It’s one of those things that is hard to describe. I just get a rush out of flyball and I’m really addicted to the sport.” About her dog, Roberts says, “After a whole day of flyball, my dog is just happy. I call it her flyball high.”
