Anyone do flyball?

prose

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Flyball Video

Does anyone do flyball with their dog? I think Stella would be bloody brilliant at this, seeing as she is addicted to tennis balls and running like the clappers.

(And yes, while those Border Collies are amazing, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of pride when watching their Boston Terrier teammate
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JAK

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My old collie was a '4 second' flyball dog - i.e. she could make the entire run, there & back in a 4 something second time!
Years after she stopped doing it, you could say to her 'go to your place' & she would go & stand by 'her' spot by the 'H' at the riding school where we trained! (It's all down to split second timing & the dogs are trained to the enth degree regarding release/passing points etc.)
Nothing would distract her on a run & she would have ploughed through anything once released!

Flyball is great, though I much prefer the 'proper' version, where the dog touches the pad & simply takes the ball itself than the stupid Crufts version where they have to jump to catch it, much too risky with a collie IMHO!
Oh & every team should have a 'tiddler' to keep the jump heights down! lol
 

JAK

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And I think Stella would make an A1 flyball dog - she has every quality & attribute needed to be first rate!
 

flohelf

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Can't really put my finger on why but I don't like it...
No real interaction maybe... + indoor setting
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Makes all these dogs look like manic robotic types....Stella deserves better, me think
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JAK

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I know what you mean blackeventer - flyball is not something I would want to do in isolation!
We competeed fairly seriously at agility & the manic fun of flyball was my for my collie, the equivalent of going to a rave! lol
(I definitely wouldn't want to do it full time but as a bit of fun or an added aside for a trained dog, it's a lot of fun!)
 

prose

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That is quite an accomplishment, JAK. Do you have any pics? There was a Border Collie at the park the other day and all the owner had to say was, "on you go" and off the dog went, jumping all the park bences and tree guards in perfect sequence
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[ QUOTE ]
Can't really put my finger on why but I don't like it...
No real interaction maybe... + indoor setting
confused.gif
frown.gif

Makes all these dogs look like manic robotic types....Stella deserves better, me think
crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ha. Well, we are going to our second agility class tonight. Last week, we did the tunnel, some jumps, and the a-frame, and she got it all first time. She was so eager. For tonight's class, we were told to bring along their favourite toy as encouragement. So, we are going armed with the red squeaky ball, to which Stella has been surgically attached since the age of six months. I don't think the trainer knows what she's letting herself in for
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Aside from an amazing cattle dog, I have to say that Stella was the best there. (*Proud mummy moment*)

Squeak the ball once and the little monster goes into sixth gear...

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JAK

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I don't think I have any flyball pics sadly as it was only a bit of 'light relief' for her really! (She was phenomenally fast though & always knew exactly where to pass to the millisecond & would totally lose her rag with any dog that messed up the run or got in her way - typical 'only perfection will do' collie! lol)

I would think Stella could make an absolutely fabulous mini agility dog, assuming you run to similar height rules in the States?
Many people over here would give their right arm for a mini with her speed, ability & attitude!
Go Stella, go!

(To be good at flyball, you need a real 'rear wheel drive' dog, all the power coming from the back end as the times are truly down to thousandths of a second! Being ball obsessed helps too & many top flyball dogs are unfortunately bordering on the obsessive, which is why I would never want to take it up full time!)
 

prose

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Pity you have no photos, Jak. I would love to have seen them.

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I(To be good at flyball, you need a real 'rear wheel drive' dog, all the power coming from the back end

[/ QUOTE ]

That did make me chuckle. She is known far and wide as "The Mighty Dunk" on account of her muscular bum and thighs, so maybe there is a future for her in the sport. We joke that she's built rather like Serena Williams, nifty turn of speed and all.

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Oh, and blackeventer, I am an avid runner, so I treat the agility classes as a sprint workout for me, too
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natz87

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I do flyball with my two border collies and have done so for the last nine years, it is totally addictive and great fun for the dog and handler.

I do it 'fulltime' and despite my dogs being slightly fanatical they do not need to be ball obsessive or hard to live with to be good flyball dogs, there main focus should be getting back to you which I think makes it as interactive as other dog sports as I also dabble in obedience and agility. The training is precise in order to achieve the perfect swimmers turn on the box and spot on changeovers between dogs. There is also tremendous team spirit as you must work together with your team mates to be able to achieve anything, it really is great fun and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have fun with their dog. I think Stella would make a cracking height dog :)
 
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