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Flyball Basics
Flyball teams are made up of four dogs who run trials as a relay team – when one dog crosses the start/finish line with the tennis ball, the next dog races until all four dogs have completed the flyball course.
The course consists of a start/finish line, four hurdles placed ten feet apart down
the length of the course (starting 6 feet past the start/finish line), and a flyball
box set 15 feet past the last hurdle. The total length of the flyball course is 51
feet. Each dog races over the four hurdles and triggers the spring-
The dog must catch the ball and return to the start/finish line with the ball. The
dog must completely cross the line before the next dog can go. The first team to
have all four dogs cross the finish line without errors wins the heat. Flyball penalties
occur when a dog drops the ball, a dog is released early, or a dog goes off-
There are several roles on a flyball team:
- Club Captain -
Leads the team and selects which dogs will run in tournaments. - Dogs -
There are few limitations on the dogs that can participate and succeed in flyball. While larger dogs tend to be faster than small dogs, there is an advantage to having small dogs on the team - the jump heights are set based on the smallest dog participating! Their job is simply to run fast and hang on to the ball! - Handlers -
It’s your job to manage and motivate your dog to perform. - Box Loader -
The person responsible for ensuring the ball is ready in the box to be retrieved by the next dog.
Check out the AthleticDogs.com store for everything you need in the flyball performance sport products!
