Dogs Unite

Flyball is such a fun sport to watch and great for the dog that just can’t get enough exercise (like most Border Collies I know).

It’s the equivalent of drag racing — but for dogs — so no wonder the action-packed team sport of flyball is gaining plenty of new players and fans.

“Flyball is the extreme sport of the canine world, requiring skill, athleticism, balance and plain old guts on the part of both dog and handler,” says Glenn Hamilton of Some Ruff Competition in Ontario. It’s Hamilton who refers to the activity as drag racing for dogs.

Are you and your dog up to the challenge? Be aware: Flyball is highly addictive; once you and your dog participate, you’ll never look back.

What Is Flyball?

Flyball is among the fastest-growing dog sports in North America, according to Brett Williams of The United Flyball League International. This canine relay race features teams of four dogs and four handlers competing head-to-head with other teams to complete the flyball course in as little time as possible, says Williams.

“Each dog covers a total distance of 102 feet on the course and has to negotiate eight hurdles,” explains Williams. “After jumping the first four hurdles, the dog must trigger, release and catch a ball from a spring-loaded box. The dog must then carry the ball back over the four original hurdles.” After the first dog completes the course, the other dogs take their turns. Check out the video to see a competition in action.

Lead dogs have been clocked at up to an incredible 20 miles per hour. The canine players are so fast that an electronic sensor system is usually used to start the dogs and to judge their passes. Some dogs can complete the course in just 3.7 seconds, with entire teams zipping through at just more than 15 seconds.

Flyball Training and Strategy

Leerie Jenkins, chair of the board of directors of the North American Flyball Association, first became involved in the sport in the late 1990s. “I joined a dog club, looking for activities I could do with my first dog, a Border Collie named Bella,” he says. “That dog club was mainly a disc dog club, and we decided to try this sport called flyball. So we bought a book on training flyball and never looked back.”

He adds, “It’s addictive and a lot of fun. The dogs absolutely go crazy over flyball.”

Training consists of going to classes, team practices, and/or training at home. Seminars are also available. “You need to build a good working relationship with your dog and also have them love to work for you,” says Jenkins. “They need to learn how to come to you when called, even when there are distractions.”

Dogs need to be speedy, but not too eager. If a dog takes its turn too soon, the dog is fouled and must rerun, most likely spoiling the team’s chance for a win.

Who Can Participate?

“Flyball is a very inclusive dog sport,” says Jenkins. Here are the requirements:

• Flyball dogs must be at least 1 year old.
• Your dog must be physically able to safely compete. Have your pet checked out by a veterinarian first.
• Your dog should get along well with other dogs.
• Border Collies and Jack Russell Terriers tend to ace flyball — but all breeds and breed mixes are welcome!
• Small dogs are part of the game’s strategy. Hamilton explains that since each team’s hurdle heights are dependent on the height of their shortest racer, teams usually include a smaller dog to reduce the hurdle height.
• Senior dogs can play too. Jenkins explains that a veterans’ class for dogs over the age of 7 has “less strenuous requirements, so the older dogs can enjoy playing too.”
• Keep in mind that human participants must be in good shape, given flyball’s fast-paced action.

Interested?

Check out a flyball competition first to see what you think. Guests are always welcome. Jenkins suggests that you “talk to people, observe, and sign up for a class or practices.”

This description of Flyball was taken  from an article by Jennifer Viegas for Exceptional Canine

It seems like dog training has always been a part of our lives.  Some people train their dog’s to their fullest potentials, while others fall short and have ill mannered dogs.  Training your dog is very important not only for your dog but to you and everyone around you.

Dog training is great for many reasons and here are some reasons why…

-          We get dogs so we have someone to spend time with.  Many of us, unknowingly, forget to spend an adequate amount of time with our dogs each day.  Training sessions with your dog can bring back the attention that they crave from you.  The more time you spend with your dog, the more you will begin to learn more about him.

-          Sometimes our relationships with our dogs tend to become uncertain.  Dogs are by nature a pack animal, and need a pack leader.  When we do not step up to the plate and become our dog’s pack leader, they try to fill the position themselves.  When this situation comes about, we find ourselves in conflict with our dogs.  Training sessions with your dog regularly can prevent miscommunication between you and your dog on who is pack leader.

-          Basic obedience training can open the door for you and your dog to many other facets of the dog world.  Fun activities such as agility training and flyball could be your next training goal.  You will also be able to take your dog on your next hiking trip without the free of him running off and getting himself in trouble.

-          Training can also help solve other problems your dog may be having.  Training drains excess energy off of your dog and allows him to use his brain.  When dogs are left all day long with nothing expected of them, they can begin to develop bad habits, such as barking, jumping and even biting.  When your dog has a “job” to do he feels more fulfilled and those bad habits will begin to disappear.

Dog training can be a fun and exciting experience for you and your dog.  Not only will the bond between you grow, but his bad habits will begin to disappear in time.  The most important things while training your dog is to have fun, keep calm and everything else will fall into place.

Dog Training

Dog agility training is a great way to give your dog a sense of purpose.  It is also a great way to keep them in shape and have a stable structure.  Dog agility can be started by anyone with any kind of dog.

Here are some general tips to get your dog started in dog agility training.

-       Begin basic obedience training with your puppy at about 3 months old.  Don’t expect too much out of him, but the earlier you begin, the better.  When your dog is about 8-9 months old, and basic obedience as been mastered, you can begin agility training.

-       You and your dog need to be physically fit and conditioned.  Start an exercise routine and keep it up each day.  You can start by taking your dog for walks or jogs or basic jumping exercises.  The more your dog thinks you’re playing, the more he’ll be into what you’re doing.

-       Buy all the basic agility obstacles or find a club with obstacles that can be available to you.  Basic obstacles include cones, tunnels, tables and frames.  When you begin training start with one obstacle at a time.  Master an obstacle and move onto the next.  If an obstacle has you and your dog frustrated, move onto the next one, and come back to it later.

-       Let your dog become familiar with the obstacles.  Don’t try to force him to do an obstacles, let him learn it on his own time.  If you force your dog to do an obstacle, he’ll be resilient to try it again.

-       Use positive reinforcement in your training.  You should never scold your dog in training.  Training should be fun and more like a game to your dog.  The more fun you make it, the more he will want to please you and the more you will accomplish.

Dog agility training is a great way to spend some time bonding with your dog, exercise and learn.  Use these basic tips to help you along the way and you will have the obstacles mastered in no time.

Dog Agility Training

Dog agility training is a lot of fun for us and our dogs, but we all know how stressful competitions can be.  The stress and tension in your body also goes straight to your dog as well.  The most important thing when heading to competition is to keep calm.

Here are some more tips to remember when you’re headed into competition…

- Don’t take your eyes off your dog.  You should know where your dog is at all times.  If you’re not watching your dog, you may have left him at the last obstacle or he may be in front of you.  You need to guide your dog, so keep him in view, even if it’s out of the corner of your eye.

-Make sure you have your dog’s attention before stepping foot into the obstacle ring.  He needs to be focused on you so he knows which obstacle to do next.  Getting your dog’s attention can include things such as basic obedience practice before going into the ring.  Anything that will get your dog’s attention will work.

- Be sure to face the direction you’re going, your dog will mimic your direction as well.

-Be sure not to run past the obstacles.  Wait for your dog to commit to the obstacle before you proceed to the next one.  Also, say the command for the next obstacle while your dog is the process of doing the current obstacle.  Your dog will know what to expect after he’s finished the obstacle if you do it this way.

-When you get to the last obstacle, do not slow down.  Keep going until you’re sure your dog has crossed the finish line.  Many dogs will screw up the last obstacle because their handlers slow down.

Dog agility training is a lot of fun, but when you’re ready for competition, keep these tips in mind so you don’t let your nerves get the best of you.  Also remember that no matter how bad you think your run may have been, everyone always has a bad day.

Dog Agility Training

Dog agility training is a great way to have some extra fun with your dog.  You don’t have to necessarily join a club; you can practice in your own backyard.  You can create your own obstacle course in your backyard inexpensively.

Here are some ideas for you…

-          You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds on the traditional jumps you see in competitions.  All you need is a horizontal bar.  This can be anything from a shower curtain rod to a yard stick.  You can also use buckets or empty milk jugs to hold the bar up.  You want to be sure that the bar is able to be knocked over or injury could occur.

-          For a tire jump, you can use anything as long as it is a circle.  A hoolahoop works great for this and it can be held up by anything as long as it is secured.  You’ll want to keep the tire jump and the regular jumps low when you first begin training.  Height can increase as training progresses.

-          The teeter totter obstacle combines height, motion and noise all in one.  Most dogs struggle the most with the teeter totter, so break it down and teach it in pieces.  Motion can be taught by teaching your dog to ride a skateboard or having him cross a playground sway bridge.  To teach height, you can again use the playground equipment.  Noise can be taught by making loud noises and rewarding your dog for not reacting negatively to the noises.

-          For tunnels, go to your local toy store and purchase a children’s play tunnel.  These make great tunnels for dogs to start out on.

-          You can teach your dog balance by teaching him how to back up straight, walking across a board on the ground, or climbing the stair backwards.  Anything that teaches him balance and body awareness will help you later in dog agility.

Dog agility training equipment doesn’t have to be expensive and we do not recommend going out and buying all the equipment when you’re first getting into the sport.   With these helpful tips to building your own obstacle, you’ll be joining the dog agility competition world in no time.

Dog Agility Training

We all know that we get a puppy that we will eventually have to begin dog training.  Many look at as an unbearable task, but beginning training will your dog is still young will save you headaches in the future.  Whether you’re choosing to you the voice or clicker method, the most important thing to remember is to be consistent.

Here are a few more tips to help you along the way…

-          Use the exact phrase for a command each and every time.  If you and another person use a different phrase for the same task, your dog will easily become confused.

-          Use training in your everyday life.  If your dog is hanging around you, tell him “sit” and then reward him immediately after he does this.  You don’t have to spend hours doing the same thing over and over again.  Here and there a few times a day is sufficient enough for him to learn the command.

-          Primary and secondary reinforcers should be used when you are beginning training.  Primary reinforcers can be anything from a little piece of chicken to a doggy treat.  Secondary reinforcers are phrases such as “good boy” or “good girl.”  You won’t need primary reinforcers forever, commands will eventually become a routine for your dog, but they do help your dog learn more quickly in the beginning.

-          Remain positive.  Your dog isn’t going to pick up everything quickly so take your time.  If you feel yourself getting frustrated, quit the training session and start it up later.  If you become frustrated, your dog will become frustrated and continuing the training session is useless.

-          The more consistent you are with your training and rewards, the more your dog will learn and remember what he’s been taught.  You can’t teach him something new, then not do it for a week and expect him to remember it later.  Being consistent, your dog will learn much more.

Dog training can be lots of fun, we just have to remember to be consistent with our training sessions and the phrases we use.  By training your dog early in his life, you will have a well mannered dog when he is older.

Dog Training