Owner: The Flyball Blog URL:http://www.flyballblog.com Join Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:43:37 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: A blog devoted to the dog sport of Flyball. Site statistics:Click here
Traffic Flow in the Ring 2007-08-05 16:17:18 Traffic flow is probably the most important aspect of Flyball in the ring. Good traffic flow will go a long way toward keeping you and your dog injury free and it is something that must be practiced. Without good traffic flow dogs will be running into you or each other.
All dogs must enter the lane from the right side and exit on the left. Unless your dog is running start, you should line your dog up just off to the right side of the lane close to your mark and facing the box. This allows your teammates free access to the lane until it is your turn. When it is your turn, move into the lane and position yourself at your starting mark. After you release your dog you can run up the lane toward the start line and yell to your dog as they hit the box, but then move to the opposite side of the lane when running back. This will insure that you don’t run into a teammate coming up the lane after you. Make sure that you continue to run far enough back off the lane to collect your d
Flyball Training - Lesson 3 2007-08-03 10:28:57 It is very important that you do not proceed to this lesson until your dog has completed and is performing the training requirements from lessons 1 and 2. Your dogs should now be enjoying the recall, ball, and the motivator. They should be driving to you as hard as possible every time, grabbing onto the motivator and not letting go until you are ready to end the game. If your dog is at this stage you are ready to move on to this lesson. If not, keep working on the games in the last lesson until you achieve the drive you need from your dog.
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The Movement – Part 2 2007-08-02 13:30:10 I just found this and wanted everyone to see what we are all up against. While surfing around on Technorati I found this from a post on Live Journal:
Interesting point of view you’re not really going to see outside of flyball all that often:
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The Flyball is Good Movement 2007-08-02 10:12:05 There has been some discussion on this and other blogs about the hostility or misinformation that some agility people have about flyball. I, and I’m sure many others, would like to see this come to an end. We all love our dogs and some of the conflict between the two groups is just, well, stupid. I think a lot of the problem just comes down to plain ignorance. I know that some people think that barking dogs are out of control dogs and others see flyball as uncontrolled chaos and this is very unfortunate.
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No Conflict Here 2007-07-31 15:14:24 I guess I stirred up the nest with some of my posts and now others are saying the sport of flyball is conflicted based on my articles. I realize that there are still very strong feelings on both sides of the NAFA and U-FLI debate. Its human nature to feel some allegiance to one over the other at this point in time since one is so new and the other was the first. However, I didn’t write my articles to choose sides, I wanted to point out where I saw problems.
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Flyball Training – Lesson 2 2007-07-30 12:16:33 Before moving on to this lesson be sure that the dog is ready. Is your dog excited when they see the motivator? This is a good indication that they are ready to start this lesson. In this lesson you will play different games designed to increase the dog’s drive to you.
Games
The following games are meant to be played in succession but it’s not that critical. The Sure Shot Flyball Blog has other games and exercises that you can play with your puppy that you may want to check out. I have found that it is also a good idea to have other dogs present during some of these exercises since I have found that some Border collies with strong herding instincts, mine included, have problems working when other dogs are present. I worked my dog mostly alone and ended up with other issues that I am still trying to work out. I have found a good game to the help this and I have included it here (see game 7).
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Thanks! 2007-07-29 08:19:35 I just want to thank everyone for your private and public comments about this forum. My first post was on June 1, 2007 and the blog has matured since then when I moved it from the Google blogger site to a dedicated server running WordPress.
I thought about creating a flyball blog a few months ago and I searched for other authors. For diversity sake, I wanted people with differing viewpoints because I didn’t want to dominate every discussion from my point of view. I guess my plan has somewhat failed in that regard since it looks like I’m out here all alone. However, I have been able to continue posting by feeding on your comments to create other posts, so keep writing and I’ll try to keep posting.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Larry
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Flyball, a four letter word? 2007-07-27 19:55:31 In many places, one being where I live, flyball is a four letter
word. What does that mean you say? It means that the majority of dog people, obedience and agility, think that flyball is a bad thing. I have been battling this for the last 7 years and it hasn’t gotten any better. I think it mostly stems from a few people but when those few people are the only ones in the area that offer agility training their voices are pretty loud.
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Flyball Training - Lesson 1 2007-07-27 06:51:53 So let’s get started. In this lesson we will start to lay the foundation that was talked about in the previous post (Laying a good Foundation). Please note that you should not move on to other lessons until you are confident your dog is performing the exercises in this lesson and giving you that 110%. There is no time limit for this lesson and it will take as long as it takes. It really depends on you and how you interact with your dog. You should know when your dog is ready to move to the next lesson.
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Laying a good foundation 2007-07-26 08:08:42 The most important thing in flyball training is laying a good foundation from which to build upon. Just as with building a house, this process should not be rushed because everything that comes after will use this foundation.
Many people just entering the sport want to see results too fast and when they don’t see them they get discouraged and quit. A 6 or 8 week flyball course is not enough time to have most dogs trained and running in the ring as most new people expect. Six to 8 weeks may not even be enough time to achieve a good solid foundation and this is where many trainers fail.
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Focus on the Championships 2007-08-07 22:34:59 The flyball championships for NAFA and U-FLI will both be held in November and the focus of each is a little different and worth a look.
NAFA Champion System
NAFA regional champions are based on points earned by placement during NAFA tournaments and the team with the most points earned in the region at the end of the racing season is named the regional champions. It really does come down to the fastest team in the region. With regions with very few fast teams or maybe only one fast team, the regional champion is really a given. In our region we pretty much know who the regional champions will be before the start of the season. In other regions it may not be that way but it usually comes down to the fastest couple of teams and the amount of tournaments attended.
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Read more:Focus
, Championships
Pals 2007-08-06 22:58:03 I know that we have all gone though it, but it is never easy. The hardest part is watching and knowing that there is nothing you can do. They start sleeping more, it’s harder for them to get around, they look lost and confused, and all you can do is watch. When is the right time to say good bye?
For me I hold them in higher regard than even humans. “They are pure of heart, honest, and the best loyal friends ever. They love us no matter what. They are the perfect companion. And they help us learn and grow every day,” Cynthia Blue.
I have one that we will be saying good bye to very soon. She didn’t have a single title, never ran a race, and never had any training. She was just a dog, a friend to my children, she watched them grow into adults, she was just a Pal.
Larry
Flyball Training - Lesson 4 2007-08-09 18:02:13 Your dog should be comfortable and completing all lesson 3 steps before proceeding to this lesson.
Chute Training
(continued)
1. Continue using the “hit it” command when sending your dog to the chute. You should be well aware of which way your dog is turning at this point and you should now move the ball position to the proper side of the chute. Over a series of short training sessions, you should start to move the ball lower on the chute. You will know when to move to step 2 (below) when your dog is parallel on the chute or is having problems staying on the chute i.e. almost going over the top. If you see your dog having problems staying on the chute, and want to spend more time in this step, go ahead and adjust the chute to the next highest level and continue until you think your dog is ready to move on.
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A Team without a Team 2007-08-14 23:40:39 I just want to play with my dog. I have heard it a hundred times and I know I have even said it myself on a few occasions. What a concept, where we can play with our dog and not be on “a team.”
The Pickup TeamTM
I know, I know, the pickup team concept, invoked by U-FLI and now under consideration by NAFA, was not intended to do away with the flyball team. However, it may be a way to expand the sport. I am sure there are a number of people that might be playing flyball if it was not a team sport. A lot of agility people play agility with their dog because it is just they and their dog. The same concept could be used for flyball.
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Dog Breeding 2007-08-13 21:09:32 I am not a dog breeder and I do not want the responsibility that goes along with it. I am a firm believer in spaying and neutering dogs. Just go to any shelter across the country and you can see why. I am also not a big fan of conformance breeding; just look at an AKC registered Labrador retriever or Border collie to know that breeding for looks is ruining many breeds. However, I will say that I think that the majority of these breeders do try to place their puppies in good homes. I have two JRTCA registered dogs and they are great dogs. Nevertheless, on the other side of this issue, you have people that have no idea what they are doing and just because they have a piece of paper from a breed organization, they think they are going to breed the next champion. I think that many of these people think there is money to be made by breeding but unfortunately, many of these dogs can be found in shelters.
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Flyball Training - Lesson 5 2007-08-16 21:08:39 You should not proceed to this lesson until lesson 4 is complete. Your dog should know the command “hit it” and be comfortable going over the jumps. In this lesson, we will be putting it all together.
Chute to Flyball Box Transition
Start this exercise with no jumps and no ball. The handler should stand slightly in front and just off to one side of the box. Facing the box, if the dog naturally turns right off the chute, the handler should be on the right side of the box. If the dog turns left, the handler should be on the left side of the box. With a small jump in front of the box, send the dog with the command “hit it” to the box. As the dog comes off the box the handler should use the motivator to pull the dog off the box in a very fast fluid motion. This exercise should be repeated many, many times over a series of short training sessions.
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Boxloading Do’s and Don’ts 2007-08-22 17:37:28 The boxloader is one of the most important positions on the team and having a good one is the key to winning heats. I have seen my share of lost heats due to poor boxloading. I consider myself to be a good boxloader but I have had my share of mistakes that have cost the team a win. Therefore, I know that even the best can make mistakes sometimes. Here are some things that I have seen that may help all boxloaders: (more…)
Designer Dogs in Flyball 2007-08-21 15:07:52 There are two excellent articles on the Sure Shot Flyball blog about these incredible hybrids. Robbie & Sonya Barton have done a great job of explaining the attributes of these amazing animals. Please see:
Designer
Dogs in Flyball
My People
Larry
New Trend in Pass Calling 2007-08-21 11:32:47 Every time I attend a tournament, I like to watch what all the other teams are doing so that maybe I can pick up new training methods or tools. I tend to pay closer attention to the faster teams because they are obviously doing something right.
We have all seen these teams with their video cameras and television sets. These teams all sit around after the each race reviewing their passes. It is common knowledge that if we could just improve our passing we could have better times, but for most teams video taping and reviewing just seems like too much work at a tournament. What if there was an easier way to get almost instant accurate feedback right after each heat? I know that many teams use people to call passes, but how accurate is this? With the speed of some dogs, it is almost impossible, unless they have wide passes, to call passes with any accuracy. So what is the answer?
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Michael Vick to plead guilty 2007-08-21 09:40:05 I was just reading on the USA TODAY website the “Ten pressing questions surrounding Vick’s case” written by Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY. The federal judge, Henry Hudson, is saying “…Mr. Vick will be making a plea of guilty next Monday morning at 10:30.” In my opinion, they should have never offered him a plea. This should go to trial and he should get the maximum, which is not even enough.
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, Michael Vick
, plead guilty
Flyball Recovery Syndrome 2007-08-20 09:19:39 After a weekend of flyball, the syndrome can be recognized in several ways:
Trouble walking or a visible limp (the flyball shuffle)
Unable to get up from a sitting position
Unable to get out of bed
The craving for hot water in the form of a bath
The mass consumption of Ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Unable to put regular/dress shoes on
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, Syndrome
Bobbling and Box Problems 2007-08-26 14:33:41 Bobbling at the box can be caused by a number of factors and some of the ball catching exercises may help with bobble problem. However, many times it is because the dog is not in the correct position to catch the ball. “Ideally, you want the dog’s front feet and shoulders over the ball when they catch. If they are too far to either side of the ball, the body has to adjust by using the box as a walk way to get to the ball.” Sonya, Sure Shots .
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Catching the Ball 2007-08-26 09:29:42 Some dogs never learn or have problems catching a ball and there are exercises that you can do that can help.
Two ball catch game - Get down on the floor with the dog, just you and the dog, and have two balls and play catch. You will want to be just a couple feet away from him and toss the ball to him under handed. Just have him catch one and tell him to drop it and toss the next. Start to build speed by tossing them faster. He should start getting the hang of dropping the first ball and catching the second. This exercise is meant to improve the dog’s catching ability and may lessen bobbles at the box.
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Flyball Training - Lesson 6 2007-08-24 22:45:39 This is the last of the flyball lessons and you should only start this lesson if all other lessons have been accomplished. Your dog is now ready for complete runs to the box over all four jumps. If you see problems in any area, back up and repeat the lessons up to this point.
Add distractions and other dogs gradually over several sessions.
Passing
Passing other dogs can be a problem for green dogs but with time and patience, this can be worked out.
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Read more:Training
Michael Vick Items Selling on eBay 2007-08-24 07:53:41 I just read this on Yahoo News about people letting their dogs chew up Michael
Vick trading cards and then selling them on eBay. The money is being donated to the Humane Society. It sounds like a good fund raising idea to raise money for these needy groups. Maybe something good can come from this and the attention that is being drawn to this horrible activity cannot hurt either.
See: Vick cards chewed by dogs are on eBay
Larry
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, Michael Vick
Box Judge Controversy 2007-08-28 17:04:08 You Make the Call
I was boxloading for a team during the U-FLI Southeastern Qualifier and made a stupid error during a key race. The two teams racing were vying for 1st and 2nd place and this one key race would place the teams. To keep the teams anonymous, I will just call them team A, which was running in the right lane and team B, was in the left lane. I was boxloading for team B and the racing format was 3 of 3.
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, Controversy
The Secret of the U-FLI Lights 2007-08-27 15:01:27 I promised to write an article about starting your dog against the U-FLI lights when I wrote about the NAFA lighting system. It had been a while since I had raced against the U-FLI lights and I didn’t trust my memory to give an accurate description of the lighting system. So, this past weekend we had the opportunity to play in a U-FLI tourney and I think I can give everyone a little insight.
On Saturday morning I wasn’t doing too well. My starts were all over the map, so to speak. I was watching for the blue light, but my brain wasn’t quite engaged enough before the first yellow would come on. Late! Watching again for the blue light, brain anticipating, early! What is the matter with me? About an hour into the afternoon it dawned on me. There are three little green dots at the bottom of the light tree. When the judge starts the race, the three lights go out! Blue light comes on. Yellow light comes on. Release! There it was all along. My Ready, Set, Go was there all along and I ju Read more:Lights
Re-runs 2007-09-03 12:14:35 I see people re-running their dogs all the time during a tournament and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. In my opinion you should never re-run a dog unless both teams, i.e. your team and the team you are running against, has a fault and you are trying to win the heat.
Do not get me wrong, you should practice re-running all of the dogs because you just never know when you will need to re-run to win a heat. However, as a rule re-runs are a waste of time and energy for little gain. It wastes energy because just think of how many times your dog runs in a weekend so why waste his energy re-running. There is little to be gained by re-running because most of the time you will be running your dog for no points. Even if you are able to re-run and get under 32 seconds the point(s) gained is not worth the waste of energy.
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How to stop Breed Specific Legislation? 2007-08-31 15:41:45 I’ve been reading about Texas’ new Lillian Law, which allows prosecutors to push for the steepest penalties in the nation against owners of dogs that bite and severely injury or kill someone.
The law was named after Lillian Stiles, a 76 year old woman that was killed by a pack of mixed breed dogs. The owner was found not guilty because it could not be proven that these dogs had previously attacked anyone before. This is referred to as the “free bite” defense.
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, Legislation
NAFA Flyball… and the nominees are… 2007-08-31 13:43:21 The candidates for the three open NAFA Director positions are:
Zachary Chernik (nomination letter)
Alisa Romaine (nomination letter)
Dale Smith (nomination letter)
Scott Stein (nomination letter)
Chris VanWert (nomination letter)
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