My dog is small. Does that help or hinder?
It helps a lot. The smallest dog sets the hurdle height for the whole team, so a small, fast dog is in high demand.
Discs, balls and retrieving
Flyball
The one dog sport that's truly a team sport: four dogs in a relay, four hurdles and a box that fires out a ball. It's loud, it's very fast, and the atmosphere is like nothing else.
About the discipline
What flyball is
Flyball is a relay between two teams of four dogs, running side by side in parallel lanes. Each dog clears four hurdles and hits a box with a pedal. It presses the pedal, catches the ball that pops out and comes back over the same hurdles.
The next dog goes exactly as the one before crosses the start line. Good teams get that changeover down to hundredths of a second.
Hurdle height is set by the smallest dog on the team. That's why teams are always hunting for a small, quick dog, fondly known as the height dog.
How it works in practice
How a race works
- two teams of four dogs, in parallel lanes
- four hurdles, out and back
- a box with a pedal that pops out the ball
- changeovers at the start line, timed electronically
- hurdle height set by the smallest dog
- the first team home with no faults wins
Which dogs it suits
- fast, ball-crazy dogs
- dogs that keep their mind on the job around other wound-up dogs
- teams that want a social, club-based sport
It's very noisy. A noise-sensitive or dog-reactive dog won't have a good time.
What you need
- a flyball box and adjustable hurdles
- balls of the right size
- a place on a club team
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Flyball
Is it suitable for a reactive dog?
Rarely. You're in parallel lanes, with other dogs running a few metres away, in a lot of noise. That's heavy social pressure.
How fast is it?
Top teams finish the relay in under 16 seconds, changeovers included. No team dog sport is faster.
From the same category
Related sports
Treibball
The dog drives big balls towards a goal.
Pushball
The dog pushes a big ball towards a target, under control.
Dock Diving
Your dog runs off a dock and jumps into water after a toy.
Air Retrieve
The dog jumps off the dock to grab or touch an object hanging over the water.
We do not run Flyball
This page is informational. We work in mantrailing, search and rescue and preparation for the TSAC and BH exams - but if you want an honest opinion on what would suit your dog, write to us anytime.