Flyball is a fun sport! Dogs of any breed or mixture can compete. Dogs as tiny as Yorkies, Boston Terriers & Jack Russell Terriers compete amongst Great Danes, Labradors, Border Collies, and everything in between. Your dog does not need to be a purebred dog. Many rescues and dogs obtained at shelters play flyball. Flyball is ideal as a "job" for high drive dogs who need an outlet for their energy. Dogs get lots of exercise, but more importantly, the training involved works their minds as well.

Flyball is the only dog competition that is strictly a team event. In flyball competiton, four dogs compete in a team relay race head to head against another team of dogs. All four dogs must jump over four hurdles, trigger a box to get a ball, and then carry the ball over all four jumps on the way back. Dogs on a team pass each other nose to nose at a start line regulated by sensors that automatically flash a light if a dog passes too early. Any mistakes, such as early passes, dropped balls, missed jumps, and the dog has to run again. The first team to finish four dogs cleanly wins! You compete as a member of a flyball club. There are several active flyball clubs to chose from or you can start your own (contact regional director Melinda Vernon for help in forming a new club).

It's also a great family sport. You'll see juniors handling dogs, shagging loose balls & box loading. You'll also see many husband and wife teams and even clubs that are comprised primarily of one family.

So, how do you get started?