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Flyball: fast-paced dog sport for team players

Flyball

Flyball is a particularly fast-paced dog sport, in which the play instinct and the joy of retrieving are the focus of attention. The two- and four-legged participants as well as the spectators get their money's worth at tournaments.


In the following you will learn how Flyball works exactly, for which breeds the sport is suitable and how you can support your athletically active four-legged friend optimally with the right nutrition.

What is Flyball?

Flyball has its origins in the USA, where the sport has existed since the 1970s and from where it found its way to Europe in the early 1990s. 


Flyball is a kind of relay race, which is a team sport for teams of people and dogs. In competitions, two teams, each consisting of four teams of a dog and its owner, always compete against each other. 


On the race track there are four hurdles over which the dog must jump. At the end of the track there is the so-called flyball machine. The four-legged friend has to release it, catch the ball that has been thrown out and then bring it back to the start as quickly as possible over the hurdles.

Flyball as a competitive sport

Flyball has long enjoyed great popularity in Germany and has even been a competitive sport for some years now. A uniform set of rules has existed since 2005 and the first German Championship in Flyball took place in 2008.


In tournaments four dogs from two teams always compete against each other. The team that finishes the course the fastest has won the run. However, it is not enough to run the shortest time. Because, in addition, all dogs must complete the course also without mistake.


If a quadruped makes a mistake, he must repeat the run. It is considered a mistake, for example, if a dog runs over the start line before the previous runner has reached the finish line, the hurdles are not jumped or the ball is not brought back.

Flyball is suitable for many dog breeds

Unlike many other dog sports, Flyball is suitable for almost every dog. Even particularly large or small breeds can participate in principle. 

However, to ensure that your dog has fun with Flyball, he should meet a few requirements:

  • A good health is mandatory for participation in Flyball. 
  • Participating dogs should master the most important basic commands.
  • As Flyball is a team sport, a good compatibility with conspecifics is important.
  • The four-legged friend should be eager to move and enjoy retrieving.

Practice makes the Flyball champion

Practice makes the Flyball champion

As simple as it may look with trained dogs and as simple as the principle behind Flyball is for us humans, the whole thing is complicated for your four-legged friend. It will therefore certainly take some time until your dog understands the procedures.


We recommend you to look for a club that offers Flyball in your area for training. Because on the one hand it is much more fun to practice together with other dogs of the same species and on the other hand Flyball is a team sport anyway. 


Apart from that, both you and your dog will learn much faster if you get help from a coach and experienced dog owners. Until your dog is able to complete the Flyball course for the first time, he is usually introduced step by step with four exercises.

1. Catching the ball

First your quadruped must learn to catch a ball. Simply throw it to him from a standing position so that he can catch it as easily as possible with his mouth.

2. Take the first hurdles

The next step is for your dog to learn how to jump over the hurdles. After all, he shouldn't run past them later at the fly ball. It is important that he does not start until your command. Start with one hurdle first and then gradually increase the number to four obstacles. 

3. Practice the correct turning

If your dog masters catching the ball and jumping over the hurdles, it is time to train turning at the end of the course. This involves being fast and keeping the turning radius as tight as possible. 


Use a stick stuck in the ground or a thin tree for practice. A suitable command, such as "turn", helps your four-legged friend to internalize the sequence of events.

4. Time for the flyball machine

At the end of the beginner's training there is finally the practice with the flyball machine. Here it may well take a moment for your dog to become familiar with the unfamiliar machine and understand what you expect of him.


Therefore, you must make absolutely sure not to overstrain or put your four-legged friend under pressure. It is only a matter of time until it works and he is ready for his first complete Flyball run.

Small rewards should not be missing during Flyball training

As with any dog training, rewards are of course indispensable when practising flyball. Beside extensive praise after each small success, your quadruped may receive gladly also the one or other treat.


In this way he learns that it is worthwhile for him, for example, if he jumps over the obstacles as desired or catches the ball from the Flyball machine. 


When choosing treats, however, make sure they are of good quality and give preference to the healthy dog snacks from the Bellfor range. After all, the rewards should not only give your dog pleasure, but also contribute to a balanced diet without consequences for his health.

Our tip for an optimal protein supply with Flyball

Of course it is important for all dogs to pay attention to a species-appropriate feeding and to pay the necessary attention to the quality of the dog food. Bellfor's nutritional concept offers you the right products for all breeds for this purpose.


For dogs that are active in sports, however, it is not enough to limit yourself to good food and enough fresh water. Because dog sports such as Flyball lead, among other things, to an increased protein requirement.


We therefore recommend supplementing your dog's daily food with Bellfor Fitness Powder.


This natural food supplement provides your dog with high-quality insect protein, which contains all essential amino acids, as well as important vitamins and minerals from chia seeds and dried banana.


By regularly taking our easily digestible fitness powder, you can make a decisive contribution to faster regeneration and improved performance of your dog at flyball.

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