Photo by Mike Loftis Photography

Flyball Facts, Answers, And Questions What is Flyball? How does Flyball compare to Agility or Obedience? What breeds can play Flyball? What type of dogs do NOT do well at Flyball? Is it true that Border Collies are the best dogs to play Flyball? Should I start training my little puppy to play Flyball now? Who governs Flyball? What titles are there? How much does it cost? What is a height dog? Flyball sound fun, but I don’t have a dog. Can I still be involved? What is involved in each different job on a team?

What is Flyball?

Flyball is a team sport for dogs and their handlers. Teams of 4 dogs each compete in a relay race in which each dog runs a course over 4 jumps to retrieve a ball. The handlers are responsible for motivating their dogs to increase their speed and timing to make the overall team time as fast as possible. (The record time for 4 dogs to run the course is currently 15.22 seconds set by Spring Loaded. More common are times in the low to mid 20’s). The competition is two-fold; the team races against another team for tournament “placement” and also against the clock for points toward titles.

How does Flyball compare to Agility or Obedience?

Obedience is like a dinner at the White House, Agility is like a wine and cheese party, and Flyball is like a kegger.

What breeds can play Flyball?

Flyball is not an AKC sport, so any breed or mix breed can play. Most any breed can be trained to play flyball with PERSISTENCE.

What types of dogs do NOT do well at Flyball?

Dogs which are either people or dog aggressive (the type that lunge aggressively at other dogs as they pass by) will NOT do well at Flyball and will not be able to successfully compete at Flyball.

Is that true that Border Collies are the best dogs to play Flyball?

No, The best dog to play Flyball is the dog you have. Dogs are pets first and foremost. Flyball is a great outlet for any dog with energy and drive. Don't go out and try to find the "best" Flyball dog. Have fun playing Flyball with your dog.

 

Should I start training my little puppy to play Flyball now?

No and yes, Dogs must be at least one year of age to play Flyball. The stress of jumping and landing can damage a dog that is not fully developed. Your puppy needs to be at least a year old before you start any jump training and/or clearance from your Veterinarian. However, all Flyball dogs need a good recall and basic obedience, teaching good manners and a solid recall can be taught to puppies.

Who governs Flyball?

There are currently two venues in which you can compete in Flyball. The North American Flyball Association and the United Flyball League International.

What titles are there?

In the North American Flyball Association (NAFA), dogs earn points toward flyball titles based on the teams time:

	Less than 24 secs: Each dog receives 25 points
	less than 28 secs: Each dog receives 5 points
	Less than 32 secs: Each dog receives 1 point

The titles the dogs can earn are:

Title	Points
Flyball Dog (FD)	20
Flyball dog Excellent (FDX)	100
Flyball Dog Champion (FDCh)	500
Flyball Dog Champion-Silver (FDCh-S)	1,000
Flyball Dog Champion-Gold (FDCh-G)	2,500
Flyball Master (FM)	5,000
Flyball Master Excellent (FMX)	10,000
Flyball Master Champion (FMCh)	15,000
ONYX Award (ONYX)	20,000
Flyball Grand Champion (FGDCh)	30,000
Flyball Grand Champion (FGDCh-40K)	40,000
60K, 70K, 80K, 90K
Hobbes	100,000

In the United Flyball League International (U-FLI), dogs also earn points toward Flyball titles based on the teams time:
 

	Less than 19.999 secs: Each dog earns 30 points
	Less than 24.999 secs: Each dog earns 25 points
	Less than 29.999 secs: Each dog earns 15 points
	Less than 35.00 secs: Each dog earns 10 points

The titles the dogs can earn:

Title	Points	Title	Points
TOP FLIGHT	100	TOP FLIGHT ACE*	35,000
TF-I	500	TOP FLIGHT WORLD CLASS	35,500
TF-II	750	TFWC-I	40,000
TF-III	1,000	TFWC-II	44,500
TOP FLIGHT EXECUTIVE	2,500	TFWC-III	49,000
TFE-I	4,000	TOP FLIGHT CHAMPION*	50,000
TFE-II	5,500	TOP FLIGHT EXTREME	54,500
TFE-III	7,000	TFX-I	60,000
TOP FLIGHT PREMIER	9,500	TFX-II	65,500
TFP-I	12,000	TFX-III	71,000
TFP-II	14,500	TOP FLIGHT SPECIALIST*	75,000
TFP-III	17,000	TOP FLIGHT ULTIMATE	77,500
TOP FLIGHT EXPERT*	20,000	TFU-I	84,000
TOP FLIGHT FIRST CLASS	20,500	TFU-II	90,500
TFFC-I	24,000	TFU-III	97,000
TFFC-II	27,500	TOP FLIGHT ELITE*	100,000
TFFC-III	31,000

*Milestone plaques
 

How much does it cost?

Here are some of the general estimated costs involved in playing Flyball with the Panhandle Supersonics:

	Yearly Panhandle Supersonics Club dues: $35
	Practicing indoors: $12 per month for one dog/$3 each additional dog
	NAFA Registration: One time fee of $15 per dog
	U-Fli Registration: One time fee of $10 per dog
	Team Shirt: $30
	Other costs: If you have to travel for the tournament there is the cost of gas, hotel, and food.

What is a height dog?

This is a sort of a misnomer. A height dog is actually a short dog. The shortest dog on the team determines the jump height in Flyball, so it is good to have at least one short dog on each team.

Flyball sounds fun, but I don’t have a dog. Can I still be involved?

Yes, All teams need members who aren’t running dogs. Non-handlers can do jobs such as box loader, ball shagger, evaluate passes, and record split-times.

What is involved in each different job on a team?

Photo by Castoways Photography

Box loader	This job looks easy, but it's not! If your team has a box with multiple holes, the box loader must keep track of which hole the ball goes in for each dog and be prepared for dogs that must be re-run or for changes in the line-up. Furthermore, a box loader who doesn't follow the rules about when to step off of the box can lose the heat for your team!
Ball shagger	Collects balls as the dogs return, must stay out of the way of handlers and dogs.
Pass evaluator	Positioned by the start line, provides feedback to each handler about the quality of his or her passes.
Split-time Recorder	Records the time each individual dog takes to run from start to finish.
Other team members	May help with ball shagging, communicating among team members, or providing moral support.