Flyball: 5 Tips To Practice It With Your Pet
Playing sports with our pets is in fashion. We hear more and more terms related to the subject, such as agility , flyball , canicross , among others. It is flyball that we want to talk about today, a sport that is growing in the United States and that is gradually spreading to other countries.
what is flyball
This is a sport that emerged in the United States in the 70s and, over time, gained presence in the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia and England. Thanks to these countries, it gradually spread to neighboring countries. Currently, it is a reference to practice it with our pets.
This sport provides the animal not only with a physical activity, but also a mental one. Why? Because executing it successfully depends a lot on speed and the ability to overcome obstacles.
In the United States, there are already more than 400 clubs federated to the NAFA that attract more than 7,000 dogs per year. When we talk about NAFA, we are referring to the American Flyball Association, but there is already another international association known as UFLI.
How is flyball practiced
This is a sport that consists of forming two teams of four dogs each, which must overcome a series of obstacles that will appear along the way. The objective is to reach a machine that releases a tennis ball into the air. The dog that reaches it must press the pedal and catch the ball to take it to the starting point, passing the turn to the next dog.
As expected, the team whose members arrive first is the winner. Of course, there are also penalties that will cost points and that can even lead the team to lose, despite having finished earlier. So it’s not just a question of speed, but also of skill, endurance, strategy and intelligence. Everything counts.
You don’t need a specific breed to practice this sport, as any dog that has the necessary skills can practice it.
How to practice flyball with your dog
If you are already curious and would like to start venturing into this sport with your pet, you need the tips that we will give below.
Teach him from a puppy
Although there is nothing that says it is not possible to teach an adult dog, it is much easier if we get our pet used to games like catching and returning the ball from the puppy. In addition, you can also do the following:
- Teach orders. Basic orders like ‘here’, ‘sit’, ‘let go’, ‘quiet’ and similar ones are required for the flyball. To achieve the game’s objective, discipline is necessary, since the ball cannot fall out of the box and the dog will have to return it when it catches it in the air.
- Once the basic orders have been learned, he must get used to the box, so he steps on the pedal and catches the ball. It’s obvious he won’t be able to do this the first time, but with patience, you can make him do it.
- Run with him beside you and make him jump the obstacles. You must teach him not to be distracted by anything around him.
- Take breaks to rest. One of the most important parts of training, especially when it comes to something intense, is that your pet is well hydrated and that you take breaks after a few minutes to help him stay focused. Needless to say, if training takes place in the summer, it should take place when the weather is cooler, such as in the morning or late afternoon.
The flyball is a sport that favors not only the physical activity of your dog, but also mental. He helps to understand orders and, in addition, he will have fun and socialize with other dogs with whom he will learn to play as a team. Can you think of a better game than this?
