Was ist Flyball?
Flyball is a team sport for dogs. It’s a ball game, where dogs have to run by turns over a line of four hurdles at a box, that releases a tennis ball under the pressure of the dog’s paws. Then they have to bring the ball back to their handlers, as quick as possible. The box is loaded straight away, since the next dog is to start as the first one crosses the finish.
Flyball seems very simple, but as it is played as a team, every second counts: the dogs should have a ‘flying start’, ideal running is nose-to-nose at the start line,… This requires a lot of concentration, timing, skill, fitness, team work,…
How high are the hurdles?
The hurdles are at least 17.5 cm (6.9 inches) up till a maximum of 35 cm (13.8 inches). (But these stipulation may differ in the various countries where flyball is practiced.) The hight of the hurdles should be 10 cm (4 inches) below the withers height of the smallest dog. This means that the smallest dog of the team sets the standard.
What does a team consist of?
A team counts six dogs and their handlers, two pairs of which are standby. These can be changed during the competition, because of practical or strategic grounds. The team is completed by the coach, possibly an assistant- coach and the boxloader.
The Belgian Flyball Rule Book
If you want the complete Rule Book, stipulated by the BFB (Belgische Flyball Belge), pleas ask the coach. He will automatically hand it to you when you reach competition level.
The Flyball Rules
A race consists of three (best of three) or five (best of five) runs, depending on the organization. Teams always race against each other, two at the time. The first team to have all four dogs back over the finish, not having made any mistakes, is the winner. In the ‘Round Robin’, mostly held in the morning, you cannot only win a price, but the outcome also determines the team against which you will be playing in the ‘Double Elimination’ in the afternoon. This is a race where the winner of a run goes on in the competition, and a team that has lost twice drops out of the competition.