Comments on: Flyball Training – Lesson 2

By: Larry

Larry — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:32:50 +0000

I would start using a Frisbee as your return motivator. Baby steps is really the answer. If your dog is crazy about the Frisbee in the park, play some different place. Hide the Frisbee under your shirt, throw the ball a few times, and on the last return use the Frisbee as the reward. If your dog doesn’t want to play with the ball after that quit playing and wait awhile. On the next play session, do the same thing and keep doing this repeatedly until your dog will get the ball and return to the Frisbee.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:57:37 +0000

I have a six year old mix that started flyball last year. Before he started he already loved the tennis ball and the frisbee, but he has almost no desire to tug. When I grab the ball or Frisbee while its in his mouth he just lets go so that I will throw it again. Is it imperative that he will tug with me?
Also, he likes the Frisbee more than the ball, which in theory could be good, but whenever he sees the Frisbee he thinks it is time to play with that and stop doing flyball. He usually goes over a couple jumps, then stops and looks back for me to throw the Frisbee. At this point the Frisbee is too distracting to be a recall motivator.
Can you think of anything I can do either at the park or at flyball practice to help him learn that the only way he gets the Frisbee is after a clean run? Right now I will only throw the Frisbee at the park after he brings the tennis ball, but he has very little interest in the ball when he knows that I have the Frisbee. If I don’t have the Frisbee with me he will chase the ball all day.
Thanks!

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:20:21 +0000

The chute should be set at the lowest angle just so the dog gets use to jumping on it and having all feet on the chute. We use self adhesive Velcro for the ball positions. With early training which this is, we have the ball positions set at the highest position. Aaron Robins uses a similar technique using a piece of plywood but doesn’t use a ball. He uses tape and trains targeting. I like to use a ball at first and in the later lessons I just have the dog do on and off work off the chute without the ball, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

By: bcollie

bcollie — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:25:44 +0000

You mention startng the chute at the lowest setting . . . do you increses the angle to increase the speed of the turn? What do you use in the holes to anchor the ramp to the back?
Thanks

By: Valerie

Valerie — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:01:01 +0000

I think the motivator should be the most important thing in training flyball so that the dog will and can be trained to do almost anything for the reward of playing with the motivator.
I get my dogs completely “obsessed” with their motivator, and when they are, I can start asking them to go fetch the ball. The ball is not the reward, nor do I want them to love the ball as much or more than the motivator. For the dog, getting the ball is a means to an end i.e. the game with the motivator.
A lot of dogs that have loved the ball too much will go get the ball and lose speed coming back. “got my reward, so why should I hurry to come back??” I’ve seen others get the ball and go runabout with it losing has sometimes been an excellent recall. Some people use food which isn’t a bad idea if the dog has no prey drive just food drive, but I personally don’t like the idea of a food build up in a dogs stomach while racing and if treats are dry food it leads to bigger thirst.