I just found this and wanted everyone to see what we are all up against. While surfing around on Technorati I found this from a post on Live Journal:
Interesting point of view you’re not really going to see outside of flyball all that often:
“We usually look for a “hyperactive bordering on insanity” state. In order to obtain this, your dog has to know that you are in a “It’s time to rock and roll” state. We have all been bitten by a dog in this state, if a dog bites your hand, wear gloves. Flyball is a place where the dog can completely let go and give 100%. Don’t ask your dog to sit/stay beside the lane while other dogs are running. We never teach anything like this. When our puppies are introduced to the ring, we use a “silent restraint” method. We simply hold the dog to prevent it from escaping and let the dog go as crazy as it wants.”
The part in italics was taken from the Sure Shot Flyball blog. I don’t think the person that posted this to Live Journal used it in a negative way but the people that commented did. One person commented that it was “Nightmarish.”
I fully agree with the original article that this excerpt was taken from on the Sure Shot Flyball blog and I think most flyball people embrace this thinking, but to obedience and agility people it is “Nightmarish.”
I have a dog that is “hyperactive bordering on insanity” when in or near the flyball ring. I have to wear gloves to protect my hands and even sometimes it doesn’t matter. Someone seeing her for the first time in the flyball ring would think that she is out of control as she tries to snap at the other dogs as they run by. It takes a lot for me to hang on to her and I can’t even start her with her back feet on my lap because there is nothing solid enough to hold on to.
At home you would not know this dog. She is the most laid back Border collie in my house and most of the time she can be found on the couch or curled up on the floor sleeping. 
She doesn’t like balls at all and will not even pick one up unless she is playing with me in the yard or playing flyball. But most people don’t see her in this state, they see the wacked out crazy Border collie.
We all have a lot of work to do.
Larry
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The thing that I really respect about flyball is the number of rescue/pound dogs that have been given a home, a job, an outlet for their energy and have become wonderful loved additions to their families. We have a dog on our team that was returned to the pound several times! “too crazy” and “into to much mischief” were the reports. She’s a sheltie/aussie mix and with that kind of background she needed an outlet. She’s been a solid start dog for years now and has a happy home. We got involved in flyball because we could not get our dog enough exercise and mental stimulation in our suburban tract home. Once we got into flyball she became such a better dog at home. She became a certified therapy dog doing both snuggling emotional therapy as well as playing fetch with stroke and brain surgery patients. yeah she was crazy and strong in the flyball ring.. but she left it there. Dogs can be taught to compartmentalize acceptable behaviour.
Thanks for your support Larry!
I stand by everything I said in that quote, only
because it is the truth. I’ve come out of the
ring bleeding many times. The same dog that
caused the blood sleeps on my feet. I love her.
The Flyball Ring is a sacred place where dogs
are allowed to go crazy.
The biggest difference in Agility and Flyball
is the speed. Agility folks rate courses in
feet per second and seconds per obstacle.
Think about it, we run 102 feet with 9 obstacles
(8 jumps + box) in under four seconds.
The level of motivation required is dramatically
different.
As they say “It’s not Flyball ‘til there’s Blood.” I love my dog too and would not trade her for the world. She also sleeps at my feet.
I love how crazy my dog gets when we go into the ring. it’s how I know she’s having a great time. if she’s ever not going crazy out there, I know something’s wrong.
oh and if you’re going to get bit/scratched/whatever out there it always happens in the warmup, so you have to race all bloody. Murphy’s law.
Heck ya…That is my Jake…He gets so hyped up…I love it and he loves it! Yep, ready to rock and roll or should I just say “ready”! People on our team wear ear plugs when we run next to them because he gets so loud…And they wear them proud and with love…They never try to get him to be quiet while running…I love the “it’s not flyball till there’s blood”!
PS love this log!
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