Training Goals

Whether you are a seasoned Flyball trainer or one just starting out, your goal should be the same, take the time to train your dog to the highest degree possible. Many people take this goal the wrong way and they think I am talking about speed. Speed is a bi-product of good training but you should be training your dog to be the best they can be. This type of training takes time and patience but it is worth it in the long run.

I have several poorly trained Flyball dogs so I am speaking from experience. When I was just starting out, my main goal was to just get the dog playing as soon as possible. I wanted to start having fun and be in the ring with my dog right away. So my first dog had no box turn and she would run full speed into the box planting her face into it. I have tried to retrain her but retraining is so much more difficult after the dog has played for some time. She loved to play the game but had to retire early because of her face planting way. She developed a cyst in her eye caused by blunt trauma and had to retire from the game she loved. So please take the time, no matter how long it takes, to train to the highest level.

Secrets of Success

• Start your sessions with a well rested and hungry dog/puppy.
• Keep sessions short and fun.
• Lay foundations and don’t take shortcuts.
• Baby steps - focus on one goal at a time.
• Be solid before moving on to the next step.
• Have fun and dog/puppy always wins.

The Three Main Goals

There are three main goals that all Flyball trainers should strive to accomplish:

The Box Turn

In my opinion this should be the most important goal for any Flyball trainer. Take the time to train your dog to do a proper box turn and don’t let them play the game until this is accomplished. It is the most important aspects of the game and one that will ensure they are playing injury free for a long time.

Conditioning

Flyball is an intensely physical sport and an overweight out of shape dog will get hurt. Before you start Flyball training with your dog make sure they are physically fit. If they are overweight, put them on a diet. If they are couch potatoes, get them off the couch. Conditioning should be something that you work on with your dog year round.

Having Fun

After all, having fun with your furry friend was probably why you wanted to play Flyball. Spend the time playing and motivating your dog. Making it fun for them is within your power. If they know that you are having fun it is very likely that they will sense this and this game will be fun for them too. No matter what type of dog you have if they are having fun they will give you 110%. Speed is also a bi-product of having fun.

Training Manual Information

This is a series of articles that I will post about Flyball training. I would ask that you please try to keep your comments to the specific topic of the each article, for there will be many others. You can see a high level outline of the topic to be covered in future post by viewing the Training Manual. Keeping the comments specific to each article will help future readers.

Please keep in mind that there are numerous methods in use but these are the ones that I use and they are some that work for me. If you have others that you would like to share, please post your comments.

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