Starting flyball...

[Brooke&Ryan]

Hi everyone----

In early to mid September Julius will be taking an advanced agility/intro-flyball course with the trainer that we have used for the beginner agility & obedience courses. I can't wait to start. We're going to be in the same place on this gorgeous horse farm up near the mountains with a huge pond for the dogs to go swimming in occasionally. :)

Anyway, we'll be taking that class & then the advanced obedience which will be a bit later in the fall.

I searched on the forums & all I could find was two old posts about flyball. Is it just not that popular?? My question here is, who has tried flyball for your rottweiler & how did you like it??? I'm not really all that familiar with it. I know the basic premise but not really how it's taught so I'm excited to learn. Julius really isn't all that excited about tennis balls. He likes basketballs more but the trainer said he'll do fine. I'm just interested it hearing about your flyball experiences. And of course there will be MANY pictures to come!!! :)

:)
Brooke

[flyballmom]

Hi Brooke,
I play flyball with my Rottie girl and we both LOVE it! Charleigh (the dog) is currently ranked #7 in North American flyball. Not too many Rottweilers play, the usual dogs are Border Collies, Aussies, Jack Russell Terriers...the faster more agile dogs. Don't worry that he isn't that interested in tennis balls. A dog that is not ball obsessed is easier to train. Flyball is a very demanding sport...make sure Julius is in the best of health and that he isn't carrying any extra pounds. If you have any specific questions let me know. Have fun!

[Brooke&Ryan]

Thanks for the response Flyballmom. Julius is in very good health & is a lean guy. We're excited to get started.

So why is a dog who is not ball obsessed easier to train? Because they pay attention to you more than the ball? :)

:)
Brooke

[flyballmom]

Yes...a dog who is ball crazy is more focused on the ball than on the handler. In racing, you'll see a dog go barrelling over the jumps to the box to get the ball, turn, and come back much more slowly...the dog has what it wants-the ball. The handler should always be the dogs motivation. Also, in my club right now we have a Border Collie a lady has been trying to train. She's been working with the dog since November...the dog is SOOO ball obsessed we took balls out of her life completely. Now, every time we try to re-introduce the ball, the dog just loses her mind. It's much easier to have to train the dog to retrieve than to break those habits.

Beth

[TopDawG]

haha looks like fun

here's video I found of a rotty doing flyball

http://www.flyball.com/nsl/cas_bb.mpg

~Gord

[Brooke&Ryan]

Thanks for the info. flyballmom. We're looking forward to it.

TopDawg....thanks for the video. It looks like a lot of fun!

:)
Brooke

[SABELLESMOM]

(just comming in from 'behavior'...talking about zoomies)

I would thing, given their nature to express themselves with those danged loveable zoomies, they'd be good at it. Naturally, they're bulkier and that might make them a tad slower, but you'll have a hard time matching the 'heart' and drive they have!;)

[Laura]

Brooke,

Speaking of Flyball, I just found out about a class in my area, I'm very excited. I contacted them today trying to get into a class that has a few spots open. I hope I get in. I am excited to start Flyball because Chance loves to run and jump. I am in beginners Agility and I feel I am holding Chance back at this point because she is too fast for me. In Flyball she will have free reign to run and jump as fast as she wants to.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Laura
Speaking of Flyball, I just found out about a class in my area, I'm very excited. I contacted them today trying to get into a class that has a few spots open. I hope I get in. I am excited to start Flyball because Chance loves to run and jump. I am in beginners Agility and I feel I am holding Chance back at this point because she is too fast for me. In Flyball she will have free reign to run and jump as fast as she wants to.

You'll have to let me know if you get into the class. It would be fun to talk about two beginners starting. We're starting in early September.

As for the agility, Julius LOVES it. He has a blast on the course & socializing with all of his doggy friends. I think Ryan & I were sadder than Julius when our 8 weeks of agility was over. We can't wait to start again.

:)
Brooke

[Laura]

Brooke,

Next week the class starts, if I get in. I'll keep you posted.

Laura

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Laura
Brooke,

Next week the class starts, if I get in. I'll keep you posted.

Laura

Please do!!!:D It'll be nice having another beginner in the group to compare stories with. How old is your dog???

:)
Brooke

[Laura]

Chance is 19 months, she is 26" 90 lbs. I have a pic of her in "picture this". How old is Julius, how tall and how much does he weigh?

[Brooke&Ryan]

Julius is ten months old, weighs 91 lbs. & we haven't measured him in a bit. Actually he's out of town w/ Ryan & coming home soon so we'll measure him then. :)

Brooke

[MontanaRott]

Brooke, I just saw this! I can not wait to hear how the J-man does with flyball! I bet all three of you have a blast! And of course it goes without saying pictures.................

[flyballmom]

For those of you starting flyball classes...here are a couple things you can start doing NOW!
1.) Find a helper...start doing lots of "restrained recalls." Have your helper hold the dog (a harness is helpful for a large dog)...you take off running in a straight line away from the dog, have the helper release the dog when you're a distance away. All the time you need to be calling the dog and making a fool of your self. When the dog gets to you, tug, treat, make the biggest fuss in the world like it's the best thing your dog ever did. Of course, you'll only do this in a safe place (fenced) and if you know your dog will come to you. If you're not sure the dog will come to you, you can do a more cautious version of it with the dog on a long line. (Make sure the line is not wrapped around handlers or dogs legs before the dog is released.) Obedience training is important to beginning flyball-to be able to do lots of the training exercises you want the dog to be already focused on you.

2.) Pick a "motivator" usually some kind of tug toy the dog likes. Tug, tug, tug. When you're doing your restrained recalls, let the dog tug when it gets to you.

3.) Let your dog chase you...when the dog gets near you, call him and take off in the other direction. When he get to you, take off again. Again, call, praise, make a fool of yourself.

These are all things that "they" say we shouldn't do with Rottweilers (tug, chase games.) I do them all the time with my dog, even outside of flyball. Charleigh's secondary motivator (the handler is always the primary motivator) is another tennis ball that I hold in my hand as she comes back from the box. She drops the ball she has and takes the ball I have. I play tug with the ball while it's still in her mouth and have had absolutely no aggression issues. I do wear batter's gloves to save my fingers from an accidental pinch. I'm only on my second pair in 4 years.

Have fun!!!!