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What is Flyball?

Started in California in the late 70's, flyball is the fastest growing dog sport in the world. It has spread throughout the United States and Canada. It can also be found in several other countries.

Flyball is a four-dog relay race between competing teams. The flyball course is fifty-one feet in length and consists of four hurdles leading to the flyball box. The flyball box is a contraption with a spring-loaded front (various models are allowed). The dog triggers the release of the ball by stepping on the spring-loaded front.

Sprite asking about flyball

Each dog must jump the four hurdles, retrieve a ball from the box, return over the hurdles, and cross the finish line. Competitive dogs must be trained to work on a team with other dogs. They need to remain focused in spite of distractions. The world record time for a four-dog team to complete the course is 15.85 seconds. 

Flyball is open to all dogs, mixed or pure bred. Visit our "Meet the Team" page to see just how varied the breeds can be. Both large and small dogs are valuable to a team. The big dogs are generally faster, but the smallest dog on the team determines the hurdle height, so they too play an important role in the team’s strategy (especially if they are fast)! There are traits that make it easier to train a flyball dog, but most any dog can be trained to compete in this sport. 

The governing body for flyball competition in Canada and the United States is the North American Flyball Association (NAFA). The association was founded in the interest of promoting good sportsmanship in the training and exhibition of dogs competing in flyball. More information can be found by visiting the NAFA web site.

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