Question:  My dog doesn't like tennis balls.  Does that mean flyball isn't the sport for him?

Answer:  Not necessarily, but you will have to be a better trainer than the person whose dog has a natural affinity for this.  Try making him like the ball better by cutting a it open, stuffing it with treats, and making him bring it to you to get the treats out.

Question:  Do I need a border collie to be successful in this sport?

Answer:  Sure, border collies tend to be good at this sport.  However, we do get 25pt runs without a single border collie on the squad.  Running smart (passing well) is just as important as running fast.  There's no reason you can't be successful in flyball with just about any breed (or mixed breed) of dog.

Question:  Isn't flyball hard on the dogs?

Answer:  

1.  There's a right way and a wrong way to do any sport.  Some sports (like agility) are more self-monitoring.  In agility, the dog will not qualify if it doesn't run all the way down the dogwalk or a-frame.  It's not safe for the dog to jump off early, so motivation was built into the sport to encourage owners to train their dogs to run safely.  Flyball's a little more tricky.  It's virtually impossible for NAFA to monitor a safe vs unsafe turn on the box.  So the responsibility lies directly with the dog's owner and team to make sure the dog's not triggering the box with one paw, or slamming so hard onto it that it's joints eventually suffer.  ExcaliFUR is dedicated to making sure each dog is running safely.  We also believe that adequate practice to build up strength and endurance before entering the dog in a tournament is essential.

2.  A dog very active in flyball is a true athlete.  You're going to have to take care of him like he's an athlete - keep him in shape, help him stretch out beforehand, and cool him down afterwards.  An overweight flyball dog is in accident waiting to happen.  Regular veterinary care is important - several of our members are believers in canine massage and chiropractics.  In addition, your dog should have a strong build to start out with.  Poor angulation, for example, can put your dog at much higher risk for ACL injuries.  ExcaliFUR will never run a dog if there's any question whatsoever if he's fit or not.