Flyball Racing

Lonnie Olson

Description

Imagine four dogs, competing against each other side-by-side on two separate racing lanes. Then picture a packed crowd of spirited spectators waiting to hear "Get Your Ball" and the excited barking of the competitors at the cue to start the race. If you can envision racing lanes with four jumps, spaced ten feet apart, and a Flyball box at the end of each lane you know the thrill of Flyball Racing. The anticipation of a great race is just one of the resaons that Flyball Racing has become such a popular sport for dog enthusiasts all over the world. The enthusiasm pervades this comprehensive book that includes all of the details about this fun and friendly competition.

Flyball Racing: The Dog Sport for Everyone is the perfect guide for everyone from the novice participant to the experienced competitor. You will be taught how Flyball Racing has developed from its humble beginnings in a wood shop to a sport that, due to its large number of participants, has become a more formalized competition. You'll find out that all breeds (including mixed breeds) are eligible for play, how to train your dog for the sport, the equipment you need and the rules and regulations that direct all facets of Flyball Racing.

Other chapters include teamwork and how to build your own team, the role of the North American Flyball Association, how to get into competition and how to host a tournament. There is even a special section that breaks down the individual parts of flyball training in a performance checklist. The text of Flyball Racing is enhanced by numerous photos of competition in action that illustrate the spirit of the sport. An indispensable guide to a thrilling relay race, Flyball Racing is the ideal book to own, learn from and refer back to as you enjoy the competition.

Sujets

• Dog Racing
• Animal Sports
• Sports
• Breeds
• PETS
• Dog
• Greyhound racing
• Recreation
• Dogs

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 01 août 1997
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781620459829
• Langue: English

Extrait

Flyball Racing
The Dog Sport for Everyone
Lonnie Olson
for Karli
(U-CD, U-Agll Gelert s Karli, CKC-CDX, STD(d,s), FMCh, WETX, TT, TDI, O-VCCX, DSA)
Howell Book House
A Simon Schuster Macmillan Company 1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019
Copyright 1997 by Lonnie Olson
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. For information, address Howell Book House, 1633 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10019-6785.
MACMILLAN is a registered trademark of Macmillan, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Olson, Lonnie.
Flyball racing: the dog sport for everyone/Lonnie Olson.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-87605-630-3
1. Flyball (Dog sport) I. Title
SF425.85.F56047 1997
798.8-dc21 97-2761
CIP
Manufactured in the United States of America

9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Book Design: designLab, Seattle
Cover Design: designLab, Seattle
Photography: Lonnie Olson, Terry Ryan, Joann Thomas, Joanne Weber.
Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter One
Welcome to Flyball Racing
What is Flyball?
When Did Flyball First Appear?
Who Are the Participants?
Why Participate?
Where Are the Competitions?
How Does a Team Get Started?
Chapter Two
Equipment Needed
The Balls
Jumps
Boxes
Ball Receptacles
Mats
Backstop
Stopwatch
Camcorder
VCR
13-inch Color Television
Measuring Device
Two-way Radio Headsets
Starting Lights (Electronic Judging System)
Collar
Harness
Leashes
Miscellaneous Gear
Chapter Three
Equipment Construction
How to Build the Jumps
Lonnie s Quick and Easy Puppy Jumps
Lightweight, Portable Backstop
How to Build a Flyball Box
Chapter Four
Flyball Basics
Ball Work
Box Work
Chapter Five
The Training Regimen
Backward Chaining
Beginning at the End
Chapter Six
Additional Training
Control Exercises
Building Vocabulary
Proofing Against Distractions
Training Problems
Keenan: A Case Study
Chapter Seven
Teamwork
Passing
Timekeeping
Recordkeeping
Chapter Eight
Building a Team
Leadership Styles
Getting Organized
Team Bonding
Sportsmanship
Etiquette
Chapter Nine
Getting into Competition
The North American Flyball Association
Preparing for Competition
Ready, Set, Go!
The Race
Racing Formats
Flyball Points and Titles
Chapter Ten
Hosting a Tournament
Choose a Site
Pick a Date
Where Do You Go for Help After Your Tournament Has Been Approved?
Deciding on a Format
Inviting Spectators (or Not)
Entry Confirmation
Setting up the Course
Final Preparation
Your Laundry List
Chapter Eleven
Preparing a Future Flyball Star
Puppy Selection
Ball Play
Box Play
Exposure
Chapter Twelve
Conditioning Your Dog for Flyball Racing
Routine Maintenance
Chapter Thirteen
High-tech Flyball
Mechanical Technology
Training Technology
Electronic Technology
Computer Technology
Chapter Fourteen
Rules of Competition with NAFA
Rules for Competition
The North American Flyball Association
Becoming a NAFA Judge
Chapter Fifteen
Performance Checklist
Evaluating Performance
Glossary of Flyball Terms
About the Author
Lonnie Olson has been active in Flyball since its early days (1983). She served on the North American Flyball Association (NAFA) Board of Directors for eight years during the formative period of the organization, helping to develop and define the rules of racing as well as the bylaws of NAFA. She is a NAFA Judge and has acted as a tournament director for her team s competitions, which have been annual events for the last twelve years. She has traveled throughout North America and Japan to give seminars and camps on Flyball training. Her efforts have greatly contributed to the spread of Flyball fever around the world.
Lonnie lives in Michigan with her three Border Collies and Pembroke Welsh Corgi. When she is not pursuing some dog activity, she enjoys SCUBA diving and just about any other water sport. Most of the time, however, she is involved in dog activities. Her dogs are her family, and Lonnie devotes the same time to them that most people would devote to their children.
In 1996 Lonnie founded Dog Scouts of America . She hosts two summer camps yearly, where people can go to learn fun and functional activities with their dogs (including Flyball, of course). Lonnie has made having fun with her dogs, and helping other people have fun with their dogs, a full-time activity.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the growth of the sport of Flyball in the last decade. The players, dogs and humans, the fans and the North American Flyball Association. Special thanks to my special friend, Joanne Weber, who took many of the photographs for this book. Thanks to my team, and especially to my dogs, Karli, Wile E., Koda and Weasel, for being patient with me while I wrote the book.
I would like to dedicate this book to my dog, Karli, probably the coolest dog that ever lived, and definitely the most wonderful dog I have ever had. She reads my mind, invents her own games, and she possesses logic. Karli is multi-talented and excels at every sport she tries, and she has tried almost everything. When she is not playing Flyball, she enjoys participating in Agility, herding, sled dog racing, Frisbee catching, water rescue, backpacking and even Obedience.
For life is a game for her, and she loves to play. It was because of Karli, and dogs like her, that I founded Dog Scouts of America . Karli is the first dog to have become a Dog Scout. For everything she has given me, I am eternally grateful.
Introduction
I started writing about Flyball in 1985. I published my first book, Flyball: A Dog Sport For Everyone in 1987. This was when Flyball competition was just taking off. The sport has changed a lot in the last 12 years. So much, in fact, that an entirely new book is necessary to cover all of the updated information and new training methods.
The dogs absolutely love this sport. They get so wound up getting ready to play that they can hardly control themselves. I have found that most dogs enjoy activities where they can release their energy by running full speed, chasing, catching, fetching and jumping. They must get the equivalent of what we would call a runner s high. In addition, they get to be with all of their buddies and bark and scream wildly before the race. We handlers don t ask much of them except that they stay in their own lane before, during and after the race, and that they don t try to go until it s their turn. They show remarkable control in holding up their end of the bargain. If they didn t behave themselves, they would be left at home! If you are wondering if you and your dog would enjoy Flyball racing, I can almost guarantee that the answer is yes. The dogs think it is great fun, and the owners enjoy it because the dogs love it so much. It is also challenging for the owners to become proficient at passing and to learn strategies for maximum performance. I recommend this sport for people of all ages and dogs of every description.
One time my dog Karli and I were performing with Rock n Roll K-9s. This is an entertainment production which involves demonstrations of Flyball racing, grand prix Agility racing, Frisbee catching, pet tricks and other fun activities. I was sitting backstage between performances when Karli put her feet on the edge of my chair, and I swear she asked me, Mom, what do the other dogs in the world do? How could I tell her that there are other dogs that sit home all the time or live their lives on chains or in kennel runs. How could I make her understand that all dogs do not get a chance to do fun things like this with their owners. Some dogs are actually treated like less than lifelong companions and partners. Some owners actually give up their dogs because they don t want them any more. I didn t want to shatter her world, but I did want to let her know that she is a very special companion who gets to do all sorts of fun things with me because I loved her enough to make her a very educated dog. So I told her the truth: Not all dogs get to play Flyball, honey, just the very lucky ones whose owners love them more than anything else in the world.
This book is meant to be a guide for anyone wanting to become involved in the sport of Flyball racing. I hope that the information in this book will help people in remote areas learn about the sport and train their own dogs. The sport has grown tremendously in the past decade, and I hope to see continued growth in the years to come.
Chapter 1
Welcome to Flyball Racing
The sport of Flyball has changed dramatically over its life span of a quarter of a century. Who would have known that from its humble beginnings in someone s wood shop it would turn into the popular sport that is enjoyed by millions worldwide? With many thousands of dogs performing in sanctioned competitions and doing exhibitions for dog food company promotions, you might see Flyball at an exposition, at a dog show or on television. Flyball competition has come a long way. I have been happy to watch it grow.
What Is Flyball?
Flyball is a type of race. As a matter of fact, the word itself is often used as an adjective and it is proper to use it with another word, as in Flyball competition or Flyball training.
Flyball racing consists of teams comprised of four dogs competing against each other side by side on two separate racing lanes. The racing lanes have four jumps spaced ten feet apa