# What are the prerequisites for flyball?



## Tryin (Oct 27, 2013)

We havent done any classes and need to work on basic commands. Soul is 9 months okd, but I think she is a natural for flyball. She is Quick! She is also a natural retreiver. She's a miniature. Do I just call up the local flyball group or must I first do obedience classes? I dont want to make too many newbie mistakes.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

It may depend club to club but there's certainly no harm in calling! I would think some level of obedience is required as it is an off leash activity. At my obedience club the silver (3rd level) obedience is recommended.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would not do flyball with a puppy! It is hard on their joints (shoulders and elbows) in their front legs when they hit the box. In fact I don't do flyball even though the local team wanted Lily because she is very fast and ball driven. I don't want her to get hurt doing something that isn't high on my list of activities. Additionally I don't think flyball is terribly good at building your relationship. You are getting your dog revved up to run away from you and chase balls. I can do that in my yard and make it into meaningful retrieving.

If there is someone who does flyball who wants to make a case that I misunderstand aspects of it please do so.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

lily cd re said:


> If there is someone who does flyball who wants to make a case that I misunderstand aspects of it please do so.


Someone from the 'dog area' of Southern Ontario could maybe correct me but there's a noted flyball facility somewhere East of Hamilton. I heard that they burn thru a lot of dogs in order to create winners. Flyball is HARD on dogs. 

And definitely NOT for young dogs.


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## Tryin (Oct 27, 2013)

Thank you all for your insights. You brought up good points that I hadn't thought of. I will focus on getting some obedience training right now-limited facilities here and did not care for our last instructor. Then, we will go from there. Maybe see about doing some therapy work instead.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

If you can try out Rally it is a lot of fun for both of you.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree with SpindleDreams about rally. It is lots of fun, builds your relationship with your dog and you can do basics on your own even without a class or signs as long as you have a set of descriptions of the signs and a couple of cones and a few other items. There is also nothing in rally that is seriously risky of injury to the dog (even a puppy). Lily, Peeves and Javelin are all maximum height jumpers for rally (a whopping 16") that all of them could just step over if they wanted to.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I would love to hear if others have done flyball with their Poodle. The other day, Maizie was running back and forth through the house with a ball, jumping over Fiona. Not exactly flyball, but maybe there is some aptitude there? She was having a blast.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Primarily for those SillySighthounds. but some Poodles in here have done Lure Coursing. Here's how they do it in Iceland. Thanks Winnow! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIzTikCFPC4&feature=youtu.be


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I want to do fly all with Branna but after hearing this it makes me think it's not such a good idea. I guess it doesn't matter because we don't have any thing of that sort around us. It was hard enough to get an agility class here. I was going to do lure coursing with Killa but I was worried about the other dogs. I know she looks an awful lot like a bunny and I wouldn't want to risk one of those sight hounds getting loose and turning her into the lure. I looked into getting a small set up for around our yard or park but they are quite pricy! Then her leg got hurt and that was the end of that dream.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

At one time I was interested in flyball but it is too intense and over too quickly, plus I don't know if it is good for the dog's joints.

I am interested in lure coursing, but only if the dogs go one at a time. The place where I go for dog training is going to have lure training in back of their facility next year. I may look into that.

When I use the flirt pole with Dakota and he gots APE $HIT for that bit of material at the end of the pole, I think of it as lure training.


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