OSoSwift Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Rommi and I have just - today- been introduced to the world of flyball. Rommi loves chasing tennis balls and knows how to put her feet on something if asked. I am after any tips and tricks to help us be the best flyballers we can be. I am also going to have to teach her to put a reasonable amount of power into her feet to get the machine to activate, but I guess in time as she goes faster that will happen naturally. Can't wait to get all the suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJack Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Rommi and I have just - today- been introduced to the world of flyball. Rommi loves chasing tennis balls and knows how to put her feet on something if asked. I am after any tips and tricks to help us be the best flyballers we can be.I am also going to have to teach her to put a reasonable amount of power into her feet to get the machine to activate, but I guess in time as she goes faster that will happen naturally. Can't wait to get all the suggestions gosh, I have only just seen this thread and I can't believe there have been no answers. I hope you've found some help in the meantime. Best thing is to join a club so you can get some experienced help. Getting Rommi to trigger the box won't be hard if you make sure you take the time to teach a proper swimmers turn over a box jump. Chasing a tennis ball isn't really what you want to encourage as it makes the dog more interested in chasing the moving ball rather than getting the static ball in the box. The motivation should be bringing the ball back for the bigger reward of the motivator toy or food or whatever Rommi works for. Best advice that I wish I had been given, don't be tempted to rush into racing. take your time and proof against distraction. Break the whole thing down and back chain it and don't rush ahead until you are solid on each little step. eg recall over one jump, then two, then three etc. Separate task, lure onto the box over a box jump, then shape it till you fade the lure, then add a little distance (one footstep length at a time.) Then when the dog is really driving onto the box (this is important, don't do it before) then send to the box and return over one jump. Slowly add distance till returning over more than one jump, remember you've already backchained the recall over the jumps so the dog will realise they already know that bit. Build it up till you can send over one jump and return over a jump and so on. Every time you come out to training, go back down to a smaller step (just a box turn, no jumps etc) and build up to where you left off last time. After you've got the dog running the full course, then introduce the ball. After that, then introduce distraction, other dogs, noise, cheering. Whatever distraction you do at training will be nowhere near as distraction and overstimulating as their first comp. Its hard to train by reading what someone writes, you really need to be shown in person so find a good club and ask lots of questions. Good luck Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Sorry Rommi, i didnt see this either! Have you started anything yet? I definately agree with tigerjack, dont rush into racing, make sure you are confident in them before you go in the ring Also start sending her to a stationary ball, alot of dogs who love to chase a ball arent so interested when the ball is sitting still in the box! Put the ball out, hold her back from it and really rev her up to go run and get it and bring it back to you Flyball is learnt in heaps of small steps, everything seperate, a jump at a time, box work, to get them turning with all 4 feet on the box, then you gradually add it all together Good luck! Flyball is fun!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Oh thank you so much for the reply's I have been teaching things seperately (I clicker train anyway so I break my lessons down and back chain) I have been sending her to a piece of black rubber for a treat and just started sending her to a ball on the mat. I have been teaching her the beginnings of a swimmers turn on the rubber matt. I also have a tug toy to encourage her to return to me after getting the tennis ball instead of galivanting off around for a little counrtyside tour. I have sent her to a treat on the mat then back over one small jump, I have sent her over a small jump to a treat then back over a small jump. I am trying really hard to establish the correct turn so will keep working on that with a few more tips under my belt to help keep her turning. I have already figured out her preferd direction to turn. It is quite easy to really gear her up, so she bolts happily to the ball, but is a bit slow coming back hence the tug toy. Oh and I have removed all tennis balls so she only gets one when training as one of her favourite things is to chase a thrown tennis ball. I haven't trained as much as I would have liked lately - busy time of year for the cattle - but am aiming to get stuck back in when calving is winding up. I think with patience and making sure our foundation is good we should have fun. We only have one club down here and they don't have much experience, but are willing to help me and lend me a box when I need one. I don't think we have comps in WA, I am just doing it for fun really, but I like to do things well and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Excellent work, sounds like you are doing all the right things As for no comps in WA, you'll just have to move wont you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I can't belive you have a flyball club in Esperance and there's not one in Perth . I wish it would get up and running here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 The Esperance dog club was affiliated but now the dogs that were running have all retired or are too old, so the affiliation has lapsed. There was a club in Perth, the K9 Flyers, but I believe it folded quite a few years ago now. Esperance has enough equipment for two "runs" side by side, everything is within regulation, equipment etc. Shoemonster - I hope I am doing the right thing, it is a bit hard to know when you are flying blind, I have done lots of reading and tried to make sure that I break it down to small enough steps. I just don't know if I am teaching things in the right order, the previous posts have helped me out heaps though, so I am establishing an amended training plan! I am hoping to train down at the grounds and by doing so get some more people interested and get a couple or more of teams running again. We have many dogs that have the drive and ability, but I guess people will want some training direction so if I have tried first then at least I might be able to help them out. Luckily I don't need to rely on others to keep me motivated! Oh and I really do have too many animals to consider moving any time soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 The Esperance dog club was affiliated but now the dogs that were running have all retired or are too old, so the affiliation has lapsed. There was a club in Perth, the K9 Flyers, but I believe it folded quite a few years ago now.Esperance has enough equipment for two "runs" side by side, everything is within regulation, equipment etc. Yes Esperance had quite a nice set up when I went there, such a pity WA is to far too actually compete in comps! They had/have some nice really fast dogs too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi, I never got to meet you inperson which is a real shame, and now you have run away east again !. They have no-one doing flyball at all at the moment except me, and I am ever so new! I wish you were still here to give me some pointers! Such is life - hope you and the boys are going well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi,I never got to meet you inperson which is a real shame, and now you have run away east again !. They have no-one doing flyball at all at the moment except me, and I am ever so new! I wish you were still here to give me some pointers! Such is life - hope you and the boys are going well. Yeah I know I went I think twice, but then just couldn't be stuffed driving that far and they were trying to wrangle me into actually taking the class! I reckon you really should just move over East, then you can do all the dog sports you desire and compete in them without having to travel 7 odd hours Such a pity I didn't get to meet Rommi, I would love to see a Whippet doing flyball one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Yes they are good at that! I was approached mant times and my standard answer was - No thank you Im am here to socialise and train my dog thank you. A 400km round trip is a pretty good reason not to go to often! Well in my book anyway - far enough to go for a trial The best travel I think we have ever done is leave after work friday, travel 750kms, arrive early ours of the morning, eventually collapse into bed, up around 4 hours later, trial two days in a row, then back in the car 750kms home, collapse into bed early hours of the morning. Get up and off to work. Be jealous of the dog all day because they get to sleep and you don't! Ah the fun of living a good drive from anywhere! If you come back over for a visit let me know. Oh did you ever end up getting the dog runs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 The best travel I think we have ever done is leave after work friday, travel 750kms, arrive early ours of the morning, eventually collapse into bed, up around 4 hours later, trial two days in a row, then back in the car 750kms home, collapse into bed early hours of the morning. Get up and off to work. Be jealous of the dog all day because they get to sleep and you don't!Ah the fun of living a good drive from anywhere! If you come back over for a visit let me know. Oh did you ever end up getting the dog runs? Ahh stuff that!! :D I would have been exhausted! Shall do and vice versa, you are always welcome here Nah, had a local come out and build a mini run sort of thing so they were mainly inside but had a little outdoor toilet area, wasn't perfect but it worked So glad not to have to worry about snakes for awhile.....at least not in the same sense as walking out the door and tripping over a lovely Brown!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigtig Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Hi Rommimum, I've been reading through some oldish posts to save asking questions that have probably already been answered, thanks for asking the questions I would have asked (looked at your post on making a turning board too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 No worries, glad to be of help! Have a great time training flyball and many other things. We have been a bit slack of late, need to get back into it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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