First Flyball Session

Wow! Those dogs are a bit demented! That was my first thought! I opened the outer door and was met by a wall of noise and since i'd taken Jessie who is very sensitive and timid, I thought about walking back out again but I gave her a chance and we took the class.

Anyway, she did much better than I thought. On the second lot of runs we did she was running ahead of me over the jumps (on lead) and even touched the springy board to get the ball! I even managed to get her to run back over the jumps with the ball in her mouth.

The thing I did notice is that the dogs seem to get wound up so much that it had a detriment effect. Some handlers were revving their dogs up by alot of manhandling and a couple of the dogs were biting the owners hands because they were too geared up to retain any self control. Surely this isnt something ever to be strived for? One middle aged couple next to me had a young collie bitch who was getting totally wired and they could hardly control it whilst sitting on the sidelines. The chap kept belting this dog across it's head and using alot of force on it's spine to push it into a down. Now, the noise was deafening in there but I did keep hearing one young chap bellowing at his dog to behave.

To me, these people are expecting alot from their dogs. Whilst they are sitting waiting for their turn they want their dogs to be calm and quiet whilst they watch other dogs running up and down in front of them. Then, when it's their turn they want their dogs to be hyper and geared up.

Fortunately, Jessie lay very quiet and seemed a bit overwhelmed although she did enjoy her turns. She isnt the type of dog who will ever be hyped up to the extent the other dogs were and TBH, I would stop before it got to that point so I dont think I have anything to worry about. But I just sat there watching alot of dogs being treated very badly by their owners and being pushed and pulled about far too much. The young collie bitch who kept getting belted over the head veered towards the audience and sat with them each time she had her turn. I dont think i'd want to go back to that particular owner neither!

The trainer did remark that I should praise Jessie more for what she'd achieved. I think he was exepcting me to rough her up a bit in a friendly type of way (you know, slap the dog hard on it's sides, rough it's ears up and down etc) but I cant do that with Jessie, she would think I was beating her up and I explained that to him. It never seemed to enter his head that my dog could be a rescue who may have been treated badly in the past (which is the case) so needs a gentler approach.

Anyhow, i'm going back next week to see how Jessie progresses and if nothing else. it's an eye opener!

Which one did you go to?

When I went to look at Flyball I went to the one in Selston at an equestrian centre - they didn't have many dogs when I went the couple of weeks (once to watch, once to try) there was noise from a few dogs and they didn't gear them up too much, just a ready and they took it ever so slow with Sadie - she was scared of the noise of the box.

Try that one if you're not happy with the one your at now..

I went for a few weeks with Rupert when he first came. Stopped as I didnt like the trainers, and I wasnt happy at someone else grabbing my dog by the ears!

It's one in Hucknall and they are pay as you go sessions at only £2.50 which suits me better. I did look at the Selston one when you mentioned it on here before but it's too far out TBH. I dont want to do it seriously, just want Jessie to have something to do.

Ahhh, this one is £1.50 a week but they prefer you to pay for the month so it's £6 a month.

I see what you mean about being far out...but I suppose if you don't want to do it seriously - like I didn't, then the one in Hucknall will be alright, I just thought with Jessie she'd be better with a quieter class to go to.

Treating dogs like that (slapping them on the sides etc) would have you disqualified from any BFA (British Flyball Association) event! If you would like any advice on flyball taught the correct way just let me know, I'll be happy to advise or point you in the right direction

I know what you mean, my club was no where near as bad as the one you've described, but I stopped going in the end for a few of the same reasons.

Isla loved it, but I did feel they were trying to get us to run before we could walk due to us being the only beginners there. The fences were taken down too early which resulted in Isla learning that she didn't actually have to go over the jumps so I felt I spent the whole time teaching her how to fail. The dogs were also very noisy (not great for someone like me who is hard of hearing) and Isla was attacked more often than not in between runs. The final straw was trying to force Oscar on to the box.

Are you going to continue going then? I'd love to try agility, but have serious doubts as to whether it'd be any different in terms of atmosphere!

Oh no Ripnorterthe2nd that sounds like an awful flyball training club Just like with obedience, there are good and bad flyball clubs. My dog trained for 2 years before the fences were taken down! And he didnt even go on the box for 18 months. Box training takes a long time to get it right. None of it should be rushed! You were right not to go back.

Ive not tried flyball but the atmosphere at the agility classes in my experience are completely different you get a couple of dogs that bark but most wait for their turn quietly so you can have a conversation easily for example.
Flyball sounds fun though for the right dog.

Sounds horrendous!!!