flyball training question

i was wondering how important you guys think backwards chaining is. DaVinci is 14 15 weeks old and we have gone to 2 classes. He does the jumps he comes with the ball he goes up to the box and takes the ball. Yet he wasn't trained in the backward chaining that the other dogs in the classes were. This class is for more advanced dogs but they were nt offering a beginers class until summer. i was wondering if what we are doing is still okay. It is winter here so I really don't want to stand outside and work on this I bring the shoot in the house but my living room isn't big enough for more than one jump and a shoot. Ant comments are welcomed.

To be honest, I would`nt be having such a youngster trying it at all yet, even at lowest height its still too much pressure on such young joints and bones and muscles, and certainly not working on releasing the ball or trying turns on the box

Thats based on me being an agility instructor, not flyball, however the physical stresses involved in jumping are the same and and I do have some knowledge on the turn side of it [ I will be teaching Flyball at my agility club at some point so have been doing a lot of research for that side of it ].

I would suggest poles on the floor, not raised at all, and throwing a ball over them as play and for no more than a minute or two at a time every few days for the time being.

It can be very difficult to be patient, believe me I know At my Agility club I don`t allow training with dogs under a year old [ lowest height jumps to start with ], except poles on the ground, flat planks, and open tunnel, and my youngest has another couple of weeks to go before she`s allowed - very tempting when I have the kit outside and she`s keen to learn but its just not worth risking injury to a young growing dog, there is plenty of time when pup is old enough to train properly and lots of other things to work on in the meantime

Thanks for the info but if you could see him play you would know that a minute or two is just not long enough. He jumps up on the hay bales and flys across them chasing the bigger dogs. I watch him closely so as to not tire him out. We are doing level one obedience but this boy wants to run. He has been fetching the ball since the day after I got him.

I can only agree with Patch, your little one still has a lot of growing to do and too much exercise especially jumping could really stress his joints and leave him at real risk of injury

It can be difficult to keep a pup amused I know but what about some hide and seek games on the level to get him using his brain rather than body-he is still really little for serious exercise. My two loved (and still do )stuffed kong toys-it keeps them going for a while trying to get the bits out and if I'm feeling really wicked I freeze them

Thats the thing - any Flyball [ or agility ] training is an addition to what typical pups already do so it adds unnecessarily to the stresses on the joints and thats where the problems start happening from `overload`, and a youngster won`t show a problem from such overload until its too late - when you have a lame adult dog

Yes pups love to run and jump but that does`nt mean its good for them and in most cases its not good at all for long term health, and really seriously needs to be curbed with mental work offered rather than physical.
Good brain work sessions will tire pup out much more than just running after a ball or tearing around
Yes, many pups love to jump over bales, my littl`un included if she had the chance [ there are lots of bales where I live because there are horses here ] - but just because she could does`nt mean she should so I don`t let her do it.

I know its hard to accept what I`m saying and I know its not what you want to hear because to you, you see a bouncy youngster who can run and jump with ease, but at such a young age every pounding from a landing could lead to a greenstick fracture or even early arthritis - seeing a two year old collie having to wear leg splints because of too much frisbee play is not nice I can tell you [ a students dog ], and she did`nt believe that would happen either - until it did....

Seriously, as an instructor, if I allowed students to do such a physical activity with a young pup, I`d expect to be sued for negligence and lack of due care along with the vet bills later on, and for any club anywhere to accept such a young pup for training, I`m quite disgusted at them to be absolutely frank


Breakaways/Travelling Tearaways Club health info for flyball dogs

I have to agree with Patch. Our 8 1/2 month old pup has done a small bit of agility which I hope to do with her in the future. So far she has done recalls over poles on the ground and the open tunnel. I have access to a full agility set as my friend is an agility instructor a mile away from us, but there is no way I would think that just because my pup loves it she should do more.

I think having fun and play at a young age is much more important than actual training.

i agree with patch hun sorry way to young for that kind of activity yes we want our dogs to have fun and learn but not at that age when it is wrose for them while growing. i have a 20wk old pup and he loves to jump ect but i have stopped him because as much as i want to do agility with him i want him safe and happy first and enjoy being with me yes i teach commands but to every day things he does now so hopingit will help when he can start to agility. please listen to patch she is great at what she does its for your pps saftey that we say these things.

Hey Sharon

Firstly welcome to the world of flyball its a fabulous sport and I'm so jealous your in America they have some fantastic teams over there

Thought maybe sharing how I train our team puppies would be helpful,

Puppies can come to us from 12weeks, however they do not do any jumpin or anywhere near the box til they are much older, handlers and puppies are put in a section that is safe away from the actual flyball training. First few months this is done with puppies only. We then ask handlers to interact with there puppies in playful way and do mini obedience practice. Its all about gettin the puppies focused on the handler and the ball, we ask them to do sits, mini stays, mini retrieves this is only for ten mins. As the puppies get more experience/older we increase the time and exercises but also start to introduce the older more advanced dogs training in tha background. Building this intial bond in such a fast and furious environment is more important than actually being able to work the box that will come later plus it makes for a fantastic flyball dog.

I know there are many ways to start out but I believe in this method for me the proof is in the racing, the second dog to run is my Skye black and white tri. The blue merle is my Asha and this was her second ever comp didn't put a paw wrong plus she's superfast holding her own in Div 2 I'm so proud of her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XySKR...eature=related

For the puppy handlers it doesn''t end with the the ten minute session, this is enough for such young dogs but the handlers have a lot more to learn. They have to join in the more advanced classes we teach you all about box work, crossovers, being a box loader, judging crosses and all about being part of the team. We also have experienced dogs that we allow novice handlers a chance of running so they know what they are in for.

Flyball is a team sport and we ensure that the foundations of being part of the team are put in place right from the first night. Dogs will all come along at there own pace but its the fun of that journey and sharing it with friends that I love the most

Please keep us updated

Well guys I guess you are all set in your ways I know my dog and I know when he has had enough I don't make him do any jumps but he goes over it then he does if he doesn't that is fine too. Davinci is in level 2 obedience class and he is only 7mos old. He is VERY focused on me. He is now to the point of heeling off leash at home.
If you worried that he will have problems when he gets older don't be the vet proclaimed him sound. He is on a good food and recieves extra raw diet food during the week. he loves to do flyball. He was never scared of the box like other older dogs in the class.
we are now taking a class in dancing and he loves it too. In fact our first class was monday night. I practised with him on tuesday morning. This morning when I up on the cd he was jumping around the entertainment center trying to get his bunnie off the top self this is his reward. He is smart and active and in good health.