What is flyball?
Flyball is a ball game in which a dog jumps over 4 obstacles towards a ball machine. There he makes a ball bounce out with his paw and brings that ball to his master..

How high are the scones?
The minimum height is 17,5 cm, the maximum heigt is 35 cm, depending on the shoulder height of the dog minus 10 cm (In 2009 that will be minus 12,5 cm). The race is run on the scone height of the smallest participating dog of the team. In other words, the smallest dog in the team sets the scone height for the whole team.

Team?
A team consists in 6 dogs, including 4 basis-dogs and 2 substitute-dogs. These dogs can be switched throughout the tournament for practical or strategic reasons. Apart from the dogs each team consists of a coach, if desired an assistant and a person who loads the ball machine.

Flyball regulations?
Ask your coach for the full rule book, drawn up by BFB (Belgian Flyball Federation). The coach will automatically provide you with a copy when you are almost at competition level.

The rules of the game?
A race consists in 3 (best of three) or 5 (best of five) runs, depending on the organisation. A run is when the four dogs all bring a ball back faultless to their master. In “Round Robin” (usually in the morning) every run is raced against another team. The score (obtained points or best time) determines which team your team will race in the “double elemination” (in the afternoon). There the winner of the races moves up every time. When your team loses twice it is out of the race.

During a race the following people are present: one chief-referee, two writers, two members of the jury and two people who handle the electronic adjudication system (E.J.S.). The electronic adjudication system can indicate the winner to 1/100 of a second. The system also points out mistakes by means of coloured light bulbs. (a false start, a changeover that happens too early, dog returns without ball, dogs runs besides the scones...

Flyball may seem very simple but in teamwork every second counts: we take a flying start, the dog cross one another exactly on the mark “nose to nose”, ... These things require a lot of concentration, timing, technique, condition, teamwork,...

Help, my dog is obsessed with flyball!
A real flyball-dog enters the field bubbling over with enthusiasm: barking, jumping, ... he loves the play. Do you now think you will always be stuck with a tearaway like that? Do not worry, obedience and flyball are compatible! Teach your dog to make a difference between the class and the game, just like a child in school learns to distinguish the mathematic class and playtime. Keep working on obedience: this is indispensable for every dog and every discipline.