K.K.U.S.H. – SECTION 5 C
COURSE INSTRUCTOR FLYBALL
Author: Edwin Vinken
Version 12 – 01.01.21

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL

1. What is Flyball
2. History
   2.1 North America
   2.2 Europe
   2.3 FCI
3. Regulations
   3.1 Knowledge of the regulations
   3.2 The jury
   3.3 Flyball ethical code
4. Competition requirements
5. Organization of a training
6. Composing a team
7. Ball loaders
8. Age
9. Training goals
10. Competition formats

TRAINING THEORY

1. Training principles
   1.1 Supercompensation
   1.2 Specificity
   1.3 Principle of diminishing returns
   1.4 Individuality
   1.5 Overload
   1.6 Continuity & Progressivity
   1.7 Variation
   1.8 Cyclical organization
   1.9 Reversibility
   1.10 Energy systems
   1.11 Muscle fiber types
2. Training forms
   2.1 Technique training
   2.2 Endurance training
   2.3 Resistance and speed training
   2.4 Strength training
   2.5 Specific vs. Non-specific & Periodization
   2.6 Overdistance vs. Underdistance
3. Planning
   3.1 General
   3.2 Macrocycle
   3.3 Microcycle
   3.4 Example planning cycle for conditioning training

TRAINING TECHNIQUE

1. General
   1.1 Motivator
   1.2 Swimmer’s turn
   1.3 Playful
   1.4 Positive
2. Training components
   2.1 Warm-up and Cooling Down
   2.2 Play
   2.3 Socialization
   2.4 Jump training and Coordination
   2.5 Basic training
   2.6 Recalls
   2.7 Jump training
   2.8 Ball drive
   2.9 Changeover training
   2.10 Box training
   2.11 Re-running
   2.12 Striding
3. Box training
   3.1 General
   3.2 Determining turning side
   3.3 Chute (or Shoot)
   3.4 Chute to Box
   3.5 Aids
   3.6 Retraining

GENERAL

1. WHAT IS FLYBALL

Flyball is a dog sport where a relay race is run in teams. Two teams of four handlers and as many dogs compete against a similar team to complete the course flawlessly one after the other. The course is 31.10 meters from start to finish. It consists of four hurdles that must be taken back and forth and a flyball box from which a ball must be caught and brought back over the finish line. When the first dog crosses the finish line, the next may start. The jump height is determined by the smallest dog actually running in the team.

This is a very brief explanation according to the standard rules, but fortunately, flyball is much more than that. It is a particularly fun dog sport, mainly performed in teams, where the dogs are pushed to their energetic limits. It is an ideal outlet for hyperactive dogs but also a fun hobby for calmer dogs.

Because this sport is performed in teams, the discipline has many extra advantages compared to individual dog sports. Team spirit, group feeling, and the challenge of letting eight dogs race across the field at full speed at the same time create a special atmosphere that is both very exciting and very friendly. For the audience, the sport can be very attractive because two teams compete against each other at the same time, and the result of each race is immediately clear.

Besides fun and top speed, safety is the third spearhead around which the sport of flyball is built. The dogs and handlers must always be trained and guided so that any chance of injury is minimized at all times.

History

North America

The first traces of Flyball in international dog sports can be found in Southern California, where, at the end of the 1960s, some enthusiastic dog trainers created a variant of the Canadian ‘Scent Hurdle Races.’ At the end of the track, someone was placed to throw a ball to the dogs after the fourth jump. It quickly led to the construction of a device that launched tennis balls, and thus Flyball was born. It is generally accepted that Herbert Wagner is the inventor of the sport. He gave a demonstration during ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson, the predecessor of Jay Leno, thereby introducing the new sport to the general public for the first time.

Gradually, the sport developed mainly in the California region and in Canada around the Great Lakes. Initially, demonstrations were organized at dog shows of the CKC and AKC, but the first real Flyball tournament was held in December 1981 at the Credit Valley Dog Show (Toronto, CA), after which the need for an overarching federation quickly became apparent. Twelve clubs in the northeast of America joined forces and founded the ‘North American Flyball Association, Inc. (NAFA®)’ in November 1984. This marked the start of steady growth throughout North America. Twenty years later, there were more than 400 active clubs and 6,500 dogs affiliated with NAFA. Mike Randall became the first NAFA director and wrote the first official flyball rules in 1985. The first official NAFA head judge was Dave Samuels. In 1985, the first NAFA tournament was organized in Swansea. The first world record recognized by NAFA was set by Canine Express Michigan at 24.49 seconds.

Initially, Flyball boxes were devices with a spoon mechanism, where the dog pressed a pedal and the ball was catapulted into the air. Until a few years ago, competitions with these old boxes could still be found in England (Crufts) and even now in the Netherlands. In the 1990s, most countries realized that safer and especially faster boxes could be made, and after some rule changes, the boxes evolved into cabinets from which the ball was shot forward and where the entire front panel functioned as a pedal.

Also in the early years, Flyball was run without an electronic judging system (EJS), where line judges on the side judged whether the changeovers were correct and signaled errors with flags. Initially, the minimum jump height was 10” (25.4 cm), and nothing was subtracted from the withers height to determine the jump height.

For 20 years, NAFA was the most important and leading organization for Flyball in the world. In many other countries, the sport developed according to the American model, and everywhere the rules of the American parent organization were adopted. This is also why all European rules are written in American length measurements. NAFA systematically grew, and given the large distances, North America was divided into 21 regions, each with its own Board of Directors and Regional Championships. Rules always had to be approved by a general national board, which made NAFA a rather cumbersome structure, but also gave local referees a lot of freedom regionally.

Shortly after the millennium, during a tournament in the Las Vegas area, the rivalry between two top teams flared up. An incident regarding the measurement of a dog by a referee from a competing team led to one of the NAFA top teams, Touch ‘N’ Go, definitively breaking away and founding the new Flyball federation U-Fli in November 2004. Touch ‘N’ Go wrote a completely new set of rules and quickly addressed some hot topics within Flyball. Important changes that U-Fli implemented in the short term were:

• Measurement: Instead of the withers height, which can always be subjectively determined, it was decided to measure the lower leg of the dog. The length of the leg between elbow and wrist is objectively measurable and can be converted to a jump height using tables. Suddenly, much lower jump heights than NAFA were targeted. Dogs that had to jump a certain height at NAFA sometimes saw their jump height reduced by two to three inches at U-Fli.
• Singles and Pairs: In addition to the classic runs with four dogs, U-Fli also created single races and duo races, which were enthusiastically received.
• Pick-up Teams: U-Fli immediately offered the opportunity to register mixed teams and assemble them on the day itself. This had long been requested at NAFA but was never approved by the Board of Directors.

Barely four years later, almost half of the tournaments in America were organized under U-Fli rules, and especially the differences in jump height seemed to attract more and more teams to U-Fli. For now, most teams run under both federations, but NAFA undeniably felt the hot breath of U-Fli on their neck.

NAFA launched a counteroffensive with some rule changes in the direction of U-Fli. The maximum jump height was reduced from 16” to 14” from 2007, while at U-Fli it had always been 12”. In 2008, it was decided to subtract 5” from the withers height instead of the original 4”. Currently, two major federations organize flyball in North America. Both the American and Canadian kennel clubs currently only recognize NAFA as an official partner in flyball.

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Europe

After the rush in the 1980s in North America, the new sport first trickled into Great Britain, where in the south some teams began experimenting in clubs affiliated with the Kennel Club at the end of the eighties. The first time a flyball demonstration was held at Crufts dates back to 1990. Flyball teams developed here and there, and Anton Witthers and Ken Hickman broke away from the KC in 1994 and formed the ‘British Flyball Association’ (BFA). The first so-called BFA-sanctioned tournament was held from May 20 to 21, 1994, in Hatfield. By the end of that year in Ardingly, we already saw several teams with strong times, such as The Wasps, who clocked a sharp 18.41. But historically, it was the UK Jets of Anton Witthers himself who made the biggest strides. They introduced the first curved boomerang boxes, which quickly spread throughout Great Britain. On March 30, 1997, these Jets ran a time of 16.75 in Maidstone, a time that would be considered the unofficial European record for over ten years.

Unfortunately, disagreements arose between the British Flyball Association and the English Kennel Club, which drew up its own rules. Until 2009, a flyball competition was still organized at the annual Crufts in Birmingham under Kennel Club rules, using the old spoon boxes. From 2010, competitions are held with the normal boxes, but there remain significant differences between the normal rules and Crufts Flyball. To qualify for the Crufts Flyball final, eight tournaments are organized annually in the United Kingdom. Important differences at Crufts are that the jump height is always set at 12” regardless of the size of the dogs, at least one ABC dog must participate, and the run-out zone is considerably shorter. Since 2013, an EJS has also been used at Crufts, and the level rises year after year.

Following the American U-Fli, in 2017 a large number of teams in Great Britain also broke away and formed the UK Flyball League (UKFL). Here too, we saw a very rapid spread throughout the United Kingdom, and lately UKFL has overtaken the BFA. The English Kennel Club, mainly with a view to organizing Crufts, has set up a Flyball working group with representatives from both BFA and UKFL. They thus recognize both federations.

In the early 1990s, Belgium was the first country on the European mainland to start with flyball. Some enthusiasts began experimenting with different types of devices and solid wooden jumps. Initially, as in all countries, some teams gave demonstrations at dog shows to introduce the new discipline to the public. The pioneering era ended when they sought advice from the BFA in Great Britain and gladly accepted the help of Witthers and Hickman. The big breakthrough came when the BFA cooperated in a large-scale demonstration in the main ring of the Eurodogshow in Kortrijk in 1995. For the first time, there was a real Electronic Judging System in Belgium, and all teams did flyball on new international boomerang boxes. Flyball began to grow steadily, and from a working group of various clubs, the ‘Belgian Flyball Belge’ (B.F.B.) emerged, which would direct the Belgian and European flyball world in the coming years. This organization drew up Belgian rules and took on the task of supporting beginner teams, coordinating competitions, and training referees. Meanwhile, some handy people cobbled together an EJS and international boxes, so that after a few years, the B.F.B. was already close to the level of its British counterpart.

Initially, Hondenschool Sloeber from Kontich was the main driver of Belgian flyball, but soon clubs like Belgian Border Collie Club, Hondenschool Ter Dries, Herleving Geraardsbergen, and KV Brabo joined. From 2001, a Supercup competition was organized, which steadily raised the competition level.

This went well for a few years until some confrontations arose between people within the B.F.B. competition and bodies of the KKUSH. Although all clubs where flyball developed were affiliated with the ‘Koninklijke Kynologische Unie Sint Hubertus’ (KKUSH), the ‘Belgian Flyball Belge’ refused to adapt their rules to those of the KKUSH, leading to repeated incidents. KKUSH set up Section 5 in 2001 to support developing disciplines, increasing control over Belgian Flyball within clubs affiliated with KKUSH. After repeated warnings from Section 5 and the Association of Delegates (VDA), in 2005, KKUSH clubs were ultimately banned from participating in organizations supported by the B.F.B.

Gradually, the KKUSH clubs withdrew, and on May 21, 2006, the Hasseltse Hondenvrienden organized the first Belgian flyball tournament without B.F.B. support. There were no rules or Electronic Judging System yet. In the Netherlands, there was already an official competition under Cynophylia, in which Belgian KKUSH clubs could participate. Thus, KV Brabo and Dogs@work went to Amsterdam for a Dutch tournament on September 3, 2006. KV Brabo then organized the first official tournament with EJS and under KKUSH organizational rules on October 1, 2006.

Section 5 appointed a new flyball subcommittee to build a new flyball competition according to KKUSH rules. A new working group was soon set up, and thanks to the help of the Dutch Flyball working group, an international box was quickly launched, and after just a year, a new competition was started under the Section 5 flag. In the first year, more and more clubs joined the new competition, and in 2007, a full-fledged flyball competition under Section 5 became a reality. The first flyball rules under KKUSH were officially approved by the meeting of the cynological council on March 10, 2007. The Flyball subcommittee, appointed by Section 5, managed the competition for several years, and in February 2011, a full board of the newly established flyball section 5C was finally appointed. This first official board consisted of Hans Verbist (chairman), Edwin Vinken (secretary), and Françoise Winnepenninckx (deputy secretary).

At the end of 2019, there was renewed rapprochement between KKUSH and BFB, and after a year of negotiations, BFB decided to join KKUSH and henceforth run under FCI rules. Since then, there are two equivalent circuits under KKUSH, in which all affiliated clubs can participate. For traditional KKUSH competitions, a separate ranking, the Challenge of the VdA, is currently drawn up, and for traditional BFB competitions, there is still a Supercup ranking. In the long term, there is hope to structure both rankings together to organize one large flyball competition under the KKUSH flag.

Meanwhile, flyball has developed in various other countries around the world. In the Netherlands, there was great enthusiasm for the spoon box competition in the 1990s. To this day, a relatively large competition is held on the so-called ‘Dutch box.’ Parallel to this competition, an ‘International box’ rule was launched a few years ago, which is gradually gaining interest.

From Germany, some teams have participated in the Belgian competition since 2002, especially the Quickstep teams from V.E.A. Borken. Under the impetus of Günther Frechen, a solid competition was started in Germany. The NRW Flyball Cup was first organized in 2002, and in 2008, 14 flyball competitions were already held in Germany. Most of these competitions are organized by clubs recognized by the VDH, and the official flyball rules from Germany are also issued and recognized by the VDH. At the end of 2022, the fastest German time was held by Flyball Junkies with 15.26. Since Corona, however, many teams have disappeared in Germany, and the competition has shrunk considerably.

In France, the development of flyball remained stagnant for a long time, but in 2004, the French SCC set up several working groups to promote developing disciplines, including Flyball. This working group adapted the international rules to the needs of the French, changing some dimensions and criteria for the equipment. Since 2006, a Grand Prix de Flyball has been organized annually in France, fully recognized by the SCC. Nevertheless, the level of the French competition remains relatively low compared to other countries. The current French record is still at 17.01.

As in other dog sports, Eastern Europe has made a huge catch-up in the last ten years. Competitions in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have become very strong, and their top teams are now among the world’s best. In Poland, Unleashed was initially the only team, but they set the then European record at 16.07 in 2014. In recent years, new strong teams have regularly emerged in Poland. The first team of Fractal currently holds a strong record of 14.82.

Flyball in the Czech Republic is particularly well structured. The Czech Flyball Club has a very strong organization and is technically ahead of other countries. Teams like Hop Trop have been participating in European competitions for 20 years, and in recent years, absolute top teams have emerged. Flyvaryors surprised everyone in 2022 with a 14.89 time, which has since been improved to 14.79.

In Hungary, there are traditionally always some strong teams, but unlike the Czech Republic, the structure there is lacking. Handlers frequently switch teams, and the stability of the national combination is subpar. Nevertheless, they always manage to have some strong teams. Currently, the Akela Runners are the best team with a record of 14.85.

Further in Europe, traces of flyball can also be found in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Finland, and Norway. Outside Europe and the United States, Flyball is also practiced in Australia, Japan, and South Africa. In Australia, about 100 flyball teams regularly compete against each other. The ‘Australian Flyball Association’ (AFA) has based its rules on the American NAFA. The Norwest Thunderdogs currently stand out above the rest and improved the Australian record in 2022 to 15.98. However, the AFA is not recognized by the Australian kennel club. In South Africa, the national record was improved by FBI Bulletproof to 17.09 in 2022.

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FCI

Due to the ever-growing success of flyball, the Fédération Canine Internationale (F.C.I.), to which KKUSH is affiliated, decided in 2013 to set up an F.C.I. flyball commission. The first meeting of this commission took place on March 16, 2014, in Brussels, with representatives from six different countries. Meanwhile, representatives from eleven countries are already on the commission, and on November 13, 2015, in Zagreb, the F.C.I. general committee approved the very first official international flyball regulations.

In 2018, the first FCI World Cup Flyball was organized on August 18 and 19 in Gravelines (France), with teams from ten different countries, including Russia and the United States. The American team ‘Fur Fun’ won the first World Cup and set the FCI world record at 15.44.

In 2022, the non-profit Flyballdogs, in collaboration with Section 5C, organized the second Flyball Open World Cup. In the aftermath of Corona, unfortunately, all overseas teams had to withdraw, but ultimately more than 70 top teams participated. The fact that the British indoor teams also came to compete added an extra dimension to the tournament, which was eventually won by the Limburg team RoadRunners BeepBeep. That same BeepBeep team had earlier that year also won the Crufts final and set the fastest outdoor time in the world in 2022 with 14.27.

Regulations

Knowledge of the Regulations

Although knowledge of the regulations is primarily a matter for judges, it is of course important that as an instructor you master the basic rules well and can convey them to your handlers in a thorough and positive manner. The complete regulations can be found at www.kkush.be. It is essential that a coach realizes that the referee is the highest authority during the competition, and that you should never argue with them during the event. This principle should also be communicated to team members.

The Jury

The jury during a race consists of five people. The referee is the highest judging authority and always makes the final decision. He is assisted by two line judges and two box judges, who are not officially appointed and therefore only have an advisory role to the referee.

Nevertheless, outsiders must treat all staff within the ring, including the line and box judges and especially the referee, with the necessary respect. Decisions are made only by the referee, while the line and box judges have a purely advisory function.

Flyball Ethical Code

One of the objectives of flyball is to promote cooperation and sportsmanship in training and during demonstrations with dogs. Cooperation and sportsmanship should not only be passively applied but must be a way of life in both training and competition. Participants must always remain courteous and friendly and never behave in a way that could bring Flyball into disrepute. Participants should never express dissatisfaction towards a dog, judge, participant, or spectator, inside or outside the ring.

Training sessions, demonstrations, and competitions must always be conducted in the best interests of the dogs and of Flyball. Abuse or harsh punishment of a dog is not in the interest of Flyball and must always be condemned.

Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, rude or coarse language, excessive display of dissatisfaction with the jury’s decision, inhumane treatment of the dog, being a poor loser, deliberately breaking the rules to gain an unsportsmanlike advantage, or any other behavior that could cause spectators to develop a negative opinion of flyball.

Participants must be aware of the regulations and the ethical code and behave accordingly. Any club recognized for flyball may submit a protest to Section 5 C or directly to the VdA against individuals, another club, or a judge. This protest must be submitted officially after the competition.

Flyball officials of a club, team coaches, and judges must promote this Ethical Code to fellow flyballers and serve as role models in this regard.

Competition Requirements

Club:
Before participating, you must join a club recognized by K.K.U.S.H. The secretary of each club can provide more information about the recognition modalities. It is a misconception that this club must also be affiliated with Section 5 C. This affiliation is only necessary if you wish to organize a competition. Any member affiliated with a club of K.K.U.S.H. or a foreign club affiliated with a kennel club of the F.C.I. may participate in flyball competitions.

Team:
Each club registers one or more teams with the Section 5 C secretariat.

Dog:
For each dog wishing to participate in a flyball team, a registration form must also be completed and signed by the owner of the dog.

Start Number:
After this, a start number is assigned. This number indicates for which recognized club of K.K.U.S.H. the dog participates in the competition. Transfers can be made freely in February and July, provided written notification by the owner of the dog to the secretariat. Outside this period, a transfer is only possible with a written mutual agreement between both clubs, and provided this request is submitted to the Flyball secretariat at least one month before the next competition in which you wish to participate.

Minimum Age:
Any dog wishing to participate in a flyball competition must be at least 18 months old on the day of the competition.

Organization of a Training

Preparation of a Training

Before you go onto the field, there are a number of important things you should ask yourself:

• Who are we going to train? Beginners, advanced, competitors, top team
• What are we going to train? Technique, fitness
• How are we going to train this?

You should always prepare each training session in writing in a thorough manner:

• Training goal(s)
• Training form(s)
• Methodical structure

Always make sure as a coach that you arrive well in advance so that all necessary materials are present and set up. This does not mean you have to do this yourself every time. With good communication with the team members, you can agree, for example, to always arrive fifteen minutes early to set everything up. Don’t forget to provide water for the dogs among the materials.

The team members will undoubtedly be curious about what the lesson will bring. At the start of the lesson, inform them of the training goal and the structure you intend to use.

In many cases, there will be multiple training goals within a training unit. Think carefully in advance about the order in which you want to do this.

On one hand, you will place difficult technical goals at the beginning of the training, when the dogs are not yet tired. On the other hand, you also need to train those techniques when the dogs are tired. Normally, you train technique first in a rested state, and then you teach the dogs to master it in a fatigued state.

Pure sprint training is also best done at the beginning of the training, in a rested state, while endurance is trained at the end.

The training always starts with a proper warm-up and ends with a cool-down.

Avoid having all your training sessions look the same. This quickly becomes boring for the handlers, while the dogs surprisingly quickly get stuck in routines. Therefore, as a coach, always be unpredictable and surprising for both the dogs and the team members.

Composing a Team

Although within a club you may not always have the opportunity to take all factors into account, we would still like to offer some tips for composing your teams. Suppose you have enough dogs and handlers to form several teams, it is not always easy to decide who will run in which team. The simplest way would be to put the six fastest in the first team and so on. However, there are many reasons not to do this:

Multiple dogs per handler:
It is quite possible that one handler runs with two or more dogs in the teams. Although it is possible to keep one of these dogs as a reserve if necessary, this does create many limitations in the line-ups.

Multiple start or finish dogs:
In one team, it is best to have two dogs that can start. It is different if a dog can only start or only run as the last dog. Ideally, this should be retrained, but if you do find yourself in this situation, keep in mind that in every line-up only one dog can start and only one dog can run last.

Spirit:
It is best to put people with similar expectations in the same team. Highly competitive handlers with high expectations are best not placed in a team with handlers who are more relaxed about the event. It is also up to the coach to make it clear to all team members that flyball is, by definition, run for the enjoyment of the dogs and handlers, and that high ambitions are not always appropriate.

Experience:
Make sure that each team always has at least one experienced handler. If you have several experienced handlers and mostly rookies, try to distribute the experienced ones among the teams to maintain calm.

When composing teams, you should also always take into account that a coach and ball loader must be available for the team. Ideally, you have a coach and ball loader for each team who do not run in the team themselves.

These recommendations are, of course, only tips and should always be tested in practice.

Box Loaders

The box loader is one of the most important key players in a team, and having a good box loader can be the key to winning heats. Even the best loaders can sometimes make mistakes, so below are a few remarks and tips that may help all box loaders:

• Have the correct number of balls ready. First, you need a ball in the box for the starting dog. Second, you should keep three balls ready in your free hand. If one of the dogs needs a special ball, make sure you have an extra one in a ball holder or in your pocket. Finally, you should hold the ball for the second dog in your loading hand. By following these guidelines, you always have at least five to six balls available.
• Always start by loading the ball for the starting dog. In the excitement of setting up the course, this is often forgotten. Let the handler of the starting dog check whether there is a ball on the correct side in the box. The handler of the starting dog is the designated person to check if there is a ball in the box. Before reporting to the referee that the team is ready to start, this person must know if there is a ball in the box.
• Stand in front of the box when it is not working. If the flyball box malfunctions during the race, stand in front of the box. Do not touch the box or try to repair it until the referee comes to check if there is a defect and the race needs to be rerun. If you keep trying and the problem is solved before the referee sees it, the referee will decide that nothing is wrong and that the box is working properly. Be careful not to stand in the way of an oncoming dog. The new regulations also state that you may indicate a box defect by crossing your arms above your head in an ‘X’.
• Never try to adjust or move the box during a race. Unless the box is completely out of place due to dogs bumping into it, you should not attempt to straighten it during the race. The dogs will figure out what to do if the box is a bit crooked. You may make other mistakes by focusing on straightening the box, causing the next dog to possibly make an error. So unless the box is completely crooked, just leave it as it is until the end of the heat.
• Do not leave the box until the end of the heat. The only time you should leave the box is to get more balls. But if you have the correct number of balls in your hand, you probably won’t need more. After the race is finished, the ball loader should remain in position until the referee has indicated who has won.
• Keep the balls out of sight of the dogs. While holding the balls, make sure they are behind your back and completely out of sight of the dogs.
• Don’t get too carried away by the race or by a dog during the race. It may sound a bit strange, but sometimes you can get so caught up in a dog during the race or the race itself that you forget to load a ball into the box.
• Always make sure there is a ball in the box. This means also putting a ball in after the run of the last dog. Heats are frequently lost because there is no ball loaded for a returning dog. As a ball loader, you may not always see an early changeover or other error and thus may not always be prepared for a rerun of a dog. During a rerun, it is more important to put a ball in the box than to worry about which side it should be on. If you waste time figuring out which side the ball should be on, your team will lose the heat!
• When placing the box, make sure you know exactly on which mark to place it. If ground frames are used, simply click the box into place.
• If you are in a top team and your team improves an important record, do not move the box under any circumstances. The referee will remeasure the course from the box to the finish line and must verify that the distance is correct. If the box is moved, the record will not be homologated.

Age

The minimum age for a dog to participate in a flyball competition is 18 months. However, how old a puppy should be to start flyball training is not regulated. In most dog schools, an age of 9 or 12 months is used, although it is not inconceivable that one could responsibly start teaching some basic principles even earlier. But what is a responsible way?

It is always assumed that no jumping is done with the dog before the growth plates are closed. Keep in mind that this can be quite late, especially in larger dog breeds. If there is any doubt, consult your veterinarian, and otherwise, there is only one golden rule: no imposed physical strain for the puppy.

Many handlers get a second or third dog especially for their favorite hobby and cannot wait to start flyball with their talented puppy. As an instructor, it is your task to clearly instruct these handlers and inform them well about what they absolutely must not do and what the dangers would be if they did. Motivate people to first build a good bond with their dog and to pay enough attention to basic obedience.

Dogs are among the fastest-growing mammals. A newborn puppy of about 400 grams is a year later a dog of 20 to 40 kg, meaning a young dog increases its birth weight by about 60 to 100 times in one year. These are gigantic increases, so the body of a dog is busy growing during the first year. This applies especially to the musculoskeletal system, i.e., the joints, bones, and tendons.

Furthermore, a puppy is also mentally immature, which means it cannot concentrate as well and is much more easily distracted. They also generalize negative experiences much faster, so a bad experience can quickly lead to unnuanced flight or fear reactions.

What can we responsibly do with puppies if we want to start flyball early?

• Acclimatization: Naturally, we allow puppies to get used to the excitement of flyball during training sessions. Taking them to a flyball competition is also a good idea, so the dog can experience the competition atmosphere. Besides getting used to the atmosphere, it is also a good idea to introduce your puppy to flyball equipment in a positive way. However, there is also something to be said for keeping puppies away from flyball to avoid them getting too excited during their first training sessions. Of course, make sure to avoid negative experiences for the young puppy around a flyball field at all costs.
• Bonding: For flyball, it is extremely important that you as a handler develop a good bond with your dog. After all, the goal is for the dog to run to you as quickly as possible. All kinds of games where you run away from the dog and let it catch up followed by play are excellent exercises to prepare for later flyball training.
• Motivator: You can develop your puppy’s interest in tug games from a young age, but this does NOT mean you should do this a lot. Playing with a tug toy is fun, but the puppy should not hang on it for more than a few seconds. Let the dog win, so the game remains fun.
• General Coordination: Specific coordination exercises with a young puppy should be avoided, meaning no actual flyball exercises are taught yet. But all kinds of general coordination games are recommended. Proprioception can also be easily taught in the first years of life. Here, the puppy gets to know as many different surfaces, environments, materials, etc. as possible. Some examples of fun puppy exercises:
  • Walking over unstable surfaces
  • Stepping over low obstacles or sticks, later combined with unstable surfaces
  • Search games in tall grass
  • Tennis balls in a sock as a toy
• Walking: Walks should be spread out and evenly distributed throughout the day. It is better to walk more often per day than longer per walk. It is often suggested that a walk can be increased by 5 minutes each month, but we find that excessive. Puppies can handle quiet walks, as long as they are not running after toys and such the whole time.
• Fun: The most important thing is that puppies experience flyball as especially fun.

What should you never do with a puppy?

• Jumping: Jumping means a puppy must push off for the jump and land after the jump. When pushing off, the dog must mainly use muscle strength to move its body weight over the jump, and these forces must be transferred correctly through bones and tendons. The risk of overloading these not yet fully developed structures is quite high. For landing, which is known to be even more stressful, this is even more true, especially when you realize that good coordination is required for a proper landing. For good coordination, jumping experience is required, which a puppy can never have. Therefore, jumps are out of the question for puppies. This applies to all forms of jumps and obstacles that a handler might offer a puppy.
• Sharp turns: In flyball, this refers to sharp turns around the axis. Such turning can have negative effects on the spine. Not that a puppy will overload itself by running around a few times, but you should be aware that this does bring a certain amount of strain.
• Negative experiences: For a dog to find flyball super fun for its entire life, it is essential that only positive reinforcement is used in flyball. This is doubly important for young dogs. One negative experience (for example, being startled by a box going off) can be disastrous for the rest of the flyball career.
• Duration: Puppies tire quickly, so their motivation to play can quickly change. The handler must learn to recognize this so that they can end the game themselves.

Training Goals

Whether you are an experienced or a beginning flyball coach, your first training goal should always be to bring your dogs to the highest possible level. By this, we do not necessarily mean making the dogs as fast as possible. Speed is a secondary effect of good training, but when we start training a dog, we must always assume that we want to teach this dog to play flyball as well as possible.

It happens frequently that people assume from the start that certain dogs (or owners) will never fit into a team. If the basic training is then neglected, and it turns out they can or want to participate in competitions after all, it will always be too late to bring the dogs up to standard. Once a dog has run full courses without proper basic training, you can forget about ever getting that dog to the highest level. Therefore, always start the right way, regardless of what you ultimately think or hope to achieve.

• Technique: A very important training goal is technique training, which includes the swimmer’s turn (which takes a lot of time), but also striding and jumping technique.
• Conditioning: In addition to technique, we of course also train conditioning, which includes speed, endurance, and resistance.
• Fun: Besides technique and conditioning, it is perfectly valid for a coach to set ‘fun’ as a training goal in itself.

How we train technique and conditioning in various forms will be discussed repeatedly throughout the course.

Competition Formats

Round Robin (RR):
In a Round Robin, each team competes against every other team and tries to score as many points as possible. The number of heats to be run is determined by the organizer. For each heat won, a team scores 2 points; for a tie, 1 point. The ranking is determined by adding up the points.
There are variations such as double or triple Round Robin, where each team must compete against the other teams two or three times.

Speed Trial (ST):
In Speed Trial, a number of races are run as determined by the organizer. The only goal is to try to run the fastest possible time. The ranking is based on the fastest time of each team.

Single Elimination (SE):
In single elimination, teams compete against each other in a knockout race. The team that loses is automatically eliminated, while the winning team advances to the next race. This continues until two teams remain to compete in the final.

Double Elimination (DE):
In double elimination, a losing team moves to the repechage (second chance bracket). Here, the losers compete against each other. Once a team loses in the repechage, it is definitively eliminated.
A special feature of double elimination is that in the final, a team that has not lost yet competes against a team from the repechage. If the undefeated team loses in this final, it still has the right to a second final (the “if necessary” match).

Combination Formats:
For the organization of official competitions, the organizer may freely choose from the above options. Usually, the morning session is either a Round Robin or a Speed Trial, and based on the morning ranking, a knockout race is held in the afternoon.

A new format is the World Cup, which is also used for the Belgian Winner. Here, teams are divided into pools for the preliminary rounds, and the divisions for double elimination are only formed based on the results of the preliminary rounds. In this format, both points and times are used for the classification.

Training Theory

Training Principles

Supercompensation:
A principle used in training theory is that the human body resists disturbances to homeostasis. Through training, the body is put to the test: temperature rises, muscles become acidic, a lot of carbon dioxide is produced, etc. After recovery, the body adapts to these disturbances. These adaptations are the training effects. The phenomenon where performance temporarily rises to a higher level after full recovery from a training load is called supercompensation.
It is essential in training planning that the next training stimulus is given in phase III of the diagram. If this stimulus is given too often during phase II, one eventually becomes overtrained. If the stimulus comes after phase III, the effect of the first stimulus has disappeared and it would have been just as well not to train.

Specificity:
A very important training principle is that physiological adaptation is only effective when training is sufficiently specific. In other words, training in another discipline does not directly improve performance in the specific discipline. For example, a runner will not specifically improve his running performance by rowing. This does NOT mean that it is pointless to train various activities. We think of variety, injury prevention, increasing general skills, etc. But this has no direct relation to performance improvement.

Principle of Diminishing Returns:
Simply put, this means that with training, one initially makes rapid progress, but the higher the level of fitness, the more effort is required to achieve ever smaller gains.

Individuality:
Each individual responds differently to a stimulus. Although many basic principles provide good guidelines for training, each dog must be evaluated individually. Just because program A was optimal for dog A does not mean it will be for dog B.

Overload:
The overload principle states that a training must be heavy enough and only has an effect if there has been sufficient disturbance of homeostasis.

Continuity & Progressivity:
To prevent your performance level from dropping, all important components must be regularly maintained or even improved. If the training stimulus is always the same, you will first make some progress but then plateau. In short, the load must be gradually (progressively) increased.

Variation:
“Variety is the spice of life.” This principle applies to various aspects. First, there must be variation in the volume and intensity of your training. Heavy and light days should alternate. Attention should also be alternately focused on different performance-relevant qualities. Variety is important not only from a physiological perspective but especially from a psychological one.

Cyclical Organization:
Continuity and variation are somewhat at odds and require a compromise. The compromise is the cyclical organization of the training process: alternating blocks of several weeks focusing on different performance-relevant qualities (variation), ensuring that each quality is regularly addressed (continuity). In human sports, training is usually organized in blocks of about six weeks, in which all training forms cyclically recur.

Reversibility:
In the absence of sufficient training stimuli, training effects decrease and sports performance deteriorates (“use it or lose it”). This also depends on the duration of training. Beginners lose their acquired adaptations faster than athletes who have been training longer.

Energy Systems:
Depending on the duration and intensity of the effort, the body relies on different energy systems. During any effort, several energy systems work together, but their relative contribution to energy supply varies depending on duration and intensity.

• Anaerobic Alactic: Short maximal power bursts lasting up to 6–15 seconds mainly rely on “immediate energy” released by the breakdown of energy-rich phosphates stored in the muscle: creatine phosphate (CP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This type of energy supply is anaerobic (without oxygen) and alactic (without lactate or lactic acid). The intensity is very high, but the duration is very limited.
• Anaerobic Lactic: For efforts at very high intensity up to about one minute, energy supply remains mainly anaerobic (without oxygen). As a breakdown product, lactic acid is formed in the muscles, causing them to “acidify.” This energy form is therefore called anaerobic lactic (with lactic acid formation).
• Aerobic: When a maximal effort must be sustained for longer than one minute, intensity drops and energy supply increasingly involves oxygen. This form of energy supply is called aerobic.

Muscle Fiber Types:
Muscle bundles are always made up of muscle fibers, which consist of myofibrils. The ratio between the different types is genetically determined and can only be slightly adjusted by training. In striated muscle tissue, we distinguish three specific types:

• Slow Twitch
• Fast Twitch A
• Fast Twitch B

Simply put, dogs with genetically more ST are better suited for endurance sports, while dogs with genetically more FT are better suited for explosive disciplines.

Training Forms

We distinguish the following training forms that we can use with the dog:

Technique Training

Undoubtedly the most important component. A dog in top condition cannot run flyball without mastering the technique optimally. Gains achieved from other training forms will always require more effort than gains from improving technique. Once the technique is mastered to perfection, further gains can only be made through other training forms. Note, however, that once the technique is acquired, it must still be maintained. Pure technique training theoretically requires little physical exertion. However, when technique training involves, for example, changeovers, we must also consider the physical requirements and possible fatigue. Ideally, we train all technique forms as much as possible in a rested state, because the dog’s body adapts better to technique when no acidification has occurred. When the technique is performed correctly, we must also practice it in a fatigued state. Otherwise, there is a real risk that the technique will deteriorate as the competition progresses. When we train this, we do take into account that we combine technique training with an anaerobic training form.

Endurance Training

Endurance training includes those training forms where the dog (and usually also the handler) is active for a longer period. Although good endurance does not directly contribute to running a fast flyball run (principle of specificity), this training form is essential for laying a conditional foundation:

• The greater the dog’s aerobic endurance base, the faster it recovers from anaerobic exertion (supercompensation). This means that the next training stimulus can be given more quickly, allowing the anaerobic training level to further evolve, and also that the dog will recover faster from the exertions between heats.
• It has been shown countless times that a body in excellent aerobic condition is much more resistant to injuries.
• There is no complete scientific clarity, but every trainer has anecdotal evidence where only extensive training was done, but still an effective improvement in sprint speed was noticed.

In endurance training, we distinguish:

• Extensive endurance training: Less than 65% of maximum intensity. This mainly refers to quiet walks. A dog that walks freely, or wanders around on its own without external disturbance, will almost always train in this zone. Note that at this intensity, the dog only adapts if it is active for at least one hour without stopping.
• Moderate endurance training: Between 65–80% of maximum intensity. A steady jogging pace for active handlers is ideal. For less sporty handlers, cycling at a gentle pace is just as effective. Another way to train moderate endurance is to regularly include short sprints in an extensive walk. Make sure the dog does not start panting excessively (depending on ambient temperature), as it is essential that no acidification occurs. So a quiet walk where you throw the ball once every five minutes can be categorized here.
• Intensive endurance training: Between 80–90% of maximum intensity. This is a training that the dog can maintain at as constant a speed as possible for 10 to 20 minutes. A speedometer and a bicycle are perfect tools to optimally guide your dog. For all training forms, but especially for the more intensive ones, ensure a well-thought-out training structure, where both intensity and duration are increased gradually.

Note: The general condition of human and dog can be imagined as a pyramid, with the most extensive forms as the base, and as the forms become more intensive, they appear higher in the pyramid. This means you must provide much more extensive training than intensive, otherwise the balance of the pyramid is at risk. And the broader the base, the higher the sports temple can ultimately reach. An ideal training pyramid looks approximately as follows:

• 60% Extensive endurance
• 25% Moderate endurance
• 10% Intensive endurance
• 5% Sprint & resistance

This means that if you train your dog for a quarter of an hour per week at speed (faster than endurance pace), you should train at least half an hour of intensive endurance, 1.5 hours of moderate intensity, and at least 4 hours per week of extensive training. Note: a half-hour walk on a leash cannot be counted as extensive training. And two half-hour sessions do not make one hour in this case.

On the other hand, in this pyramid, only the actual training sets are counted for sprint & resistance (ratio 1:3 to 1:5). So if you run about 15 x 10 seconds in an hour of training, this only counts as about 10 minutes of training.

Resistance and Speed Training

Here we must distinguish between the different energy supplies.

• The fastest energy supplier is the splitting of ATP. The amount of ATP in the muscle is enough to provide about six seconds of maximum effort.
• When the ATP in the muscle is used up, it is replenished by phosphorylation of creatine phosphate (ADP + CP = ATP). The amount of CP in the muscle is enough to provide maximum effort for about 15 seconds.
• When both ATP and CP are used up, only anaerobic glycolysis can provide energy. This can be sustained for about one minute. Importantly, no oxygen is used (anaerobic), and lactic acid is produced as a byproduct (acidification).
• Anaerobic glycolysis can theoretically produce energy as long as there is glucose, but practically, the accumulation of lactic acid (acidification) means we must switch to another energy supply. This is aerobic energy supply, where carbohydrates are converted to energy with the help of oxygen. Now, it is perfectly reasonable that in flyball, where the dogs perform for barely 5 seconds, all energy is supplied via ATP and CP present in the muscles. In sports, it is a known phenomenon that these processes are only minimally trainable. Both endurance and anaerobic glycolysis (via lactate production and lactate tolerance) are very responsive to training stimuli, but this cannot be said for ATP & CP splitting. This is mainly dependent on the following factors:
  • Hereditary predisposition
  • Elastic strength
  • Power (strength x speed)

Strength Training & Flexibility

When we think of strength training, we quickly think of people doing exercises with heavy weights to increase their strength. In dog training, we almost exclusively work with exercises where the dog’s own weight is used as ballast.

• The first step in starting strength training should be body awareness (proprioception). Dogs rarely have an idea of how they move or where their paws are. Through specific exercises, you make the dog aware of the positions of the various body parts.
• Then, through balance and stability exercises, the dog’s core muscles are developed. By strengthening these muscles, the whole body can move more stably and is better able to withstand stress. These balance exercises are performed, for example, on inflatable Fitbones, donuts, or peanuts. By systematically building up exercises on these devices, the dog’s core muscles are strengthened.
• Specialized fitness trainers have whole batteries of strength exercises that are taught in a structured way, each developing certain muscle groups. It cannot be emphasized enough that it is very important to do the right exercises at the right time, so the dog’s body develops in a balanced way. Randomly copying exercises you have seen somewhere can have more negative than positive consequences, so be sure to seek sufficient advice or study the existing literature before getting serious about this. Also, note that proper fitness training must pay attention to the dog’s flexibility, which should always go hand in hand.

Planning

General

In every sport, it is one of the coach’s tasks to create a solid plan, always well in advance. This planning will be very different depending on the level of the group for which it is made. First, it is important to divide the dogs into groups for which different plans will apply. This division can be made based on technical skills, team composition, or speed. Depending on the period for which you are planning, these criteria may change. For example, in the winter season, planning may be based more on technical skills, while in the peak season, training is mainly done per competition team.

Within a training plan, work is done cyclically, usually with gradually increasing and decreasing intensity and volume.

A good plan is always:

• Prepared in advance.
• Takes all aspects into account, such as competitions, absences of coaches or handlers, heat cycles, etc.
• Written down and always accessible to other instructors.

Macrocycle

Traditionally, a global plan over a longer period is called a macrocycle. In it, the different training goals are periodized and it is determined what and how long will be needed to achieve a certain goal with a certain group.

A macrocycle can, for example, run over four months (November to March) and include all the training goals you want to achieve during the winter period.

To create a good training plan, it is best to sit down with all the coaches of the club and start by dividing the entire season into as detailed macrocycles as possible.

A macrocycle can, if desired, be further divided into different mesocycles, although this is not always necessary in dog sports.

Microcycle

A microcycle is a smaller, consecutive series of training units. In practice, this will usually be a week in flyball. During this week, the various training goals are scheduled in the different training units.

If you only train flyball once a week, it is logical that all specific flyball goals for that week must be included in one training session. Still, you should try to encourage team members to carry out other training goals, especially endurance training, at set times outside the group training. You might create documents for this that are posted in the clubroom, where team members can indicate what, when, and how much they have trained.

A training unit, as mentioned earlier, is always fully written out and prepared in advance. As a coach, you can of course be flexible and make changes on the spot, but you should always start with a written plan.

Example Training Units

Example training schedule for a young or beginner dog:

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Week 1	5 min	–	–	5 min	–	5 min	–
Week 2	10 min	–	–	5 min	–	10 min	–
Week 3	10 min	–	–	10 min	–	10 min	–
Week 4	10 min	–	10 min	–	10 min	5 min	–
Week 5	15 min	5 min	–	15 min	–	10 min	–
Week 6	10 min	15 min	–	10 min	–	15 min	–

Example training schedule for an advanced dog:

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Week 1	10’ 70%	–	15’ 70%	–	–	15’ 75%	–
Week 2	15’ 75%	–	20’ 70%	–	20’ 75%	–	15’ 80%
Week 3	–	20’ 70%	–	30’ 70%	–	20’ 80%	–
Week 4	25’ 75%	–	30’ 70%	–	30’ 75%	–	25’ 80%
Week 5	–	30’ 70%	20’ 75%	15’ 80%	20’ 70%	–	30’ 75%
Week 6	–	20’ 80%	25’ 70%	30’ 80%	20’ 70%	–	20’ 70%

As you can see, for young or beginner dogs, only the number of minutes and frequency are increased, while for advanced dogs, intensity also plays a role. When you create such schedules yourself, always make sure that increases are gradual and that only one factor is increased at a time. So when the duration increases, the intensity remains the same or even lower.

It is clear that the above example schedule is just one possibility among many. When a dog has completed this schedule, the next one can of course be a bit heavier. To increase the load, you can only adjust the duration or frequency, because when the intensity goes above 80%, the dog enters a higher training zone.

After this training schedule, it is good to give the dog one or two weeks of rest and just go for nice walks.

It requires a considerable investment of time and a lot of discipline to follow the training schedules. It is very important not to focus blindly on the schedule. The training schedule is a guideline, nothing more and nothing less. Always pay close attention to your dog. It can happen that he has a bad day; accept that and take it easy. The schedules are designed to provide support and to build your dog’s condition as safely and responsibly as possible.

Some important tips:

• Make sure your dog has relieved itself before cycling. Otherwise, you risk the dog suddenly stopping while leashed to relieve itself.
• Always have clean drinking water on hand.
• Do not feed the dog within an hour before and after training.
• Check the dog’s paw pads regularly, preferably before each cycling session. If possible, always choose a soft surface for the dog to run on.
• Teach the dog to run on the right side of the bike, so it is shielded from other traffic.
• The dog should wear a harness when cycling.
• Choose a quiet cycling route where you can ride relaxed. A forest where the dog can possibly run loose next to the bike is ideal.
• Take only one dog at a time on the bike. Even when dogs can run loose, several dogs together will always run against each other and gallop too fast.
• Be careful with high outdoor temperatures or high humidity. If you are unsure whether it is too warm, it is better to skip the training or postpone it to a later time. In warm weather, always adjust the training to the conditions. In summer, the best training times are always early in the morning or just before sunset.

Training Technique

General

Motivator
Before starting any training, you must first ask yourself how the dog will be rewarded. This is not about whether to use a clicker or other reinforcement, but about the ultimate reward for the dog in training. For flyball, the aim is always to use a top reward for the dog, which is given at the end of the course. Usually, a tug toy or a frisbee is used, with which the handler plays together with the dog. Any form of reward is possible, but it should ideally trigger high drive in the dog. If you reward with a treat, there is a good chance the dog will not enthusiastically return to the handler after catching the ball. That does not mean that certain technical aspects cannot be taught with treats.

Sometimes the dog is also rewarded by throwing a ball after it returns, but this has disadvantages:

• In competition, nothing may be thrown within the zone from the finish line up to 15 meters beyond. This means you cannot reward the dog within 15 meters during a competition, which can be difficult if a rerun is needed.
• There may be little space beyond 15 meters to reward with a ball.
• The dog may have to run out much further, increasing the total distance run per day.
• A bouncing ball can distract other dogs, possibly causing your team to lose the heat.
• The dog may drop the ball from the box too early because it gets another ball. You can solve this by only playing with the ball the dog brings back.
• Many dogs already see the ball from the box as a reward, so they may not return quickly or directly to the handler.

With a tug toy, you always have the dog close to you and can reward while the dog stays with you. Such games are natural behavior for almost all dogs (prey and chase drive) and are quickly and easily learned. To ensure the dog has a lot of interest (drive) for a tug game, this should be practiced from the start. Even dogs that initially show no interest in such toys can often be enticed through play. Most dogs that seem uninterested in their reward can quickly be tempted for a tug game.

Make it clear to the dog that what the handler has in hand is very fun. Observe the handler’s body language and correct or demonstrate as needed. Many handlers initially find it difficult to let go during lessons. Once they dare to fully engage, the dog’s enthusiasm quickly appears.

A form of frustration play also quickly pays off. A dog usually wants what it cannot catch, so pull the toy away just before the dog can grab it.

Be unpredictable: Nothing is as boring for a dog as a predictable handler. Motivate handlers to do what the dog would not expect.

Whatever reward you use, you need one that stands out above all others. This is called M+ (highest motivator).

Swimmer’s Turn

Undoubtedly, teaching a correct swimmer’s turn is one of the major challenges for many flyball coaches. A consistent and guided build-up, as discussed later in the course, is essential—though it never guarantees success. In particular, dogs that are very ball-oriented may still make mistakes even after good training. Constant monitoring and adjustment are very important and one of the main tasks that the coach must never neglect.

The goal is for every dog to already start turning its body before its front paws touch the box and to land on the box with all four paws. This has several advantages:

• Faster: It is obvious that if the dog is already partially turned before hitting the box, the rest of the turn will be completed more quickly. The comparison to a swimmer making a crawl tumble turn is clear. The swimmer also turns around their axis without touching the wall, then pushes off with their feet.
• Safer / Healthier: When a dog lands straight onto the box at full speed with only its front paws, the wrists and shoulder girdle are heavily stressed. For the health of all our dogs, it is therefore very important to start with a good turn from the beginning. Especially because it is very difficult to retrain a dog once it has learned the turn incorrectly. With a perfect swimmer’s turn, it looks as if the dog, despite high speed, barely touches the box and rather bounces off it in a springy way.

Playful Approach

Flyball must always be a particularly fun game for the dog (and preferably also for the handler). That’s why it’s important from the very beginning to convey this to the dog. As an instructor, you should regularly include games in the program that may seem to have nothing to do with flyball.

Tips:

• Keep sessions short: Especially at the start, make sure the training sessions are not too long so the dog stays interested. If you want longer sessions, work with short blocks with rest periods (active or passive) in between.
• Avoid monotonous training: Always provide variety within your training units. We want to keep beginner dogs enthusiastic and certainly not bore them by endlessly repeating the same exercise.
• Reward enthusiastically: By staying enthusiastic yourself, you keep your dog’s spirit high. When the handlers’ enthusiasm starts to drop, it usually means the training is taking too long for the dogs as well.
• Let handlers play with the dog at home using M+ before playing during lessons with all the distractions of other dogs. Especially dogs with strong herding instincts are quickly distracted and may want to play with other dogs instead. When the dog sees its handler with M+, it’s important that it only pays attention to its owner. From that moment, the dog is ready to really start flyball training.

Positive Training

Flyball is extremely suitable for positive, reward-based training methods. Moreover, negative training methods have no place in flyball. To make the dogs as enthusiastic as possible, all negativity (meaning corrections) is eliminated from the lessons and replaced exclusively by positivity (meaning rewarding and happiness).

Without detracting from obedience lessons, we need very little from those lessons during our flyball training. Make it clear to handlers that it makes no sense to treat the dogs as they would during obedience classes, and abolish those exercises from flyball lessons from the very start.

Training Components

Warm-up and Cool-down

The warm-up aims to create an optimal atmosphere for training, both physically and mentally. Physically, we distinguish between cardiovascular warm-up and local warm-up exercises. Mentally, it’s about getting the dog and handlers into the right mood.

During the cool-down, we want the dogs to calm down and let their muscles relax. It’s important that the dogs keep moving during the cool-down so that accumulated lactate can flow out of the muscles.

In practice, you can plan simple exercises as warm-up or cool-down. Often, especially when the dogs are allowed to run free during setup and breakdown, this happens automatically. However, when dogs come “cold” out of the crate after the field is set up, it’s very important to give them a chance to warm up. It’s also not advisable to put dogs straight into the crate after running without letting them cool down.

Examples of warm-up exercises:

• Letting dogs trot calmly, followed by a few short sprints.
• Basic technique exercises such as turning around cones at a distance.
• Figure-eights through the handler’s legs (in both directions).
• Warm-up massage: rubbing from the nose along the sides of the body to the tail with the palms.
• Stretching: There are various stretching exercises that an experienced handler can do with their dog. Be careful not to do these exercises “cold.”
• Throwing balls and letting the dog catch them.

Play

There are many fun games you can play with the dog to train flyball drive. Here are a few ideas:

• Run away from the dog with M+, and change direction just before the dog would get M+. Keep M+ just out of reach and create a bit of frustration. Make sure this doesn’t last too long, and always give M+ in the end. In the case of tug games, make sure the dog wins after a frustration game (finally gets the tug toy). Once the dog is crazy about M+, you can also do these exercises when you throw a ball.
• Motivation for M+ should be the strongest, but the dog should also be sufficiently ball-crazy. Dogs without any ball drive are usually slower on the way out, so games to increase ball drive are definitely recommended. All kinds of ball games are useful, from fetch games to catching exercises.
• Once the dog is crazy about both M+ and the ball, alternate between both toys. A fun exercise is to throw the ball and reward the dog with M+ when the ball is brought back. It can also work the other way around: throw a tug toy, and then play with the ball when the tug toy is brought back. The rule is that the dog brings back everything you throw, and you are always very happy with it, resulting in a fun game.
• If you want handlers to act crazy with their dog, be willing to set the example yourself. A flyball competition can be very serious for a coach, but training—especially for beginners—should always be lighthearted. That should always be clear!

Socialization

It is obvious that flyball can only be done with dogs that are completely social and never show aggression towards handlers or other dogs. After all, during competitions, the dogs must be able to function off-leash in high drive with eight dogs at the same time on the field in their team. If there is any doubt in this area, attention must first be given to thorough socialization before drive is encouraged while working with multiple dogs on the field. For this, cooperation with obedience instructors is recommended.

Nevertheless, there are countless examples of dogs that initially started flyball training as “aggressive dogs” and eventually became social flyballers. This is probably due to the channeling of energy through flyball training, but you should not rely on this before starting flyball.

Jump Training and Coordination

Our dogs jump, and we usually find that quite normal. The idea that as handlers we need to teach our dogs how to jump may seem surprising, but it is absolutely true. Far too little attention is paid to letting a dog jump as efficiently and safely as possible. Always letting dogs jump at the same height from the start (so they don’t learn to judge their jumps) is one of the most common mistakes.

Before we can teach a dog to jump, we need to teach it some coordination. Many dogs have trouble properly judging their hindquarters. The hindquarters just follow the body, and as long as they don’t bump into anything, it’s usually fine for the dog. Just think how often a person missteps—so what must it be like to have to control four legs at once? If the dog becomes more aware of its hindquarters, it will use them better and consequently jump more efficiently and safely.

There are some specialized books (see references) that go into great detail about jumping styles, coordination, and jump training, but here are a few basic exercises you should not miss:

• Ladder walking: Start by laying a ladder flat on the ground and teach the dog to step through it smoothly without touching the rungs. Once the dog succeeds, gradually raise the ladder so all four paws must step over each rung and aim between the rungs. Make sure to do this exercise very slowly at first, then gradually increase the speed. If taught systematically, dogs make spectacular progress with this.
• Ground poles: Place several sticks on the ground for the dog to step between with all four paws. The dog will quickly learn that if it touches a stick, it rolls away, and will try to step between them. Always avoid having the dog jump. At first, the sticks are placed at about the same distance and height, but as the dog’s skill improves, you can make the exercise more difficult by varying these factors.
• Jump training: Once the dog has experience with the above coordination exercises, you can start with actual jumping (if the dog is old enough, of course). Various agility exercises are used to teach the dog to judge height and distance to jump over different obstacles. Always start easy, and as long as the dog keeps succeeding, only your imagination is the limit. Double oxers and triple jumps, as well as consecutive jumps in different shapes, where the dog must steer its body in the air, are all possible. For beginner dogs, but also for competition dogs outside the competition season, you can come up with very nice jumping sessions using variable flyball jumps. Remember that if dogs jump the same jumps at the same height for a long time, they quickly switch to ritual jumping and can only be used for those jumps.
• Power jumping: Here, the dog learns through experience to calculate and optimize its jumps. Logically, you eventually set the jumps at competition distance and height. However, it’s best to start with lower jumps closer together so the single-jump rhythm is taught from the beginning.

According to Dr. Zink in her book “Jumping from A-Z,” the following five mistakes are most commonly made in jump training:

1. Pulling the leash up when the dog jumps, causing the dog to lose balance.
2. Always jumping at the same height, causing the dog to lose interest and alertness.
3. Punishing, causing the dog to lose confidence.
4. Raising a jump because the dog keeps hitting a lower jump (dangerous, the dog can get injured).
5. Blaming the dog for jumping problems (“He’s stubborn, lazy”).

Basic Training

Specifically for flyball, it is very important to lay a good foundation from the very beginning. Just like in construction, a solid foundation is essential to build a good house. If this foundation is laid too quickly and not thoroughly enough, the house will never be properly built.

Many who have only seen the sport from the sidelines want to “quickly” learn flyball and wish to compete as soon as possible. For outsiders, flyball may seem quite easy. However, these enthusiastic beginners can become important team members over time, and it would be a shame to lose them because things move too slowly for them. That’s why it is very important to explain the importance of a good foundation to all beginners in the first lessons and make it clear that the slower build-up is in the best interest of their dog. Enthusiastic beginners can, for example, already run in lower teams with experienced dogs, so they don’t lose their enthusiasm.

Recalls

It is now clear that flyball partly revolves around recalling your dog and getting it back to you as quickly as possible. Of course, this must be trained separately, and preferably in various forms, with or without hurdles or combined with striding (see section 2.11).

As an instructor (or your helper), you hold the dog while the handler enthusiastically runs away. When the handler is about five meters away, you release the dog, which then catches up with the handler (similar to the section game). Systematically, you increase the distance and place hurdles between the dog and the handler. The idea is that the dog should never run beside a hurdle, but always jump over it. You build this up step by step, starting with one low hurdle that cannot be missed, up to several and higher hurdles. The end goal is that, over a distance of tens of meters, several hurdles are placed between the dog and the handler, and the dog jumps all hurdles to enthusiastically catch up with the handler. Of course, you need to plan many intermediate steps before reaching this final form.

Another fun variation is recalls with multiple dogs side by side. This gets the dogs used to the fact that other dogs are running next to them, and you can achieve that dogs run faster when there is a competitor. Two handlers running away side by side with their own M+ always creates higher drive in dogs released at the same time. Make sure to do this only with dogs that you are certain will not attack each other.

As preparation for later changeover training, we also let beginner dogs do recalls in the opposite direction. Initially, the second dog is only released after the first has passed, building up to the point where both dogs are released together and run past each other without being distracted.

Later in the training, the box turn can also be implemented in the recalls. In that case, the handler must cross the dog.

Jump Training

Once the dog has experience with the coordination exercises mentioned above, you can start with actual jump training (provided the dog is old enough, of course). Various exercises from agility are used to teach the dog to judge height and distance in order to jump over different obstacles. Always start easy, and as long as the dog keeps succeeding, only your imagination is the limit.

Double oxers and triple jumps, as well as consecutive jumps in different shapes—where the dog must steer its body in the air—are all possible. For beginner dogs, but also for competition dogs outside the competition season, you can come up with very nice jumping sessions using variable flyball jumps. Keep in mind that if dogs jump the same jumps at the same height for a long time, they quickly switch to ritual jumping and can only be used for those jumps.

Power jumping: Here, the dog learns through experience to calculate and optimize its jumps. Logically, you eventually set the jumps at competition distance and height. However, it’s best to start with lower jumps closer together so the single-jump rhythm is taught from the beginning.

Ball Drive

To get the dog to run to the handler as quickly and enthusiastically as possible, we mainly need prey drive so the dog runs as fast as possible towards M+. If built up properly, many dogs will run quickly both out and back purely out of enthusiasm, but this is not always the case. It is quite common for a dog to run towards the box relatively slowly, make a nice swimmer’s turn, and only then accelerate at top speed towards M+. For these dogs, ball drive should also be trained separately. With a tennis ball, you can play plenty of fun games to stimulate ball drive. In fact, every exercise suggested for teaching M+ can also be used to make the dog more “ball-crazy.” Together with M+ drive, ball drive is the key to getting a dog to run as fast as possible. Dogs that run more slowly towards the box should train more with the ball, while dogs that return more slowly should actually not train ball drive.

A typical flyball exercise in this context is the ball versus M+ transition. Here, a ball is thrown and the dog fetches and brings it back as quickly as possible. When the ball is brought back to the (retreating) handler, the dog is rewarded with M+. Without a box and without jumps, this is a very specific flyball exercise that every flyball dog should master. Especially with young dogs, this exercise can be used well without fear of injury. Don’t hesitate to reverse the game by throwing a toy, having it brought back, and then rewarding with a tennis ball. Vary and be unpredictable!

With dogs with low ball drive, there is a risk that they will eventually spit out the ball too early when returning (“spitting”). For such dogs, it is a good idea to train them from the start to bring the ball all the way to the handler.

On the other hand, dogs that are already very “ball-crazy” in their first flyball training are, by definition, at risk for weaker box turns. In this case, we recommend limiting or even completely excluding ball drive exercises until the dog has mastered a perfect turn. It is also possible to correct a ball obsession through training, but this takes time and effort.

Passes Training

Once a dog can run a perfect course, training for passes becomes increasingly important. Passes are learned only over time and must be built up very systematically, both for the dog and the handler. For experienced handlers, passing may seem the simplest thing in the world, but always remember that for beginners, this is a very challenging task.

The first concept that handlers and instructors must understand is that dogs are always released at a “fixed point.” This means the second dog is always released at the same moment relative to where the first dog is (the “window”). Possible fixed points include:

• Landing after the box
• Over jump four
• Between jumps three and four
• Over jump three
• Between jumps two and three
• Etc.

It’s best for a team to choose a general rule for when everyone will release their dog. A common option is to release when the previous dog lands with its front paws between jumps three and four. Here, the handler can see the dog jump over the fourth jump and then time the release precisely. But as mentioned, any of the above options can be chosen. Make sure this is clear to all handlers and teammates. Once this fixed point is clear, the changeovers can be coordinated based on the distance from the start line to where the dog is released.

Training for perfect passes only happens when the dog is fully “course-proof,” but that doesn’t mean beginners shouldn’t get attention to changeovers in their training. There are several ways to build up changeover training, but always keep the following points in mind:

A basic variation on recalls is releasing and calling the dogs in opposite directions. In the first repetitions, the dogs are released one by one, eventually progressing to having the dogs run closely past each other in opposite directions.

When the dogs are individually “course-proof” and can complete the previous exercise flawlessly, you can start having them change over the full course. It’s best not to combine too many beginner dogs and to have a beginner change with an experienced dog. Initially, the second dog is placed about five meters from the start and is only released after the previous dog has passed. If this goes well, release when the first dog lands after the first jump (finish line). Then, gradually increase the distance to the start line (depending on the speed of the dog) so that the release can happen earlier, but there is still at least two meters between the dogs at the start/finish. After several weeks of training with wide changeovers, the two-meter gap can be slowly reduced until you can aim for perfect “nose-to-nose” changeovers.

When building up passing training, it’s better to go much too slowly than too quickly. If a dog is startled by a too-sharp changeover, you immediately have to take many steps back, and there’s even a chance the dog will never want to change over again. We strongly recommend leaving at least several months between the first changeover exercises and ultimately perfect changeovers, and to build up structurally during that period to keep the dogs’ motivation high.

Assessing Passes

To achieve the most perfect passes during the season, there are many factors and possible approaches, each with specific advantages and disadvantages. As an instructor, you need to be aware of the various factors and options to save yourself a lot of frustration. When you, as a coach/instructor, understand this well, you can better guide handlers in their decisions and make good decisions yourself more quickly.

Determining factors before the race:

• Competition format:
  Speed Trial – Round Robin – Knockout Race
  Depending on the competition format, the coach may decide to take more or fewer risks with the changeovers. Usually, changeovers are sharper in speed trials than in point races, since only one time counts for the ranking.
• Handler level:
  With beginner handlers, you will usually aim for wider changeovers and try to keep this margin as consistent as possible. Once this goes well, the changeovers can be systematically made sharper. Even with advanced handlers, it is useful to know them well (for example, their stress resistance).
• Dog level:
  With beginner dogs, you should never take risks. The goal is first to have the dogs run fast and correctly, with changeovers only becoming sharper over time. One mistake where a dog is startled or gets injured can be decisive for the entire future flyball career.
• Available equipment:
  With the naked eye, passes can be judged fairly precisely, but video or photo equipment is definitely recommended to assess passes down to the centimeter. With some EJS systems, the start and changeovers can also be determined very precisely based on electronic recordings.

Determining factors during the race:

• Mistakes by the opponent:
  When competing directly against another team or trying to score as many points as possible, a mistake light from the opponent often leads to wider changeovers. To assess these changeovers correctly, it is important to know whether the handler actually held back or not.
• Tactical considerations:
  It is not unthinkable that a coach decides to use wider passes for tactical reasons, which is usually described as “safe” changeovers. Depending on the level of handlers and dogs, this can still mean relatively sharp changeovers.
• Safety considerations:
  If a potentially unsafe situation arises (fallen jump, dog from another team on the course, etc.), the handler decides whether to release the dog or not. Attention should be paid during training to when this is and is not allowed.

Models:

To coach changeovers effectively, there are two different models:

• Coach decides:
  Here, the coach decides at what distance the handler should stand when releasing the dog. The handler only needs to ensure they release their dog at the right moment. Certain things may be asked for the handler to notice (e.g., mistake lights, fallen jump, etc.). Advantages:
  • Easier for the handler
  • Coach decides authoritatively and takes responsibility
  Disadvantages:
  • Coach must notice and remember everything for all four dogs
  • There is not always enough time to gather information from handlers before making a decision
• Handler decides:
  In this model, the coach only indicates how much margin there was in the changeover, but the handler decides whether to adjust their distance.
• Advantages:
  • Handler can notice more things from their own perspective that are only relevant to them
  • Easier for the coach
  • Team input, not all responsibility on the coach
  Disadvantages:
  • More difficult for beginner handlers
  • Mistakes can be attributed to a handler (demotivation)

It is clear that the first model is more suitable for an experienced coach with mostly beginner handlers, and the second model can only be used with experienced handlers. In practice, both types are used interchangeably, but it is essential that handlers and the coach know what is expected of each other in this regard, so there are no misunderstandings. As a coach, always keep in mind that, no matter how easy it seems for an experienced handler, flyball competitions are particularly complex and stressful for beginners.

Box Training

Box training is so essential that an entire section of this course is dedicated to it. We mention it here under Training Components because it’s best to include some box training in every session. Especially in the winter season, a lot of training should be done on the box and chute, but even during the competition season, this should regularly be part of training.

Redo Runs

In competitions, it often happens that dogs receive a fault light and need to redo their run. When both teams have the same number of faults, and especially when the last dog needs to redo its run, we sometimes see the wildest stunts from teams to get their dog back on the course as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is not at all strange to train handlers for this situation.

A fun idea is to run a one-on-one, letting each dog run twice as quickly as possible. Or, for example, a duel with two dogs where each dog must run twice.

Keep in mind that dogs that are very sensitive to rewards may become confused by this.

Striding

Striding has received increasing attention in recent years. On one hand, it can refer to the number of steps between the jumps, where “one-stride” is ideal. More often, it refers to the number of steps a dog takes between the last jump and the box, which can be important both when approaching and leaving the box.

When approaching, most larger dogs dive to the box in two jumps, although there is an argument for teaching a third step to improve box approach. The most important point, however, is the number of steps toward the jump after the box. The goal is for the dog to make its final takeoff as late as possible, which usually means three strides between the box and the jump. Often, dogs jump after only two steps, landing very close behind the jump, which is disadvantageous for the rest of the jumps.

Similarly, you can try to measure the strides when approaching the first jump, so the dog takes off as late as possible for the first jump. The basic idea of striding is always to ensure the dog takes off as close as possible to the first jump. The earlier the takeoff, the less efficient the rest of the course becomes.

One way to teach this to the dog is to start by releasing the dog just before the jump and gradually building up the distance per stride. By using slats or specific stride boards, you can improve the dog’s striding.

Additionally, there are technical problems with the box turn that can be corrected with better striding, especially when dogs dive to the box from too far away or start their turn too late. The position from which a dog is released in various exercises is sometimes very important for execution, so the instructor must always pay sufficient attention to this. Also, keep in mind that striding changes as the incoming speed increases.

Box Training

Box training is so essential that an entire section of this course is dedicated to it. We mention it here under Training Components because it’s best to include some box training in every session. Especially in the winter season, a lot of training should be done on the box and chute, but even during the competition season, this should regularly be part of training.

General

If there is one hot topic in training flyball dogs, it is undoubtedly teaching a correct swimmer’s turn. The complexity and especially the irreversibility of a box turn make this the most important item in flyball training. Once a dog learns to turn incorrectly on a flyball box, it becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible, to retrain that dog. Therefore, from the very first lesson, you must work clearly and structurally with the handler and dog to master and practice the required movements.

Golden rule: The box turn must be taught WITHOUT a ball, and only when the box turn is perfectly mastered should a ball be introduced into the box. Another rule is that it’s better to go too slowly than too quickly. The more time and training invested in the learning process, the better the end result will be.

Determining Turning Side

Just like people, dogs also have a preferred turning side. People who are left-handed usually throw with their left hand, kick with their left foot, and are left-eye dominant. The exact causes of this preference are not well known, although hereditary traits seem to play a role. In humans, it has been shown that the preference for a specific side develops during the lateralization phase and is related to the specialization of the brain hemispheres. Dogs also appear to have a preferred turning side.

To test this, in an environment with as little distraction as possible, throw a ball over a distance of 5 to 6 meters while holding the dog. When the ball is stationary, release the dog and observe which side the dog turns to when picking up the ball. Pay attention to both the turning of the head and the body. Repeat this exercise about five times, each time in a different direction. If the dog turns more than half the time to the left, you can conclude that the dog’s preferred turning side is left, and soon the ball will go into the left hole of the box (from the handler’s perspective). If the turning side is not clear, meaning the dog turns to both sides, it is best to choose the right side as the turning side. This is especially advantageous for dogs that walk on the handler’s left side during obedience, when teaching the box turn.

It is best to advise the handler to repeat this exercise at home several times to be sure the correct turning side is chosen.

Important:
Do not determine the turning side before the age of 6 months, as it is not yet fixed at that age. Ideally, wait until the dog is 12 months old. The golden rule is: once you start training on a specific turning side, never change sides!

Dogs that have no interest in retrieving the ball are not yet ready for flyball training. With these dogs, you should first stimulate ball drive through fetch games.

Shoot

A shoot is an indispensable training tool for teaching a correct swimmer’s turn, especially to larger dogs. The idea is to teach the dogs to land on the shoot with all four paws at once, after which they are rewarded with M+. This is first trained for a considerable time without a ball—just landing on the chute with the hind legs = M+.

There are several possible methods to teach this correctly, which can be perfectly combined:

• Jumpboard:
  Initially, you teach the dogs to jump over a prop with all four paws. This can be a classic jumpboard, a cavaletti, or any tool placed in front of a box or chute.
  The dog starts parallel to the board and learns to jump over and back with all four paws. It’s important that the takeoff is as close as possible to the board and that the dog jumps back quickly.
  Next, the board is placed in front of the chute, and the dog is repeatedly trained to move over and back with all four paws.
  Once the dog moves correctly from a parallel position, you work towards a perpendicular position, always moving in smooth striding up to the box. It’s important to aim for a takeoff as close as possible to the board.
• Target Training:
  Optionally, you can supplement the above method with target training. The idea is to mark a spot on the wall or chute that the dog must touch (“target”). There are several possibilities:
  • Nose: The dog touches the spot where the ball will eventually be placed with its nose. With a box turn without a ball, the dog often moves its head too quickly toward the handler, making this movement less specific for a normal turn.
  • Front feet: The front paws are targeted to a spot where they should land. The advantage of this method is that you can adjust the position on the box if needed, which is difficult without knowledge of target exercises.
  • Back feet: The hind paws are targeted to a spot where they should land. The position of the hind paws is even more important, but this method is harder to teach.
  Each of these methods has its advantages, so if you want to use target training, choose the method that best suits the dog.
• Wall:
  Given the recent trend of increasing the slope of the boxes to nearly vertical, it’s important that the dog can perform the same movement against a vertical wall. From chute training, you can use a wall in a similar way.
• Cone:
  Cones were previously used to teach box turns, but in modern flyball, this is avoided. This method is now considered outdated, as it results in too wide a turn.

The essential point is that when a dog sees a flyball box or chute, it jumps onto it with all four paws, especially the hind paws, regardless of whether there is a ball or not.

Ideally, a chute is adjustable in height, so a beginner dog can start on a gentler slope, which is gradually increased. The first weeks are practiced at the lowest setting, then the slope is systematically increased.

Once you are sure the dog is also jumping onto the shoot with its hind paws, the ball can be introduced. A ball can be attached with Velcro at a specific spot on the chute, but it’s also useful for the instructor to hold the ball and let the dog catch it from the hand. The advantage is that you can use the ball to lure the dog fully onto the chute and can remove the ball if the dog lands incorrectly. With fast dogs, this requires expertise and speed from the instructor. But remember the golden rule: only introduce the ball when the dog has mastered the box turn.

Shoot to Box

Training always starts on the shoot and/or wall, where after some time a ball is introduced. Once the dog consistently brings the ball from the shoot, it’s time to bring out the flyball box. Of course, in earlier lessons, the dog has already become familiar with the appearance and especially the sound of the box.

It is very important to first practice the box turn on the box WITHOUT involving a ball. You may occasionally set the box to make the dog familiar with the sound, but the ball is only reintroduced once the dog turns correctly on the box.

Begin with a similar build-up as used for the chute, possibly using target training and the same helper jump as for the chute. The dog learns to turn with all four paws on the box and is enthusiastically rewarded with M+ after a correct turn.

When you finally decide to put the ball in the box, you will naturally see that the dog cannot catch the ball perfectly on the first try. It is very important to reward the dog with M+ if it turned correctly and made an attempt to catch the ball. If the dog makes no attempt at all, you need to take a step back to chute training, where the dog must bring the ball again.

Training Aids

Since aids are not allowed in competitions, it is important to use them as much as possible during training. It is clear that even dogs who have learned the box turn perfectly will see their box technique deteriorate over time. By using various aids, we ensure that the dog is required to perform its turn as optimally as possible. Especially dogs with weaker box turns need to be corrected frequently during training in the competition period.

• Helper Jump (Jump Board):
  The classic is undoubtedly the helper jump placed in front of the box. This forces the dog to jump over an obstacle and land on the box. This is especially helpful for dogs that tend to keep one or two hind legs on the ground and not place them on the box. For stubborn dogs, the helper jump can also be placed a bit further from the box so they cannot reach the ball without jumping over the helper jump. There are several possible setups, with the helper jump placed parallel or at an angle to the box.
• Props:
  There are various possible mistakes a dog can make on the box, and most of these can be solved by placing props. As mentioned, a dog that does not place its hind legs easily on the box can be corrected with a helper jump. If the dog makes too wide a turn towards jump four after the box, this can be improved by placing a side jump after the box. Similarly, a dog that jumps too high onto the box can be improved by placing an overhead jump.
• Stride Boards:
  Stride boards are used to manipulate the stride, the takeoff point, and/or the landing point. In basic training, dogs are taught not to touch these boards, so by placing them at the box, specific problems can be addressed.

Retraining

It is often said that dogs with poor box turns can be retrained to perform a correct turn. But is this always possible?

Undoubtedly, it is possible, but it is very difficult and takes a lot of time. The reason a box turn goes wrong is usually that the dog is too ball-oriented and heads straight for the ball, landing on the box with its front legs. This mistake, sometimes combined with other box problems, is particularly hard to correct. However, that does not mean we should not try.

In any case, a dog that turns incorrectly should never be sent to the box at full speed, as every landing can further increase the risk of injury. Any dog that runs straight onto the box will, over time, develop injuries to the wrists of the front legs and the shoulders. Just because you don’t see any issues now doesn’t mean the dog won’t suffer serious long-term consequences later in life.

To retrain a dog, follow the build-up as previously described, but pay extra attention to the following points:

• For several months, NEVER give a ball on the box. A dog that previously brought balls from the box will always continue to do so. So there is no point in training box turns with a ball.
• Don’t think you can retrain a dog in just one month. To properly invest in retraining a dog, you should plan for a full year, during which the dog only sees a box to practice correct turning. Every incorrect turn sets you back at least 100 correct turns in the retraining process, so even one competition run can undo all previous retraining efforts.
• A retrained dog will always be at risk of reverting to old habits. Especially after a long period of competing without training aids, you will quickly see the turn deteriorate again. Therefore, after every competition, you must train again to keep the box turn at the desired level.