Agility & Flyball Demonstrations

DEMONSTRATIONS – AGILITY AND FLYBALL

Club members from Zippity Do Dogs (agility) and Westside Woofers (flyball) will be giving demonstrations of these dog sports on Thursday and Friday afternoons, Saturday, and Sunday during the Meeker Classic. Demonstrations will be in the fenced areas between the parking lot and the main spectator viewing areas, near the road.

Agility is a sport for dogs of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments, and handlers of all ages and abilities.Agility is basically an obstacle course with a variety of jumps, tunnels, weave poles and other obstacles that the dog must successfully navigate, much like steeplechase events for horses. One interesting fact about agility is that the dogs will compete on a half dozen courses with different layouts and obstacles in a day, and the dog will not have seen the actual course before running it. Agility is a wonderful activity for all types of dogs and dog owners, whether or not they are interested in competing and regardless of age. Border collies and other herding dogs are favorites, but by no means are they the only breeds that you will see compete successfully.

Flyball… if an apt metaphor for agility is steeplechase, then the only possible metaphor to describe flyball is – DRAG RACIN’ DOGS !! Flyball is a head to head series of races between two teams of four dogs. Each dog races through 4 low jumps to “the box”. When they hit the box and make a high speed turn to come back, the box kicks out a tennis ball which they must successfully carry back through all four jumps and then all the way through the finish line without dropping it. The next dog is released at a precisely determined moment that will hopefully allow the dogs to pass noses right at the start / finish line without the second dog getting there too soon and being disqualified. This is repeated for all four dogs on the team and the entire race – all four dogs – is usually completed in only 16 to 20 seconds!

Flyball dogs can be all sizes and breeds – the border collies and other herding breeds that you came to see this weekend are well represented in flyball, but any high drive and focused dog that can learn the skills of making the turn at the box and then passing another dog at top speed (usually some 25 or 30 MPH) with their bodies just inches apart will make a good racing dog.

The flyball and agility dogs you will see at Meeker, and their owners, will represent all levels of skill and accomplishment from beginning dogs in training, to senior dogs, to accomplished competitors who have won many ribbons and titles at regional and national events. We will have a handout at the demo location with contact information for the clubs in our area and for people who teach classes and provide individual instruction, so ask for one of those handouts if you’re interested in learning more about either sport or getting started with your dog.