Flyball

[~Tucker&Me~]

What questions do I ask when looking to join a flyball team? I want to give it a try with Spy, and I think he'd be good. If I sit in and watch a practice, what should I look for?

~Tucker

[skittledoo]

I have no clue, but I'm curious myself. I've done some light agility with my former dogs and once I get my new one next spring/summer I want to get into it a lot more. I'm really interested in flyball too though. I don't even know where to find a team out here in the Northern Virginia area.

[oc_spirit]

One of the flyball teams in Northern Virginia ;)

http://www.flyball.com/fbi/

[skittledoo]

Thanks so much oc_spirit

[DoggyDaze]

Tucker,

We recently began a Flyball class with one of the local teams. I'm pretty sure we'll be sticking with this team as we are getting to know the people and dogs and they're all good.

I'm looking for a team which isn't so driven by competition that they quit having fun. A team where everybody usually gets to participate and earn points. A team that wins enough to feel good about themselves but still allows me to pursue other activities we enjoy. Don't get me wrong, we want to participate, compete and win, but I'm not going to spend every weekend driving back and forth across the state for a couple of seconds of competiton.

Here's the bunch we are training with. http://www.jetcityjumpers.com/jcj/

[~Tucker&Me~]

^That sounds about what I'm looking for.

I want to compete with at least some sucess. I can't be spending EVERY weekend out in some tournament, but I am really eager to get out there.

My only real worry, is that I get into the same mess I am having with my agility club. My instructor is really nice and totally laid back. She doesn't really critique you, doesn't do ANY foundation work, just goes straight to learning all the obstacles. And I have made a lot of friends there, so I don't want to leave. Don't get me wrong, my instructor is really nice. Thing is, I do want to compete, and I want to improve. So as much as I am in it for the fun (which I totally am), I also want to take lessons to compete and improve my skills. I guess, to sum it up, my instructor is more based on teaching and making average pet people happy with a dog that will do obstacles when told. Whereas, I WANT to compete. I WANT to get good distance, learn about threadles, learn how to teach independant obstacles etc. I WANT to learn all the technical stuff. I'm just not an average pet person I guess.

How did you find out about your team? I am going to email a couple nearby teams. What should I say/ask?

~Tucker