The basicsWe believe that flyball is for dogs of all breeds and sizes if they're fit, healthy and injury-free. Some dogs may learn faster than others, or have different challenges, but all benefit from working their brain and their body. We don't subscribe to the belief that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, so we welcome dogs of all ages, though puppies will only be able to do foundation work until they are older to protect their growing joints.
SX uses modern, reward based, motivational techniques to train our dogs to play flyball. Put simply, if they do the thing we want them to do, we'll reward them with whatever they love most, usually with a treat, a game of tug etc. Even if your dog doesn't love chasing a ball, they can be taught to play (and love!) flyball. Rather than our instructors training your dog for you, we'll train you to train and handle your dog in the flyball ring, tailoring a training program to your dog's individual needs. |
Training sessionsWe train at 7pm on Thursday nights at Fairfield Showground, with set up starting at 6:30pm. Training finishes at 9pm with pack down finishing at about 9:15pm.
Beginner handlers encouraged to get involved in our team training to learn how to handle a racing dog in the ring, learn other aspects of flyball, like box loading, and see how the teams work together. Entrance to the grounds is via Smithfield Rd or the roundabout at Moonlight Rd/Greenfield Rd. Follow the road straight ahead until you see the Western Districts Live Steamers (Hobby trains) - we train on the grassed field next to this (under the flood lights). |
Your first nightTrying new things can be daunting, especially when you have an excited dog in tow so we encourage anyone considering starting flyball to make contact with us on our facebook or contact us page prior to bringing their dog to training for the first time. New members can join the club on any night we are training, however, due to our competition schedule, holidays and the weather, we may not train every week.
We suggest you wear clothes that are easy to move around in as flyball training is very active. You will be running short distances, bending and stretching while training, so activewear is perfect. You will also need closed in, comfortable shoes (running shoes or sneakers). To get your dog started in flyball, you will need to bring some basic equipment to training.
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Joining Sx and Training Fees
On your first night of training, you will be given a membership form to join us. Joining the club is simple, all you will need is your dogs' vaccination certificate (for each dog you plan on training at the club) and we'll do the rest.
Flyball is a relatively inexpensive dog sport, but there are some fees involved. For SX members, these are billed quarterly by our treasurer:
Flyball is a relatively inexpensive dog sport, but there are some fees involved. For SX members, these are billed quarterly by our treasurer:
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Once your dog has been to a few training sessions, you may like to take their training to the next level and come along to a competition. Though you can do this without a dog, joining the Australian Flyball Association (AFA) will mean that you are able to come into the ring with the team to learn all of our support roles. On top of this, becoming a member of the AFA and registering your dog with them will mean that you can train in the ring at lunch times at competitions where lunchtime training is scheduled. Membership to the AFA is $25 for the first year, which includes your membership and a CRN (competition racing number) for your first dog. Additional dogs can be added for $20 a year.
Wet WeatherFlyball is a fast sport and because our dogs run flat out, it can be unsafe for us to train in very wet conditions or in excessive heat. The decision about whether or not training will go ahead is made by 5pm and posted to our members only facebook group. If you are considering coming to training for the first time but the weather is questionable, please check in with us via our facebook or contact us page to make sure that training is on.
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Crate TrainingAt flyball competitions, it's important that our dogs get enough rest between races so they come out firing. Exhausted dogs are not only slower and less likely to run cleanly, they are also at higher risk of injury. The easiest and safest way for us to contain our dogs and tell them that it's time to rest is to use a crate. Crates may look scary to you if you haven't seen or used them before, but our dogs see them as a safe space (their own den or bedroom) where they can chill out without being bothered by other dogs. Dogs of all ages, from puppies to geriatrics, can be crate trained.
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Nail maintenanceNail maintenance may not seem related to flyball training at all, but dogs use the feeling in their feet and nails to help work out where their body is in space (proprioception) and long nails can have a big impact on their posture and their ability to finish a flyball run safely. Dogs who "click" when they walk on hard surfaces are in need of a nail trim. If you have a dog who doesn't like nail trims, or you're not comfortable cutting them yourself, ask your instructor to help you.
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RESTRAINED RECALLSIf you're looking for an exercise you can do at home to help with your dogs' flyball training, restrained recalls are a great start! They involve one person holding your dog while you call the dog and run away. This builds frustration and motivation, so your dog will come running to you quickly. This is the first exercise we teach new flyballers as having a solid recall is very important when we start asking dogs to focus on us while other dogs are also running.
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