Have Tennis Ball, Will Fly

Feet are flying, ears are flying, tails are flying, tennis balls are flying. It's Flyball. The fastest, noisiest, most exciting relay race you'll ever see.

Flyball races consist of teams of four dogs and their handlers. One by one, the dogs race over a 51-foot course that requires each dog to jump a series of four hurdles, step on a box that triggers a tennis ball to pop out, catch the ball and return back over the course with the ball in its mouth and cross the line to start the next dog's leg of the relay. The first team to finish without any errors wins the race. Many teams complete the course in less than 20 seconds, with the world record nearing the 15-second mark.

In 2007, the North American Flyball Association (NAFA), www.flyball.org, reported a total of 342 tourneys entered by 8,360 teams from 358 Clubs. The events attracted 5,697 different dogs representing 146 breeds. While any breed or mix can participate, the small to mid-size dogs have an advantage due to the hurdle height and raceway dimensions. Five of NAFA's top 10 dogs last year were border collies.

Local club "High Velocity" boasts consistent seeding in the top ten for both its regular (any four dogs) and multi-breed (each dog must be a different breed) teams. In the veterans category, limited to dogs seven years or older, Lake Elmo's Animal Inn Training School holds the two top spots.

Sharon Anderson, the American Kennel Club's agility director, has participated in flyball events for 24 years. She currently races her Parson Russell terrier, Tripper.

"There are so many sports like agility and conformation where it's just you and the dog, one-on-one," says Anderson. "Flyball is a team sport where you're only as strong as your weakest link."

Often, local clubs will let you show up to team practices and try flyball before joining a club. To participate, dogs must have a solid recall around other dogs, get along with all dogs and people, and not be young puppies.