The Three R's of Flyball

Dog Training
Flyball
Three R's

Flyball is easily understood to be a series or "chain" of behaviors. These behaviors are trained seperately and then put together in sequence when the dog has demonstrated mastery of the seperate parts. How can we, as trainers, use this concept when developing a training program?

There are THREE seperate and distinct portions of the flyball run. A run begins with the "go-out" portion. For the sake of memory, let's call that "R" the retrieve. The dog is sent to get his ball so "retrieve" makes that easy to remember and it is accurate.

The second "R" to remember in the chain is the reverse, otherwise known as the box turn or swimmer's turn. Box turn and swimmer's turn describe what the dog is doing but, assigning the behavior a word beginning with an "R" makes it easier to rememember so I choose REVERSE. Besides, it is also accurately describing the dog's behavior and the purpose of that behavior: To catch the ball (retrieve) and change direction (reverse).

The third behavior we assign an "R" to is the recall. After the dog has has retrieved his ball and reversed his direction down the flyball course, we want a lightening quick return to his handler, thus choosing "recall" as the word we want to associate with this portion of the flyball run.

So, now we have three very easy descriptive words that label the three critical portions of the behaviors we teach a dog to perform flyball. No matter how much more we break down the behaviors, it is these three elements that make up the basics of flyball and where we begin each dog's lessons. We can also use these elements to evaluate each individual's progress in training or to analyze training issues. We can also use these elements to develop class structure and lesson plans for teams or training clubs. There is a never-ending list of possibilities that help us to organize our efforts to train and improve our flyball canines by using the three "R"s as a core curriculum.

I shall go into more detail in later articles how picturing the flyball run into these three basic elements saves time and effort and will result in a better trained flyball dog.

See ya at practice!

Immersion Training

I am the team captain for a small team. We offer flyball lessons to newcomers who show an interest in flyball. Unfortunately, it takes at least 6 months to get a flyball dog ready to race and sometimes a year or more. By then, most new people lose interest and drop out. Do you know of a training method that can shorten the time necessary to get a dog tournament ready?

A.G. from Seattle, WA

There is a "technique" that has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to prepare a dog for Flyball competition. Known as "Immersion" Training, it takes advantage of the fact that any creature with a "brain" is capable of learning several things simultaneously. This has been proven in scientific behavior labs all over the world. It even works with humans!
When you think of it, schools everywhere already use this. We take courses in Arithmatic, Reading, Science and Geography simultaneously. Of course, while each subject is being taught, we are not necessarily discussing all the others but, before the day is over, each subject has had a lesson to further education goals. It is not necessary to have taken ALL the lessons in Arithmatic in order to begin learning Geography and Science.
How can we apply this to Flyball Training? First, we must recognize that "flyball" is a series of seperate behaviors that are performed in an ordered sequence. We call this "chaining'. Some trainers actually teach their dogs in a sort of "reverse" chain. First, they teach a recall. Then, they introduce the box. Last, they train the dog to jump the jumps and fetch a ball. After the dog has mastered these different behaviors, these trainers will string these behaviors together in a "back-chaining" technique. You will produce a flyball dog using the back-chaining method but, the question becomes "how long will that take?" The answer is often much longer than people who are "new" to flyball or dog training are willing to invest.
Immersion Training in flyball is simply breaking down the "flyball chain" into its simplest parts and teaching them as seperate behaviors but, receiving lessons on all the behaviors on the same day. As an example: You might begin your practice session with several recall exercises. You might begin on the flat and then introduce jumps as "one jump", two jumps and so on. Then, you may give your dog a small 10-15 minute break and bring them back into the training area to do some box work. Could be on a slant board or the real flyball box. The point is that working on the swimmers turn is worked seperately from the recall exercise.
After another break of sufficient length, you again work the dog on some aspect of the retrieve. Whether you choose to work "with" jumps or no jumps is up to your choosing and depends on the dog's level of understanding. But, retrieve (or, going away from you) should definitely be worked seperately from the box and the recall.
Work these behaviors seperately until they are fully ingrained in your dog's understanding and your dog is fully "proofed" and consistent with thses behaviors before you start "chaining" the behaviors together. You will find that doing so will shorten the time necessary to prepare your dog for tournament competition.
See you at practice!

Let 'Em Win!

Flyball Training


Fast Recall


One of the first lessons a puppy or an older flyball prospect learns is to "chase". Why is this exercise so important? It is important because we want the dog to return to you as fast as they possibly can. In flyball, the reason for this is obvious. Flyball is a race and so we train for faster than lightening returns. ....but, I submit to you that a consistent and enthusistic "recall" on your dog will serve you well in whatever activities you pursue with your dog. These techniques will work no matter if it is AKC Obedience titles, Agility competition or just a romp in the ol' dog park. A fast recall works!

So, how do we get a fast recall on our dog? First, we begin by identifying what "motivates" our dog's behavior. Each dog is different when it comes to motivation so be attentive as to what motivates your dog to run. With a puppy, I would start playing with the puppy. Try different toys. Some squeak, others do not. Some are hard and others plush. Some roll and others rattle. Offer several to your puppy and see if he/she prefers one more than the others.

Try to do this evaluation when the puppy is not tired or hot or hungry as these conditions will distract your puppy from paying full attention to you. Also, offer the toys on several different occasions as sometimes what is a "favorite" today will be ignored tomorrow.

Eventually, your puppy (or older dog, this works for both) will tell you which toy he/she prefers. Now, on to our recall lesson. If you can get another person to hold your puppy while you call them, great! ...but, if not, then you have to wait until your puppy is distracted and not looking at you before you call out their name. Either way, this is what you do:

• Call out your puppy's name.
• Show them their wonderful toy!
• When you are certain

that your puppy is committed to running to you, turn away from your puppy and run a few steps.

Allow your puppy to catch up to you and give them their toy. This is their reward for reaching you.

This is most important: Play and have fun with your dog! Don't shorten or cheapen the experience in the beginning. Remember, we don't just want a fast dog. We want a consistent dog. Consistently running back to you whenever and wherever you ask him to.

Let your puppy win! ...now, what do I mean by that? I mean, in the game of "tugging" with your puppy, you've got to release the toy to your puppy. They need to feel they've "won" the game, even if its only 5-10 seconds. Tug and release, tug and release in rapid succession at least 3-4 times.

At the moment you decide that the exercise is over and you want to end the game, do not take the toy away from the puppy forcibly. Instead, take your puppy by the collar to gain control and/or pick them up. Let them release the toy by their own choice. DON'T force the puppy to give up the toy. Let 'em win!

Now, why do I stress the "let 'em win!" portion? ...because, the most important thing to build when training your puppy is trusting you. You can't build your dog's trust in you if you're going to emphasize the fact that you are bigger and stronger than your puppy and steal his toy away! (eventually).
So, what we do is maneuver the dog into choosing to give up their toy voluntarily. This is essential in the racing lanes so you might as well build the foundation for this right from the start.
What do we do if the puppy doesn't give up his toy so we can do the recall again? Well, there are several options. First, carry your puppy in your arms until he drops the toy. Or, offer the puppy a second toy or food. You can try water, too. If all else fails, give your puppy to someone else to hold while you deliberately ignore your puppy. This usually does the trick as your puppy should really miss you and lose all interest in anything else just to get you to come back.
An older dog that doesn't release their toy can be a bit more stubborn. You may have to leave the room and have him lose sight of you before giving up the toy to look for you. Engage the help of others if this is the case with your grown up dog.
The point you are trying to establish is this: If they want the game to continue, they must choose to drop their toy. The only way you will play with them again is when they drop their toy for you.
Five or ten minutes for this exercise is all you need in the beginning. You can put them up and bring them out again in 30 minutes or an hour. Don't continue to play until your dog is exhausted. If the dog is tired or looking for water, they are too distracted by their physical condition to pay much attention to you. Learning only takes place when they are focused on you.
Start out your new flyball prospect building their trust and confidence in you and you will be rewarded many times over.
See you at practice!
..................Chris

My New Puppy

Bringing a new puppy into the home is a common occurrence at this time of the year. Many dog trainers also take advantage of the abundance of puppies around the Holidays and plan (or "un-plan") for a new bundle of joy of the canine variety.

The question is: What should you do for the best possible experience for yourself and your new canine companion? Is there a "right" way or a "wrong" way?

How you plan will depend heavily on the exact circumstances which brought your new puppy to you. If you have been planning and expecting your puppy well in advance, then you probably have all the toys, blankets and food you will need. If your puppy is a last minute decision, perhaps to "rescue" the little fella from a bad situation, you may need some advice on how to proceed.

First thing to consider is the puppy's age. If he/she is 16 weeks of age or older, a trip to the Vet's office is necessary to get up to date on Vaccinations and a general exam for overall health. If your pup is under 16 weeks but, older than 7 weeks, I would call the vet's office and ask for their recommendations. Younger than 7 weeks shouldn't be separated from their mother and I would only under dire circumstances.
Puppies like to chew because they are usually teething and need to massage their gums to gain relief from that. Get some sturdy Nylabone chews or Puppy Kongs which are made with a soft rubber perfect for puppy's soft mouth and needle sharp teeth. They shouldn't need encouragement but, it's ok to use peanut butter or liver paste to entice them to concentrate on "their" chew toy and not shoes or slippers.
Since a tug toy is often used as a reward for flyball training, it's a good idea to choose one now and play a short game of tug with your pup. Don't overdue it! ALWAYS let the puppy win at playing tug and always end the game while your pup wants to play. If you play tug until your pup stops from exhaustion, the tug will never be looked at as a reward by your adult dog.

People ask all the time about teaching a young puppy to "jump". My recommendation is to teach your pup to go over a stick or board that is lying flat on the ground. He may give a little "hop" while going over it until he figures out that it will not reach up and get him. But, never ask a really young puppy to jump over a reulation flyball jump. You are risking a bad training experience at best and worst case scenario is a serious injury to soft, growing bones and joints. DON'T DO IT!

Finally, your puppy should be given a sense of his own identity. He should have his own dish for food, his own bed/blanket for sleeping and his own leash, collar and toys. He will be at the bottom of the pack for a while in a multi-dog household but, he shouldn't be given a reason to want to take objects away from other canines. You are laying a foundation for complex training behaviors later on. Your pup should always feel secure about his place in your home.

See you at practice!

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