Flyball is a fast and exciting sport, not only for the spectators and handlers, but for the dogs, too!  There are two teams of four dogs each, racing side-by-side over a 51 foot long course. A judge signals the start of the race between the two competing teams.  Side by side, each dog must run, in relay fashion, over  4 jumps, trigger a flyball box which releases a tennis ball, retrieve the ball, and return over the jumps. The next dog is released to run the course but can't cross the start/finish line until the previous dog has returned over all 4 jumps and reached the start/finish line. The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course without any errors wins the heat. Success in Flyball racing is measured in thousandths of a second and the action is fast and furious!  At tournaments, electronic sensors and timing machinery are used to capture the results.  Some people describe flyball as “drag racing for dogs!”

Flyball is the fastest growing dog sport in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and other countries with over 700 clubs competing regularly and is open to mixed breeds and shelter rescues  along with registered breeds. 

Of course!  The ideal Flyball dog is an agile, athletic dog with lots of stamina, a smart and thinking dog, a dog that can cope with situation changes without blinking an eye. That describes a Catahoula to a “T”.  Flyball incorporates the perfect merging of canine obedience and agility-type skills in an exciting and fun sport.  To learn all the many skills necessary to play Flyball successfully, a Catahoula needs to be focused on its handler.  Obedience training is essential since it trains a Catahoula to focus on its handler and build its confidence. 

Flyball can teach a Catahoula to perform and make its own decisions while it is running at top speed and also learn to perform its tasks while there is another dog in an adjoining lane doing the same thing at the same time.  This requires the ultimate in focus and concentration in the face of major distractions.