Flyball reward question

[Devi]

I briefly glanced over the NAFA rulebook and didn't find an answer, but it's probably there and I missed it...

 

Obviously nothing that makes sounds that would disturb other dogs would be allowed, but what are the rules on rewarding your dog in flyball?

 

Is there a rule stating what you can and can not use for a reward after a dog's run?

 

Thanks!!

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Not a flyball participant, but a wannabe. All the meets I've seen on tv have had super happy humans at the end of the run hooting and hollering like crazy and loads of tug toys. Seems like the cheering section and fun tugging is the reward. I could be wrong though. Can't wait 'til Woobie's ready, looks so much fun!

[Guest TheRuffMuttGang]

Devi, if your dog likes to tug, that is by far the #1 most popular reward. Work on building drive for the tug (look up thing like 1-2-3-OK game) and then start with learning flyball. You want your dog to really love that tug above all else.

 

As for rewards, it can really be almost anything. I've seen/heard some loud and obnoxious toys (squeaky toys, Tally even likes thos squeaky tennis balls) but it really all depends on the judges in the certain region you're in. Since you'd be in the same region I am in, I can tell you almost any reward will go here, including food (ugh, I hate it when people drop food in the ring though). There is a woman in our region that has about a dozen 2-liter soda bottles tied to a big tug rope. The noise it makes when she shakes that thing sounds IDENTICAL to the sound of the ring gates toppling over so lots of times you'll see people stop and look when she shakes that tug.

[bexie]

I have this weird mental picture of someone standing at the end with a sheep. What better reward for a BC than to herd? ;-) I bet that wouldn't go well with the judges though.

[PSmitty]

Seems like I remember that anything goes, but you're not supposed to throw anything, I think. Like you can use another ball or a frisbee, but don't throw it. Is that right, Deb?

 

The funniest thing I've seen is a lady with a cute little mixed breed height dog. She uses about a 2 foot long bully stick as a reward! He runs right back and latches on to it. Hey, whatever works!

[Dana Nichols]

Yes, you can't throw anything in the ring. But, you can have a toy or frisbee on a rope & drag it along. Here is the NAFA rule on distractions (the relevant portion):

 

"Distractions. Team members shall not distract the opposing team by any means, nor throw any object for their dogs (i.e. balls, toys, Frisbees, dummies, gloves, or treats)."

 

There aren't any other rules regarding use of rewards. Use of sqeaky balls, etc. is usually fine. There have been instances where the rewards were significantly loud as to distract dogs in neighboring rings & were deemed to be interference, but that's relatively rare. Pretty much anything you can use is allowed, including food & toys. We even had one person who had the dog's food bowl with her food in it & holllered "dinner, dinner, dinner!"

 

Dana

 

P.S. As for the sheep, yes a whole sheep would be too much of a distraction (ha ha!), but there are some folks who braid sheep or rabbit fur into their tugs.

[Devi]

Thanks all. The reason I ask-- I have a dog who is learning to tug, but he is four years old and has obviously never tugged as a reward before. I now make him tug for dinner, to play with the water hose, to go for a walk, etc, and he's developing more drive for tugging, but we have been working for months and he is nowhere near being able to have a tug as a reward. I wear myself out being crazy so that he has fun tugging, but the interesting thing is that he will do ANYTHING for a squirt from a small spray bottle in his face. Anything! He can tune everything else in the world out if I have a spray bottle in my hand.

[Guest TheRuffMuttGang]

I am sure you could bring a small squirt bottle in the ring...you'd just have to be sure to squirt the dog and not get it on the mats. JMHO.

[PSmitty]

We even had one person who had the dog's food bowl with her food in it & holllered "dinner, dinner, dinner!"

 

Ok, *that* just might work to improve Lilly's speed!

[Devi]

I'll have to get this on video so you guys will believe me! I guess he's nuts.

[Rave]

All I'll add is, don't get the mats wet at all, or people will be complaining pretty quickly since wet mats are a hazard. Of course, if you just play outside, that might not be an issue.

[Devi]

I didn't mean to imply that I was going to be squirting it everywhere or anything, just one or two squirts (it's a very small stream from a tiny bottle) directly at my dog. If any wound up on the mats, it'd be no more than some of the dogs who spit while they're barking!! Thanks all!

[Rave]

umm yeah, depending on where you'll be competing, and how the teams are there, there still may be complaints when people *see* it. flyball people love nothing more than to whine whine whine.... just like agility people. ;-)

[Devi]

Fun! If there's any problem, I'll work it out-- I may have to abandon my "secret weapon," but that's fine. I didn't EXPECT spray bottles to be allowed, after all!