For Prospective Team Members & New Team Members
We practice Sunday evenings. If you come you will need a crate for your dog to hang out in when not working, bring favorite toy or treats - we will use as "motivator" to reward desired behavior. Dress for dirty dog fun. Bring a good leash and lots of water for yourself and the dog. We do have a baby pool and water for the dogs after they run to bring down their body temps.
We invite you and your dogs to come out for three practices and see if you like it, the dog likes it, and the idea of practice every Sunday evening works in your life. If it's all a good fit then you join as an associate member. There is a $40 dues payment for joining. Your dog's training begins in earnest, you can take home team equipment to practice, etc. Members remain "associate" for between 4 weeks - 5 months. Because this is a team sport the team must vote you in as a full member before you actually race with the team. (This rule exists because once you race you are locked in and cannot transfer teams for three months -that is a rule per the flyball leagues). There are four flyball teams in the Vegas valley and they are all a bit different. It's best to get a feel for the teams and their philosophies before you commit to any one team.
We invite you and your dogs to come out for three practices and see if you like it, the dog likes it, and the idea of practice every Sunday evening works in your life. If it's all a good fit then you join as an associate member. There is a $40 dues payment for joining. Your dog's training begins in earnest, you can take home team equipment to practice, etc. Members remain "associate" for between 4 weeks - 5 months. Because this is a team sport the team must vote you in as a full member before you actually race with the team. (This rule exists because once you race you are locked in and cannot transfer teams for three months -that is a rule per the flyball leagues). There are four flyball teams in the Vegas valley and they are all a bit different. It's best to get a feel for the teams and their philosophies before you commit to any one team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How expensive is flyball?
WAAY less than organized kids sports! Yearly dues for full members are $100. Most pay $25 every three months. That money goes to park rental, team insurance, equipment purchases. Other expenses are entry fees for tournaments. About $30 for a weekend of racing.
What equipment do I need?
Where do we go to compete?
We limit ourselves to tournaments that are 5 hours away or less. Phoenix area, Southern Cal, and Southern Utah. We usually stay in inexpensive motels If there is camping nearby that accepts dogs and the weather is suitable we often tent camp. We try to gather for potluck meals... lunch for sure at the tournament and sometimes dinner when we are camping. Between the camping and the potlucks we try to keep the expense of the tourney low so folks can afford to attend. We compete about every 6 - 8 weeks... there is enough going on within our 5 hr radius that we often have to pick and choose.
WAAY less than organized kids sports! Yearly dues for full members are $100. Most pay $25 every three months. That money goes to park rental, team insurance, equipment purchases. Other expenses are entry fees for tournaments. About $30 for a weekend of racing.
What equipment do I need?
- Good collar or harness for the dog to wear. You don't have to have a specialized collar or harness, but some find it makes getting a grip on their dog easier. Best to look at what folks are using and get a feel for how boisterous your dog is when playing before investing in anything fancy.
- Easy packing crate. I advise the wire kind that collapse and set up easily. Wire offers the best airflow for our hot climate. When the weather turns cold we wrap tarps and blankets around the crates.
- Motivators. This is the reward for desired behavior. It could be just playing with you with any old tennis ball, it could be an elaborately braided tug with a ball at the end or it could be bits of string cheese.
- Leash for moving dog to and from racing ring. Make sure it's easy to get on and off their collar when they are boisterous.
Where do we go to compete?
We limit ourselves to tournaments that are 5 hours away or less. Phoenix area, Southern Cal, and Southern Utah. We usually stay in inexpensive motels If there is camping nearby that accepts dogs and the weather is suitable we often tent camp. We try to gather for potluck meals... lunch for sure at the tournament and sometimes dinner when we are camping. Between the camping and the potlucks we try to keep the expense of the tourney low so folks can afford to attend. We compete about every 6 - 8 weeks... there is enough going on within our 5 hr radius that we often have to pick and choose.
