dlmckay Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 I've just noticed that you have different flyboxes to us here in NZ... we have a catapult style box... and this is yours (sorry, nicked the picture from gooster) How does the English variety work then? Ours works by the dog hitting the green pedal on the front. You have to do quite a lot of training on a covered box to stop the dog from running around the back and nicking the ball out of the holder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anniegirl Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Your boxes seem to be closer to the crufts style of box which projects the ball upwards for the dog to catch. With our boxes the front of the box is spring loaded which triggers the ball horizontally out of the front of the box for the dog to catch. The best dogs do a sort of swimmers turn and catch the ball during the turn and kick of the box with their back legs. Photo of one of the Nuneaton team at a show where OH was doing the photography Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 As Cathie says, our boxes are set so that when the dog hits the box with enough force, the ball comes out. Our flyball tends to be faster than any flyball with a box design like the crufts one, this is because the dog doesn't have to stop to press the pedal. Charliegoo does a swimmers turn on the box, you can see it better in this picture Never realised what a nice turn he had, till I saw that picture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucyandmeg Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Did you teach him that or does he do it naturally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlmckay Posted August 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 I never taught Tui to turn as such, simply encouraged her like mad to be super efficient on the box - meaning to catch the ball, not fumble it on the ground and to return as quick as she could. As a result, she has this wonderful action that I'll try to catch on video the next time there's a tournament (winter atm and grounds are very boggy). She runs to the box and throws both paws on the pedal - whilst still moving forward, she catches the ball and once the ball is caught, she flings her back legs to the side, so that she is almost turning in midair around the ball and jumping the box sideways. Then she returns as fast as she can. I'm so proud of my baby girl. It's an amazing motion to watch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Did you teach him that or does he do it naturally? It came naturally to him, not done much box work with him at all - I suppose he does it because it is the most efficient way of doing it as fast as he can Eddie also has an absolutely beautiful turn, but I have no pictures of him on the box Can't wait to see the video of Tui on the box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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