Where we train you to train your dog in a positive way!
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Where we train you to train your dog in a positive way!
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What is Flyball? Flyball is a relay sport with four hurdles in a row and a flyball box at the end of a 51 foot lane. There are four dogs on a team and the shortest dog on the team determines the jump height. The shorter the dog, the lower the jump height will be for the whole team. Each four dog team will race another four dog team in the lane next to them. At the start of each heat, each handler restrains their dog one at a time. There are timing lights called a EJS System (Electronic Judging System) much like you would see in drag racing. Their is a start dog for each team and the goal is to be as close to the start line when the green light comes on. As the remaining dogs are released, the goal is to have a nose to nose pass at the start line. The flyball box at the end of the lane has a trigger pedal on it. The dogs do a swimmer's turn off the pedal which ejects a tennis ball. The dog must hold that ball until it has returned over the start line. In 1999, Mad City Dog Training formed their own Flyball team called the Ulti-Mutts. The Ulti-Mutts have a team practice once a week and they host three tournaments a year at Mad City Dog Training. They also travel to approximately six other tournaments a year in the Midwest. The Ulti-Mutts share great camaraderie and enjoy camping in their RV's at tournaments, grilling out, visiting the Millstream Brewing Company in Amana Iowa and sharing a lot of laughter. The Ulti-Mutts are a mix of serious competitors and recreational players. Regardless of the teams goals, the teams are always set to provide the most success for each team. Each heat that is run in under 24 seconds, each dog on that team earns 25 points. If they run 24-28 seconds, they earn 5 points and 28 to 32 seconds they earn 1 point. The points each dog accumulates earns them titles.
Kathy Wirka is the owner of Mad City Dog training and founder of the Ulti-Mutts. In 1999, she raced her beloved Doberman, Rosie. While Rosie's Flyball career was brief, she earned her FDX title before retiring. In 2003, Kathy began running a Border Collie named Sprocket. He is owned by Melinda Clark but is Kathy's flyball partner. Sprocket has put up lightning fast times like 3.86 seconds in his prime. He is still running 4.2's at seven years old these days and lives to play the game. Kathy also has another dog, Joe. He is a Border Collie/Sheltie mix from rescue and is training for Flyball. Kathy's dogs and titles: Rosie FDX Sprocket FB40K Joe-In Training Melinda Clark started playing flyball in 1999 in Chicago with her Shepherd mix, Gypsy Lu. After moving to the Madison area, she joined the Ulti-mutts in 2001. Gypsy Lu soon retired and Melinda started racing her German Shepherd, Jamie Lee. Over the years, Jamie put up times in the 4.0's and went on to become the Number 1 pointed German Shepherd in North America in 2007/2008. She earned over 52,000 points in her career before retiring. Melinda currently races her German Shepherds Ruckus and Razzy and her Border Collie, Steve McQueen. Steve is following in the footsteps of her brother Sprocket and running times in the 3.9's. Melinda's dogs and titles: Gypsy Lu-FDCH Jamie Lee-FB50K Ruckus Dale-ONYX Razzy-FMX Steve McQueen-FDCH-G Angel (In Training) Sue & Daryl Castona Jill Miller Michael Williams & Allison Osting Eric & Callie Enyart joined the Ulti-Mutts in 2005 with their Jack Russell, Lilly. Lilly is one of the Ulti-Mutts height dogs, bringing the jumps down to 7 inches. Lilly will retrieve anything, anywhere, all the time! In 2006, Eric and Callie got Cricket. She is a Border Stack (Border Collie, Jack Russell, Staffordshire Terrier) and loves to play Flyball. She is very fast and consistent. Outside of Flyball, Cricket likes to play Frisbee. Eric & Callie's dogs and titles: Lilly-FMCH Cricket-FMX Brenda Altman Karen Smith Jessica Snyder joined the Ulti-Mutts in 2007 with her Brittany Spaniel, Brett. Aside from bird hunting, Brett loves to play flyball. He has become a very consistent and solid player for whatever team he is on. Jessica is also looking to the future and plans to get a German Shepherd puppy to have as her next flyball dog. Jessica's dog and titles: Brett-FDCH-S Kris Blacklock
COMING SOON
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Contact Information: Mad City Dog Training
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