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About Us

The Blockade Runners

The Blockade Runners are a small group that get together to train their dogs to compete in flyball tournaments and otherwise just to have a good time. Our approach is not structured like most clubs. Flyball teams that are part of a club can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of work - organizing flyball activities, scheduled practice for club members, teaching classes, and organizing demos, tournaments, and special events. Unlike other groups, our group gets together when we can. Occasionally we participate in demos and special events but do not offer classes or organized practices. If someone is working their dog and wants to get together with others they will post a time and place to meet. Anyone is welcome if their dog is under control and up to date with their shots.

Rules

* The Blockade Runners do not have schedule practices or offer classes. That being said, there are always those that will help out when they can.
* The Blockade Runners are not a club – there are no dues, bylaws, or club officers. We get together to work our dogs to compete in flyball tournaments and otherwise have a good time.
* The Blockade Runners participate in demos, and while participation in demos is encouraged, it is not required. However, having a good time is!
* It’s great when handlers wear team uniforms, but no one has to buy Blockade Runner T-shirts, jackets, uniforms, dog bags, etc.
* If someone wants to run with the Blockade Runners they simply add their dog’s name to a list of up coming tournaments posted on our web-site. After the tournament, you only pay for the races that you run. Most entries are around $30.00 per dog if the dog runs full time.
* Blockade Runners are expected to be good sports and pleasant to exhibitors, spectators, our host, sponsors, and judges. Everyone is allowed one bad day where they can be crabby without having to explain their behavior. Since everyone is allowed only one bad day, they are encouraged to use it wisely.
* Mike decides who runs on what team and when

Please check out the other programs in the area to know whether or not our program is for you.

Working Your Dogs

Normally we work our dogs on Saturday morning and/or Sunday afternoon at East Wake High School in Knightdale, but I’m always open to getting together at another location and time. Every one is welcome to participate provided the dog’s shots are up to date and the dog is under control. Some people enjoy coming out to exercise their dogs with no intention of ever competing, others may even be competing with other teams. If someone is working their dog and wants to get together with others they will post a time and place to meet. (link to practice location and date)

It's a good idea to call ahead to see if we are going to be working our dogs or not.

On Your Mark

My training manual, On Your Mark (link to handout) expresses my training philosophy and techniques. Everyone has ideas or unique methods on how a dog should or should not be trained - keep an open mind and recognize when a particular method or technique is not for you.

Titles

Each time a team races in a NAFA sanctioned Flyball tournament with a time under 24 seconds, each dog racing in that heat will receive 25 points toward a Flyball title, under 28 seconds each dog racing in that heat will receive 5 points and under 32 seconds each dog racing in that heat will receive 1 point. NAFA will award a certificate of achievement and the title:

* Flyball Dog (FD) to any dog receiving 20 points.
* Flyball Dog Excellent (FDX) to any dog receiving 100 points.
* Flyball Dog Champion (FDCh) to any dog receiving 500 points.
* Flyball Dog Champion Silver (FDChS) or JAX named after Jackson to any dog receiving 1,000 points.
* Flyball Dog Champion Gold (FDChS) to any dog receiving 2,500 points.
* Flyball Master (FM) for any dog receiving 5,000 points.
* Flyball Master Excellent (FMX) for any dog receiving 10,000 points.
* Flyball Master Champion (FMCh) for any dog receiving 15,000 points.
* Onyx, named after its first recipient, for any dog receiving 20,000 points.
* Flyball Grand Champion (FGDCh) for any dog receiving 30,000 points.
* Hobbes Award named after its first recipient, for any dog receiving 100,000 points.

Teams

Between handling dogs, recording times, loading the box, calling passes, etc., it takes 11 or 12 people to run a team. Given the current number of races usually scheduled for Region 9 tournaments, running more than three or four teams at any given tournament just does not allow everyone time to really enjoy the weekend. Also, running more than four teams often leaves us without backup dogs, proving to be a logistically nightmare when someone has to pull their dog or a dog is injured. And, if we pull a team there is no guarantee that we’ll get our entry back. Unless we have enough people signed up, it just isn’t very practical to run more than three or four teams.

Running only four teams means some dogs may not always make a team. Even if they make a team, they may only get to run handful of races or none at all. It can be a long drive to a tournament and may involve staying at a hotel, so I understand if people do not want to run backup, rotate their dog on a team, or be on a team that won’t get 25-point runs. A lineup will be published before the closing date indicating if your dog will be backup only, rotating with another dog, or running full time.

How lineups are decided depends on the seed time, the experience of the dog or handler, how easily the dog can be rotated in and out, does a particular dog have to run first, or last, will a dog have to be rotated, do we need a backup (two height dogs on a team is always nice), do I run a dog that needs the experience or one that needs more points for a title, should dogs be kept on 8 inch jumps or can they manage 11 inch jumps, which dogs run well together and which ones don’t, etc. One of the goals of the Blockade Runners is to be competitive in Division 1, but we also want to be competitive in the other divisions as well. At the same time we want everyone to have a good time.

Whether or not the Blockade Runners is for you depends on what you want to get out of flyball. Please check out the other programs in the area to know whether or not our program is for you.