If you want to see some happy dogs getting a lot of exercise, we've got the video for you! We're exploring the world of doggie flyball with our own local team. Meet the Chippewa Valley Wuff Pack out of Eau Claire.

From the Wuff Pack's website:
Flyball is a team sport for dogs. It is a relay race with four dogs on a team. The course consists of the starting line, four hurdles spaced ten feet apart and a flyball box. The dog jumps the four hurdles and steps on the spring loaded flyball box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog catches the ball then runs back over the four hurdles. When the dog crosses the starting line the next dog goes. The first team to have all four dogs run without errors wins.
Dogs must be at least one year old, have basic obedience skills and can not be aggressive toward dogs or people. Purebreds and mixed breeds are welcome in this sport, so bring out those all-Americans adopted at the humane association! Hurdle heights are determined by the height of the smallest dog on the team, so big and small dogs can compete.

INFO FROM NORTH AMERICAN FLYBALL ASSOCIATION:

Flyball got its start in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when a group of dog trainers in Southern California created scent discrimination hurdle racing, then put a guy at the end to throw tennis balls to the dogs when they finished the jump line. It didn't take long for the group to decide to build some sort of tennis ball-launching apparatus, and the first flyball box was born. Herbert Wagner is credited with developing the first flyball box, and apparently he did a flyball demo on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson that got a lot of peoples attention. Subsequently, the new dog sport for dog enthusiasts was introduced in the Toronto-Detroit area by several dog training clubs. After a few small tournaments were held in conjunction with dog shows, the first ever flyball tournament was held in 1983.

If you want to check out the Wuff Pack in action, the pups will be competing in a tournament in Eau Claire the weekend of August 9th and 10th at the Eau Claire County Expo Center.

For more information you can call Rexann at 726-0811

Or, to learn more, click here.