Flyball is a competitive and social relay team sport for dogs where two teams of four dogs compete against each other in separate lanes, over a course of four hurdles, retrieve a tennis ball from a specially designed box, and then return over the four hurdles to cross the finish line. The race is completed when all four dogs in turn have each successfully jumped the hurdles, collected the ball, returned over the hurdles and crossed the line without a fault. The quickest team is the winner. 'Owlers member Julie says: "We had our first tournament in Blackpool on 11 September and came a respectable third in our division, which isn't bad at all for a new team. We had a fantastic day. Lots of laughs.  | | One of the sporty 'Owlers |
"We travel all over the north of England to compete at sanctioned tournaments against other teams from around the country. It is always a very sociable event not just for the dogs but for their human counterparts. "We tend to either camp at the events or stay in a dog-friendly hotel (weather depending). All the teams are very friendly and we often have parties and barbeques after a days racing, it's great fun." Any dog can do flyball - the club counts collies, labradors, whippets, terriers and rotweillers among it's stars, not to mention a wide variety of cross breeds in all shapes and sizes. The Leeds 'Owlers train at My Pet Stop in Morley up to twice a week. Dogs do not have to compete in tournaments, anyone is welcome to come along to the club just for fun. | 
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