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Diamonds in the Ruff (based in Saskatoon, SK) was founded September 2001. We are a fun, enthusiastic group of people who come together to play a game that we and our dogs love – flyball!!

Our team practices every Saturday in the Fall and Winter and on Tuesday nights during the Spring and Summer. Practices involve exercises which are geared specifically to the individual dog to aid in their training, as well as team specific training. We advocate using positive reinforcement (reward-based training) to teach our dogs, meaning when they do work they are provided with a reward!

We teach a limited number of flyball classes, so book early if you would like a spot. Beginner Flyball classes generally start in the fall of each year.  For more information, See below.

If you are interested in watching some Flyball in action or meeting us in person, please Contact Us.

Classes

How Classes Work

Puppies can begin attending classes once they are 8 weeks of age and have their 1st vaccinations. The exercises are adjusted to the puppies abilities.

We divide the group into smaller groups travel between stations.

Each station has a head instructor and an assistant to lead the exercise.

We base our instruction on training seminars attended by our head instructors, more than 10 years of experience in running Flyball, and a continual desire to improve our techniques and the way we teach.

FAQ: When is a dog ready to race?

A: When a dog can consistently complete the Flyball run, pass team-mates, ignore other dogs in the other lane, is able to do an unassisted swimmers turn on the box, and are physically fit.

Dogs competing in Flyball competitions are sprinting 20 – 30 times/day over hurdles and need to be physically fit to do this. Not even the best human athletes in the world run so many races. The Flyball competitor should be viewed as an athlete meaning that they should be lean and physically fit. Picture the body of your favorite athlete – the canine athlete should look as athletic as the human athlete. Physically fit dogs will live LONGER too!!

For more information on our classes or to reserve your spot in our next class, please Contact Us!

Beginner Flyball Classes

The beginner Flyball class is designed for the novice. The goals of the Beginner Flyball class are:

  • For the owners to have fun with their dog
  • To strengthen the bond between owner and dog
  • To learn the basic components of flyball
  • Basic components are taught separately to start!
  • using the motivator
  • retrieving
  • jumping
  • recalls
  • the Flyball box
  • the swimmers turn
  • At the end of the beginner class dogs have often mastered some or all of the components of flyball and have begun to put the run together. More importantly the dog and owner have enjoyed some fun together and have learned some new skills.
  • We attend seminars on Flyball on a regular basis to update our training techniques and to add more tools to our “toolbox”.
  • For more information on our classes or to reserve your spot in our next class, please Contact Us!
  • Owners wishing to compete in Flyball are encouraged to continue on in the Intermediate Flyball Class.

Intermediate Flyball Classes

The intermediate Flyball class is designed for the dog that has completed an introductory level Flyball class. This class focuses on:

  • Consistent completion of the run (over 4 jumps, hit the box, catch the ball and return over all 4 jumps)
  • Consistent completion of the swimmers turn on the box
  • Competition Preparation:
  • Passing other dogs
  • Distractions (running against dogs in the other lane, loose balls, etc.)
  • Improving speed
  • We recognize that not all dogs will progress at the same rate, so this class is tailored to meet the individual participants’ needs. In this session of classes, we will evaluate each element of the Flyball run to concentrate on areas that require improvement. Dogs are introduced to the existing team dogs in a controlled environment and passing skills are developed.
  • The goals of the Intermediate Flyball Class are:
  • For the owners to have fun with their dog.
  • To strengthen the bond between owner and dog.
  • To complete the Flyball run consistently.
  • To learn team skills.
  • After the components are learned, they are put together to form the run! And what fun that is!!

Puppy Classes

The puppy Flyball class is designed for the puppy.  Puppies are incorporated into the beginner flyball class along with adult dogs unless we have enough puppies for a separate class.  We keep the jumps low to reduce impact to ensure the growth plates are not injured.

The goals of the puppy Flyball class are:

  • For the owners to have fun with their dog.
  • To strengthen the bond between owner and dog.
  • To learn the basic components of Flyball.
  • Basic components are taught separately to start!
  • using the motivator
  • retrieving
  • jumping
  • recalls
  • the Flyball ramp
  • the swimmers turn

Puppies do not get to hit the Flyball box until they are a year old. We don’t want to injure any growth plates!!

For more information on our classes or to reserve your spot in our next class, please Contact Us!