Flyball is a team sport for dogs that was invented in California in 1978.

Flyball races match two teams of four dogs each, racing side-by-side, over a 51 foot long course. Races are divided into heats.  Each dog must run in relay fashion down over the lane, over 4 jumps, trigger a flyball box, releasing and retrieving the ball and return over the jumps. The next dog is released to run the course but can't cross the start/finish line until the previous dog has returned over all 4 jumps and reached the start/finish line. The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course without error wins the heat.

Jump heights depend on the height of the shortest dog (height dog) on the team. Dogs jump at four inches (4") less than the shortest shoulder height. The minimum jump is eight inches (8") while the maximum is sixteen inches (16").

Dogs earn points towards Flyball titles. The total time for each heat determines how many points are earned. Runs under 32 seconds earn each dog 1 point, under 32 seconds earn 5 points and for the fastest dogs, under 24 seconds earn 25 points. The world record is just over 15 seconds.

Competitions are sanctioned by the North American Flyball Association (NAFA™)