PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) – They are fast, furry and here for the fun. Dozens of four-legged athletes and their owners gathered in Palmer for the kickoff of the 19th annual Alaska Dogs Gone Wild Summer Solstice flyball tournament.
“A very popular way to describe [flyball] is like drag racing for dogs,” Kennedy Allen said, comparing the competition to a relay race. “There’s so much teamwork, but also so much individual training.”
Each team is made up of four dogs and their handlers.
One by one, dogs jump over a series of hurdles towards the flyball box. The box is spring-loaded and launches a tennis ball after the dog steps on a trigger pad.
The first team to have all four dogs cross the finish line wins the heat.
“Any dog can do it,” Jen Giacchi explained.
Her 11-year-old Danish-Swedish Farmdog, Dottie, travelled from Colorado to compete in this weekend’s tournament. They’ve been playing flyball since Dottie was a puppy.
“We do dog sports just about every weekend,” she said. “I just like the teamwork that we have with each other… She does her job, but she comes back to me for love and attention.
The Summer Solstice flyball tournament will continue at the State Fairgrounds in Palmer through June 22.
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