Top RatedBorder Collie
★★★★★The undisputed flyball champion - fast, focused, and born to compete.
MediumVery Fast
Breed Guides
Flyball Dog Breeds
Not every dog is built for flyball. Find out which breeds have the speed, drive, and temperament to thrive in this fast-paced relay sport.
Browse Breed Guides
7 breedsTop Rated
Cocker Spaniel
★★★★☆Your team's secret weapon - they won't be the fastest, but they'll make everyone else quicker.
SmallFastHeight Dog
Jack Russell Terrier
★★★★☆The ultimate height dog - tiny legs, massive attitude, and a habit of making entire teams faster.
SmallFastHeight Dog
Compact, quick, and absolutely obsessed with the ball. A proper flyball dog.
MediumFast
Whippet
★★★★☆Lightning fast and surprisingly competitive - the sighthound that took flyball by storm.
MediumVery Fast
Golden Retriever
★★★☆☆Bags of enthusiasm and proper ball drive, but too much dog for the fast lanes.
LargeMedium
Labrador Retriever
★★★☆☆A willing worker with bags of ball drive, but not built for top speed.
LargeMedium
What Makes a Good Flyball Dog?
Any breed can run flyball, but dogs with these three traits tend to pick it up faster.
Ball Drive
If your dog loses their mind over a tennis ball, you're halfway there. Ball-obsessed dogs learn flyball faster because the reward is built into the sport itself.
Speed & Agility
Flyball lanes are only 51 feet long, so explosive acceleration beats raw top speed. The dogs that win races are usually the ones with the tightest box turns and cleanest hurdle clearance.
Trainability
Race day is loud, fast, and chaotic — a dog that can hold a recall under that kind of pressure is worth their weight in gold. Some breeds take to box turns almost immediately; others need more repetition.