Flyball!

I am not sure or not whether this is my newest favourite thing, but it is certainly a thing that came to my attention at the Canberra Show earlier this year. I had not heard of Flyball before. It is described in the Australian Flyball Association website as ‘a relay race between two teams of four dogs. Each dog must jump over four hurdles, retrieve a ball by triggering a flyball box pedal and then return over the hurdles to the start/ finish line’. 

Whereas the site continues to say, ‘Flyball is a canine team sport which is founded on the activities that dogs love to do - run, jump, fetch, retrieve, compete and most of all: their desire to please their owners’. But it would say that, wouldn’t it? A common internet search ‘is Flyball good for dogs’ returns the result, ‘it places greater stress on the body, increasing the risk of a potential muscular injury.’

Other questions ask which are the best breeds to participate in Flyball. The answer here is ‘There is no discrimination in Flyball. Any dog; regardless of breed, size, shape or formal training, can participate and join in on the fun’. It’s true, we saw a range of dogs competing, with the border collies and kelpies enjoying themselves and the smaller terriers and hounds executing incredible flying leaps. 

There is lots of noise and organised chaos and some beautiful dogs who missed the ball every time or collided with the hurdles, but the whole thing seems conducted with high spirits and humour. As long as they are all having fun and not feeling any pressure to perform, I think they are all good boys and girls.

Quilts at the Canberra Show

Last month we went to the Royal Canberra Show. There were many impressive items on display, but I felt the quality of the quilts deserved a post of their own. I love the colours and the shapes; the design and the intricacy.

 

I also know the hours of work that goes into making them, and I like to think that people stitched them while sat around with friends, listening to music or podcasts, or enjoying solitude and a beverage of their choice.

Of course, I have a soft spot for the cats, but in the interests of fairness, I should include the dogs too. And the giraffe is just gorgeous.

The abstraction and the palette chosen are fascinating. Yellow seems a popular choice for happiness as in the sunflowers, but it also lends a confident golden glow in some of the bolder designs.

It's fascinating to see these quilts as a historical record, whether it be of ancient Egyptian culture or the more recent late Queen ELizabeth II. 

Compatibility test

There are certain things that people tell you and you extrapolate the information to form a psychometric profile of that person from one tiny detail.

For example if someone likes dogs, I assume they like to control things – they like companionship, but on their terms and are they not fond of unpredictability. They may be insecure or find it difficult to make friends, but they are loyal and will sustain strong relationships. They require something that loves them and depends on them and needs them. They will probably go on to have children.

If they prefer cats, they are possibly slightly arrogant and unreliable. They like their freedom and don’t like to be tied down. They change their mind at the last minute and are tempted by the best offer rather than the first commitment. They like beautiful things and are happy to observe without having to hold. They will probably not want to have children.

If someone likes deciduous trees, I assume they like change. They believe in renewal and they are prepared to take risks and make mistakes because they can forgive, forget and move on. Life is an experience to be lived to the full and they can laugh at failure because failure leads to growth.

Those who prefer conifers like consistency. They are more likely to vote conservative and they are resistant to change. You know where you are with these people; they don’t have rapid mood swings and they avoid confrontation. They like tradition – there is a proper way to do things and they get frustrated when people break the rules.

Of course, these are wild generalisations and totally unscientific. But we do this all the time. And so, I have devised my own compatibility psychometric test, using this theory.

Here’s how it works: You fill it out, and then give it to a prospective partner, friend, or employee. There are 40 questions. A perfect partnership should have a compatibility quota of 25-35. If too many answers are the same, you will agree on everything and that’s boring, but if you don’t have anything in common, then why are you together in the first place?

Maybe I should patent this device. What do you reckon? If anyone has any other top ‘either/or’s, and what their extrapolated implications please let me know. See next post for the list!