Eko is amazing! Although I had previously trained two other Mals to play flyball, Eko is the first Malamute I have trained for flyball without any obedience training whatsoever.  She is also half out of a strong working line, Sendaishi.  Training began quite early, introducing her to the jumps and the box at around six months and always exposing her to the noise and confusion that is flyball.  It took a little more than two years before she ran her first tournament, but she has been running dependably and happily every since.

I have no idea why there are not more Malamutes playing this sport.  There is nothing for them not to like.  They run, they jump, they play with hardly any rules that must be followed.  They run independently and alone with little outside interference.  And then there's food!  Most flyball dogs are rewarded with tug toys or pats, but the only reward that keeps my Malamutes coming back time after time is food.  The second place Malamute is barely over 2,000 points. Eko achieved her Flyball Masters title (5,000 points) in 2001, her Flyball Masters Excellent title (10,000 points) early in 2004 and, at the close of the 2004 season, completed  her Flyball Masters Champion which requires 15,000 points.  Still running just as strong as ever, we are going to try for 20,000 points (Flyball Onyx) in 2005.

Eko turned out to be an amazing producer as well.  She had her first litter of three girls at almost five years old, and they were lovely.  Two of the girls are Canadian champions, acquiring multiple Grand Sweeps wins, Puppy Group and booster wins along the way.  The third is well on her way to her championship while the puppies from her second litter are poised to enter the ring as well.  The first entrant has already achieved a Grand Sweeps win at the 2003 AMCA Regional Specialty.

Eko is "soundness in mind and body" magnified and personified!