Welcome to XCERGY.COM

This site is currently under revision.


xcergy.com is a website that came about in 2000 as I was expanding my business when selling on eBay.

If it wasn't for my Border Collie, Chakotay, I probably never would have started a business, nor learned how to author a website.

I got Chakotay in 1997. My wife found him in a newspaper ad and he was a gift to me. I knew that Border Collies were working dogs, and I need to find something for him. to do. It was the early days of the internet, and we had a dedicated phone line with a 56K baud modem to browse the web. I found a video clip of dogs doing flyball, and realized that is what I needed my dog to do.  What is Flyball you ask? Basically it is a drag race for dogs. You have a 'Christmas Tree' just like at a drag race, 2 teams of 4 dogs each, a 55 foot racing surface and 4 jumps 10 feet apart.  At the end of the run is a Flyball box that holds a tennis ball. When the Christmas Tree light turns from orange to green, the team sends the first dog down the racing lane. the dog makes all 4 jumps, hits the box and grabs the tennis ball. The dog then returns back across those same 4 jumps and the second dog is sent after the first dog crosses the start/finish line. First team back wins the round. Jump height is determined by the shortest dog on the team. The world record is under 15 seconds to run all 4 dogs 110 feet to the box and back. Here is a YouTube link of a typical Flyball team run.
I found a training seminar in a nearby city, so Chakotay and I traveled to learn all about Flyball. While there I saw how a flyball box is made. Seemed simple enough, and I was a good woodworker, so I went and built a box for backyard training. The Training seminar had a second training date, so we went back to the site and I showed off my own design of the flyball box. The instructor saw my box and gave it the thumbs up! Custom built boxes back then sold for $250 to $400. I thought my box was as good as anyone else's (or so I thought at the time) and offered plans on how to build a box for the price of 'shareware'. (Use the plans, build your box, and if you like it, send me $10.  The page got over 10,000 hits, and 3 people paid the fee. Go figure.
You can use the plans and build your box for free, just visit the boxplan page here.  My designs improved, I got better materials and ended up making 3 different styles of boxes. The wedge box, the vertical box, and a curved pedal design. I even sold and shipped boxes to Germany and Japan! Click here to visit and old price sheet that shows pictures of those boxes. Chakotay passed away in 2008 at the age of 11. I retired from Flyball and ended production of Flyball boxes and jumps in 2013


It may be re-opened again in the future, but you can still reach me  at xcergy@gmail.com

TheDumbDog.com was not renewed in 2019.  Archives can be visited on The Wayback Machine


Stay tuned for a new upgrade and expansion of xcergy.com!

Personal links?

A photo website I took @ Road Atlanta in 2010

Chakotay the Voyager GeoCities Page (archived)

My Dad collected mousetraps. It was an extensive collection that is documented here.  Enjoy!

Hey!!  I need the referrals!!  Yes, they are real.

Earn FREE Bitcoin!!