Disc Dog Training

[Fran101]

Future puppy's sire is a disc dog, I'd love to try it with new puppy! Any ideas on how to start?
Are floppy/soft discs better? I of course would be focusing on floor rolling and basic stuff (no jumps or anything on puppy joints)

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by SaraB

Here's one of my favorite resources when it comes to everything disc dog. Pawsitive Vybe (Pvybe) and Ron Watson are amazing about putting up youtube videos explaining different throws, foundation work, catches and tricks. They have playlists organized for different skills building so it's easy to find what you need.

http://www.youtube.com/user/k9disc/v...ow=grid&view=1

Awesome channel -- never seen this one before! I LOVE that he has a little dog in some of his instruction videos too. Pretty much all frisbee videos have demonstrations with BC's, or herding breeds, and while I obviously love them... it's a lot different getting a little terrier into it than a BC! So it's nice to see some training videos with another breed lol.

[SaraB]

Originally Posted by Fran101

Future puppy's sire is a disc dog, I'd love to try it with new puppy! Any ideas on how to start?
Are floppy/soft discs better? I of course would be focusing on floor rolling and basic stuff (no jumps or anything on puppy joints)

Floppy discs are great for puppies especially when they are losing teeth. Zinga has always been crazy for the fastbacks but I'm thinking that's because she's watched Zuma go nuts over them so much. However, when she started losing teeth she absolutely would not tug on them (understandably so), so we ended up switching to soft discs for that time.

Building tug, throwing rollers and doing takes (where they grab the disc from your hand when it's held horizontal to the ground) is a great place to start. The other thing to do is teach a reliable drop as well as a retrieve to you, both are necessary for a successful disc dog (drop on cue for freestyle, retrieve for toss and catch). Watch both Didgie and Zinga's videos and they will give you a good idea of what to work on.

ETA: Public safety announcement: keep jumping to an absolute minimum until your puppy is older and absolutely no vaulting until 18 months or so.

[SaraB]

Here's Zinga's latest session. I like the catches she's getting, I like her clockwise go around. Her counter-clockwise is still sticky but that's my fault as I default to clockwise so much. Tugging is improving, bringing the disc to hand is getting there, her drop is still awesome. Sorry it's long, I didn't trim it at all.

[SaraB]

I'm sitting here in pain because I'm stupid.

My right thigh is a perma-bruise (yes the entire thigh) because I keep practicing our stupid leg vaults. I just can't get the timing down, I'm getting frustrated. Every playdate we go to I ask everyone for help with leg vaults and I always get the same answer, that I'm late with my throws. We have gone back to takes instead of throws and she nails those, but once I add the throw in it all goes to crap again. I'm frustrated.

/vent.

[SaraB]

Zuma's latest freestyle session. Some crappy throws in there from me, I'm still working on them!

[Taqroy]

Originally Posted by SaraB

Zuma's latest freestyle session. Some crappy throws in there from me, I'm still working on them!

Okay, this is awesome and looks like a lot of fun!!

[PWCorgi]

Zuma is so awesome!

I wanna frisbee dog!

[Locke]

Awesome awesome and more awesome. I have so much respect and envy for you guys and your disc dogs.

Starting disc is a MUST with my next dog. I'll be visiting this thread over and over to watch all your progress!
So impressed with the koolie pups!

[k9krazee]

I love all the videos!

....and I want a frisbee dog!