Disc Dog Training

Wow, Go Talon!! He is doing awesome, love that long distance. He's such a good looking dog too, I just love him.

I was curious about direction, too, because I always feel like I was doing it wrong, lol.

There's a disc tournament this weekend close to my house that I really want to go to! Hopefully I'll get some pics.

Haven't posted on here in ages, but Dorkdog's disciness continues. He was left home all day without me, so was very very excited about playing when I got home. We did a tiny bit of sequencing stuff. Just going for a longer throw or 2 and then doing some over my leg catching, he's never done anything continuously before. He's so darn cute, we got up to six different throws in a row and he was awesome. Proud of the silly boy.

OMG today was the competition. Pt wise this was the worst we've ever done, but we did so freaking awesome!!! I left this competition feeling the best!

First round was horrible! Talon wasn't totally focused, but I think it was because he could tell I was terribly nervous. I pretty much just froze and tossed, which was why we didn't do well.

Second round though I threw a total of 4 throw, and 3 of those throw were FIVE PT THROWS!!!!! :yikes: :hail: Talon got all throws except one, one I threw way out of bounds, would've been about 3pts. He caught the rest, but other than the one he missed, I threw 2 just slightly out of bounds. Like...just barely over the line >_<

Someone I had seen and commented on Talon in the last comp came up to me after the second round to congratulate me and tell me he was amazed at the improvement in my throwing! Of course, no pics >_< but YAY! I'm so excited!!!

Thanks!

Go Talon!!!! That's awesome! Also, great throwing, I suck at toss & fetch throws.


We had another fun filled disc dog weekend. MNDDC's Star Jam was Saturday night. Zinga placed 3rd in Open Freestyle and 3rd Overall. Zuma placed 2nd in Open Freestyle, 3rd in Open Toss & Fetch and 1st Overall.

The really fun part was that Zip Tie and my husband were able to compete for the first time! They were entered in novice toss & fetch and had a really, really nice round with 5 throws and 5 catches, but two of those were foot faults. He finished in 4th place out of 19 dogs. Zip was super focused, had awesome go arounds and some serious hustle!

Sunday we had a throwing clinic hosted by Andrew Han. If any of you ever get the opportunity to work with him, you better take advantage of it! He is awesome at freestyle and has some of the coolest and most unique throws out there. I learned soooo much from him!! He also gave me some pointers on my crappy toss & fetch throws and I could instantly feel a difference. Went out and played with the girls last night and threw only three crappy ones, the rest were awesome.

Next up for us on the calender is the AWI Last Chance Qualifier in Naperville, IL next weekend. Super excited to go, this is my first time to Naperville!

Lugia really has taken me by surprise! Just over the past 1-2 months she's developed a very nice drive for the disc - seeing her go on an all-out sprint to catch a low-flying disc is completely breathtaking. This morning I tried to get her to do a Pendulum but she drops the disc before I'd say "out" (but if she had a soft disc she'd hold it the entire way until I asked her to drop it). I'm not sure if this is an issue with her maybe not liking how it feels in her mouth (we're using hyperflite CS pup discs)? She knows how to retrieve to hand using any other toy, but doesn't seem to want to do it with a disc.

I've been working on various disc stuff with Onyx, mostly going pretty well. She's not showing much inclination towards catching the disc yet, and I'm wondering if that is just something that tends to come with time? or is there stuff I could be doing to help? She has caught it a couple times, but mostly just lets it land. I'm sure I could be throwing better.

Going to try to take some video today.

Ok, had a bit of a frustrating session today. I think it was an off day (Onyx has had a bit of diarrhea yesterday and today so I'm wondering if she's maybe not feeling 100%).

Some things we're having issues with, and could use some advice?

She isn't the best at bringing the disc all the way back in, she tends to drop it part way, already wanting the next one. I generally ask her to go get it, and don't throw the next one until she's brought the first in and waited til I ask her to drop it...but it kind of slows the game down and we lose momentum. I also have tried just playing with one disc and tugging when she brings it back. That seems to work pretty well. But I want to get her speed and drive up with the multiple discs.

Sometimes she doesn't even really want to pick up the disc at all, she sometimes has a hard time getting it off the ground, or she'll STAND on it while trying to pick it up (ahem, my little smartie...), and once again she's just kind of looking to me to throw the next one, or she'll start digging at the one she's trying to pick up, scooting it around, and generally taking forever to pick it up. Really slows down the game!

I've had days where we didn't have these problems, but that's what happened today so I figured I would see what people have to say.

I'm trying sometimes holding her back while I throw the disc and racing her to it, so she feels like she'd better pick it up fast, it does seem to help. Also I think I could possibly keep the sessions shorter.

Also, a couple times recently I've let her play with a disc at the beach, sometimes throwing it for her, but she's also just kind of playing with it on her own sometimes, and I think maybe this is not the best idea, and I should keep the disc for only playing with me and trying to keep the game really intense.

Even just writing some of this stuff out is helping me think of things!

I have some advice but won't be able to type it up until I'm back in town, most likely Monday! Too long of answers to write out on my phone. Quick advice though, go back to working with one disc to help the return to hand.

I have no experience in disc dogs, but a book I read suggested marking when the dog bites the disc, first on your hand, then letting it fall, putting the biting on cue. That way you can ask the dog not only to retrieve it, but to catch it on the air.
It may help you ^^

Thanks guys, had a better mini session yesterday after I wrote all that, but could definitely still use ideas! I will play today with just the one disc. When we're out and about playing with just the one, she has a great return to hand, so I guess it's just the transitioning to multiple discs.

I think it's also important to remember that you're still working with a baby dog, Kootenay. It's normal to get frustrated, but try to temper that by looking at how far you've come in a very short amount of time. You've got years to lay the foundation!

I've gotta say that I'm impressed with how far Cohen has come in disc now that I've learned to throw better. My husband and I have discovered that frisbee is a great couple's activity, so we've spent hours throwing discs back and forth. My lame arm is now considerably less lame. As a result, Cohen's catches and drive at a distance has improved too.

We're working on a chest vault/catch with the disc, but our progress is slow (no where near as fast as Linds with her koolies) but we're starting to get it. I think my issue predictable and proper disc placement. My entire left side is battered and bruised, but... progress! Will try to get some video soon.

Absolutely, and thanks for the reminder Things have gone really well on the whole with Onyx so far, so I'm almost spoiled I think, if something presents a bit of a challenge. So I will definitely try to keep some perspective!

I really think most of Jackson's misses come from my bad throws :rofl1: I keep telling myself I'm going to just practice without him but then never do. But that's probably a big part of it.

But I still can't get him to CATCH any farther than most of these throws -

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He will chase after the frisbee long distance but it's like he doesn't run fast enough to keep up with it or something, but I KNOW he CAN run fast because I've seen him dart and keep up next to me on the four wheeler at nearly 20mph. So I think it's just he used to watching it drop first and THEN bring it back.

This is one of my favorite videos on how to teach a dog to catch frisbee-

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That's one of the reasons to work things like pendelums and zig-zags, to help get that drop on cue. Be very clear when you ask for a drop, mark it with a yes and reward with another toss. Call that drop before they drop it on their own. If you don't call the drop, the dog should return to your hand. Also, make it clear you want the disc, add a verbal cue or put your hand down. If your dog drops the disc without acting, I stop play and have them go back and get it, marking with a non-reward marker.

So, like I mentioned before, if I have a dog that has trouble bringing a disc to my hand, I play with one disc for a while. If you are trying to add in multiple discs, be very aware of what you are doing with that other disc in your hand as your dog is watching you to see if you are going to throw it. Keep it down to your side, call the drop, mark it with a yes and THEN get ready to throw it. Zinga has a hard time keeping the current disc in her mouth if I reach for a new one from my non-throwing hand, so it's something I'm very aware of. You can start to desenstize her to it by reaching for that disc and then asking her to bring the disc she's carrying to your hand. Mix it up, keep her guessing. If she drops the disc early, mark it with a non-reward marker and have her go back and get it.

For puppies, keep the session between 1.5-3 minutes long. Even shorter in new environments. If she's disconnecting you, go even shorter. You want to end the session before she ends it.

Remember that she's a baby, it's your job to keep this a game and to have fun.

As far as the issues with picking up the disc, she'll work those out on her own. Right now you shouldn't be concerned with the flow of the game, but rather if she's doing all the pieces correctly. If you have to stop because she didn't bring the disc back to your hand, that's ok! That's your chance to work on it.

DUDE! Jackson looks awesome!!!!

What I do to help my dogs catch long throws is when I send them on a go-around, I take a deep breath and then throw the disc. That way they get a huge head start. I'll try and get a video, but if you look up Disc Dog Quad on Youtube, you should see some really great long distance throws with awesome go arounds. Even though you aren't throwing that far for Jackson, it's very comparable because he's a smaller dog.

Thanks so much!

Here is video of 2 sessions today, just sticking with the one disc. She actually caught it once and seems like she's tracking it a lot better and almost getting the catching thing. The second throw was pretty bad and she jumped for it, oops! and landed funny too, definitely trying to NOT do that too much...

And excuse me getting REALLY excited when she does catch it, or tries and almost catches it...might want to turn your sound down haha

[YOUTUBE]GDihPa3hOx4[/YOUTUBE]

So this past weekend I got to join Sara and Dex at UFO Major and an AWI Qualifier local to me. Lots of people, spectators (when it wasn't pouring) and tons of fun! So many incredibly talented people there that are breath taking to watch in person and I got to learn so much from them.

And my Didgeridoo baby dog got to come up with a 1st in Intermediate Freestyle and a 3rd (tied for second and the other women had a higher single round so she took 1st) in Intermediate Toss and Catch. So proud of her!!! Just ridiculously proud!

I made mistakes but she did everything I asked for and more. Hopefully there will be video at some point. This means I'm now moving up to the Open level so next year I'll be competing with the big guys and won't see another first for a long time but I'm ok with that, can't wait!

And Traveler, my boy, never fails to make me smile. A spectator was standing right next to the Toss and Catch field with two small dogs so Traveler being Traveler had to go say hi. But I got him back and he managed two gorgeous catches!

And then on Sunday when it was more crowded, at a busier field he never wavered! He stayed on me for the whole minute, caught a few, looked good doing it and had his prance down so everyone knew that he was pretty. :rofl1:

AND both of them stayed silent in their crates all Saturday and Sunday. SILENT!! Not a peep out of them!!

I got to meet so many awesome new people, watch them all preform. Sara and Dex are just so much fun to watch, their dogs are just ridiculously awesome, and looking like they're having a blast. Dex's Dodger is the funniest, happiest dog I've ever seen, I think I'm in love with him.

But yeah, great weekend, so much to learn and I'm so excited for it! Can't wait till next year!

Linds that is so awesome! Congrats!!!

Congrats Linds!!!!!!! So much awesome!! I'll have to look at the dates -- I'd love to tag along next year if possible.

Quiet in their crates?! I want some of those drugs!