Big Sky Canine Training

Tips on Beginning Disc Training
1. Rollers

This means roll the disc on its side. This will usually get your dog going after the disc if he isn't interested when you throw it. This also works well for young puppies. They learn to chase after it. Throwing a disc in your dog's face can make them afraid of it, especially as a puppy. It is important that growing puppies don't have too much impact on their growing bodies as well, so rollers are what I recommend at first, and next, some very short throws that can be easily caught.

2. Getting Started

You can start with a flippy-floppy disc from Wal-Mart. It flys well and is easy on your dogs mouth. If your dog is too hard on those discs check out the Hyperflite discs. They have a specific disc for dogs that are hard on discs. They are call the Hyperflite Jawz. You can see the different kinds of discs and order them through the Skyhoundz website.

Try feeding your dog out of the disc if he isn't interested at first. This makes the disc a good thing to your dog. It brings treats and food! Just remember to pick it up after he eats. No chewing the disc!

If you are having a hard time getting him to retrieve, try starting with a ball. This is good for puppies too. This gets the fetching action started.

3. How to Keep Your Dog Interested

Don't give your dog access to the disc whenever he wants, including letting him just chew it like a toy. You want him to be excited to see the disc and make it a special treat to have it. This will create his motivatation to retrieve it.

4. Do not throw the disc until your dog is bored or too tired to keep going. Stop on a good catch and keep him wanting more! This is very important! (caution: you may create disc monster)

4.When starting short throws, if you dog does not catch the frisbee, he does not get the frisbee! This is a must or you could end up with a dog that waits for the frisbee to land and then pick it up.
A long line is useful for this stage of training.

5. Practice your throwing (that's right you have to practice too!) alone or with a friend. There are different throws, and some really cool things you can learn. It is important to practice your throws mainly for the safety of your dog. You can hurt him if he jumps for a bad throw and lands badly. Or some Disc Monsters will run right into a tree/rock/person(this is really bad) when going after their beloved disc.

6. Stay positive! Being harsh with disc will not help you. It will make your dog see the disc as negative, and that is the opposite of what you want!

7. Multiples-This is often one of the hardest things to get your dog to do. Many dogs are confused by more than one frisbee. Work on your drop command and move away from the retrieving. (note this is for advanced disc doggers). Once your dog get's the hang of this, you can really have a good time!

8. Placement- Believe or not, when you throw, it should not be directly to your dog. That is the best way to smack your dog and hurt him. When that happens you can have a really hard time getting him back into the game. Practice with an inanimate object, and throw to the left and right of it. You want to give the disc some spin so it flies slowly and gives your dog a chance to catch it.
This is really a science, and very important part of throwing a disc. It is so easy for a dog to be hurt jumping for a disc! Research throwing techniques! Frisbee Golf is a great way to practice, and meet frisbee masters that can show you cool stuff. Like the air bounce....check it out!

9. Visit the skyhoundz website, they have a lot of information on disc and competitions. They also sell discs when you are ready to move on from the floppys (or you can just stay with floppys, they are great! It just depends if you get the competition bug!)
There is also a great forum for disc doggers at http://www.k9disc.com
There are professionals on there with great advice.

10. And lastly, Pawsitive Vybe it absolutely awesome. You MUST check them out if you visit any site from this list!

Good Luck and have fun!

Here are some websites with a ton of information on training your dog to play disc:

Skyhoundz: Training

http://hyperflite.com/training.html

Dr.P's Dog Training: Canine Disc: Converting Play to Prey

http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/tresan1.htm

United Disc Dog Nationals: Training

http://www.usddn.com/training.htm

Frisbee Dogs Online

http://www.frisbeedogsonline.com/