Many dogs enjoy playing frisbee, though most of them do not know how
to catch a flying disc. Be patient and use the following advices.
Then you and your pet will enjoy playing this jolly game.
This article presupposes your dog to be able to catch a ball or some
other object. If no, train your dog to do that first. Also it
supposes you know how to fetch a disc. If you don't, try and train
to fetch it in various angles from left and right.
Buy at least 2 discs for dog frisbee. The plates for frisbee with
people may hurt a dog. The discs for dogs are made for their safety
and accounted for dog teeth. They are strong, flexible, soft and light.
Our frisbee discs for games with dogs are excellent choice.
Make your dog enjoy the game associating it with pleasant feelings.
For example:
Use the disc as a plate for dog food within a week before training.
Rub the disc with a sausage and praise your dog when he brings it.
Play a tug of war with your dog using the disc. Always let your dog
win. Do not take it out of dog jaws with your power.
Praise a dog for any behaviour that leads to taking a disc. This
means if your dog jumps and gets the disc from your arms it is a
positive result!
Never ask your dog to let the disc out of the jaws. Always use a
second one to make a dog give out the first one. Remember to praise
a dog always he is bringing a disc.
At first train your dog to follow a disc rolling it along the ground
as a wheel. It will be easier at first for a dog to trace and find
it.
Then interchange the rolling and fetching of the disc in dog
training. Start with close, slow fetching and be very careful not to
hurt your dog by the flying disc. Most probably that at first your
dog will not catch it before it touches the ground. You will have to
fetch it about 100 or even more times before he succeeds. Be
patient!
At least your dog will get used to follow the flying disc in air and
catch it before it falls. And here our congrads! You have a dog
catching frisbee!
Step by step training for young dogs
1) Train them catch. bend over a little, hold the frisbee in your
hand, horizontally to the ground, at the level of dog jaws height.
Then let your dog catch the disc before you fetch it. Then ask your
dog to leave it and catch a disc at once. Now praise the dog and
repeat the exercise several times.
2) Train a dog to run and catch. Now do the same exercise but move
with the disc around, further from a dog, keeping the disc on the
level of dog jaws. While your dog is growing you will change the
level higher to train this exercise.
3) Train the dog to jump and catch. Now stand upright and keep the
frisbee a little higher dog jaws. The dog will have to jump to catch
it. After some time throw the frisbee disc just before the dog is
going to jump. Repeat it several times.
4) The steps described are mostly used for adult dogs. If you are
training a young puppy you may need to repeat the said previously
much more times before he is ready to play firsbee.
Advices:
If your dog leaves holes from teeth from the first tries, get a
stronger disc like StarMarks.
Remember, that any dog independent on the breed and size can be
trained to catch a flying disc.
Remember, that persistence and patience are the clues to success!
Get a smaller disc for smaller dogs.
Warning:
If you start to get angry or upset stop the training and make a
break. The one thing your dog will train when you are angry is fear.
Do not use hard plastic discs that are sold at most dog stores. They
may hurt dogs jaws and may break to pieces when a dog catches it.
Do not let a dog younger 1 year to jump for the disc, it may injure
dog joints. You may start with rolling the disc on the ground.