It all started back in the mid 70's when Alex Stein crashed a Dodgers baseball game with his frisbee dog "Ashely Whippet" and performed an illegal high-flying demonstration in front of a nationwide audience. The crowd loved it and the sport of canine frisbee was born.
"It's mutually beneficial for both the owner and the dog." says Chuck Hensley, founder of the Central Florida Dog and Disc Club. "It provides good exercise and helps establish the bond between the owner and dog."
Many of the dogs in the sport have been adopted from shelters or breed rescue groups, like Hensley's Border Collie, Rascal. "You can find just about any (kind of) dog out there that has a real active or alert type of personality." Hensley says. " It's just a matter of getting out there and training them."
It took Hensley two months to train Rascal to catch a frisbee. "Their just like kids, some pick up on things quicker than others." he says. By six months, Rascal had learned more advanced tricks like flips and jumps.
Hensley, who's been involved in the sport for the past five years, plans on competing with his Border Collie in August at the Alpo Canine Frisbee Disc Championships held in Denver. If Hensley and Rascal win or place they'll receive an all expense paid trip to the World Finals held in Washington, D.C. on September 13th.
Competitions, like the Alpo Canine Frisbee Disc Championships, are divided into beginner and intermediate levels and consist of two different events. The first is the Mini-Distance event which is played on a 20 yard field and competitors are given 60 seconds to make as many throws and catches as possible.
The second is the Freeflight event, which Hensley says is "the most fun thing to watch because you see some really cool stuff." The event consist of a choreographed series of acrobatic moves to music. Judges award points on a 1 -10 scale in each of the following categories: Degree of Difficulty, Execution, Leaping Agility, and Showmanship. Bonus points can be given to competitors with spectacular or innovative Freeflight moves.
So how can you and your best friend learn how to do some really cool stuff ? The following is three-time World Champion Ashley Whippet and owner Alex Stein's five point training system.
1. Familiarization With The Disc. Establish in your dog's mind that the disc is a friendly obje- ct. As a puppy, Stein fed Ashely his water and dog food out of a frisbee disc. Then when the empty disc was slid across the floor, Ashley pursued it to make sure that it was there for his next meal.
2. Basic On-The-Ground Training. Play "keep-away" with a friend, while the dog watches. Stand 5 to 10 yards apart. When your dog shows interest in wanting to play, let him intercept the disc frequently. Remember, the disc should be your dog's favorite plaything, not an object to be feared, so don't throw the disc directly at your dog. After a while he'll become your full time catching partner
3. Retrieving The Disc. Meet your dog halfway at first, taking the disc from its mouth, and be generous with praise. Then, go back to where you started and repeat the exercise. If your dog is obedience trained to "come" on command, this exercise will be much easier. Just make sure that he brings the retrieved disc along when you call him.
4. Mid-Air Catches. Stein began by teaching Ashley to leap up and take the disc out of his hand. Slowly he raised the disc to progressively higher levels. Then, and only then, did Stein throw the disc a short distance away so Ashley could pursue it and soar skyward to catch the disc before hitting the ground. Always praise for successful efforts and never scold a dog for failure to catch the disc.
5. Establishing A Routine. Once your dog has mastered the mid-air catches you might want to make up a routine for both exercise and possible competition. Routines usually involve one or more discs thrown sequentially, trick catches and other stunts. The best way to learn some of these more advance moves is by attending competitions or demonstrations, like the ones put on by the Central Florida Dog and Disc Club.
To Learn More. . .
Chuck Hensley, Founder of the Central Florida Dog and Disc Club To find out about upcoming club events, competitions, demonstrations, how to join, or tips on training call 941-859-4770
Alpo Canine Frisbee Disc Championships For more information on upcoming competitions and a free Alpo/Ashley Whippet Catch A Flying Disc training manual call 888-444-ALPO
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