Canine Disc
Divisions in Canine Disc dog events are usually based on the skill and experience of the handler. Men and women generally compete in the same divisions for all disciplines, although the long distance category is sometimes divided by gender. There are a variety of competitions, such as Toss and Fetch, MiniDistance, Throw and Catch, Distance/Accuracy and Freestyle.
Popular Breeds
Dogs of all kinds can play Canine Disc. Many World Champion disc dogs have been mixed breed and some were originally rescued from shelters. Dogs from animal shelters and rescue groups can excel at catching flying discs and may even find the activity helpful in overcoming past trauma. Problems that lead to a dog being abandoned, such as hyperactivity, aggression, and destructive or neurotic behavior, are often attributes that can be positively channeled into a sport like flying discs. Sometimes these dogs simply need a consistent job to keep them busy and give them purpose.
Suggested Exercises
- Place and Send
- Walk the dog to the end of the dock and hold the dog back while throwing the toy into the water. Walk the dog back to the starting point, place the dog, then release or send the dog to go get the toy.
- This is effective for dogs that are not trained to wait or stay on the dock, especially if they have a lot of speed and can compensate for the lack of lift at the end of the dock.
- Chase Method
- Place the dog in a stay or wait stance at his/her starting position on the dock.
- Walk to the end of the dock holding the toy.
- Call the dog from the end of the dock.
- Time the throw, and throw, trying to keep the toy just in front of the dog’s nose so they chase it into the water.