All Things Dog Blog

FRISBEE DOG 101: Part I in a Series of V

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 01:21 PM PST

by Guest Writer Chris Engel
Team-Bandit.com

(c) photo copyright Kristie Moser

Bandit Catches a Frisbee

Please welcome guest writer Chris Engel, a Frisbee dog competitor with Team-Bandit out of Leesburg, Florida. Chris's dog Bandit has quite an extensive bio, which you can find at this link. He and his newest addition, Kota, participate in disc dog competitions, demonstrations and fundraisers all over the country. Here's Chris:

So you've seen the Youtube videos and maybe caught a glimpse of those amazing dogs on TV at the Incredible Dog Challenge, and thought ... "Man! Wouldn't it be neat if I could get Spot to do that !!!" Well that's what I thought anyway and I didn't even have a DOG back then. Little did I know that would all change one day when I got Bandit.

In fact, I had completely forgotten about Frisbee dogs and was just looking for a good dog for my wife and myself. I've learned a boatload about dogs and thought this might be a good time to share some of that knowledge with anyone who might be looking for a dog or who wants to get their dog into playing Frisbee.

First and foremost, it should be mentioned that ANY dog can be a great Frisbee dog. Many of the dogs that win National championships in all of the competitive formats are from shelters just like the one in your community. Many of them end up there because they have too much energy or are too hyper for their owners to handle. This is exactly the type of characteristic that can turn a rescue into a superstar. Every dog has a superstar in him ... some just don't need to be coaxed into showing it.

What most people do not realize when they have this type of dog is that with just a little time and energy on their part they can give their dog the job he needs so when it's time for 'down time' in the house, he'll be good and he'll know when to turn it on for a performance. By teaching your dog that the Frisbee is it's job, he'll have a sense of purpose in the pack and be a much better behaved dog because of it.

I have also found that Frisbee dog training helps me when I'm having a tough day. My dogs and I work hard and focus on the task at hand, and this in turn means I am not focusing on whatever brought me down in the first place.

Thanks for joining me in this little introduction to Frisbee training. Join me next time for a few tips on picking your own potential disc dog.