This is Deb Walz's Selka, or more formally, Sandhill's Goldust Selka. A lover of the sport no matter what the season, he also enjoys dumping snow from his Frisbee onto his head! Now, that is what we call one thinking Golden! According to Deb, Selka is a joy to everyone who knows him and spends his time retrieving, working as a therapy dog or laying in Mom's lap.

Meet Jaeleen and Sandy. They made their first appearance at a disc-dog competition in 1990. Here, they came in 1st place in the novice division. Since those early beginnings, these two have been regional finalists in the California, Arizona, and Nevada divisions of disc dog competitions six times! And, Jaeleen & Sandy have been finalists in Dever's open national regionals twice. They have also made appearances for the SPCA, the Galaxy Soccer Team, minor league baseball teams, county fairs, and the Las Vegas Excalibur Hotel. Sandy is now busy training her two-year-old Typhoon Taffy. Of course, Taffy is a Golden gal as well!

Jaeleen is a member of the California Canine Disc Masters. Although this club was only formed in 1997, they have already competed and performed internationally at many professional sporting events, county and local fairs, and charity events. This club has also been featured in training videos and showcased on Animal Planet.

This is the place to find out more about our canine flying athletes. Sometimes they are called FrisbeeŽ dogs, and sometimes flying dogs, or just disc dogs. FrisbeeŽ is simply a brand name for one type of flying disc. First, get a free training manual from the ALPO Canine FrisbeeŽ Disc Championships (write to ALPO Canine FrisbeeŽ Disc Championships, 4060-D Peachtree Rd, Ste 326, Atlanta, GA 30319 or call 1-800-786-9240). Then, check out the following print, media, and web resources.

Print and Video/DVD Resources	Frisbee Resources on the Web	Flying Disc Clubs
Frisbee Dogs: How to Raise, Train & Compete      Frisbee Dogs: Training Video     Frisbee Dogs: Throwing Video     Disc Dog Training DVD     Ruff Dawg K9 Flyer     Flying Tug Frisbee     In Focus: Developing a Working Relationship        with Your Performance Dog     Your Athletic Dog Video & Workbook     Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete	International Disc Dog       Handlers' Association    Frisbee Training At Home    Frisbee Training    Skyhoundz    Spinning FrisbeeŽ K9's    Rudy's Site  Frisbee Retriever in Action	Bluegrass Area Disc Dogs    Dallas Dog & Disc Club    Disc Dogs in Southern California    Disc Dogs of the Golden Gate    Southern Ohio Flying K9's    California Canine Disc Masters    Northern Colorado Disc Dogs    Disconnected K9s    Greater Jacksonville Dog & Disc

 

Peter Bloeme's Basic Training Techniques
These techniques come from Peter's book, Frisbee Dogs: How to Raise, Train and Compete (2nd Edition).

• Before you start training, check with your veterinarian to make sure that your dog is physically able to engage in vigorous disc play. Certain breeds are predisposed to hip problems, and jumping for the disc might aggravate this condition.
• Always conduct training sessions in a safe grassy area away from other human activities. Playing or practicing on asphalt or concrete is harmful to the pads of your dog's feet. Work in a safe area away from the street to avoid passing cars or bicycles that can injure your pet.
• Let your dog warm up slowly, like any responsible athlete, before a workout. Keep workouts short at first ­ especially during hot weather.
• Bring a clean, fresh water supply with you to refresh your pet if he gets thirsty. Wait until he stops panting before providing water.
• Always clean up promptly if your pet takes a nature break. This demonstrates responsible pet ownership.
• We recommend that you keep your dog on a leash when near people, to avoid the possibility of unfavorable encounters.

• Feed your dog out of a FrisbeeŽ disc.
• Slide the empty disc across the ground. Your dog will pursue it to make sure that it is there for his next meal.
• Never throw a Frisbee disc directly at your canine's head. Remember, the disc should be your dog's favorite plaything, not an object to be feared.

• Start your dog off with light tug-of-war play. Let your dog get a good grip on the disc. After a few seconds, release your own grip so the dog can feel triumphant about taking the disc away from you. Never let your dog chew on the disc.
• Play keep-away with a friend while your dog watches. Stand 5 to 10 yards apart. When your dog shows interest in joining in the play, float your throws and let him intercept the disc frequently, giving him praise for each catch.
• Roll the disc on its edge along the ground so that your dog is able to maintain eye contact with it during the chase. Even if your dog doesn't grab the disc while it's rolling, praise him for a good effort and keep trying. Make your roller throws short at first and gradually lengthen them as your dog becomes more proficient.

• Start by encouraging your dog to leap up and take the disc out of your hand.
• Make short throws which are easy for your dog to track (follow).
• Always make sure that your dog has eye contact with you and the disc before you release it.
• It is important to praise profusely for successful efforts. Never scold a dog for failure to catch the disc.
• Remember: canine disc play is a team effort!

• Use a firm but not tight grip to hold the FrisbeeŽ disc.
• After you develop a comfortable grip, practice it repeatedly until it becomes second nature. As in golf and tennis, the proper grip is paramount to success.
• The more spin, the longer the disc will hold its stability. At first, beginners can simply concentrate on wrist snap. Ideally, however, spin is imparted to a disc through several factors, including proper body position and a snapping motion that originates from a steady stance and progresses through the hips, arm, elbow and finally, the wrist.
• For the proper stance, your feet should be shoulder's width apart with your knees slightly bent and parallel to each other. Your forward shoulder should point toward your target. Start with two-thirds of your weight on your back foot. Then shift it naturally forward to your front foot (leaving one-third of your weight on your back foot) upon release and delivery. Don't lift your back foot off the ground and lunge forward; always keep some weight on each foot.

• The backhand throw is a versatile and easy-to-learn delivery. It is good for accuracy and distance.
• For the proper grip, make a fist with your palm up, open your thumb to the hitchhiking position, loosen your fingers just enough to slip the disc between your palm and finger tips and place your thumb down on top ­ just like you would hold a dinner plate if you were holding it upside down. Now bring the other hand up and hold the far side of the disc temporarily. With your gripping hand, move your bottom fingers slightly toward your thumb (while trying to maintain as much contact as possible with the inside/underneath rim) until they feel relatively comfortable.
• For right-hand throwers, the throwing motion should be left to right, smooth and even, with a good snap upon release. Do not rotate your wrist from side-to-side, only forward and backward as if you were doing wrist curls with a dumbbell. Follow through with your right hand (not just the finger) pointing at your target. Keep your eyes forward. If your throw goes to the left of the target youšve released it too soon; to the right, too late. Most people fall in the too-late category and hook their throws.
• If the disc wobbles, check your grip, speed up your delivery and concentrate on keeping the disc level from your release to your dog's catch.

• When starting out, keep the disc's flight as flat as possible. The disc will react differently if released angled nose down or up, or angled side-to-side.
• Always try to throw across the wind, not downwind or upwind. Once you are proficient as a thrower, you may choose to throw into the wind for extra float time.
• At first, practice only short range throws (10 to 15 feet) that are released between waist and shoulder height. Gradually increase the distance of your throws as you gain proficiency.