Teaching Your Dog to Play Frisbee

A great source of exercise for your dog and for yourself is teaching your dog to play Frisbee. This active pastime will give you hours of enjoyment while giving your dog a chance to play and have fun.

Playing frisbee creates a strong bond between owner and animal and one of the ideal ways of keeping a dog from having behavioral problems.

Dogs have a lot of energy, depending on the breed, and something like playing Frisbee is a way to release that excess energy even if it is a couple of times a week.

The Right Circumstances For Teaching Your Dog Are Critical

Training does take time and there are certain things to be considered when thinking about teaching your dog to play Frisbee. If you are purchasing a dog to get into the sport of Frisbee, than you may want to consider a dog from the humane society that is an older mixed breed.

Dogs should not be trained as a Frisbee dog when they are puppies. The pet should be over a year and half old and have been checked out for good hips and sound legs by a veterinarian before any training begins. Your dog should also have had basic obedience training so that the commands are well understood and will respond to you quickly.

Training Your Dog Is An Important Factor

Training will be a slow process which begins by using the Frisbee like a toy and rolling it on the ground to start. As the dog learns to chase the disc, start asking him to bring it back to you, but instead of “fetch” or “get it” use the word “catch it.”

A long line can be used in teaching your dog to bring it back, but do not tug on it until the Frisbee is in his mouth. As soon as the dog returns with the disc tell him to “drop it” and once your pet is chasing and retrieving consistently, start throwing the Frisbee. Throw close to the ground at about a three foot distance from the dog.

Important Do’s and Don’ts Of Dog Training

It is important when the dog jumps up, he lands on all fours to prevent injury. This can be done by teaching him how to jump up separately from playing Frisbee. Do not throw the disc at your dog; if it hits him it may cause a fear of the Frisbee. Throw to the right, if right handed, or the opposite if left handed.

Always have water available for the dog. Animals do not sweat; they use water to cool themselves off. Make the training fun, once it is not fun your dog will lose interest in playing. Find a Frisbee that is suitable for your dog. There are many Frisbees on the market; it should be soft but rigid.

Training your dog to play Frisbee is a great pastime for both you and your pet. By giving your dog plenty of praise and making the whole experience fun you will always have a Frisbee partner.