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Would you like a great game to play with lots of exercise for you and your pooch? Playing Frisbee with your dog is just the thing you will both really enjoy. I have taught several of the dogs I owned over the years to catch a Frisbee, and each one loved this fun activity. As dogs instinctively chase all sorts of things, teaching your dog to go after a spinning Frisbee and catch it while it is still in the air is very easy to do. Most dogs catch on to catching a twirling Frisbee quickly while others may need more time so be patient.
Playing Frisbee with your dog
A word of caution before playing Frisbee with your dog is needed. Young puppies and dogs should be checked out by your vet to ensure they are physically ok for this very active sport. Puppies should be at least 14 months old so their bone structure has grown to the point all the jumping and landing will not result in injury. Older dogs need the same consideration as well because we don’t want any fractures or other problems developing as they age.
Select a soft Frisbee and introduce it to your dog by placing their dinner in it for a few days. He will get use to it quickly this way. Select a bright color for the Frisbee and buy at least a couple. Now that he is comfortable with his new toy spend time rolling the Frisbee around while in your home and when your dog chases after and brings it back to you give him plenty of excited praise and a small treat. As mentioned before some dogs will learn this very quickly while others need more time so be patient and NEVER yell or punish the dog if he or she needs more time to catch on.
Ok, phase 2 of our playing Frisbee with your dog training is ready. Go outside and continue the rolling. After he has this part down begin with the dog sitting beside you and toss the Frisbee a short distance on a low trajectory. Use a command he already knows such as “fetch” to let him know you want him to chase and return the disc. Plan on this training taking a few days for the quick learners, and up to a week or more for those breeds who are not naturally inclined to chase and retrieve.
We are now ready to for the actual jump and catch out of the air part of playing Frisbee with your dog. This really will come with little help from you. Once your dog has figured out the idea and is enjoying all the playful exercise, he will begin jumping and catching the Frisbee before you know it.
Do you play Frisbee with your dog? Tips and comments are welcome below.
