Disc Dogs (Frisbee)

Disc Dogs

Disc dog is the more generic name for what is commonly called Frisbee dog. In disc dog competitions, dogs and their human disc throwers compete in events such as distance catching and somewhat choreographed freestyle catching. The sport celebrates the bond between handler and dog, by allowing them to work together. The term "disc" is preferred because "Frisbee" is a trademark (held by Wham-O) for a brand of flying disc.

The sport got its start in the early 1970's, paralleling the rise in popularity of Frisbee sport. The definitive moment came on August 4, 1974 when Alex Stein, a 19-year-old college student from Ohio, and his dog, Ashley Whippet, jumped the fence at a nationally broadcast baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds.[1] Stein had with him a couple of flying discs, which he threw for the dog. Ashley astonished the crowd with her disc-catching, as he ran up to 35 miles per hour and leaped 9 feet in the air to snag the Frisbees.[2] The stunt was so novel that the game was stopped and Joe Garagiola continued to announce the flying disc action on the field. Finally, after eight minutes, Stein was escorted off the field and arrested.[1] The nationally televised exhibition of Ashley's skill did much to fuel interest in the sport.

Stein worked with Irv Lander and Eldon McIntire to create the Frisbee Dog World Championship for people and their dogs. Even today, Stein and McIntire continue to contribute to the sport.

Dogs training and trialing in Disc Dogs should be in top health conditions and should be no younger than 18 months for trialing, and no younger than 13 months for training. Training a dog in this high impact sport before a year old can cause growth problems (a dogs growth plates aren't fused before a year old).



Any breed of dog can take part in Disc Dogs, but those that seem to excel in it are breeds with high energy and high prey drive. Herding breeds such as the Border Collie or Australian Shepherd seem to succeed the best at this sport (as like in Agility).




Information and Links:

• Canada's Guide to Dogs
  
• Canadian Disc Dog Association
  
• Colorador Disc Dogs
  
• International Disc Dog Handlers Association
  
• The Dog Patch
  
• Sky Houndz
  
• 
  

Sources:
Wikipedia