DISC
DISC
Trial > March 12, 2007
My throwing was atrocious this week-end for the USDDA trial in Ottawa. Em's mouth was especially hard as well. We went through 4 discs in 3 minutes and my throws were so bad that Em didn't have a chance! I need to put my Jaws and Euroblend discs away and start practicing with competition discs!
No More Freestyle for Emmy > February 24, 2007
We learned some nifty freestyle tricks but I'm getting massacred so Em and I will stick to toss n' fetch, our original passion! 45lbs of Malinois vaulting off me is just not fun at all! And her mouthiness around the disc when we're doing multiples in a small space and butterfly throws is scary so we'll leave it for now and maybe come back to it later.
More Freestyle Tricks > January 19, 2007
In addition to the cool throws I'm learning, Em is learning lots of new tricks. Her back stand and vault are looking good and she can now stand on her back 2 paws for a few seconds. Her flips to the left and right are progressing well. She is doing really well with multiples, which I did not expect at all based on previous work we did. She's having fun!
I Never Thought Em and I Would Do Freestyle! > January 8, 2007
After seeing Em's happy little face when learning some new tricks, I couldn't say no. So during our first freestyle class we learned how to do back stalls (Em stands on my back while I'm crouching), flips (which Em is awesome at; she gets great airtime) and a new overhand throw. It was lots of fun and it gives us something to practice at home. We started doing more multiple disc work and Em is great at it. She used to frustrate me with this one but she was awesome this week inside and out. She would drop when asked and run after the disc I wanted her to go after. She sure got tired doing catch n' fetch with 2 discs!
ADDC Practice > December 10, 2006
Em and I attended our first team practice today for disc. I was really happy to finally make it and I picked up some good drills to do with Em. It's so much easier when someone is holding the dog while you get set up. We did some distance work but the barn isn't really long enough. As our first freestyle trick, we're teaching Em to jump over my leg to get the disc. So far so good. We did some work on the ground but she learned quickly that she could go around me. So we used an agility jump and that worked nicely.
RPT and 1st Qualifying Leg > August 12, 2006
I should have worn football gear for Em's RPT (Retrieval Proficiency Test)! It's a test to ensure your dog retrieves. I had no doubt that she would come back but I had doubt that she may go around me and run to get the disc for round 2 ("around" command). So I tackled her. It worked. Then we went in for round 1 of the novice single disc. I threw fantastically for Em (40+ yards) and she reciprocated by jumping and catching all but one disc in the one minute round. She got great air! We impressed some folks, which is always nice. Round two wasn't as great as my throwing was less consistent and Em was tired and having problems getting to the long ones. We came in 2nd place and received a Qualifying leg for CDDA (Canadian Disc Dog Association) titles!
Disc Workshop Aftermath > July 16, 2006
I learned a few things this past week-end. (1) Em needs to cross train with multiple discs so that she is not always focused on the same disc; (2) my throwing technique was a little lacking; (3) there are way too many types of discs -- and Emmy likes to puncture most of them; (4) how to throw a floater, a behind-the-back, an under-the-leg and a butterfly. All in all, not a bad workshop but not excellent either. It gave me a good start.
In Anticipation of Disc Workshop > July 9, 2006
Pictures: Emmy waiting patiently (a first when it comes to disc); Em going up for a catch; Em missing it completely (it bounced off her nose); Em spotting it before a great jump.
Em's love of disc had to be developed a little bit since the first hard discs we used got torn up within a few throws and then they had a bumpy surface that was hard to carry for her and hard to throw for me. We moved to the Chewber Disc with great success. It's just really hard to throw properly. A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the Jaws Hyperflight disc... It's made all the difference. It's a puncture proof disc that is easy to throw (orange disc shown in all pictures). So since then, Emmy and I play a round or two of disc everyday. She just can't get enough of it. I have to stop her since she completely exhausts herself to a dangerous level. It's been so hot in Ottawa these days that we only play early morning or very late at night.
We have really progressed as a team. Em is good at spotting and jumping for everything (even if she doesn't need to) and my throws are straighter and more accurate.
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