Note: this article assumes your dog already knows how to fetch a ball or similar object. If not, start withTeacha Dog to Fetch. It also assumes that you know how to throw a disc. If not, start with Throw a Frisbee Backhand and Forehand.
First ,Buy a minimum of 2 dog discs.Human discs ("frisbees") can injure your dog. Look for the brands Hyperflite, Hero or Aerobie. These discs are specially designed to reducerisk of injuring your in dog. There are many discs for destructive dogs (the Hyperflite Jawz) and soft floppy discsas well (the Aerobie Dogobie). The Flippy Flopper is a soft fabric disc available at most pet stores. The Kong Flyer is also a good choice.
Get your dog to get excited about the disc by associating it with very positive things.For example:Use the disc as a feeding dish for a week.Rub hot dog on the disc and praise your dog for going after it.Play tug gently with the disc. Alwayslet your dog win. Don't rip the disc out of your dog's mouth.*.Reward any behavior that shows"drive" to get the disc. This means that even if your dog jumps up and grabs the disc out of your hand without waiting for you to offer it to her, this is positive.Never tell your dog to 'DROP' the disc. Always use a second disc to entice your dog to drop the one in his mouth, on his own. Remember, always encourage your dog's drive to have and get the disc.
Throw "rollers".Instead of throwing the disc in the air, throw it so that the disc rolls on the ground like a wheel. This helps your dog transition from fetching a ball to retrieving a disc. Dogs love to chase discs this way. It helps them learn to "target" thedisc and pick it up.4Throw the disc in the air and alternate with rollers.Begin with short, slow throws, and be very carefulto avoid hitting your dog with the disc.In the beginning, your dog will likely let the disc hit the ground before retrieving it. It may take 100 or more throws before your dog grabs it out of the air for the first time. show patience!
Encourage your dog's drive to get the disc.Eventually your dog will get used to the flying disc, learn how to track it in the air, and eventually will want the disc so badly ("DRIVE!") that she won't want to wait for it to drop tothe ground and will instead grab it outof the air. This is the moment you've been waiting for! Done, you now have a Disc Dog!
Train grabbing.Bend over slightly and hold frisbee in your hand, horizontal to the ground, at the height of the dog's mouth. Then let him grab it with his mouth while you are still holding on to it. Say "drop it" then takethe frisbee from his mouth immediately. Now praise the dog graciously by saying "good boy (girl) and repeat the process again a few more times.
Train him running and grabbing.Now dothe exact same exercise, only move your body in a circle away from the dog, keeping it at the height of the dog's mouth. As the puppy grows, youwill be able to stand up while doing this exercise.
Teach him jumping and grabbing.Now that you are standing up, hold the frisbee a little higher than the dog's mouth and horizontal to the ground, so he has to jump up to grab it. After a while, release the frisbee right before your dog jumps up to grab it. Try turning in a circle with this exercise as well.
Advance to the steps above for olderdogs.If you are training a young pup, you may need to repeat all the above steps many times before it is ready to chasethe frisbee.
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