Teaching Your Dog to Fetch

By Ruthie Bently

You can teach your dog to fetch a newspaper, Frisbee, beer, a ball, even an egg. You can teach your dog to fetch (or retrieve) anything that is small enough for them to get a secure grip on, pick up and bring back to you. Teaching your dog to fetch is a good way to give them the mental stimulation they need so they don’t get bored and misbehave.

It is easiest to teach your dog to fetch when they are a puppy, but an adult dog can be taught to fetch too. With any training program, patience, praise, repetition and treats like CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ work well. Schedule your training time when the temperature is comfortable for both you and your dog, and not during the heat of the day. Only work your dog for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. If your dog already knows the commands for sit, come, stay and drop it ahead of time, this will facilitate teaching them to fetch an object for you.

Attach your dog to a six foot leash to allow them room to move. Using one of their favorite toys, begin by showing them the toy and pass it from hand to hand. Put them on a sit/stay and toss the toy a few feet away from you. Detach the leash and tell them to get the toy using the command “fetch.” If they don’t immediately go and get the ball, walk them over to it and repeat your command. If they don’t pick it up, then you pick it up and offer it to them. If your dog takes the ball, praise them and offer them a treat. Take the toy back to your starting point, put your dog on a sit/stay and begin again.

If your dog goes and get the toy and only comes part way back to you before stopping, encourage them to bring it all the way to you. If they drop the toy and return to you, you can ask them “where’s your toy?” Use praise and encouragement to get them to go back for it but don’t offer a treat until they bring the toy back to you. Don’t chase after them; that will only excite them in a game of chase and won’t further your cause. Your dog will learn quickly that fetching a toy brings praise and a treat from you, and will want to bring the toy back. Once your dog brings the toy back from a few feet away, you can begin tossing it further and further away from you. When they are fetching on their own and know the command, you can stop giving treats and reward them with praise alone, as your dog will want to play fetch just for the fun of it.

If your dog doesn’t already know the command for release, you can teach it to them as well. When your dog brings the toy back to you, steady their head with one hand. Place your other hand in front of their mouth and say “release.” If your dog doesn’t want to let go, repeat the “release” command and gently remove the toy from their mouth. Offer praise and a treat. Keep repeating the exercise until your dog lets go of the toy on their own. It is best to teach one command a day so as not to confuse your dog or wear them out.

Another command I have taught Skye is “easy.” This is a simple one to teach and I did it using CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ treats and abundant praise. While Skye was on a sit/stay, I put a treat between my thumb and forefinger and offered it to her after telling her “easy.” If she grabbed for the treat, I scolded her with a firm “no,” put her back on the sit/stay and tried again. When she reached for the treat gently, I praised her profusely and gave her the treat. Skye still forgets her treat manners sometimes. I just correct her bad behavior with a “no” and we try again. She never makes the mistake twice and I still have all my fingers.

Teaching your dog to fetch is good exercise for both of you, and if your dog becomes proficient at it, you might consider teaching them to be a disc dog, joining a disc dog team and competing. Every dog needs an activity, and teaching your dog to fetch can be the beginning of a wonderful job for them. This can keep them calm and well-behaved at home and become a fun hobby for you.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

The Flying Houndz Frizbee Trick Dog Show

By Julia Williams

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to Jeff Wright’s Flying Houndz, a team of six talented canine athletes who excel at what they do. On the surface, one might describe this as “performing dozens of different tricks with flying discs.” But what these dogs really do is amaze, thrill and delight audiences nationwide.

These extraordinary canines are powered by CANIDAE dog food, and they’re part of the company’s Sponsored Dog Program. CANIDAE accepts only the very best canine athletes for sponsorship, and the Flying Houndz are a perfect example of how premium dog food can contribute to athletic excellence.

Sadie, Sampson, Vegas, Ace, Tango and Turk leap, flip, vault, dance and spin. They perform high-flying acrobatic feats and catch flying discs with remarkable ease. The professionally trained canines perform before crowds of every size, from as small as a few hundred to as large as 25,000. Fairs and festivals, pet expos, sporting events and schools are just a few of the places the Flying Houndz have entertained spectators with their exciting show. Depending on the venue, their show lasts anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

The newest member of the Flying Houndz pack is Gizmo, a 3 month old male Border Collie who Jeff says is “very smart and learning quickly.” Gizmo began playing with the Frisbees in his very first week with the family, so it seems certain he will be a great addition to the show when he makes his debut in 2011.

Like many pet owners, Jeff and Misty Wright consider their dogs to be an integral part of their family, their “canine kids” if you will. These dogs are not used solely for the purpose of entertainment. Above all, they are loved and appreciated for the unique beings they are and for what they bring to the family. The Wrights have adopted most of their dogs from shelters and rescue organizations, and are grateful to have each one in their family, regardless of what they can contribute to the show.

Some of the dogs, like Sadie who is considered the “star” of the show, utterly adore their time in the spotlight and can’t get enough of it. Others were rescued from sad situations such as being raised in a puppy mill or found as a frightened stray, and they’re still a little timid about performing. Jeff takes baby steps with these dogs and makes sure they only do what is comfortable for them at the time. Their well-being and health are always a top priority.

As responsible pet owners, the Wrights nurture their dogs emotionally, and rely on CANIDAE All Natural Dog Food to keep them healthy and fit. Because these dogs are serious athletes, Jeff has done a great deal of research to determine their nutritional needs. He believes it’s vital to learn as much as possible about the food he feeds his dogs to ensure they not only perform to the best of their ability in the shows, but live long and healthy lives as cherished members of the family.

“When competing and performing, my dogs are always at their best on CANIDAE. The choice of ingredients is superior to any on the market and is a perfect fit for the needs of my dogs. Believe me, we have tried many of the top dog foods and none have shown the results that CANIDAE has. My dogs not only maintain their energy throughout the day, but they are happy, have beautiful coats, and are gleaming with good nutrition inside and out.”

Jeff has been performing with his dogs for about four years, and it’s clear to me (and to the audience) that this is truly a labor of love. The focus of every show is to share the special bond he has with these amazing canine stars, while having lots of fun and entertaining all ages.

Jeff says he’s “loved dogs since I could walk,” and like many youth, he played with Frisbees. So naturally, he began throwing the flying discs just for fun with his first Border Collie Sadie. This led to his discovery of disc dog competitions. Jeff and Sadie entered one, and placed third at their very first event which was a world championship with top teams from around the world!

This competition also had a canine freestyle disc event. The incredible talent Jeff saw that day inspired him to go home and immediately start practicing some tricks with Sadie. And as the old saying goes, the rest is history.

Says Jeff, “Spending time with my dogs this way is so rewarding. Learning together and particularly watching my dogs grow and overcome new challenges in training is very inspirational.” He’s also pleased to be able to bring smiles to the faces of young and old alike. One touching memory also makes him smile. It was the day an elderly lady asked to have a picture taken with one of the dogs. She didn’t have email and didn’t even know how to use a computer, so she asked Jeff if he’d mail it to her for Christmas. Jeff was delighted to print out and mail the picture to such a special fan!

When pressed to share some of his dog training secrets, Jeff says that “the key to successful dogs that are happy with life is to first train the best classic trick of all—the dog kiss! All of my dogs are trained to give big kisses! There’s nothing like watching parents take a picture of their child with my dog giving them a big kiss after a show!”

Read more articles by Julia Williams

Disc Dog: A High Flying Sport

By Ruthie Bently

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods recently donated prizes (which included high quality pet food and Frisbees) for Slovenia’s first Disc Dog competition. It was hosted by the Maribor Kennel Club on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Fifty-six international teams from six countries (Hungary, the Netherlands, Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia) competed in the event. The event was held to raise funds for Slovenia’s Horjul Animal Shelter. Their mission is to help as many homeless animals as possible by finding them new homes and providing them with temporary accommodations, health care and improved living conditions.

The art of playing as a team with your dog and a round flying disc is known by more than one name: Dog Frisbee, Flying Dog Disc sport and Disc Dog. Because the name “Frisbee” is a registered trademark, the sport is officially known as Disc Dog. It is now an international sport, and there are teams in the United States, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Canada. There are now international competitions for teams, as well as demonstration events.

While I knew who Ashley Whippet was and was able to see him perform, I didn’t know the beginnings of Disc Dog itself. It was started by Alex Stein (Ashley Whippet’s owner) in August 1974, when he jumped a fence during the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alex and Ashley performed for eight minutes, while Ashley leapt nine feet in the air to grab discs and ran at a top speed of 35 mph. The baseball game was actually stopped during the exhibition, and Joe Garagiola kept announcing the action on the field until Alex and Ashley were escorted off the field.

Ashley Whippet went on to win three Disc Dog world championships, starred in a documentary “Floating Free,” performed at Super Bowl XII and even performed for Amy Carter at the White House; all other dogs since are measured by his standard. Thirty five years later, the sport of Disc Dog is still alive and well.

Any dog with an aptitude to catch things is eligible to play, as long as they are entered with a human partner. Most canines have a natural talent for Disc Dog because it plays to their prey instinct to chase things and stop them. What makes it different from chasing a ball is that the disc is more of a challenge. It can reverse direction or hover, can be thrown high or low, and really tests the dog’s ability to pay attention. You are also able to bond more with your dog during these sessions, even if you choose not to compete and only play for fun. It doesn’t matter if you have a big or small dog, purebred or mutt – any of them could theoretically learn to play. Before starting any form of exercise, you should have your dog checked out by your veterinarian to make sure they are physically capable of playing.

There are three types of Disc Dog competition: freestyle, long distance and short distance. There are variations within the types, and room for physical artistry and creativity. During the distance/accuracy events where only one disc is used, teams are awarded points for the distance and accuracy of the catches. Short distance events have many names: Throw and Catch, Distance/Accuracy, Toss and Fetch, and MiniDistance. The idea is usually the same: on a field with incrementally longer distances a team gets sixty seconds to get as many catches as possible. The longest distance is usually 54 feet (50 meters) for the longest catch. Points are given based on the distance of the catch, and if the dog is completely airborne during the catch they get an extra half point. A Long Distance event (where generally the longest catch wins) has a few different formats, and while still popular it is less common.

Freestyle seems to be the most popular, and routines can be anywhere from one minute and thirty seconds to three minutes long. They are frequently choreographed to music with more than one disc in play at a time. When competing in freestyle, a team (which consists of a dog and their handler) are judged subjectively. Each team is judged on showmanship, degree of difficulty and canine athleticism.

Freestyle is seen as the highest level of accomplishment. It is well-liked by spectators for its multiple catches, super speed, fabulous vaults and incredible flips. The competition divisions in Disc Dog events are based on the experience and skill of the handler, and men and women compete together. The Long Distance event is considered a “power” event, and is broken into women’s and men’s events. Competitions usually take place during summer on flat grass fields, though winter Disc Dog on snow is also popular in some areas.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently