Health Status
Before you teach your dog to catch a Frisbee, you must ensure that it is in good health. If your dog is a big one, you should watch out for signs of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia makes your dog suffer from pains that make it difficult to chase, catch or jump. Take your dog to the vet and be sure that all is well. Then you can train it to catch a Frisbee.
Age
Although there are several ways to train a puppy to catch a Frisbee, it is best to wait until they are old enough to catch it in the air. For a start, you can teach your puppy to get used to the Frisbee by teaching it to fetch. You should only teach it to fetch air Frisbees when it is old enough. You do not want them breaking their bones or sustaining injuries that would make them weaker.
Process
If your dog does not know what catching a Frisbee entails, you should start them in on the basic training first. When they have shown to be comfortable with the basic commands, you can proceed to the trickier ones. Be rest assured that they would catch on easier because of the basic training they received.
Basic Requirements for Dog Frisbee Training
There are basic requirements that you would need on how to teach your dog to catch a Frisbee. These include an insight into how to teach a small dog to catch a Frisbee.
A Frisbee
How do I train my dog to catch a Frisbee? Get a frisbee! The first step in this guide would be to get a Frisbee. Your choice of Frisbee should be in line with your dog breed as well as its size. Your dog should be able to catch the Frisbee comfortably with its mouth without sustaining any injuries. If your dog is new to the Frisbee game, you might want to get a soft Frisbee for it. But if it is familiar with the game and has played it a few times, you can get Frisbees made of plastic.
Location
The second thing to look out for is a good location to train a dog to catch a Frisbee. You do not want windowpanes and china breaking, so your kitchen is out of the question. You should instead look for dog parks or large fenced-in backyards where you can practice catching Frisbees without a hitch.
Motivation
In other words, bribery. Yes, dogs take bribes too. Your dog needs first to get used to playing Frisbee. Bribe them so that they only get treats when they carry out orders that you give them. The perfect rewards include peanut butter, steak, and dog biscuits.
Now we have the basic requirements, here is a guide on how to teach a dog to fetch a Frisbee. Our training tips will cover all you need to teach a small dog to catch a frisbee and train a dog to catch a frisbee in the air.
7 Frisbee Dog Training Tips
Get the Right Frisbee
You need to get a Frisbee that will be durable and comfortable for your dog. Frisbees by Chuckit! Paraflight Frisbee, Aerobie Dogobie Disc, Hyper Pet Flippy Flopper Frisbee, and Kong Flyer are great options.
Introduce The Dog To The Game
You need to introduce the game to your dog. Failure to do so will prevent your dog from understanding all that the game entails. Part of the introduction should include associating the Frisbee with positive factors such as using it as a feeding dish for some time. Alternatively, you may choose to reward your dog after every effort at fetching the Frisbee.
Practice Frisbee Rollers
Start with easy-to-do tricks and commands first. Easy tricks are especially important if you are training a small dog to catch a Frisbee. Roll the Frisbee on the ground instead of throwing it in the air. This would help your dog aim for the Frisbee and catch it easily.
Practice Short-Air Throws
After your dog has become familiar with fetching the rolled Frisbees, you can continue with short-distanced, slow air throws. Be careful to avoid hitting your dog with the Frisbee. Also, do not be discouraged if your dog refuses to respond for the first few tries.
Encourage Your Pet
Your dog would need a lot of encouragement to learn to catch a frisbee. Any passive reactions might discourage it. Praise your dog whenever it makes a little progress.
Increase the Distance of the Throws
You can increase the distance you throw your Frisbee after your dog has become acquainted with catching short-distanced throws.
Reinforce The Training
Repeat the lesson once you have completed the above steps and are impressed with your dog's performance. This action ingrains the rules of the game into your dog, making it exceptional at catching Frisbees.
Conclusion
This guide on how to train a dog to catch Frisbee in the air will have your dog springing in the air in no time. Teaching your dog to catch a frisbee will improve the overall wellbeing of your furry friend. It will also boost the fun times you and your four-pawed friend share improving the bond you share.
