Browsing all posts in "freestyle training".
Pearls … Lessons learned by experience
I haven’t written on the blog for a while and Jason has done a fantastic job summarizing all the stuff. Between the growth of our marketing business and getting Moxie, I’ve been so busy keeping my head on mostly straight, I’ve probably missed a ton of pearls in the chaos.
Choice of Discs…The Dilemma
Choice of discs has been a new point of contention in the DragonDogs house. When we first started playing disc, there was only Lilli – and she has a VERY hard bite. We started with Fastbacks cause that’s what everyone used. Long story short…Lilli had a bloody mouth every time we played and she would trash a disc in 5 throws or less.
February 2010 DragonDogs Review
By now you know about Moxie. Andrea wanted a dog to be all hers and she landed a frizbeast, a cattle dog she quickly dubbed Moxie. At 30pounds Moxie is the smallest dog, but everything she does is big, from howling to leaping, Moxie lives up to her name with lots of attitude and style. In a few short weeks Andrea’s disc dog has worked her way through the disc dog handbook with flips and reverses and is currently the only dog in the house with a reverse chest vault. Thanks to Tracy Custer and Abby Cline for making Moxie a reality. They are a very happy team! Moxie took 3rd at the CFDDC AW invitational competing with Andrea. Check out their video here.
Got Moxie
Moxie: backbone: fortitude and determination.
For those of you who aren’t on FB or haven’t heard yet…there is a new member of the Dragondogs. Moxie.
Moxie is our first ACD aka Australian Cattle Dog aka Blue Heeler. Tracy Custer evaluated her and sent her info out into the disc dog network about an awesome Frisbeast. Abby knew that I was looking for a new dog, so she sent me the link with a note that said… here is your dog. It went kinda backwards from there. Some other guy wanted her too – so I made the patient and responsible choice after a really cool chat with Apryl … I’ll wait another 6 months until Leila is a bit more established. The dog would have another great disc home to go to so no worries.
Finally Flippin in Puppyville
We’ve shared over and over about how Leilani is developing very slowly as a disc dog…slower than we’d like. For about 6 months, she’s been eating grass in the middle of very short sessions, even right in the beginning of sessions. She still loves the disc, but the disc practice outside has been very unproductive. We’d settled in that we’d focus on her being our “trick dog” since she loved shaping so much and didn’t seem to stress at all during long shaping sessions. We were hoping that in the next 6 months or so, she’d settle in.
Results are in…Canis Major #2
Saturday was Canis Major #2 – our second of 5 freestyle events for Jason and Lilli in Plant City, FL. Kai also debuted in her first D/A event with me as her handler.
Choosing a Superstar – Kai Bear
Have you ever seen that movie Sliding Doors? The movie basically points to the notion that each little choice you make can completely change the future. I think about that concept a lot.
DragonLilli on the FS Scene
This past weekend Lilli FINALLY had her first competition freestyle event at Canis Major #1 in Plant City, FL on Saturday. Jason is the handler for the 5 part competition series – he and Lilli have been gelling really well and he handles pressure and crowds like a pro!
My Dog Can Do What?!
Since we’ve moved to our new house and have a huge yard to train the girls, Lilli has just blown up. Even her body is intense now – no fat at all – solid muscle and bones. Her endurance, even in the 95 degree Florida summer, is fantastic and she demands play at least 2x a day.
When Lilli Flips…She Flies!
Since the last time we posted about Lilli’s flips, there has been significant improvement. I think, once again, all it took was time – consistent practice and tweaking technique. Flips – first of all – aren’t something that just anyone should do with their dog. Flipping itself can seriously injur the dog’s spine and hips and the landing takes a toll on the whole body of the dog. That said – it’s about the coolest thing you can teach. There’s nothing in the world like your dog 5 feet up in the air upside down with a disc in their mouth! 
