Paul, check out pawsitivevybe.com -- the site is down right now, but the owner, Ron Watson, is a super guy and super disc trainer. Also check out http://www.skyhoundz.com/training.html.
Get your pup a few Hyperflite Jawz discs. They are a lot more mouth-proof than the regular canine competition discs - but they are never for chewing. The competition discs such as the Fastback will succumb to catch pressure much faster, and cheaper discs won't last a few minutes, so don't bother with them.
Do not ask your pup to jump before he is about one year old. Do not throw discs he must jump to get. Just don't do it -- it's a health risk and you don't know enough to protect him. You can do rollers to teach a grab and retrieve. There is info about it on the websites mentioned. You can teach him to bring back one disc and go get another so he has no trouble switching discs early and often. These are good baby dog skills. Finally, I would be SUPER careful about a Golden in general -- orthopedic problems are rife in the breed and disc is VERY VERY hard on dogs with hip, back, knee or elbow problems. You will want complete OFA style X-rays when he is full grown, even if you don't register them with OFA. Don't take a breeder's assurances that he's fine, parents' OFA ratings, or a vet's assessment based on palpation (no x-rays) as sufficient. It's not. A structure evaluation by an orthopedist or sports vet is also advisable.
That looks very weird... good photo!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha - here I thought Dexter had grown some extra legs - as if his looooong ones weren't enough!
ReplyDeleteA great "fail" picture a plain just great picture. Maggie is living the good life.
ReplyDeleteLol. I was trying to figure out where the extra extremities came from!
ReplyDeleteHa. I love this picture.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to get our golden pup into frisbees. Is there a product you'd recommend? Also, when did you start training Dexter?
www.2guys2pups.wordpress.com
-Paul
Paul, check out pawsitivevybe.com -- the site is down right now, but the owner, Ron Watson, is a super guy and super disc trainer. Also check out http://www.skyhoundz.com/training.html.
ReplyDeleteGet your pup a few Hyperflite Jawz discs. They are a lot more mouth-proof than the regular canine competition discs - but they are never for chewing. The competition discs such as the Fastback will succumb to catch pressure much faster, and cheaper discs won't last a few minutes, so don't bother with them.
Do not ask your pup to jump before he is about one year old. Do not throw discs he must jump to get. Just don't do it -- it's a health risk and you don't know enough to protect him. You can do rollers to teach a grab and retrieve. There is info about it on the websites mentioned. You can teach him to bring back one disc and go get another so he has no trouble switching discs early and often. These are good baby dog skills. Finally, I would be SUPER careful about a Golden in general -- orthopedic problems are rife in the breed and disc is VERY VERY hard on dogs with hip, back, knee or elbow problems. You will want complete OFA style X-rays when he is full grown, even if you don't register them with OFA. Don't take a breeder's assurances that he's fine, parents' OFA ratings, or a vet's assessment based on palpation (no x-rays) as sufficient. It's not. A structure evaluation by an orthopedist or sports vet is also advisable.
Have fun.