Disc Dog Vaulting Class Coming Soon..

Alright! I’ve been working on a disc dog vaulting class. It is broken down into three modules: Tell > Trigger > Target. These three modules are the vaulting process or behavior chain in it’s simplest form. When vaulting we need to reliably:

Tell the dog what we’re going to be doing and where we will be doing it.

Trigger the vaulting process, as a team at the appropriate time.

Present the Target at the appropriate time and place so the dog can go and get it.

These three modules are broken down into several lessons that cover both the basics and the details of safe and successful vaulting in both text and video.

The images below are the bumper / title screenshots from the video. Each image will have a voiceover of the words: “Ballwork: Create Verbal Vault Discrimination. Top Stall and Rebound with Cookies…”

Then the small white text will be given voice to flesh out the intro to the lesson. You can read the white text for each bumper in the caption below the image.

Tell

Tell the dog what we’re going to be doing and where we will be doing it.

Module 1 is about setting up safe and successful vaults and the communication required to make them happen.

Verbal Vault Discrimination is a key aspect of safe and successful vaulting. Verbal Discrimination means that the dog knows what type of vault is to be performed, via a verbal cue before the action starts. Because many vault variations happen out of just a few vault positions this verbal key simplifies decision making.
There is no need to show the dog the vaulting platform, that is obvious, and drawing attention to it takes the dog’s eyes off the Target. Instead, Tell the dog what what vault we are going to do and point out where the catch will be made.
A good, solid wait is the most important skill in vaulting. You can’t have a reliable Trigger without a solid wait. If you can’t pull the Trigger properly, how can you hit the target? Dog AND handler must be able to wait before launching into the Vault…

Trigger

Trigger the vaulting process, as a team at the appropriate time.

Module 2 is about actually triggering the vaulting process and establishing the team movement required to vault successfully and safely.

Footwork & Stance Shifts are reliable triggers for many disc dog moves including vaults. It is far better to have your dog watching your body and your feet for clues about when to go than to be watching the disc. Use foot movement and Stance Shifts to Trigger vaults and Overs – these are highly visible Triggers.
The presentation of the Platform is a reliable trigger for the Vaulting Behavior. Whether it’s the lifting of the leg for a Leg Vault, the dipping down of the body for a Back Vault, or the reclining movement for the Chest Vault; whatever it is, use the presentation of the vaulting platform as your trigger.
Vaults on the run or vaults in sequence or at a distance can and should be triggered by a reliable, well timed movement. A Front or a Rear Cross is just such a movement. Consider changing directions or changing the Working Flank as the Trigger for Vaults in Motion or on the run.
Unintentional Triggers are a Fact of Dog – They happen. Watch for them and don’t get fooled into thinking the Trigger you use must be the Trigger that is working. The only one who knows what the Trigger is is the dog. That said, if an Unintentional Trigger is Reliable and useful, use it. It Works.

Target

Present the Target at the appropriate time and place so the dog can go and get it.

Module 3 is about the targeting process from the dog, handler, and team’s perspective. It deals with timing and placement of the disc, throwing mechanics, and the targeting process from the dog and team’s perspective.

The Disc is the Target. It should appear, notably, while the dog is still on the ground. The dog should leave the ground FOR THE TARGET. The earlier the disc appears the more time the dog has to read and plan to meet the disc at the point of interception where the catch will be made.
A Take is not a successful catch on the judges score card, but it is an important and useful technique for vaults. There is no time in a Take – it stays in place in time and space. A Take creates time and enhances timing for success. The Take is not, however, a static skill. Takes appear out of thin air like any other Target
If you can’t hit reliably hit the target to within 4 inches 95+% of the time, you have no business vaulting. A consistent and reliable Vault Toss is absolutely critical to safe and successful vaulting. Proper vaulting technique and principles mean nothing without precise and consistent placement.
Where you put the disc changes the performance of the vault. There are strategies and tactics in disc placement that are dog and situationally specific and specific to vault variations. Knowing the rules and knowing how, why, and when to break them is critical to safe, stylish, and successful vaulting with your dog.

Video Features

Each video features clear and concise instruction with video from both the dog and handler’s perspective: POV head cam footage from the handler’s viewpoint, and the dog’s eye view from the dog’s perspective.

Below is a sample video, a simple test that shows some of the camera perspectives and the bumper/title concept in action.

This is not the actual instructional video for this lesson, but is simply a beta test of some of the various video features and an illustration of the repetitive Tell > Trigger > Target vaulting process that will be featured throughout the project.

A mock up of a typical lesson video. The repetitive Tell > Trigger > Target titling will be a constant throughout the class, and the bumper title and voiceover introduction will also be featured in each lesson.
Topical voiceover instruction and lower third informational graphics are not included in this mock up…

Available Soon… Free to Select Patron Tiers and Patron Discount Available

Unlike the rest of our classes which are currently free to the public (you should probably jump on that, not sure how long that will last…) this will be a pay to play class. Patrons will either get free access or a significant discount. Pricing points and class tier levels and features will be available in the near future.

We are working with our Patrons to develop this class content. To become a Patron and get access to sweet disc dog and dog training content and to work with us and support work like this

join the PVybe Tribe on Patreon.

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