2 Things You Must Do for Better Disc Dog Team Movement – A DiscDogger Weekly Sneak Peek

Team Movement & Flow is our jam. It is how I love to play disc with my dogs. Some people love big tricks, some people love control, some people love dog training, I love to move fluidly with my dog. There is a super simple secret to this, two of them actually, and they are…

Ron & Loot talk about some strategies for flowing team movement and demonstrate the Dynamic Pendulum in this sneak peek feature from DiscDogger Weekly #7.

It Couldn’t Be Simpler

This really couldn’t be simpler. Throwing out to the side is the natural way to deliver a disc to your dog. I mean, to throw out at 12 o clock you pretty much have to turn sideways to do this any, so…

Throw Laterally – Expanding and Contracting the Flank

I know this looks crazy complex… but it’s not. You either throw out to the left and widen the arc the dog moves on (Expanding the Flank) or throw out to the right and tighten up the circle (Contract the Flank). Remember simple does not mean easy…

You can throw laterally to expand or contract the flank. With Loot, I am starting each sequence by contracting the Flank. With Eppie I tend to expand the Flank to get started.

The Pendulum and the Dynamic Pendulum expand the Flank in both directions.

Here is Eppie working this skill. Notice that I am expanding the Flank with Eppie by throwing out to the left to get started. Once we’re

Move!!!

You can’t have great team movement if you don’t move. As soon as you’re done making the throw, MOVE!

With the Pendulum form, the handler remains static and the dog and the play come to us. With the Dynamic Pendulum, the handler moves aggressively to dynamically reset the working position after each throw.

Making the idea of movement a reflex after releasing the disc is a tremendous way to deliver creative Team Movement. This MOVE!!! concept is also key to dynamic and creative sequence building which we cover in graphic detail.

Related Articles

Shaping the Around for Lateral and UpField Movement

Go Around is a standard Set Up Move in disc dog freestyle. It creates timing and position with movement and is the standard set up for toss and fetch. It is this standard set up for toss and fetch that dominates the movement and as a result, most Arounds resolve or release to the front of the handler at 12 o clock in clockwise fashion.

Throwing With Intent

Throwing with Intent is throwing a disc to your dog with the intent to make them look good. Throwing the disc to promote a big leap, to hit the dog in stride on the run or throwing a disc that your dog is going to flip for 10 yards away, is the sign of a mature handler.

Patron’s Choice: Shaping the Leaping Catch | Freestyle and the Leaping Catch

Shaping a Leaping Catch can, and should be a full time job. Always throw with the intent to deliver the leaping catch unless working something specific that requires a specific approach, speed or distance that is incompatible with a leaping catch. Out throws are glory, not afterthoughts.

Within a game of disc dog freestyle there are many opportunities to reinforce and shape the leaping catch and to turn the speed regulation required for the leaping catch into a habit that is ever present in your freestyle game.

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