Component Elements of Disc Dog Routines
Sneak Peak Access for Patrons Only… Public Access Dec 7
Tricks
Tricks are very important. Having cool tricks makes life as a disc dog freestyler much easier on the competition field. But tricks are not the only important part. How they are put together is the key. It’s like notes and music.
Lots of terrible music is filled with beautiful notes. All the beautiful notes poorly arranged do not make music, they make noise.Your tricks should stand on their own, and be able to be performed on their own. Mistaking what you always do and how you always do it for the trick itself is a mistake. The ability to do the trick on it’s own demonstrates competence, and competence is the path to mastery.
If you have to send the dog through before you do a flip, you most likely need some work on your flip as it is not a mature expression of the trick. Immature tricks will limit your routine building.
Many tricks can and should be done from many different starting positions and transitions. Work these entries and transitions to learn about the trick and expose yourself to things that are not your goto behavior.
- Front
Front is a stable position directly in front of the handler. Front is an traditional obedience skill. Usually your dog sits in this position, but standing is often acceptable as well, especially in... - Heel
- Side
- Change
If the dog is standing underneath you, facing in the same direction, you are in Change position. This position is uncomfortable for many dogs due to the intense positional pressure that often accompanies... (dog between legs facing forward) - Clockwise Flank
Out to the side of the handler is the Flank. If the dog is out to the handler's right or left the dog is on Flank. If the dog is moving with the... - Counter Clock Flank
- Through
A Through is a set up move where the dog runs between the handler’s legs. The dog can move from front to back or side to side and can even weave. A Through...
To name a few…
Skills and Skill
The handler’s and dog’s skills are probably the most neglected aspect of Routine Building in disc dog freestyle. The ability to move your dog around the field, to stop the dog, to set up position and create a desired approach is a beautiful expression of dog frisbee. Throwing an intentional leaping catch to your dog on the run makes people feel things. The skills and skill required to do these things often get completely lost in the Routine Building shuffle. If you’ve got skills, you should groom them and use them; they make you look skilled.
Do not let your tricks and sequences overwhelm the clear demonstration of skills. This is true in handling and throwing. While doing your tricks and sequences, focus on your core skills. As soon as you’ve done the trick or sequence, use your skills to make the next sequence happen in flow.
Once you know the tricks and sequences, focus should be directed between the tricks and sequences. That is where skills come in to play and where one demonstrates masterly skill.
Sequences
A sequence is more than a series of tricks.
The definition of a sequence should be a series of tricks that when added together create a whole greater than the sum of its parts; sequence should be more than a series of tricks.
Handler movement and reading the dog are the key elements to creating sequences out of lists of tricks. Moving with and meeting and beating the dog to position is how sequences develop out of lists of tricks.
Components < Composition
If you have not noticed by now, the components of Routine Building that we’ve talked about are completely dependent upon, and subordinate to the way they mesh and are put together. The composition of the song is more important than the notes, beats, and words. Putting the notes, beats, and words in the right place and the right time is what makes a song great.
That’s a Truth, Capital T! Just like agility is more than running around over obstacles. Frisbee with a dog is more than doing tricks. Thinking disc dog freestyle is a series of sequences is the same as thinking agility is just running around over a series of obstacles.
In disc dog freestyle, like agility and music, the rhythm is in the gaps. A good routine is a routine that has gaps filled with goodness surrounding the tricks, throws, and sequences.
Responses