Working Drop? Drop and Toss n Fetch Don’t Mix. Unless…

This piece is the first of series of pieces on the cued Drop we’ll be covering, compliments of Patrons of Pawsitive Vybe.

Many disc dog handlers are “working the drop”. It’s so important and so fragile. It seems like you either got too much of it or not at all enough. And just when you think you’ve got it all dialed in, you try something new and it falls apart. Much of what we do on the freestyle and game field is dictated to us by our team’s ability to drop on cue. Not everyone wants to admit it, and many will claim that their Cued Drop is fine or completely functional but, whether they are working on it or not, most all disc dog teams could use a better, more functional, and/or flexible drop.

Of Anguish and Pain: Working the Drop

Working on the cued Drop is the source of much anguish and pain for many teams. I’ve been there and done that… What often winds up happening is that the team spends all their time working on flip sequences and Toss n Fetch – avoiding all the important transitional and flow stuff because the Drop is just not there yet.

Well, I’ve got some bad news for ya. Toss n Fetch is not helpful for shaping & reinforcing a cued Drop. And it’s probably worse than that, it’s probably damaging to the good work you are doing on the cued Drop. Especially if you’ve got a dog that drops late.

Toss n Fetch Is an Unbalanced, Oppositional Game

Toss n Fetch is an unbalanced and oppositional game. It happens from the side of the field. The handler stands on one side and throws a single disc out into the field. The dog runs out into the field and returns to the sideline with that single disc. Everything happens in front of the handler transferring the possession of a single disc.

Starting at the side of the field throwing to the center and keeping the game on one side of the handler creates an unbalanced game.

These attributes of play create an unbalanced and oppositional game in terms of shapes and pressure. None of it is balanced.

None of this is inherently bad. There is nothing wrong with an unbalanced game with a dog. Pressure, oppositional position, and transferring possession of a target is great play. It’s just not great for freestyle or games that require balanced play.

Toss n Fetch & the Oppositional Linear Retrieve

Toss n Fetch creates a strong reward history for a full linear retrieve, from 40 yards to the hand or to a drop at the handler’s feet. This strong reward history creates a habit of retrieving to the handler on any linear approach to the front of the handler.

All retrieves in Toss n Fetch and long linear freestyle tosses create oppositional pressure on the retrieve. This oppositional pressure is a major feature in a formal retrieve. Bringing it to the handler’s feet is a hard habit to break for many dogs, and they get that itch from 40+ yards in Toss n Fetch.

Freestyle out throws, throws at the end of sequences, and any longer linear throws made during freestyle play are likely to result in a linear retrieve to the front of the handler. This, in turn, is likely to make a responsive Drop on the run or at a distance a weird behavior.

The game starts and ends at the handler. Why would I drop it anywhere else?

Shapes Create a Cooperative Lateral Retrieve

Lateral throws that can be intercepted and throws to the Working Flank are likely to result in a lateral retrieve. With dog and handler moving in the same direction. This is cooperative movement.

Flipping the Field sets up a cooperative, pulling pressure that breaks the link to the formal retrieve. Reward Placement and the throw as cookie makes carrying all the way to the handler a silly idea. “I can make the throw happen from WAY out here!”

Retrieves coming in to the handler laterally, from the side or on an angle, are far more likely to be dropped on cue because they do not resemble the oppositional toss and fetch or formal retrieve that resolves at the handler.

There are many approach angles, throwing angles, and drop locations available in a game with shapes that create some lateral play. The game does not start and stop at the handler.

It is easy to keep the dog and the game off the handler with shapes that reinforce lateral play. If the game can start and finish anywhere, why would I need to only drop it on the handler? It might be a good idea to drop right here.

What is Flipping the Field?

Flipping the Field in Toss and Fetch balances out the game in terms of pressure, shape, and possession of the disc and bridges the gap between an inherently unbalanced game and games that require more balance in terms of shape, pressure, and the sharing of discs.

Throwing in Both directions creates a more balanced game. Adding multiple discs creates leverage and a reason to Drop out there.

When Flipping the Field in Toss n Fetch, the team starts in the center of the field, at mid-field with multiple discs delivering alternating throws towards both end zones. A 40 yard throw in one direction followed by a 40 yard throw in the other direction.

A Cued Drop makes the throw happen. You must be carrying in order to drop on cue. A Cued Drop in Toss n Fetch will increase the desire to both carry and Drop the disc on cue.

On the retrieve, a Cued Drop is employed at a distance and reinforced with a throw towards the other endzone, behind the handler. This cued Drop reinforced with a throw to the other end zone is repeated until the handler runs out of discs. A cued Bite (in the hand) may be substituted for a long throw to replicate and reinforce a Give for Toss n Fetch training purposes.

The Cued Drop makes the throw happen. Can’t Drop if you are not carrying. Drop without the cue and you can’t make next happen. Listening for the cue with a good reason to drop when you hear the cue places HIGH value on the cued Drop. the cued Drop becomes a cookie.

Best of Both Worlds

Flipping the Field creates a best of both worlds situation. You get to train and improve your Toss n Fetch, increasing retrieve speed and building drive by doubling the rate of reinforcement.

Employ a non-example at times using a Give. 5 or 10 thrown examples to 1 Give non-example, for Drop work and drive building or less lopsided ratio for increased retrieve speed and more applicable Toss n Fetch practice.

You also get to develop, exercise, and reinforce the cued Drop and generalize the skill to more aggressive, oppositional, linear approaches.

The throw can and should be timed for some purpose. Success is an important purpose, many dogs need to succeed for Drive purposes. Some dogs need to be challenged to retrieve faster. Some dogs like a challenge and will see it as a better cookie. Deliver throws strategically for your team’s needs at this time.

It’s a complete win-win.

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