Don’t Pick Up That Disc! Flatwork Navigation for Better Disc Management

Yesterday we covered Efficiency, Intelligence, and Intent in Disc Management in overview fashion. Today we’re going to go a bit deeper and focus in on one of the applications mentioned in that piece: Flatwork Navigation.

Eppie & I set up a situation featuring a couple of multi-disc sequences using 5 discs. A simple 3 disc sequence followed by a 4 disc sequence with two discs sitting 10-18 yards away. We worked through this situation with standard, reflexive disc management and with the Don’t Pick Up That Disc! idea.

The Set Up

We’re trying to link 2 sequences: a 3 disc sequence and a 4 disc sequence using 5 discs total.

Two discs are placed in a “pile” 10 to 18 yards away. The idea here is that Eppie & I will do the first sequence of 3 tricks and try to make the next sequence of 4 tricks happen in flow with good disc management.

We will employ 2 methods, a standard disc management method where we pick up everything we can on the way to the next sequence: Pick Up All the Discs and a Don’t Pick Up That Disc! method where we pick up the remote pile of discs and then meet the dog back atop the pile from the first sequence. Watch the video and it will all make sense…

Pick Up All the Discs 1:21

The discs are about 10 yards apart here. The throw is made at about 12 yards towards the pile of discs.

1:25 – It took me a bit too long to get the disc at my feet about 1 second (MOVE!!!).
1:27 – I got the 2nd disc in flow, on the run as Eppie was releasing counter clock.
1:31 – By the time I got to the remote pile of discs, Eppie was about 5 yard away, moving on his counter clock line.
1:32 – Notice that I am not ready, discs are getting adjusted and I’m standing up. It’s really easy for Eppie to just slide on by on the counter flank. I get my !@#$ together by this time and Eppie turns back in to address me.

We’ve already missed our tight, flowing hook up, and we get set up together after missing the connection.

I could have done it faster, for sure, but is there another way?

Don’t Pick Up That Disc! 2:11

Same set up…

I make the throw at 2:15 and am immediately able to take off, chasing the throw and moving with my dog. This is Team Movement.

2:15 – Dog and handler take off at the same time after the disc. Ron & Epic are 4-5 yards apart at this point in time, moving together with purpose.

By the time Eppie lands after making the catch (2:17), I’m about 3 yards away from the pile of discs and by the time Eppie turns back towards the handler after his outrun, I’ve already got the discs picked up and am waiting for him (2:20):

2:20 – Handler is loaded with discs waiting for the dog. Eppie is more than 15 yards away. This is an invisible pick up. This is a team ready to perform.

2:22 – Two seconds later, the team are moving together. The handler was prepped and ready to work the dog for 2 seconds before the hook up.
2:24 – After a bit of surveying the field on the Working Flank, the drop is cued, a Rear Cross is called, and a throw is lined up that will set up the desired approach for the next sequence. I’ll grab that disc on the run in a moment…
2:25 – 1.5 seconds later and we’ve got a leaping catch with an engaged handler and we’re on to meet at the pile of discs…
2:29 – I have had both discs for about 1 second at this time, and Eppie is more than 10 yards away. I’ll roll forward towards him and apply some pressure to get the team set up on the handler’s terms in an efficient and controlled manner.
2:30 – We’re all set up. 5 yards away. Ready to roll.

A Truly Hidden Pick Up

I followed the rules in both situations, but one of them had truly hidden pick ups, and it wasn’t the first one. The first one, following the rules of Disc
Management actually draws attention to me picking up the discs, and not in a good way.

The only time you saw me pick up a disc in the Don’t Pick Up That Disc! reps is when I wanted you to. Only during the Flatwork, when we were moving together and the disc pick up could be seen as multitasking were you able to see me, Eppie, and a disc pick up in a 5 yard circle.

Flexibility – Because Wind and Misses Happen

We missed a disc in one of those Thru-n-Flip moves. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be. That kind of mistake, a disc being 1-2 yards away from where it should be can be real trouble if you are reflexively picking everything up on your way to the next sequence.

Picking up the discs later with the Flatwork Navigation makes it really easy to handle these small errors that are bound to happen in freestyle play.

It is also super easy to change the direction of a throw, or of the Flatwork Navigation due to wind, mistakes, or the mechanics of the catch and retrieve.

Eppie and I worked clock and counter in our Don’t Pick Up That Disc! Flatwork Navigation reps (clock retrieve at 2:23 and counter clock at 3:37).

There was little need to survey the field in this session, or to handle wind but it is just as simple as pulling the dog a bit further or doing a front cross instead of a rear cross on the flank.

Disc Management is Far More Than Picking Up Discs

Relax, Breathe… You don’t need to rush. No need to be nuts out there…

Disc Management is not nearly as much about picking up discs as it is about knowledge, planning, shapes, and team movement. If that Skrat gif looks familiar to you, odds are you’re not planning well, are not doing Flatwork, and/or are not employing Shapes in your game.

Make throws towards the sidelines as well as up and down field. Employ a Working Flank. Leave those discs lying in that pile you made and make a plan and create some Team Movement to help you pick up those discs.

Disc management doesn’t have feel like a crazy squirrel gathering nuts. Take your time.

Plan your jam and jam your plan.

Related Articles

Do Then Cue – Putting Behaviors Before the Cued Drop for Proofing Purposes

Cue Before Do is standard operating procedure for teaching a cued Drop with discs. Cue Before Do means that you ask for and get the Drop behavior before giving the cookie which is “Do” – throw, next move, bite, etc. Because disc dog freestyle is really nothing more than a series of long behavior chains, many of which are dependent upon having the disc out of the dog’s mouth to complete, this makes complete sense and is logically sound.

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.

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