Ron Watson | Mauka Woo

Around Counter Clock that Resolves in a Flip at the Handler’s Side – The Other Side of Woo

Keys to the Trick:

1. Catch the Rhythm
2. You Have Two Hands
3. Cue Then Do
4. Standing or Kneeling
5. Try a FishA Fish is a leaping catch that ends with the dog passing the disc back to the handler before landing back on the ground. The basic idea is catch and release, Fishing is... More

Catch the Rhythm – Back & Forth and Cue to Toss

the Other Side of Woo works great with a Clockwise Woo. there is a rhythm that develops between the Clock and Counter and between the Cue and the Toss. And it’s not much of a toss. You just set it right there…

I like to work the Clock and Counter Woos together and toggle between both of them. This back and forth movement, this flip… then that one… quickly leads to a rhythm which is helpful for learning when and where to put the disc and being able to put it there.

In addition to the clock vs counter rhythm there is a rhythm that happens between the time you cue and the time you toss. This rhythm is the Team’s rhythm for this trick and has to be coordinated with the dog, but it can be found. When you find this rhythm you’ll cue, signal, and toss in a reliably predictable manner. Reliable and predictable are key.

You Have Two Hands – Use Them

cue the Around with the left hand, the standard cue for the Counter Around. forget about the throw or the target disc until it’s time to throw it. give the signal and when you sense commitment, turn and address the throw.

This is just a normal physical cue for the Around. Forget about the toss until it is time to toss. I like to do an exaggerated Around cue with my hand, pulling it way too far around while leaning back. I use this movement to rock back and forth allowing plenty of time for the dog to commit and a shimmy to catch the rhythm.

Cue Then Do and Hybrid Cuing

this move is a hybrid trick – 1 part Around + 1 part Flip = Something New. when you have something new it requires a new cue. start with your [Around Cue]-Woo – all one word – and if you don’t like it change it.

This is kind of a quibble, kind of important. I would suggest that it’s important, some would suggest it’s a quibble. The thing is that the dog needs to know this is not a normal around before being surprised by the target. The dog needs to enter the trick knowing that the flip is happening directly. This knowledge of the flip is key for the dog to collect and prepare.

My cue for Counter Clock Around is “Mauka” my cue for this trick is “Mauka-Woo!” – and you can probably hear that I “wooo” it, you know, like it’s fun. Note that the cue happens before the action happens. The dog is aware of what is to come…

Standing, Kneeling, or Both?

standing or kneeling, the Woo move looks and works great. while kneeling elevation change and dog overhead is highlighted. while standing movement is possible and leaping height is on display.

It is a mistake to think that the standing version of this is better. It is also a mistake to think that the kneeling one is better. It is best to get a feel for both and get a look at both and see which one you like – which one feels better?

And you don’t have to choose. Standing and kneeling are two completely different tricks with completely different looks. Nothing wrong with keeping both variations in your game.

Try a Fish – Just Reach Out and Grab It

this is a great move to work a Fish from. the dog is staring you right in the face. it’s right there. just make the toss, say “Fish”, grab the disc and fire out a roller to pull the dog’s teeth off. crude and effective.

In both directions, standing or kneeling, this move presents the disc right in the handler’s face after the catch. It’s one of the super cool things about this move. It’s emotive and feels really cool looking at your dog watching it go down. Your dog will look at you too. I think Eppie digs it…

That position makes it very easy to take the disc from the dog and fire out a roller in exchange. I usually just start with the “Fish” word, which means “catch and release”, and fire out a RollerThe Roller is a great throw for reinforcing a dog with a disc. Instead of flying through the air like a wing, the Roller rolls on the ground like a wheel; a fast,... More. NowThe Now Phase is an integral part of the Play Cycle in the Play+ training philosophy. It embodies the current, immediate interaction between the handler and the dog, anchoring them in the present... More the dog has no idea what “Fish” means, but a couple of clear eye-to-eye interactions with a reflexive roller popped out to make the Drop happen and to punish tardy, latent drops, and most dogs are spitting out when they hear the word…