Girls Just Want to Have Fun,”the Cyndi Lauper song, is blasting in 9-year-old Jessica Ritchie’s back yard in Lombard.
“Let’s see those adult guys do this one,” she says.
Jessica does the splits, tosses a Frisbee over her head and calls out, “Catch it!”
With that, Zoe, her 2-year-old border collie, dashes like a superhero dog into midair, snatches the disc and returns it. Jessica throws a long, sailing toss like a quarterback, and Zoe bolts to the end of the yard to grab the Frisbee before it hits the ground.
Jessica placed 12th at the ALPO Canine Frisbee Disc Regional Championship at Chicago’s Lincoln Park in June. She’s the youngest person to place anywhere near that well at a regional event. In competition, participants time their routines to music, like in free-style skating. Judging is based on showmanship, execution, degree of difficulty and leaping/agility.
Think you and your dog might give Frisbee-throwing a whirl?
“Any kid who can throw a Frisbee can teach a dog to catch a Frisbee,”Jessica says.
Give these tips a try (just be patient!):
— First, get your dog interested in the Frisbee. One secret is to use the Frisbee as a food bowl. Put away the tennis ball and make the Frisbee your dog’s only retrieving toy. Roll the Frisbee along the ground, encouraging your dog to chase it and then fetch it.
— Hold the disc only an inch or so above the dog’s nose and let it jump for it. Now, hold the disc an inch or so above the dog’s nose and drop it so the pooch can catch it. At this point begin soft tosses.
— Practice tossing the disc without your dog. Even the best dogs can’t catch really bad throws.
— Reward the dog with praise and treats when it retrieves the Frisbee. Never punish or holler if the dog doesn’t seem really excited. Some dogs don’t catch on very fast. And some dogs may never become Frisbee dogs. Jessica’s other dog Tootsie will chase a Frisbee, but refuses to retrieve it. “He just wants to eat it,” she says.
Dogs who have pushed-in noses, such as the shihtzu and the Pekingese, may have trouble breathing if they run too much, so they shouldn’t catch Frisbees. Pups shouldn’t be encouraged to jump until they have finished growing. And older dogs should get a vet’s OK.
To find out more about Frisbee championships, or get a training manual, call 888-444-2576. Kids in the Chicago area can get additional advice by calling Tom Wehrli at the Windy City Canine Disc Club, 708-355-2777.
