This is a brilliant game for building focus and teaching your dog to listen even when excitement is high.
It’s the ultimate impulse control game for frisbee-loving dogs! There are 3 levels of play - so you can start simple with and grow your dog’s self control skills as you play.
HOW TO PLAY
👉Level 1 Start by building excitement and interest in the Aero-Tug frisbee with a short game of tug. Once your dog is engaged in play, get them focused with a behaviour they know well - a sit, a nose tough or a middle is perfect. They sound like simple behaviours, but the hard part is the focus and control after exciting play. The moment they nail it - fly their Aero-Tug and watch them sprint.
👉Level 2 Level 2 of Sprinting Statues, asks your dog to enjoy a frantic sprint of frisbee play before bringing their energy levels back down and to be still for a bit before going back to play. Pick a cue your dog knows well, I’m using a nose touch - but you could ask for a sit or a down.
This time you want your dog to hold the behaviour a little longer. This is a bigger ask, as it requires your dog to go from movement to stillness, which requires a lot more self control. Then release your dog to chase and fetch the frisbee again. This is teaching your dog how to control their excitement and to engage their brain during high energy play. It’s a great way to teach focus and build self control.
👉Level 3 Don’t rush this - but when your dog’s doing level 1 and 2 without faltering, it’s time to work their brain a little harder! Ask your dog to go from movement to still as a statue and flit between the two as they learn to listen even when very excited. Start by asking for a chain or behaviours and mix it up. Ask your dog to sit then spin or to lay down then do a middle - this is really testing your dog’s ability to listen and move from calm behaviours to movement based behaviours after being giddy with excitement. Reward your little champion’s self control with an exciting sprint for their Aero-Tug followed by an epic tug party.
CHELSEA’S TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Start simple with one trick and gradually build the chain of tricks as your dog gets the hang of switching between sprinting and statue mode. As your dog builds their self control skills you’ll see them able to keep their brain online without completely losing their head during high energy play.
