Disc
Dog History
The
sport got its start in the early 1970s, paralleling the
rise in popularity of frisbee sport. The definitive moment
came in August of 1974 when Alex Stein, a young college
student from Ohio, jumped the fence at a nationally broadcast
baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the
Cincinnati Reds. He had with him a couple of frisbees
and an amazing dog named Ashley Whippet. Ashley astonished
the crowd with eight minutes of catching frisbees, running
35 mph and leaping 9 feet in the air to snag discs. The
stunt was so novel that the game was stopped and Joe
Garagiola continued to announce the action on the field.
Finally, however, enough was enough, and Alex was escorted
off the field. But the seed was planted, and a new sport
was born.
Alex
worked with Irv Lander and Eldon McIntire to create a
nationwide competition for people and their dogs. It
was a sport that is easy enough for anyone, and that
celebrates the bond between handler and dog. Even today,
Alex and Eldon continue to contribute to the sport.
Ashley
Whippet, widely considered to be the greatest frisbee dog
ever, went on to win 3 World Championships, perform at the
White House for a young Amy Carter, perform during the halftime
at Super Bowl XII, and even starred in an Academy Award-nominated
short documentary entitled Floating Free. Though many great
dogs have come along since Ashley, he is still the standard
by which all others are measured.
Ashley's
legacy lives on now, 30 years later, as the sport has
become popular worldwide. People and their dogs on at
least four continents organize competitions and enjoy
the simple joy of a disc in flight—and that terrific
rush (for the dogs) of the catch at the end!
Dogs
of all kinds can play frisbee. In fact, many dogs from
animal shelters and rescue groups excel at frisbee. Even
some World Champions were originally rescued from shelters.
Many of the problems that put dogs into shelters and
rescue groups, such as hyperactivity, aggression, or
destructive or neurotic behavior, are often attributes
that can be positively channeled into a sport like frisbee.
To put it shortly, these dogs simply need a consistent
job to do. Many frisbee dogs also "cross-train" in
other dog sports, including dog agility, flyball, herding,
and obedience.
Part
of the popularity of the sport is its accessibility.
All that is necessary to enjoy it is a level grassy playing
area, a dog, and a frisbee. Also, a little imagination
is an extra plus for Freestyle. It is estimated that
over one million dogs play frisbee in the United States
alone, though only a small percentage participate in
organized competitions. |
