The Boxer is one of the highest energy dogs on the face of the planet and the perfect candidate to learn to catch and play frisbee. They are a wonderful breed that longs to please their owners, and they love to play outside. A natural fetch dog, the frisbee is actually a simple step for the Boxer to take. The Boxer also loves structure in their lives, and they respond very well to training. For these reasons, the pet Boxer is very easy to train to catch frisbees. Here is a step by step guide to teach your boxer to play frisbee:
The first step to teach your Boxer to catch a frisbee is to get him to love the frisbee. This part is usually easy as you simply need to let him play with it. They are naturally curious dogs, and will quickly take to the idea. Simply let him want to have the frisbee, and then he will get the picture rather quickly. Let him get a good sniff of the frisbee, and he will want it from that point forward. It is also good if you can train your boxer early. They are quick studies, but they learn much easier when they are puppies and not set in their ways.
Now that you have his attention, you must teach him to settle down on command. A boxer is not the calmest breed in the world unless you teach them to be patient. Do this by teaching your boxer to sit. They will pick it up quickly if you are consistant and hang in there. Once you have a boxer that will sit, you are ready to move forward.
Have your boxer sit to your left and give him a quick sniff of the frisbee. Make sure that you only give him a brief sniff, or else he will think you want him to take it right then. Just hold it under his nose for a moment. After doing this, give the frisbee a short toss and tell him to “go get it” quickly. He will go get it. Boxers will do this almost instinctively. Do not throw the frisbee a long ways, and always make them sit before throwing it. You are building the boxer dog to retrieve the frisbee on command.
Once you get him in the pattern, you can gradually start to throw the frisbee longer distances. You will be amazed at how quickly the boxer will start catching the frisbee before it hits the ground. The boxer is much more athletic and smart than it gets credit for. They will begin catching the frisbee almost immediately once you get their attention focused.
The hardest part of training the boxer to play frisbee is getting them to bring it back to you. This took lots of treats and practice, but they will eventually pick it up like mine did. Challenge your boxer once they have the hang of it. They are incredible at tracking the frisbee and catching it. You will have loads of fun watching this fantastic breed of dog and playing with them. They are a bundle of energy, however, so make sure you put on your running shoes. It is a wonderful way to stay healthy and help your pet’s health as well.
