I am looking for ideas for little tasks for our 11 month pointer to do in our backyard.  I thought about catching a frisbee...how do I get started?  Can anyone with experience on this can you offer me some quick steps.  I was wondering where to position the dog and then where to toss the frisbree in relationship to the position of dog, etc.  I know I need a class, and I am working on it, but I would love to hear tips?

You start by rolling it along the ground for the dog to catch.  Once the dog is keen then they will catch it in the air.  You can do it by having the dog wait and you throw it gently.  You can teach them on command to start running before you throw and you really whizz it. :D  It is as much about you practising throwing as teaching the dog to catch to I have found.  And don't bother on really windy days. :)

Just a caution, a lot of jumping and twisting for balls and frisbees can result in injuries to dogs especially when they are under 18 months old and ossification of bones is incomplete.

Yes - sorry should have said that.  Remiss of me not to.

Hum,  I had not thought of jumping and bones issues.  Sadie will catch tennis balls toss to her.  I am wondering what is considered a lot.  For example, 10-15 minutes of play a couple times a day.  I think we may put the frisbee aside for a while though unless we are just tossing like 3-4 feet.  I don't feel like Sadie does a lot of twisting but she is a jumper (still fighting the jump up to greet people).  She seems like such a natural athlete...jumping fallen logs and etc in the wood...just easy to forget they are still babies.

Are there other ideas for backyard activities we may want to try?

How about teaching her to find a treat under a flower pot.  She has to touch it with her paw, or if she is clumsy, lie down next to it and then you lift the pot for her to take the treat.  We have had dogs searching up to 50 pots to find the one with the treat under.  Lots of fun. :)
Sally

If she is a natural athlete, why don't you try something like agility? Jumping hurdles and tyres can be as much fun as jumping logs :)

Louise, jumping agility is not reccommended for dogs under 18 months because of the bones issue, are there other elements that would be suitable for a youngster ? 

Back yard Ideas

1) If you have plant cover teach her to find things by flipping a smelly treat into the bushes or lay a little trail with a treat on the end.

2) Play messenger with one of the kids and yourself  - she takes a toy from you to the other person for a treat. You teach them to hold first- you sit in a chair with box of treats and an article. When her nose nudges the article treat, then move on to picking it up and treat then hold and treat. Then its movement.

3) Fill a drawer or sandpit with sand and bury treats/toys in it so she can dig em up

4) Hide n seek - get someone to hide in the garden and call her out to find em.

"Catching"  has recently been a subject on another list I am on and it seems that most people teach their dogs to catch, if they are not naturals, by using popcorn as it is light enough to move slower than most objects.

The catching bit isn't so bad - but how do you get them to bring it back for another go? Sparky just lies down and chews things that we throw for him, unless in training class where he will retrieve for a food treat.

Darling - any tips you have for the jumping up thing would be welcome - we have a constant battle with this one :)

Tracy