/ 
/ 
Skyhoundz Store
Competition
FAQs — General
Click on the question lised below to take you to the answer or scrool down through the questions and answers.
Why should I buy Hyperflite discs?
Where can I find more information on training for, and competing in, canine disc competitions?
Are there clubs where I can learn more about canine disc sports?
Where can I buy a disc-catching dog?
Is it safe to play disc sports with my canine?
Freestyle looks so difficult. How can I ever teach my dog all those tricks?
Are mutts eligible to compete in Skyhoundz competitions?
How can I get Hyperflite Skyhoundz to stage a disc dog competition in my town?
What do competitors win? Do you give away prize money for winning a Skyhoundz competition?
I’ve got a great disc dog and we’ve done well in competition, will Hyperflite sponsor me?
Why should I buy Hyperflite discs?
Hyperflite makes the world's best flying discs for dogs. Hyperflite's canine discs were designed by World Champions especially for canine disc play and competition. Hyperflite's culture of innovation has taken the canine disc from a disposable "gnash it and trash it" item, to professional-quality athletic equipment for the modern canine athlete.
But that’s not the whole story. Many have come to realize that if they want to make an investment in the future of canine disc sports, Hyperflite flying discs and Skyhoundz products are a great choice. Why? Here are just a few of the reasons —
No flying disc company does more to give competitors free opportunities to compete with their canines (more than 1,000 free local canine disc competitions in the past 10 years).
More competitors qualify to compete in the Hyperflite Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship (also free to those who qualify) than in any other championship competition in the sport's history.
The Hyperflite Skyhoundz World Championship also features five competitive divisions, including Open, Sport, MicroDog, Pairs Freestyle, and Youth (new for 2010), representing the most World Championship divisions available in the history of canine disc sports.
No canine disc company does more to promote and grow canine disc sports than Hyperflite Skyhoundz. Examples include the informative content available for free on the Hyperflite and Skyhoundz websites. Hyperflite’s free training guide, Disc Dogs Rock!, helps make it affordable for anyone to learn to play every dog’s favorite sport.
No canine disc company has been more innovative than Hyperflite Skyhoundz in the design and manufacture of canine discs. Just look for the U.S. patent number on the bottom of every Hyperflite disc. You won’t see that on other canine discs.
No canine disc company does more to help the causes that matter to disc doggers than Hyperflite Skyhoundz. From partnering with shelter and rescue organizations, to advocating on behalf of homeless animals, Hyperflite Skyhoundz leads the way. Hyperflite will continue its vigorous advocacy whenever possible by speaking out loudly against breed bans and other ordinances that are anti-pet.
Finally, when you purchase Hyperflite Skyhoundz products, you're not only buying the best canine disc equipment on planet earth, you are buying into the essence of what it means to be a disc dogger.
But don’t take our word for it…let your canine be the judge.
Where can I find more information on training for, and competing in, canine disc competitions?You can visit the Skyhoundz website for information on competitions in your area. Skyhoundz competitions provide excellent opportunities to meet other canine disc enthusiasts who can share training tips with you. Also, check out the Skyhoundz store for informative training DVDs and books designed by World Champions to get you off to a good start as well as help you perfect your technique.
Are there clubs where I can learn more about canine disc sports?
Yes, for a regularly updated list of canine disc clubs go here.
We like to say that, with patience and lots of positive reinforcement, any healthy canine can be taught to catch a flying disc. Over the years, we’ve seen it all — from Poodles to Pit Bulls and every size, shape, and disposition in between. Some dogs are easier to teach than others, of course. Some trainers appreciate the natural tendencies of retrieving breeds such as the Labrador, Golden, or Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Others prefer the herding breeds including the Border Collie, Australian Shepard, or Australian Cattle Dog. About half of the dogs that you see in a typical competition are mixed-breed canines, many of which were adopted from local animal shelters. Many more are purebred canines rescued from shelters by disc dog enthusiasts who believe, as we do, that shelter and rescue canines make great disc dogs and wonderful pets. Jeff Perry, Co-founder of Hyperflite, won the World Championship in 1989 with his mixed-breed canine Gilbert, an animal shelter adoptee.
Is it safe to play disc sports with my canine?Any healthy canine that is not suffering from an activity-limiting condition such as hip dysplasia, a heart condition, or an injury can benefit from exercise. Naturally, we recommend that you have your veterinarian give your pet a thorough physical before engaging in vigorous exercise. Pick a suitable level grassy area that is free from obstructions and objects that might injure your pet. Keep your initial practice sessions short and give your pet plenty of drinking water. Click here to see training tips from World Champion canine trainer and author Peter Bloeme.
Freestyle looks so difficult. How can I ever teach my dog all those tricks?
There’s no better place to appreciate the intricacies of canine disc freestyle tricks than at a Hyperflite Skyhoundz Canine Disc Competition. Even if you don’t compete, you can learn a lot just from watching more experienced competitors perform their routines. Even if you can’t make it to the Hyperflite Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship, where the best-of-the-best try to claim World Championship titles, you can still watch all the action on DVD. Each year, Hyperflite films the crowning event in canine disc sports and compiles the best routines into a multi-hour DVD available through the Skyhoundz store.
I like to exercise my canine by throwing a disc to him in the lake at my neighborhood park. Is this a good form of exercise?
Water training can be a great form of low-impact conditioning for canines that love to swim. If your local park authority permits this type of activity, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, make sure that there are no underwater obstructions such as rocks, broken glass, or alligators, etc., that can injure your pet. Remember to give your canine drinking water from time-to-time, because a dog can become dehydrated even while swimming in fresh water. Discourage your canine from drinking pond or river water that may contain contaminants such as fertilizer, pesticides, or harmful bacteria. Finally, be sure to keep your pet focused on the disc and keep him from interfering with waterfowl or other pond residents.
Are mutts eligible to compete in Skyhoundz competitions?
Not only are they eligible, quite a few have actually won World Championship titles over the years. Unlike some other canine sports, all Hyperflite Skyhoundz Canine Disc Competitions have always been open to mutts as well as purebred canines. In fact, Hyperflite Skyhoundz events are even open to canines (or humans) with disabilities. Just a few years ago, a three-legged canine from Oregon, competing in the Sport Division, finished in 7th place in a field of 25 of the elite canines in the World.
I have a small dog that is really smart. I would love to compete with him but I am afraid the big dogs will walk away with all the prizes. What are my options?
First, it's important to remember that dogs will always have fun playing as long as you seem to be enjoying yourself. It simply doesn't matter to them if you don't come home with some hardware. But, if the competitive fires are burning bright, you are in luck! Hyperflite has a special division at its Qualifiers and the World Championship for canines weighing less than 25 pounds. The MicroDog Division is the perfect place for Yorkies, Jack Russells, Miniature Poodles, and other small athletic dogs in search of spirited competition and great fun. For more information on the Hyperflite Skyhoundz MicroDog Division, click here.
I am trying to learn to throw and I am not making as much progress as I would like. My dog is starting to give me the “stink eye.” Are there any additional resources that might help me improve my throwing?
There is an excellent throwing video/DVD produced by Peter Bloeme — the first and only person to win a human throwing title and a canine disc world championship. Disc Dogs: Throwing Video/DVD will teach you how to throw a flying disc so that you and your pet can enjoy the exciting and challenging world of canine disc sports. It is available at the Skyhoundz store.
My son and daughter love to throw to our dog and would love to try competition, but they are intimidated by all the adults that compete and who are far more experienced. What do you suggest?
New for 2010, Hyperflite has added the Youth Division at its World Championship. This means that kids will be able to compete against their 15-and-under peers in their own division. Of course, kids have always been allowed to compete in all of Hyperflite’s competitive divisions and many already compete with a parent in the always exciting Pairs Freestyle Division. For more information on Hyperflite’s Youth Division, click here.
How can I get Hyperflite Skyhoundz to stage a disc dog competition in my town?
It’s easy to stage a Hyperflite canine disc competition. More than 100 events are staged by Park and Recreation departments, dog and disc clubs, humane societies, rescue organizations, etc. throughout the world each year. The events are great fun for pet owners and spectators alike. Go here for more information.
What do competitors win? Do you give away prize money for winning a Skyhoundz competition?
Although disc dog series, over the years, have occasionally offered prize money to teams who win their contest series, the Hyperflite Skyhoundz Series will never do so.
Our philosophy is, and always has been, that monetary prizes do not promote an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie that is essential to the enjoyment of this sport by participants, and, more importantly, the well-being of competing canines. We believe strongly that when money enters into the equation, competitors may be tempted to act in a manner that is not always in the best interests of their canines. At each Hyperflite Skyhoundz event, top competitors compete only for award medals, plaques, and such, that serve to commemorate their achievements on the field of competition. Most significantly, everyone who competes in a Hyperflite Skyhoundz competition has a wonderful opportunity to have fun in the park with their eager canine companions and with other like-minded disc dog enthusiasts.
I’ve got a great disc dog and we’ve done well in competition, will Hyperflite sponsor me?
This is a question that we are asked quite regularly. Many years ago, Hyperflite elected not to employ the promotional model used in the disc golf industry, for two reasons. First, because canines are involved, we want to make sure that folks always act in the best interest of their canines and that they don’t take action solely because they feel pressure to perform for a sponsor. Second, because Hyperflite is the sponsor of the Skyhoundz Series — the largest disc dog series in the World — it would not be appropriate for Hyperflite to pick and choose individual teams upon which to bestow special sponsorships while excluding other teams. Doing so, in our view, might call into question the impartiality of the judges who judge for us, as well as suggest to unsponsored teams, a potential corporate bias in favor of the sponsored individuals. Notwithstanding the above, although Hyperflite does not sponsor individual teams, every team that competes in the Hyperflite Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship receives free discs, gear, shirts, jackets, bags, awards, etc, not to mention admission to the free events that Hyperflite stages for the enjoyment of competitors during the weekend of the World Championship. In many cases, the competitor kits provided by Hyperflite to every competitor at each year’s Skyhoundz World Championship exceed the token sponsorship often provided to teams who are sponsored by other companies. In 2009, for example, we rolled out the red carpet in Chattanooga for 126 of the elite teams in canine disc sports. By according everyone special treatment, we hope to always ensure a memorable experience for both human and canine in which everyone can be assured that they will have an equal opportunity for competitive success.