Best Soft Dog Frisbee

I talked awhile ago about some amazing backyard dog toys that you can play with your dog.   Playing in your backyard can be a wonderful way to play with your dog.   One of those toys that is great for active play, is the Frisbee. Today I wanted to share, the best soft dog Frisbees and what makes them so perfect.

We don’t just play with our dog in our own yard, we often go to the park, beach, water or any open space we can find. Taking a toy with us, is the best way that we can get our dogs moving and playing.   Throwing a Frisbee, is one thing that almost all dogs love to play with.

There is just something about a Frisbee.

Frisbee 

The Frisbee has been around since 1957 when it was originally created by the company Wham-O.   This flying disc was a popular item for college students to throw around.   After some design changes and help from Ed Headrick in 1964, the first professional Frisbee was sent to market.   From that moment on Frisbee as a sport, was officially born.

Over the decades the Frisbee has evolved into a massive summer activity even to the point of it being a competitive sport.   Like all ideas, one dog owner Alex Stein and his dog Ashley Whippet jumped into action.   In 1974, they jumped a fence at a professional baseball game live on TV to show the crowd, how is dog could run and catch the Frisbee while running at a very high speed.   After 8 mins of showing the fans what they could do with the Frisbee, the play of “disc dog” as it became known quickly took off worldwide.

So popular in fact that Alex created the Frisbee Dog World Championship event where dog owners and their dogs can compete every year to be the best in the world.

Why a soft Frisbee

The history of the Frisbee was always a hard plastic design that had a rolled over edge, that would allow our hands to easily grip the Frisbee for easy throwing.   Anyone that has thrown a Frisbee before, knows that there is a bit of a knack to throwing it properly to get a real distant throw.

Since then, the dog Frisbee, has evolved into one of the top toys that people love to play with their dog.   With this popularity, came the change from a hard plastic disc to a soft fabric toy.   There are a few reasons that this the soft Frisbee is a much better choice for your dog then the old school plastic option.

• Easier on their teeth
• They float in water
• Easy to pack and travel
• Lightweight and easy to carry in their mouth

These are some main reasons why switching to a soft Frisbee, is a good idea.   Just imagine throwing the hard style of Frisbee to your dog and having it knock out a tooth, or even chip a tooth.   This is just a few of the risks that make the soft Frisbee a much better choice.

Yes they may not fly quite as far as the hard disc option but safety and our dogs health should always be our first responsibility.   Unless, your dog is joining the dog Olympics….HAHA using a soft Frisbee is still just as fun.

The Best ones to choose from

The popularity of the softer version of the Frisbee, has many companies over the years jumping into the market with their own soft version.   Here are some best ones to choose from.

Chuckit Paraflight Frisbee

PROS                                                                         

Greater for longer distance throwing

Lightweight

Floats in the water

Soft and easy to catch

CONS

Not indestructible

Booda Tail-Spin Frisbee

PROS

Flexible

Lightweight material

Floats

CONS

Not indestructible

Not the best for distance throwing

Don’t give to chewers

Hartz Tuff Stuff Flyer

PROS 

Can be used as a flyer or tug toy

Easily picked up due to handles

Super tough handles

Floats

CONS

May not fly that far

Not that tough or durable

Chuckit Zipflight Flyer

PROS

Flexible and will even fold

Easy to grab due to the center hole

High-visibility colors

Flies nicely

Floats

CONS

Not indestructible

Don’t give to chewers

Nerf Dog Flyer

PROS

Nylon fabric

Lightweight material

Floats and water resistant

CONS

Easily tear able

Doesn’t fly that far

Not for a chewer

Chuckit Flying Squirrel

PROS

Multiple fabric layers

Very durable

High-visibility with colors

Easy to grab due to corners

CONS

Not meant to be chewed on

Flies differently due to it’s shape

Tips for playing safe

When playing Frisbee with your dog, you always want to follow a few rules as to not injure your dog.   This can be done, by making sure that you don’t throw the Frisbee too high, close to objects they can run into or near any dangerous area.

Make sure that your dog is capable of responding to your commands, especially when playing in a non fenced area. Having your dog run into the road, run to far, or just around to many distractions that they don’t listen, can be dangerous.   It is even something as simple as your dog running away once they catch the Frisbee, instead of returning it back to you.

Never leave your dog alone with the Frisbee, as almost all the best soft dog Frisbees are not indestructible.   Your dog can easily chew and ingest any of the fabrics.   Making sure your dog is supervised is the best way to avoid this from happening.   Once the game of fetch is over, make sure that you put the toy away and out of reach.

In the heat, making sure that you take tons of water breaks can help ensure your dog doesn’t overheat and get dehydrated.   Just like us dogs can easily get heat stroke.   Let’s remember that dogs don’t sweat like we do, so keeping them cool is important.   If it is super hot, then investing in some great cooling gear can allow you to still play in the heat.

Teaching your dog to actually catch the Frisbee is another wonderful way to teach your dog using training, discipline and patience.   Start with short and small distances and always with super positive reinforcement.   In the beginning, you need to make it as fun and as rewarding as possible.  Once your dog realizes how much fun it can be, they will always be game to play.

My boy Fergus, absolutely loves to play Frisbee, even though he is only still a puppy, I am already working on getting him to catch it.   So far so good, and I know for sure that with more practice, he will be awesome. Here is him in action!

I hope you enjoyed reading my post and that I have inspired you to buy a Frisbee today, so you too can have some outdoor fun with your dog.  Best of luck!!