ATLANTA, JANUARY 13, 1998
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL DISC DOG HANDLERS’ ASSOCIATION
(IDDHA) CREATED TO ADVANCE SPORT OF
CANINE DISC PERFORMANCE
New association offers direction and guiding principles
for the Disc Dog world
Please contact: Greg Tresan
Phone: (770) 735-6200
Fax: (770) 735-6287
Email: IDDHA@aol.com

Bounding from the stands behind third base, and onto the field at Dodgers Stadium, a dog named Ashley and his owner Alex forever changed how the world views the game of "fetch." The capacity crowd, which had gathered to watch the Dodgers and Reds battle for the 1974 National League Pennant, watched dog and handler in awe. With grace, speed and agility Ashley jumped, leaped and twisted his way toward a Frisbee that arced from his owner’s hand.

Over the past 24 years, the sport of Canine Disc Performance has grown by leaps and bounds as well. This rise in popularity and participation has created a need for an organization that can comprehensively and responsibly guide this enjoyable pastime into a full-fledged sport. An organization that can also embrace the sport’s many incarnations – from regional clubs to world level competitors to weekend enthusiasts who throw for their dogs in neighborhood parks.

In answer to the growing demands required by any legitimate sport, The International Disc Dog Handlers’ Association was created by four time World Finalist Disc Dog Handler and professional dog trainer Greg Tresan. IDDHA will begin operations during the 1998 Disc Dog season, which begins this January. Currently, with well over 100 Disc Dog competitions each year and more than 10,000 enthusiasts worldwide, the need for such an organization is long overdue.

"Ultimately," explains Tresan, "our goal is to act as a sanctioning body for worldwide Disc Dog competitions, and to see the sport continue to grow. Disc Dog competition requires positive training methods that work remarkably well for dogs with high play and prey drives. Some of these dogs might otherwise be abandoned, euthanized, or killed in accidents because they were ‘too hard to handle.’ This sport fosters a close bond between the dog and its owner, as well as giving the dog mental and physical challenges."

IDDHA will offer two levels of achievement designed to highlight the fundamental skills of Canine Disc Performance:

The Retrieval Proficiency Test (RPT) gives the average dog owner specific guidelines for developing the highly accurate and interactive off-lead retrieval skills required for Canine Disc Performance.

The Basic Disc Dog Title (BDD) requires a dog to demonstrate a reliable ability to catch and return a single disc in a specified manner on four separate occasions. Moreover, it is a test of the handler’s ability to manage a dog high in drive and throw a disc competently under various conditions.