The Sweet Spot: An UpDog Podcast

Dre and Jack explore what is happening in the world of DiscDogging for Fall 2026: Find out about upcoming events, hear what Dre and Jack, have been up to and listen in as Jack and Dre discuss some of the "hot topics" bouncing around on social media. (Jack always has his finger on the pulse of what's happening!.) This episode is electrifying! Don't miss it!

Dre, Jack, and Kat provide all the essential information you need to know about the upcoming UpDog Invitational happening in Brooksville, FL on November 14th and 15th. Find out why you need to be there! This is a can't miss episode.

Dre and Jack are joined by Melanie Smith to discuss the Maritime Cup, a premier UpDog event hosted in Nova Scotia, CA. Melanie shares what it takes to put on a big event but also lists numerous reasons why it's rewarding to do so. Finally, Melanie takes on the Time Warp Challenge :)

Rowe Galt joins Dre and Jack to discuss his two submitted Beta games: Double Down and FAST Lane. Rowe gives a quick rundown of each game, scoring, and why you and your club should give these a try. One crossover game, one fast paced throwing game. This is a can't miss episode!

Dre and Jack discuss the videos they have been watching as part of the July Freestyle Royale. Some of the hot topics brought up are: best ways to video, catering to your "audience" of judges, and setting the stage for understanding your theme in the performance round. This is a can't miss episode.

Dre and Jack discuss the challenges that come along with training a dog, different than what you are used to. This change could come in the form of a different breed or the same breed but different level of drive, different reaction to training, etc. For Dre and Jack, the change comes in the form of a Whippet mix :)

Kat selected a few questions submitted by our community to help us "celebrate" our 100th episode and ranking the UD games from least favorite to most favorite is the first one we tackle. Kat plays host on this episode and Dre and I get to be the guests 🙂 Listen in to this episode to hear our rankings. They might surprise you. List your top three favorite games in the comments below! Kat throws some curveball questions out to Dre and I. One question ends up with Jack explaining how he almost knocked the air conditioner off of Babz' sprinter at 65 mph!

Ben Moren joins Dre and Jack to discuss his two Beta Games: Leapfrog and Round the Corner. This episode is best watched rather than just listened to as Ben uses field graphics to explain both games. The episode is closed out with a great round of "Frog Facts" between Ben and Dre. This is a can't miss episode!

Dre and Jack have been on the road doing shows, seminars, etc. They connect on this episode to catch each other up on what has been going on. They discuss the best vehicle/RV with which to head out on the road with your pups.

Sometimes in the game of Freestyle, handler's really make the judges think about whether something was indeed a throw. Juggles, fidgets, dish spins, etc. What if one of these is dropped? Should it count against the team in their catch ratio? Dre and Jack debate this topic and bring up multiple instances of where this question might be asked. Tune in to hear their thoughts and comment to tell us your opinions. This is a can't miss episode!

Dre and Jack welcome UPDIF champs Ben and Finley Schryock to the podcast to discuss their UPDIF success. Both Ben and Finley took home a first place overall trophy at UPDIF as well as a runner up. Ben and Finley talk strategies and rivalries on this one. This is a can't miss episode!

Dre and Jack introduce a new online Freestyle series starting soon. Catch all the details and get you and your pups registered. This is a can't miss episode.

Earlier this year, the UD team put out an open call for new game submissions. The due date was March 31st and we have 14 games that were submitted and accepted for Beta testing by you, our UD community! From now until the end of the year (12/31/2026) the games will be available for Beta testing at your local events. Dre and Jack discuss a few of the available beta games and the process for providing the creators valuable feedback. This is a can't miss episode.

Dre and Jack couldn't take it any longer and had to release a Freestyle centric episode this week. Dre connects Freestyle with a Netflix comedy special resulting in a cool conversation about standing out from the crowd. Listen in for examples and inspiration on how you could create moments within your routine to stand out and be remembered by the judges.

The UPDIF survey report continues covering "The competitive experience" and the ever interesting and important free response question: What else do you want to tell us about your UPDIF 2026 experience. This valuable feedback is used to help us plan for future competitions. Listen in to see what feedback might lead to new initiatives.

Dre and Jack welcome UpDog team members Kat and Bryan to review the UPDIF 2026 survey data. Get a behind the scenes look at what makes UPDIF tick. Here about some of the frustrations and drama that can occur as the team attempts to put together events 16 months in advance in locations far from home. At some point in the episode each team member gets a little salty! This is a can't miss episode.

Dr. Tim from Dr. Tim's Premium All Natural Pet Foods joins Dre and Jack to discuss how and why he started developing his own line of pet food. He discusses the varying nutritional needs of different types of dogs based upon their "lifestyle". Additionally, he comments on his UPDIF experience and tries his luck with the Time Warp Challenge. This is a can't miss episode!

Dre and Jack give their take on UPDIF 2026, share their favorite moments, and some behind the scenes info. Whether you went to UPDIF or not, this is a can't miss episode.

Bark Board! Andrew Han joins Dre and Jack to discuss his amazing new app created to help you track your dog's stats across organizations and sports. This episode is best viewed as opposed to just listened to.Andrew also tries his hand at the "Time Warp Challenge" This new app is a game changer and this is a can't miss episode.

Mad genius and UpDogger, Bob Hall, joins Jack and Kat to discuss "On Deck Manager". This tool will be used at UPDIF to help players know when they are up and on which field. Listen in to find out how you can download the app to your phone, set up push notifications, etc. so you are never late to your runs and you can keep up with all the UPDIF action. This is a can't miss episode.