EQT Three Rivers Regatta: Powerboats, frisbee rescue dogs thrill crowds

PITTSBURGH — It's a Pittsburgh tradition: "you gotta Regatta" this weekend at Point State Park for the EQT Three Rivers Regatta.

Thousands of people are expected to see the "Muttley Crew Flying Dogs" shows on the Point State Park lawn where five dogs will do tricks and flips and high jumps in the air to catch Frisbees.

Although I couldn't talk to the star of the show who is a 6-year-old Australian Shepherd aptly named "Star," I instead had a chat with her owner Bill Camp, who runs Famous Frisbee Dogs.

He told me what it's like living with a professional athlete.

"Well, you know, she stays focused, but she gets a big head sometimes," Camp said. "Especially when she won the big trophy in 2016, the Midwest Disc Dog champion, and she hasn't been the same since. But she is a crowd pleaser."

PHOTOS: EQT Three Rivers Regatta kicks off at Point State Park

The crowd gathered around the Frisbee dog fence did indeed love her, cheering every time she caught the Frisbee, which was nearly every time. Her jumps were consistently 5 feet in the air, and her best trick was when she leaped onto Bill's back to catch the Frisbee.

The dogs are all rescues, and that surprised Delanie Powell from Texas.

"I was expecting these very high-end breeds...not these shelter puppies that are just the sweetest things," Delanie said.

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Can her dogs do those tricks?
"Buster could, but he's kind of lazy," Delanie said.

I asked the trainers for some tips on training dogs.

"The main thing is to get the dog as young as you can," Camp said.

He said you should start with the commands sit, stay and under.

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Trainer Tad Bowen said that to train a dog to catch a Frisbee, start by using it as a food dish.

"We start by rolling it on the ground, just making a game out of it, and we progress from there," Bowen said. "But overall, if your dog likes to run and chase anything, chances are you can get them to catch a Frisbee."

You can see the Frisbee Dogs Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

You can find more information about this weekend's events and live music schedule here.

Cox Media Group