Performance Dogs of Ohio are showing off their frisbee-catching talents Jan. 17 during the halftime of the women’s basketball game against Northern Illinois.

A group of canine enthusiasts took their love of playing with their pups and turned it into a business. Performance Dogs of Ohio is based in Columbus. The company travels to events including fairs, festivals and halftime shows all around the state.  

“It started with my brother, he had a dog with a little too much energy and was looking for an outlet,” said co-owner Wesley Ryan. “He found a Disc dog league, then got my son involved, then it just snowballed into us creating the business.” 

The group uses frisbees to execute their routines, with the dogs starting training in small increments when they are eight weeks old.

“The dogs absolutely love performing,” he said. “It’s not really considered work for them, they are just having a fun time playing with their owners.” 

The company has 30 dogs that are performance-ready. The major breeds are Border Collie and Australian Shepherd. 

“These dogs are so active,” he said. “If they don’t have a job to do they will find something to do, performing keeps them out of trouble.”

The lively dynamic that occurs during a halftime show is incredibly special. It is high drive, high music and lots of crowd entertainment in a short amount of time, Ryan said. 

The stars of the halftime show are Paisley, Layla, Muse and Jackel. 

Jackel was a rescue. He had been through four houses and finally found his forever home with us and also discovered his fondness for the Frisbee, Ryan said.

Assistant Director of marketing for Athletics TJ Roward explains the event will kick off the first game for the spring semester. The theme of the game is a welcome-back student bash. 

 “We try to find unique half-time performances for every game, and everyone loves dogs,” he said. “The dogs are great, the trainers are great people and we are really excited for the event… I would encourage as many Kent State students as possible to come check it out. Not only for the performance dogs but also to support our women’s basketball program.”  

The group will perform on Jan. 17 in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center during the women’s basketball game during halftime, with tipoff at 7p.m. 

Abigail Kinney is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].