Charlotte Thomas, 12, and her two-year-old dog, Luz, are set to compete in the UpDog International Finals April 7 to 12 in Clemmons, N.C.

“Charlotte’s interest in disc started when she came with me to a few disc events (I play as well) and a few friends let her play with their dogs,” said her mom, Jasmine Griffin. “Once she showed a genuine interest, we started the search for a dog of her own to play with. We got Luz as a puppy and Charlotte has trained her to play disc herself.”

Luz is a female Belgian Malinois/Australian Kelpie mix.

Griffin explained the world of dog disc, where dogs fetch Frisbees thrown to them by their masters.

Fredonia’s Charlotte Thomas poses with her dog, Luz.

“Competitive disc dog Frisbee started in the early ’70s and has transformed over the decades. There are several different disc dog venues to compete in and all have different sets of rules and games,” she said.

“UpDog is a series of timed disc games that challenge a dog and handler’s ability to communicate on the field and throw efficiently to different zones to earn points. There are also agility crossover games,” Griffin continued.

“Charlotte and Luz have worked hard during the 2025 UpDog season to qualify for the UpDog International Finals by earning a specific amount of points and achievements in seven different games.

“Charlotte also competes in a Toss and Fetch league, which is 60 or 90 second rounds where throws are scored based on the zone a catch is made. The further the catch, the higher the points. Charlotte consistently ranked in the top two as a youth handler last season.”

The competitions have brought Charlotte and Luz to places such as Batavia, Harrisburg, Pa., Canfield, Ohio, and Columbus, Ohio. They also compete as part of a local club.

“This will be Charlotte’s first time attending the UpDog International Finals, but she is lucky enough to go as a youth ambassador for a custom disc dying brand, DipNDye,” Griffin said.