Tame Dog
- Skill:
- do a tame dog
The tame dog is a frontflip over the nose of your board, and it's usually the first flip snowboarders learn. Unlike most flips, you don't need a big jump. The classic tame dog is done off a roller, side hit, or even a small lip, using the nose of the board as a springboard. You dive forward over the nose, tuck, and the rotation comes around faster than you'd expect.
It looks scary, but the mechanics are closer to a nose press with commitment than to a huge park trick. The flip happens around your body's natural forward roll, and because you spot the landing early, riders often find it easier to take to snow than a backflip. That said, it's still an inverted trick: build up to it properly and respect the consequences.
Before you try it
You should be completely comfortable with ollies, nose presses, and straight airs before attempting any flip. Practice the front-roll feeling somewhere consequence-free first - a trampoline, an airbag, or a foam pit if you have access. On the mountain, pick a soft snow day and a feature with a forgiving downhill landing. Never learn flips onto flat or hard-packed snow.
How to do it
Approach a roller or side hit flat-based with moderate speed - enough to clear onto the downslope, no more. As you ride up the lip, shift your weight forward and press hard into the nose of the board, like loading a nollie. At the lip, dive your shoulders and head forward over the nose and let the loaded nose spring you into the rotation. Tuck by pulling your knees up - the tighter the tuck, the faster you flip. As you come around, spot your landing, open up out of the tuck, and extend your legs to absorb the landing. Land centered or slightly on the nose and ride away.
The most common mistake is hesitating mid-trick. Half a frontflip puts you on your back or head, so once you decide to go, commit all the way through the rotation.
Learn more here:
Video by Ed Shreds
Key tips
- Learn the front-roll on a trampoline or airbag before taking it to snow
- Pick a side hit or roller with a soft, downhill landing
- Load the nose hard - the spring out of the nose is what powers the flip
- Throw your shoulders and head forward decisively, then tuck tight
- Spot your landing as you come around and open up to absorb it
- Commit fully. Hesitating halfway through the rotation is how you land on your head
- Moderate speed is enough. The flip comes from the nose, not from going fast