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Dock diving is a fast-paced, high-flying water sport in which dock dogs of all breeds compete to see who can jump the furthest from a raised platform into the water.
Also called dock jumping, it's quickly becoming one of the most popular dog sports in the U.S.
One Sport -- Three Events
This fun sport actually has three separate disciplines. Your dock diving dog may participate in one, two, or all three of these events.
Big Air is the most popular discipline, and is what most people think of when they hear the term dock diving.
It's the canine equivalent of the long jump, where the longest jump wins.
These enthusiastic dogs race down a 40-foot dock and launch themselves into a body of water to retrieve a toy the handler threw as the dog jumped.
Jump distances are digitally measured from the end of the dock to where the base of the dock dog's tail hits the water. The current world record is 28'10".
Extreme Vertical is based on the high jump, where dogs spring upward from the end of the dock, trying to jump as high as possible.
After knocking down a bumper suspended over the water about eight feet out from the dock, the dog splashes down into the pool.
The bumper is moved up slowly until there is finally only one dog able to hit it. The current world record is 7'10".
In the Speed Retrieve event, competing dogs run to the water, jump in, and swim to retrieve a toy held on a pole 38 feet past the end of the dock.
The timer starts at the 20-foot mark on the dock and ends when the dog snatches the toy from the pole.
The dog with the fastest time takes the prize.
Iron Dog competition is the newest discipline of the sport. It combines all of the above three competitions, as each dog competes for points.
The dock dogs are broken up into divisions according to their jumping distances and compete with the other dogs in that division only.
That gives every dog a fair chance to become a winner.
Even small dogs (under 17" tall) have their own "lap dogs" division.
Older dogs (8 years and older) are placed in the "veteran" division.
Dock diving competitions take place worldwide with sanctioning bodies on several different continents.
In 2008, the United Kennel Club recognized dock jumping as a sport, so UKC dogs can obtain titles in either Air or Vertical competition.
All Breeds Can Be Dock Dogs!
Any dog over the age of 6 months can participate in dock diving. Both purebred and mixed breed dogs are welcome.
Some of the best dock dogs actually come from animal shelters.
They were just a little too full of energy for their previous owners.
(Maybe they liked puddles a little too much, too!)
Dock diving was originally dominated by gun dogs such as the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Now, many other dog breeds are involved, too.
Actually, any dog with a strong toy drive and a love of the water can do quite well.
Many Benefits For Dock Dogs
Dock jumping is a great sport for dog owners to get into for many reasons:- You'll always find helpful and friendly staff and competitors at events, happy to answer questions, help teach your dog to jump, or just hang out and chat.
- It's one of the safest dog sports, as there's no real pressure on the joints since the dogs are landing in water. That's especially good for older dogs.
- It's a great way to have a fun time with your dog and meet a lot of fellow dog lovers.
- Your dock dog does not have to be purebred.
- Dock diving allows dogs to unwind and have fun.
- Competitions are held all over the U.S. and other countries.
- It's one of the most exciting, fun, dog-oriented family activities you can find.
- Dock jumping helps to build confidence, helping a shy dog become less timid.
- It's great exercise for dogs in the summer to keep them cool, and can be continued in indoor pools during cold weather.
- It's a great way to ease into dog sports, helping your dog get used to the other aspects of dog competitions -- noise, people, dogs and smells.
- It requires very little training. While some people are very competitive and do lots of dog training and conditioning to get their dock dogs in shape, many others just do it for fun.
- It's relatively inexpensive compared to other sports. Costs range from free (using a public lake with a dock) to about $15 an hour for use of competition facilities.
- You develop a great sense of teamwork between you and your dog, and camaraderie with other participants and their dock dogs.
Dock Dogs -- The Original Organization
The sport began in 1997 when Purina needed another event to add to their Incredible Dog Challenge program. It increased in popularity in 2000 when ESPN added it to their Great Outdoor Games lineup.
Dock Dogs was incorporated in 2001 as the governing and sanctioning body for regional, national, and international dock jumping events.
They establish the rules and standards of the sport, and track results and records.
With affiliate clubs in most areas of the United States and in some other countries, they schedule over 180 sanctioned events worldwide every year.
There are two other major dock diving organizations in the U.S.:
- Ultimate Air Dogs (UAD) holds events in the South, Midwest, and Northeast.
- Splash Dogs holds competitions primarily in California.
The sport was launched the UK under the name of Jetty Dogs in 2007, and it's continuing to grow throughout Europe.
Have Fun With Dock Dogs!
Dock diving is one of the few dog sports that focuses on fun!
No one is there to make sure your dog looks a certain way or goes through an obstacle course in the right order.
It's a competition for regular people and their regular dogs.
There are a number of clubs in the U.S. that promote dock jumping, holding training sessions and competitions for aspiring dock dogs.
So if your Golden Retriever loves to fetch and is crazy about the water, this may be the sport for you!
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