Thinking of something fun to do during the hot summer months? Does your dog love water? If the answer is yes to those questions, consider Dock Diving! Dock Diving, or dock jumping, is a fun sport in which dogs compete for jumping the highest and farthest into a body of water. Any breed of dog is welcome, and any level of dog handler. But competitive teams fear not, for there are plenty of exciting competitions in this sport.
Dock diving is pretty much self-explanatory. Your dog jumps off of a diving board into a pool of sorts, and can be judged by the height of the jump, the distance, or both. Since a Great Dane will obviously jump further and higher than a Jack Russell, certain breeds are sectioned into divisions. The division names ultimately depend on the organization they fall under. The teams are rated against other teams in their same division to see who has the best scores.
The diving boards are typically 35-40 feet long and about 8 feet wide to give enough room for your dog to prep for his soaring endeavor. Handlers are also allowed on the docks to help their dogs, and may use any amount of space necessary. Once the dog has taken the splash, the distance is measured. Generally, the official distance is measured from the diving board to where the base of the dog’s tail hits the water. However, under Purina’s Incredible Dog Diving event, the tip of the dog’s nose when his body hits the water counts for the official distance. Each team takes two jumps in a turn, and the longer of the two is the team’s score for that match.
There are essentially two ways a handler has his dog jump off the diving board, and each involve your pup’s favorite toy. In one method, the handler holds the dog back while he throws the toy into the water, and then sends his dog after it. This is considered the place and send. In the other method, called the chase, the handler leaves his dog in a stay at the starting line, and then throws the toy as he calls the dog to him. This way, the dog is already running towards the toy and essentially chases it into the water. Both methods work, and your pup probably doesn’t care which one is used, as he just wants his toy! That said, it is not required for your dog to retrieve the toy back to you.
As with any sport, you don’t have to be a top handler with a highly competitive attitude. All you need is a happy dog and a desire to learn! There are a few different organizations that have member clubs and competitions. If you’re interested in trying out Dock Diving, contact any of the organizations to find clubs in your area. To start, you can search Dock Dogs, Splash Dogs, or Ultimate Air Dogs. Find a club that’s best suited for you, pack up some towels, and get your dog ready for some fun!
About the Author
Katie is a professional dog trainer located in Southern California, with a background of experience as a veterinary assistant as well. She has trained and competed with multiple breeds in AKC Obedience and Rally, agility, herding, Schutzhund/IPO, French Ring and conformation. She has been involved in dogs since she was a child, and specializes in protection dogs, working dogs, and aggression issues. You can visit her website, Katie’s Dog Training, to find out more information about her training and accomplishments. When she’s not helping others and writing, she’s out on the field with her Belgian Malinois and Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
