Many dogs have natural abilities to run, jump, and swim. Most will do anything for their favorite toy. Some pups have even taken the plunge into one of the fastest-growing dog sports. What is it? Dock diving! In this sport, dogs sprint down a dock. Then they take a flying leap into a swimming pool in order to grab a tempting toy. North America Diving Dogs (NADD) events draw big crowds. The dogs compete in three categories: Distance Jumping, Air Retrieve, and HydroDash. Want to learn more about this soggy sport and meet a few of its record-fetching dogs? Ready, set…dive
Taking the Leap in Distance Jumping
Distance Jumping is sort of like a long jump for dogs. First, the dog takes a running start off a dock that's about 40 feet (12 meters) long. Then, the dog leaps as far as possible across the length of the pool to try to retrieve the bumper. That's a toy that's been tossed out of reach. The flying dog that flings itself the farthest wins!
Spitfire is a dog breed called a whippet. This pup has made huge waves in Distance Jumping alongside his human, Sydney Mackey. Spitfire has broken record after record. He gained the nickname "the Michael Jordan of dogs," after the high-jumping basketball legend. Spitfire's jumps are prompted by Mackey's well-known cue: "Ready? Ready? READY? Go, go, go, GO!"
Spitfire no longer holds the world record in Distance Jumping. Another whippet named Sounders jumped an astounding 35 feet, 11 inches (10.9 meters). However, "Spitty" is still known as one of the best. In 2022, he made it into the DockDogs Hall of Fame.
Soaring High in Air Retrieve
Air Retrieve takes distance jumping to a new level. It's like a high jump for dogs. In this event, the bumper hangs above the water, and the pooch must soar off the dock and try to grab it. With each winning air retrieve, the dog gets to dive again, but there's a catch: After each jump, the bumper gets moved farther away from the dock.
An unexpected champ in Air Retrieve has emerged in dock diving. Marbles, a mixed breed, is a winner in NADD's Lap Division. It's for dogs under 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) tall. Bob Atol, Marbles's human, said he wasn't sure Marbles would be a natural at dock diving. He thought his pup didn't like water all that much. But Marbles took to the sport immediately, fetching world records in Air Retrieve. When this soggy dog isn't making a splash, Marbles loves to chase squirrels!Diving into HydroDash
HydroDash is the newest event in dock diving. This event is all about speedy swimming. In this challenge, the bumper is suspended just above the water. The dog jumps off the dock and swims to the far end of the pool. Then it grabs the bumper and swims back. The fastest jumper-grabber-swimmer wins!
There's a new dog in town when it comes to HydroDash. Poppy is a golden retriever that lives in Indiana with her human, Brooke Lamb-Ossorio. Poppy competes alongside other NADD beginners. But don't let that fool you. A natural-born swimmer, she's already the champion in HydroDash. In addition to swimming, Poppy loves meeting her fans. This silly pup will do anything for attention. She's known to steal ballpoint pens!
So, do you know a dog that has what it takes to be a high-flying hound? Like any sport, dock diving takes time, dedication, and practice. But one thing is fur sure: The main event in this competition is fun. Diving dogs show us that anything is paw-sible!
This article is mainly about __________.
how to prompt your dog to compete in water sports
an increasingly popular kind of water sport for dogs
a recent distance jumping record set by a dog
what natural athletic abilities most dogs have