Coolwag kicked the summer off with the Memorial Day Dock Diving Jump! Dogs of all shapes and sizes competed in several events including the Air Retrieve, Hydro Dash and the Distance Jump. Around twentyfive water-loving dogs participated in the jump in preparation for the regionals.
Talus was one of the dogs that jumped off the dock over the weekend with the guidance of his mom Sherrie Calder.
“He’s getting better,” says Cherri. “He’s very fast so he’s really good at hydro dash."
Caldere explained that dock diving can be just as much of a human sport with how far the trainers throw their toy and also working on eye contact with the dogs.
“Timing is the biggest thing. Trying to get it off at the critical moment is really hard,” says Calder. “I saw they had (a dock) back in Broken Arrow and then we got one down here and I wanted to try it with the boys, and they love it.”
Mary Green explained that her dog Windy is a seven-year-old rescue that needed an outlet for her energy, and dock diving appears to be her calling.
“She is a very active dog,” says Green. “She would tell you the pool is her happy place.”
Windy participated in the hydro dash as well as the distance jump during the Memorial Day Dive.
“She’s been dock diving now for three years and she just keeps getting better and better,” says Green. “It started as an activity that she greatly needed.”
Windy started her diving career at a North America Diving Dog(NADD) mobile dock. Around seven docks travel across North America, allowing dogs to get a feel for the activity.
“She would pace back and forth, she wanted the toy, the drive was there. She just didn’t have the confidence to go off the dock and into the water.” Says Heather Santella, Rose’s mom. “She has about 29 jumps now.”
Rose used to jump off the dock measuring at only three feet. Now she jumps a distance of fifteen feet three inches.
“It just started getting better and better. Her confidence kicked in… We would get down the road and she would start losing her mind because she knew where she’s going,” says Santella.
Coolwag’s outdoor dock is part of the NADD organization and the outdoor dock is certified for recording jumps to qualify those eligible to participate at the National Competition in Springfield, Missouri.
If you want your pooch to compete, practice or just get a feel for the dock, sign up at coolwag.com/training or call at 479-273-3553. Coolwag offers swimming lessons, ramp work, dock diving, and team coaching lessons for dogs of any skill level.
The NADD is an organization that works with competitors and dock diving facilities across North America. The organization recognizes all breeds and mixes and has divisions for the different dog types. Visit northamericadivingdogs.com for more information.
Author: Matthew King
