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Ready for a splash? Diving Dogs is the perfect sport for water-loving dogs and is fun, exciting, and easy to learn. Watching Diving Dogs for the first time is fun and exciting 鈥� but what are all the rules? The action happens so fast that it can be hard to keep track of who wins and why. This dock diving 101 will teach you everything you need to know.
What Is Dock Diving?
There are just a few simple rules for competing in dock diving. You throw your dog鈥檚 favorite toy into a pool while they wait on a dock about 40 feet long. On your command, they run along the dock and launch themselves off the end of it, then land in the water and grabs their toy. The goal? To have the longest jump possible.
Diving Dogs is a sport with two different disciplines:
- In Distance Jumping, dogs compete for the farthest jump.
- In Air Retrieve, dogs compete to knock a off an apparatus at the farthest distance.
While swimming in a pool or lake at home is great practice, dogs can鈥檛 dive into just any pool when it comes to competition. A diving dock must be at least 40 feet long and 7.5 feet wide. The pool must be at least 41 feet long and 21 feet wide.
What Dogs Can Participate in Dock Diving?
尝颈办别听尘补苍测 dog sports, all dogs 6 months and older, including All-American Dogs are eligible to compete in Diving Dogs, except for females in season. Titles earned through will be recognized by the American Kennel Club. To apply, simply complete the .
What Makes Up a Dock Diving Team?
Unlike Flyball, which is a team sport where four dogs compete on one team, Diving Dogs teams are comprised of only one dog and one handler. Some teams chose to have one additional handler to help restrain the dog. A handler may use one or two toys to help encourage the dog to jump into the water.
How to Compete In Dock Diving With Your Dog
Distance Jumping
In distance jumping, a dog is simply scored on how far they jump into the water. The distance is measured from the end of the dock to the base of the dog鈥檚 tail when it breaks water.
How to Compete in Air Retrieve
Air Retrieve
In air retrieve, dogs must jump for a bumper, which hangs in the middle of the dock鈥檚 width, two feet above the dock. The goal is for the dog to either grab or completely remove the bumper from the apparatus. Each dog will get two attempts at knocking down the bumper at each distance. The dog to knock down the bumper at the farthest distance wins.
Divisions and Classes
There are five distance for Diving Dogs: Novice, Junior, Senior, Master, and Elite. There are also two placement Classes: Open (16鈥� tall and over) and Lap (under 16鈥� tall).
Dogs who are 8 years old or older compete in the Veterans class.
How Do I Earn Titles?
One Qualifying score jump per Splash or Air Retrieve entry counts toward if the dog is registered with AKC.
How Do I Get Started in Diving Dogs?
If watching dogs jump into the pool has you thinking your dog would be perfect for the sport, chances are you鈥檙e probably right! This sport is great for energetic, water-loving dogs.
The AKC and NADD have several instructional videos to help you get started training for Diving Dogs. You can also for help finding an instructor. A good basis for understanding the sport is to read the , which is updated annually.
If Diving Dogs isn鈥檛 for you, there are聽many dog sports聽that are suitable for dogs of all ages and abilities.