Introduction to Dock Diving

with Michael Ellis

94 Videos | 3 Hours of Content

Dock diving is a sport that anyone can participate in, which is one of the main reasons it has become the fastest-growing dog sport in North America.  You can bring your pet dog out to a dock diving event and have a great day with your dog and your family, or you can train every day and compete at a national level---making this an ideal sport for beginners and competitors alike. 

In this course, Michael will be covering all the basic principles of dock diving for those who are new to the sport, or are simply interested in learning more about dock diving in general.  For those who are interested in going on to competition, the course will also cover the various events in dock diving and how to prepare your dog for each event in incremental steps.  The course also covers several solid dog training principles that are practiced away from the dock, and shows how they can be applied to the dock diving experience.  In addition, we will also talk extensively about good obedience, how to communicate and build a good relationship with our dogs, the importance of proper play habits for motivating and rewarding your dog, and how those things can be carried over to dock diving.

The course will feature dogs from all walks of life, including dogs who are just being introduced to the water, dogs that have set world records in various dock diving events, and experienced dogs that have been competing in the sport for years but could still benefit from some tweaking and troubleshooting.  Whether you’re new to the sport or looking to see what changes you could make to your training program, this course is a must for anyone involved in the sport of dock diving.

WHAT IS DOCK DIVING?

Dock diving is a canine sport in which dogs are enticed to run the length of a dock and leap as far out into the water as possible to compete for height or distance.  They’re motivated to fly with a prized toy, which is thrown just out of reach in order to help them keep their momentum and get the best launch angle possible. 

THE DOCK

The dock is usually 35 to 40 feet (11 to 12 meters) long by 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide, and 2 feet (0.6 meters) above the water surface, but may differ depending on the sanctioning organization.  Any body of water or pool that is at least 4 feet (1.2 meters) deep can be used. The dock is covered in artificial turf, carpet, or a rubber mat for better traction and for the safety for the competitors.  The handler may use any amount of the dock, and they may start their dog from any point on the dock when competing.

OFFICIAL JUMP DISTANCE

The jump distance is measured, by most organizations, from the lateral midpoint of the end of the dock to the point at which the base of the dog’s tail (where the tail meets the body) breaks the water’s surface. Purina's Incredible Diving Dog event measures the distance to the point that the dog's nose is at when its body enters the water. The jump distance is measured electronically using digital freeze frame technology or, in some cases, is measured manually by judges.

Each team takes two jumps in round-robin format. The longer of the two jumps is that team's score for that competition.  A jump in which the dog’s tail enters the water at a point further from the dock than another part of the dog’s body is scored using the point of the dog (for example, the head/nose) that breaks the surface of the water closest to the dock. If the dog’s strides are off so that the dog starts its jump before the end of the dock, that is a disadvantage because the jump is always judged from the edge of the dock, not from where the dog leaves the dock. A jump is only official if or when the toy leaves the handler's hand. The dog is not required to retrieve the toy for the jump to count.

WHY DOCK DIVE?

Dock diving is a great sport for any breed, size, and age of dog!  Whether you're competing or just looking to spend quality time with your dog, it's a magnificent experience either way.  If your dog loves to swim, then they'll love the sport---but if not, most dogs will still come to love it once they have been conditioned to jumping into the water.