dock dogs

[sparks19]

Have any of you heard about dock dogs? We will be moving to London, Ontario soon and I was wondering if they had anything like that there. Anyone know much about this sport? I would LOVE to get Teddy into that.

[Melissa_W]

Yeah, I've seen that on TV, it's pretty cool.

[Richie12345]

What are dock dogs?

[RD]

I don't know much of it, but I've seen dock dogs working and it looks like they have SO much fun! I'm going to look into getting Dakota into it as well, it's quite popular here.

I have a picture I took at a dockdogs trial about 6 months ago, let me go see if I can drag it up.

[RD]

Here's the picture, i'm just linking to it since it's pretty big.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/laicositna/edc3b2a0.jpg

Richie, from what I know dockdogs is basically a "long jump" contest for dogs.

[mightymitedoggear]

Dock dogs is a sport where dogs are judged by the distance they can jump into the water. Some of it depends on the handler since the handler has to throw a toy or decoy into the water at the precise moment and distance to get the dog to jump as far out into the water as possible. I think I saw it televised, the first time, on ESPN's Outdoor games.

[Zoom]

Oh, I've seen that ESPN before and it looks like great fun!

[sparks19]

yeah basically they jump off a platform into a big pool of water. there are two different competitions. One judges distance and one judges height. Teddy loves the water and loves to play fetch so I'm sure he would love this.

[AmberwayGSD]

I live in Stratford Ontario about 45 minutes away from London.I havent come across any dock dogs or clubs for it and I go there weekly Petsmart and petcetera.

[mightymitedoggear]

I doubt you'd find much info about dock dogs (or any other number of less- main-stream canine sports) at those types of stores. I can't even get less known dog foods like Innova and Wysong at Petco! lol. Seriously, I once had an "incident" trying to explain earthdog to a woman at the checkout at Petco. If you are looking to learn more about dog sports, there are many interenet resources out there to look through. If you are seriously interested in dock dog, find one of these internet sites and write to the owner of the site - once you are "inside the loop" - you'll find like minded people. I wish I could be of more help on this sport but I am a "small dog" person and dock dog jumping is mostly big water dogs like labs and goldens. There's also one amazing Border Collie out there that keeps beating them all! lol.

Best of luck!

[shyeow2]

this is an intereting sport, wonder how they manage to train the dog brave enough to jump in the water just like that.. my dog will just go near the lake/beach and step in the water slowly.. once i try to get him excited and shout 'jump'..'jump' he just yapping there instead.. :(

[smkie]

haha i gotta send you vic's water video..the day he saw the water he was running down the bank..so i threw the ball in and he just never stopped..made no difference to him..run on land.run on water..hehe you will see what i mean..this one takes awhile to download i just minimize and work on something else until i hear dogs barking..usually a couple minutes..http://www.ourmedia.org/node/22496. I thought they would just have a dock somewhere you could practice but that doens't seem the case here. I thought ball..water...flying ..right up Vic's alley! but instead it is an event where each dog has a one time shot at it. Darn it, still want to try anyway this summer. If i do i will send the link.
ohoh i forgot..i was teaching boomer to retrieve in water on the same site..usually you start just a few inches in and then a few more to increase the drive and interest...with Vic (i can throw like a pro) i just let it fly:D

ohoh oh i thought of something else..Kelly takes dog biscuits and tosses them in the water..they float to teach her dog to like the water. Since she throws like a girl;) realllly bad..i tease her all the time she got a sling shot and uses that to send her dog cracker farther out. Unfortunately Mary thought diving for biscuits to be her alltime favorite new sport and stopped being the good retreiver she was. She never did return to her normal zest so if you want them to bring back a ball i don't suggest crackers..or dog biscuits..but if you don't care it is a great way to teach them to like the water if they are food driven.

[shyeow2]

haha..wow victor a good swimmer! thanks for sharing, nice to know whats happening over there too! looks like u guys hv fun there, a nice beach and nice gathering. i found a video russell just run on water like victor, we took this last mth.. wanna share the joyful moment we had over here with u too :
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=11575&cdate=20051212&ctime=153701
i didnt finish record til he landed coz someone drop by ask for direction.. :D
but definately is very tough for me if there is a chance to train him jump direct down from a dock, still pretty cool to me saw many dock dogs jump down with no hesitate.. too bad we dont hv a dock here..

[shyeow2]

oh ya, is there anyone tried dog diving ? i wish one day can try it with my dogs too, too bad the sea is too salty, but when i throw a stone into it and ask russell go search for it he will just dip his head right down n look for it but just short while.. sometimes he will just forget hold his breath and water goes in his nose.. quite cute tou.. a picture we took :
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/shyeow2/dogdive.jpg

[smkie]

Russel and Vic are kindred souls!!!!!!!!!!! there are a couple dogs at the dog park that dive..one is a chesapeak.(sp?) that doen's look right, but anyway he kept going down and bringing up rocks. The man i talked to said a lot of that breed do that but no one knows why...i have seen several labradors go after the duck when it dives when they are retrieving a wounded bird.

[sparks19]

Wouldn't have to train Teddy to jump off the dock into the water :D He would do it voluntarily :D One time he almost pulled me in the river diving in after a bunch of ducks lol. Anyway I emailed dock dogs a long time ago and they said that currently they don't have any clubs in London or surrounding area but if someone wanted to start one they could probably do so.

[smkie]

a sheltie of all things had the record of the last one i saw..20 ft or something around there, was amazing!

[shyeow2]

i m just curious, is the water they use just the normal tap water? anyone know about this>?

[smkie]

when they set up the pools at the shows i assume it is tap..then lake otherwise. will check into that...at the pet expo i know they set up a pool for sure.

[shyeow2]

bcoz once over here an organization thinking to set up a dog pool but they worry the normal tap water will cause trouble to our dogs, and too much concern might transmit skin disease to others dog for using the public dog pool.. so, finally the plan is cancel :(

[smkie]

i will find out what they do and get back to you shyeow because i know how much i want Vic to do this too! there was a pet expo and they set up a pool i will start asking there.

[shyeow2]

woww. that is great. thanks smkie.

[smkie]

i found this site and posted your question as to the water ..along with the link to this thread..we will see if they come back and answer! I will keep looking in the meantime.
http://www.dockdogs.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
i am still researching but thought i would post the links i found most helpful as i go http://www.dogplay.com/Activities/dockdiving.html

[shyeow2]

hv check out the site, very informative site. but i cant find any training tips how they really start training from ground and move to a dock. anyone hv idea how they build the confident for dogs about this?
meanwhile hopefully we can get the 'water used' for the pool from them.. :)
thanks smkie

[smkie]

i could be wrong so anyone correct me please if i am..but from the people i talked to all say you just go..some said weight training and such to make the dogs stronger, but for the "dock dogs" it is actually the event only..not a build of training for i was like you..where do i go..what do i do!!!! i think this is perfect for Vic! so far that is all i have had for reply..you dont'..you just go when they set it up. I am anxiously awaiting spring!!! i missed cabella's annual event last year.

[shyeow2]

haha, i think some dogs just lov to jump, its definately so much easier if a dog naturally like to jump n can swim well like victor.. u should try that on vic, it looks so much fun

[smkie]

you will have to let me know how it turns out for you..and i will post when we try too! in the meantime i will keep looking..the lakes that are public around here you wouldn't put your dog in..fish hooks, broken bottles all are so bad..people throw the bottles in without thinking and they fish off of docks..i had a labrador that ran a three prong hook in his leg while retreiving a duck. He required 80 stitches that he chewed out twice before it finally healed so i am not going to try just any old dock here. There has to be a place! i wish they would make one at the off leash park one side of the dog beach. That is the only water i will put Vic in. I so wish you could have seen him the day the fish (and it must have been a big one too) kept biting his tail. He would swim out his hind end would sink a little..he would whip around in the water like what the heck...then try to swim out to his ball..i laughed until i had tears it was so funny..wonder what that fish thought it was!

[shyeow2]

tat is the problem using retention pond to practise with.. but so far over here we hardly can get a dog pool, once russell play in an abandon pond, there is something half float out the water and u can see the bubbles follow him behind, i m so scare just shout and keep throw stones to that creature, luckily turn out everybody safe, i still no idea what s that, probably just a turtle, but i never return there again.. btw, is a pond surrounded by jogging trek so dont think is crocodile.. :D

[shyeow2]

hey smkie,
been away quite some times, here my update..
finally i hv my very first try on the 'dock' for russell, but it is not really a dock just a plank. after few try i try to raise the plank and he actually getting confident.
i think i hv to put a jump in front of the plank so that he will jump further into the water.. anyway its so much fun!

here some video i took : http://www.dropshots.com/peony

[~Tucker&Me~]

Awww!
Looks like she's coming along!

~Tucker

[shyeow2]

hi,
russell latest progress.. :)

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/134683/20060809/223743.jpg (http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=134683&cdate=20060809&ctime=223743&showVideo=1)

[smkie]

I Am Grinning From Ear To Ear

You Go Russssselllll Horrray:D
wish like crazy Vic and i could join you:)

thank you for your video, it made my day.

[Renee750il]

Oh, I sure wish my paddlefooted pair could join you! Russell might not like that though - they might splash all the water out when they jumped in, lol!

[stevinski]

mightymitedoggear do u do earthdog trials?

[shyeow2]

tq for all.
Hey Smkie, wat u hv been up to!?

[shyeow2]

my baby finally can jump! hurrayy:popcorn:


http://www.dropshots.com/photos/45072/20060903/184550.jpg (http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=45072&cdate=20060903&ctime=184550&showVideo=1)

[smkie]

HOORRRRAY that was a magnificant leap! WAy to go Russell. Oh how i wish Vic and i could join you!!!!!

[MomOf7]

YAY!!! Great Jump!
I thought about doing Dock dogs.
My lil girl Ivy is jumping from the edge of a lake. Man can she leap!
http://www.geocities.com/oaklandbaykennels/Ivory01.jpg

[shyeow2]

woooahhh... excellant picture!! :hail:
here one more production to share with all the sporting owners!:popcorn:

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/176811/20060911/143916.jpg (http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=176811&cdate=20060911&ctime=143916&showVideo=1)

[Zoom]

Great extension on the takeoff! :D

Good to see you post!

[shyeow2]

and here is a higher 'dock'video

http://peonythestormrider.blogspot.com/2006/10/another-day-at-lake.html

[smkie]

wowser!!!! THat is an impressive dive!! I love watching your videos:D
That monkey is quite the tease too.:)

[shyeow2]

hey smkie,
luv the holloween avarta, miss the halloween party we had here last year, what a bad news the place we used to hv party now is using for other training purposes.
thank you for the support, sorry if the music was abit too loud.. :popcorn:

[smkie]

hope you come back and enter the halloween costume photo contest in the dog chat! Wish we could have a halloween party! I would love to see your puppers and gang, we could put on a good one.:D

[Socrate]

If you want to see a video of dock dog ....
To click on "diving dog"

http://events.purina.com/dogs/events/idcwest2005/index.aspx?DCMP=AFC-MyY-PUR