The first time I saw this Dog Sport on TV, I fell in love. The first time I saw this Dog Sport in Deadwood, SD live, I wanted to participate. The problem was/is, I do not have a pool, or running water (we haul water in, www.faroutliving.com for more on that) and the ponds near by? Dry. We were in a sever drought. If you look at the photo of Frankie to the right, note the ground. That is right outside our home.

However, for the sake of this website and my German Shepherd Dogs (GSD or GSDs), I am still working toward participating in this Sport, even if Frankie, my middle aged Cocker Spaniel in this photo, who loves water and excitement, gets too old for diving.

At each of these events, call it Dock Dog, or Diving Dog, or Water Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, and several of them, were/are Diving and Diving far! The idea, in a nutshell, is: There is a large swimming pool set up with 1' measurements marked on the side from where the dock end hits the water. There are cameras set up to catch each dog's dive. From a dock, the docks we have seen are about 12' long, the handle sends the dog running for it's toy, into the water the dog dives. Each dive is measured by the base of the dog's tail as it goes into the water. Longest Dive wins.

This is a fun, get wet kinda Dog Sport. Spectators, in the front rows, and Handles as well as the dogs, will be wet after the dogs take their dives and swims. There is a lot of laughing and splashing and fun at these Events.

This is an event you would have to really train your dog for. You would want your dog to love swimming and teach it to really dive outward into the water. Some of these dogs are diving up to 17'! You will need a pool or large deep pond near you to work your dog in. Make sure that pond is deep and does not have anything that could hurt the dog just under the water, such as logs. You also need a toy your dog is nuts about.

Check the Internet for events near you...as well as the rules for participation.

-- The Working German Shepherd Dogs Team
Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:57:50 -0400