Dock diving is a fun and fast growing sport enjoyed by dogs who enjoy retrieving and water. So it's no surprise that many of the canines competing in dock jumping are Labrador Retrievers. The sport is basically a long jump for dogs. The dog runs down a 40' dock and jumps after a retrieving toy into water (usually a pool) which is 2' below the dock. The first dog dock diving event was in 2000 and now there are many competions across the US and Canada. Dock Dogs was the first sponsoring association, and SplashDogs followed in 2003 to meet the tremendous interest on the west coast. Part of the popularity is the minimal training required to be able to have fun competing in this dog sport. The newcomers information on the website and enthusiastic help from other dog handlers ensures a great time for all. Here is a video of Hannah and Torri's first competition in 2008 where we found out how much fun a day of dock diving can be! There are multiple division levels so you can even win ribbons when the big distance jumpers are at the event. Dogs are placed in divisions based on how far they jump measured by camera and computer from the dock end to base of the dog's tail when they enter the water. Splash Dogs 0' 0" - 9'11" Junior Dogs 10' 0" - 14' 11" Senior Dog division 15' 0" - 19' 11" Pro division 20' 0" - 22' 11" Extreme Division 23' & over Here are more interesting articles about dock diving. Do you and your dog a favor and TAKE THE PLUNGE! Dock Diving: The New Dog Sport Featured on David Letterman August 2008

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Photos owned by Cyndi Harrell. Do not use without permission.