Dock jumping

A dock jumping dog

Dock jumping also known as dock diving is a dog sport in which dogs compete in jumping for distance or height from a dock into a body of water.

A team consists of one dog, of any type or size, and usually one handler. Dogs must be over six months of age to compete. Handlers may use a toy, also known as the chase object. The dogs are not required to chase or retrieve the toy.

There are dock jumping events in the United States and other countries such as Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and Germany.

History

Dock jumping first appeared in 1997 at events run by pet food manufacturer Purina. There are now a number of organizations that run dock jumping competitions in different countries.

In the United States, DockDogs was established in 2000. Splash Dogs was started in 2003. Ultimate Air Dogs was founded in 2005, by former Major League Baseball player Milt Wilcox. In 2008, UAD partnered with the United Kennel Club (UKC) which added dock jumping as a recognized UKC sport. In 2009, UKC also recognized competitions run by Splash Dogs. Dogs can get UKC titles by competing in dock distance or height jumping like they can in agility, obedience, weight pulling, and others.

Dock

The dock is usually 35 to 40 ft (11 to 12 m) long by 8 ft (2.4 m) wide and 2 ft (0.6 m) above the water surface, but may differ depending on the sanctioning organization. Any body of water or pool that is at least 4 ft (1.2 m) deep can be used. The dock is covered in artificial turf, carpet, or a rubber mat for better traction and 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

An example of jump measurement

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 it at when its body enters the water. The jump distance is measured electronically using digital video 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.

Techniques

A Golden Retriever using the Place and Send method in a pool with a flat jump.

A Border Collie using the chase method in a lake with a good pop.

A dog that jumps up at the end of the dock is said to have a good "pop". A dog that jumps straight out at the end of the dock is said to be "flat". Two different techniques can be used to encourage the dog to jump into the water.

Place and send

Walk the dog to the end of the dock and or, hold the dog back while throwing the toy into the water. Walk the dog back to the starting point, place the dog, then release or send the dog to go get the toy. This is effective for dogs that are not trained to wait or stay on the dock, especially if they have a lot of speed and can compensate for the lack of lift at the end of the dock.

Chase

The dog is placed in a stay or wait at its starting position on the dock. The handler walks to the end of the dock holding the toy, then calls the dog and throws the toy, trying to keep the toy just in front of the dog's nose so they chase it into the water. The goal is to use this method to get the dog at the optimum launch angle to increase distance by getting him to jump up, instead of just out or flat, as with place and send. The chase method is difficult to master. However, if the dog is toy-driven, he can be trained to follow the toy.

Divisions

There are many divisions depending on the sanctioning organization. All teams are ranked according to how far they jump and are rated against teams within their own divisions for placements. Even small dogs have their own division, "lap dogs", along with older dogs (8 years and older), the "veteran" division.

Ultimate Air Dogs		Splash Dogs		Dock Dogs
Division	Distance	Division	Distance	Division	Distance
Novice	up to 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)	Splash	up to 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)	Novice	up to 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)
Junior	10 ft (3.05 m) to 14 ft 11 in (4.55 m)	Junior	10 ft (3.05 m) to 14 ft 11 in (4.55 m)	Junior	10 ft (3.05 m) to 14 ft 11 in (4.55 m)
Senior	15 ft (4.57 m) to 19 ft 11 in (6.07 m)	Senior	15 ft (4.57 m) to 19 ft 11 in (6.07 m)	Senior	15 ft (4.57 m) to 19 ft 11 in (6.07 m)
Master	20 ft (6.10 m) to 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m)	Pro	20 ft (6.10 m) to 22 ft 11 in (6.99 m)	Master	20 ft (6.10 m) to 22 ft 11 in (6.99 m)
Ultimate	over 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m)	Extreme	over 23 ft (7.01 m)	Elite	23 ft (7.01 m) to 24 ft 11 in (7.59 m)
				Super Elite	over 25 ft (7.62 m)

Notable competitions

• ESPN's Great Outdoor Games
• Super Retriever Series

World Records

Past and present records for the organizations which measure distance according to where the base of the dogs tail lands are:

Date	Distance	Dog	Handler	Event	Location	Reference
11 July 2010	29 ft 1 in (8.86 m)	Smoke	Melissa Ness	UKC Premier	Richmond, IN
30 May 2010	28 ft 11.59 in (8.829 m)	Quasi	Rande Murphy	Super Retriever Series Crown Championship	Little Rock, AR
9 October 2005	28 ft 10 in (8.79 m)	Country	Kevin Meese	Bass Pro Shops	Baltimore, MD
21 August 2005	28 ft 7 in (8.71 m)	Country	Kevin Meese	Big Nickle time Cabela's	Hamburg, PA
7 August 2005	27 ft 5 in (8.36 m)	Country	Kevin Meese	Bass Pro Shops	Baltimore, MD
6 July 2002	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)	Little Morgan	Mike Jackson	ESPN Great Outdoor Games	Lake Placid, NY
1 May 2002	23 ft 4 in (7.11 m)	Haley	John Kline	ESPN2 Super Retriever Series	Northfield, MN
20 February 2002	23 ft 3 in (7.09 m)	Little Morgan	Mike Jackson	Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show	Indianapolis, IN
8 July 2001	23 ft 1 in (7.04 m)	Jerry	Mike Wallace	ESPN Great Outdoor Games	Lake Placid, NY
7 July 2000	22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)	Heidi	Beth Gutteridge	ESPN Great Outdoor Games	Lake Placid, NY

Purina's Incredible Dog Challenge event measures distance according the placement of the dog's nose at the time its body lands in the water, therefore its jump distances will be different.

External links

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