:: Dock Dog Competitions

The big Air
The Big Air is the most popular competition; consider it the long jump for canine athletes.  For the Big Air, the dog’s favorite toy is thrown into the pool as the dog runs down the dock and launches off the dock into the pool, and is measured by how far the dog jumps.  The measurements are taken from the end of the dock to the point where the base of the dog’s tail hits the water.

With 90 seconds to execute each jump, the team is given two jumps in each wave and the longer of the jumps is used for the official scoring for that wave.

Speed Retrieve
The newest of dock diving competitions, this event is a true measurement of speed.  Kind of like the 100-meter dash, speed retrieve scoring is based on how fast the dog run and launch off the deck, to swim out towards the end of the pool to retrieve the flappy toy. 

The handler has 60 seconds to execute the run, and each team is give two runs in each wave... the faster of the two runs is used for the official scoring.  If the dog crosses the 20 ft line before the signal is given, this is considered as a false start and the run will not count.  Here is where reliability in obedience counts big!

Extreme Vertical
It’s the High Jump for dogs!  For the Extreme Vertical, the dog jumps off the end of the dock and grabs an object from a magnetic extender suspended over the pool.  Scoring for the Extreme Vertical is based on the highest jump.  The dog must grab or make the flappy fall in order for the jump to count.

The extender is 8 ft tall, and the jumping heights range starting at 4’6” and up.  The flappy is moved up incrementally, as the jumps are executed.

Iron Dog
Another newbie to DockDogs sports, the Iron Dog combines three competitions: the Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical.  The best Iron Dogs are those that are consistent and do well in all three sports.

Speed Swim
The newest dock dog discipline, in the speed swim, the dog jumps off the end of the dock and the dog that swims fastest scores highest.  Different from the Speed Retrieve, where the dogs gets an advantage based on how far he / she can jump before having to swim, for the speed swim, the dog does not get the running start. Which is equally fun to watch as the dogs strongly paddle their way to the end of the pool.