Dog diving-the splashy watersport for dogs
With a long jump from the ramp, your four-legged friend lands in the cool water: fun, games and a little bit of discipline await you in dog diving. Especially in summer, this water sport is a welcome refreshment for our water-loving pets. If your four-legged friend also likes to jump into all kinds of water, you should definitely get to know dog diving!
How does Dog Diving work?
In dog diving, your water rat jumps as far, high or fast as possible from a ramp into a pool to retrieve a dummy, depending on the discipline.
In the dog diving sports facility, this pool is usually 5 x 10 metres in size and 1.20 metres deep. The pool has a large run-up and jump-off area, which is covered with a rubber mat. There is an easy exit for your pet in the pool.
If your four-legged friend feels a little insecure on the ramp and in the pool at first, owners can of course accompany their pelt-noses into the water. This way you can guide your pet and show him how to get out safely.
Which dogs particularly enjoy dog diving?
Water-loving dog breeds like
- Golden Retriever,
- Labrador,
- German Shepherd or
- Jack Russell Terrier
are particularly well suited to this sport. Basically, however, all dogs with an affinity for water can enjoy dog diving - as long as your pet is comfortable in the water and likes to retrieve, you should definitely give dog diving a try.
It's different for you, your little darling doesn't like to go in the water? You should never force a dog that is afraid of water into the water - but you can still introduce him to the water carefully by getting him used to it.
Our tip: If your pet is prone to inflamed eyes or ears, we advise you to avoid dog diving.
Dog Diving in competition: The 3 disciplines
The trend towards this sport has spilled over from the USA - more and more competitions can also be found in Germany. In order to take part in such a competition, dogs must be
- be at least 9 months old and
- have successfully passed a companion dog test.
These 3 disciplines exist:
- Big Air: The aim of this discipline is to jump as far as possible. The distance of the jump is determined with an electronic video measuring device. With a run-up of four to six meters, your four-legged friend jumps after a dummy, which is thrown into the water as it starts up. In two jumps your pet has to give his best within two minutes. The jump distances of all jumps of these two minutes are added up as a result. "Big Air" is the only discipline that is also held in German tournaments.
- Extreme Vertical: In Extreme Vertical, a dummy or a toy is suspended in the air. After each round, the dummy is hung higher - the four-legged friend who grabs the highest dummy wins.
- Speed retrieve: Speed is the name of the game here! A dummy is attached to the end of the pool edge, which your water rat has to catch as quickly as possible. He has to swim from the jumping platform through the pool to the dummy - in the shortest possible time to win the competition.
Good to know: Throwing treats or food into the water instead of a dummy is strictly prohibited. Even if people push or shove their dog into the water, this behaviour is strictly punished in tournaments.
Advantages of Dog Diving
Dog Diving is not only incredibly fun for dogs - this dog sport also convinces with these advantages:
- joint-friendly utilisation
- good for heart and circulation
- improves endurance
- refreshing cooling in summer
- Fun and balance in everyday life
Conclusion: Whether it's just for the fun factor or with exciting challenges - you can decide to what extent you want to try dog diving, depending on your mood. There is sure to be a club or dog school in your area that offers dog diving. If you want to prepare yourself for this water sport, you can start with simple retrieving exercises in the dry. Tell us about your progress and results in the comments column!