Teaching your Dog to Dock Dive (The First Jump)

[ChocolateDawg]

Ready to let your dog give dock diving a try? Just what should you do to make that first attempt a success? There is more to teaching your dog to dock dive than just going up on the dock, throwing a toy in the water, and saying, "Fetch."

Here is a post to help you get your dog to jump for that first time. It is complete with photos and a video.

Teaching Your Dog to Dock Dive: Part 1 (The First Jump)

I have three labs. Sally (chocolate) and Spud (yellow) have their Senior Titles with DockDogs and are avid dock divers. Our third lab, Hoppy (yellow), is just starting out and a little hesitant. We are working with him, however, and expect him to make his first jump by the end of the summer.

[Nelson & Pearl]

I can't wait to see Hoppy's first jump! He'll end up "sliding" in and still look so handsome. I tried dock diving here, we live on the river, and I ended up in the kayak chasing Pearl as she was chasing ducks. The neighbors think I'm nuts! I am moving to Grand Prairie this week and would love to get her involved, after I master some recall training! I'll have to get in touch with you after some training. We Hoppy!

[Benelli_my_lab]

Thank you! This is some great information. Still waiting for the ice to come of the lakes... but hoping and hoping that Nelli enjoys this!!!

[ChocolateDawg]

I tried dock diving here, we live on the river, and I ended up in the kayak chasing Pearl as she was chasing ducks.

I would have given anything to have seen that!!

I've heard, though, that duck chasers make awesome dock divers!

[knollwoods buck]

I have a 18 month old black lab :buck:He has been jumping off my friends dock for awhile just playing Today I tried some of your tips he responded great Would love to know of some where in NC that could help me with him.

[ChocolateDawg]

Originally Posted by knollwoods buck

I have a 18 month old black lab :buck:He has been jumping off my friends dock for awhile just playing Today I tried some of your tips he responded great Would love to know of some where in NC that could help me with him.

There is a DockDogs club in NC. Check your PMs for their contact info. They would love to help you get started!

[CaraBella]

Originally Posted by knollwoods buck

I have a 18 month old black lab :buck:He has been jumping off my friends dock for awhile just playing Today I tried some of your tips he responded great Would love to know of some where in NC that could help me with him.

Next weekend, May 2nd, Carolina DockDogs is having Boot Camp in Sanford...open to the public. PM if you want more information.

[cabelasmommy]

I have a 6 month old yellow lab and I honestly believe she would make a great dock dog.When she was 9 weeks old I had her on my lap on the coach and she just flew off my lap with the grace of a dock dog. When we introduced her to water back in april she jumped into the water again with the grace of a dock dog. The only issue i see is she is very stuburn and is very hard to even teach the "come" command to. So i was wondering if at all possiable will she be a good dock dog and I live in NW indiana and is hoping that there is a team out here i can get her into once trained(if possable)Thank you for the help

[ChocolateDawg]

I've seen really good dock dogs with absolutely no obedience at all. You can take your dog up on the dock on a leash, and if she doesn't sit, then you can use the "place and send" method. This method is described in this post.

As long as your dog has a strong drive to retrieve and likes water, she can definitely be a dock diver.

All that being said, I would strongly recommend you get your pup into some obedience classes. It will make your life a lot easier....dock diving or just around the house.

NW Indiana? Are you near Chicago? If so, DockDogs has a club in the Chicago area. Here is a link to their board on the DockDogs forum. You can put up a post there inquiring about their club. I'm sure someone will answer your post and show you how to get involved.

You can check on upcoming DockDogs events by checking their calendar. There are several events coming up soon up in your area....or at least up north somewhere. Find an event near you, register, and see what your dog can do.

Good luck. Post back here if you have more questions. But more of all....have fun with your dog!!

[slingman70]

Thank you so much for this info. I've been wanted to see if she'll do. Looks like they have so much fun. Thanks again.

[KCLabLover]

This looks like so much fun! Thanks for that post on your blog. Now if Molly & I can just find a group near us... Keystone club is a bit far for us to drive & I can't seem to find a site for the Delmarva club. Any advice for how to find one near us? We're in Philly...

[ChocolateDawg]

Here are all the links to clubs anywhere in your area. I hope one of them will work out. You don't need to actually be right near the club. We (Dixie Dock Dogs) are located in Athens, GA (NE Georgia), but we have members in Alabama. You can still support the club and go to practices and fun jumps and events no matter where you live.

I would suggest contacting any of these clubs and see how you can be a part of the club and learn more about the sport.

Keystone DockDogs

Delmarva DockDogs
I couldn't find a website for them either. This is a link to their forum on the DockDogs message board. Just put up a post there inquiring about them and someone will reply and contact you.

Chesapeake DockDogs

Tidewater DockDogs

Buckeye DockDogs

Good luck!! It's a great sport.

[KCLabLover]

Originally Posted by ChocolateDawg

Here are all the links to clubs anywhere in your area. I hope one of them will work out. You don't need to actually be right near the club. We (Dixie Dock Dogs) are located in Athens, GA (NE Georgia), but we have members in Alabama. You can still support the club and go to practices and fun jumps and events no matter where you live.

I would suggest contacting any of these clubs and see how you can be a part of the club and learn more about the sport.

Keystone DockDogs

Delmarva DockDogs
I couldn't find a website for them either. This is a link to their forum on the DockDogs message board. Just put up a post there inquiring about them and someone will reply and contact you.

Chesapeake DockDogs

Tidewater DockDogs

Buckeye DockDogs

Good luck!! It's a great sport.

Thanks for that!!! I'll check out those sites.

[Merriman]

I live in Australia and have never heard of dock diving.
I've just looked at some of the pictures and videos associated with the sport and I am surprised by what I've seen.
Labradors are intelligent animals and they generally love water.
They are powerful swimmers and no doubt enjoy this type of activity.
Nevertheless, it seems that the ultimate objective of the exercise is to encourage a dog to make a leap further than its rivals in a competition.
This worries me a lot and I'll explain why.
It's obvious to me that some sort of run up to build up speed will assist in gaining momentum for a superior achieveable distance.
This being so, what an owner is asking his/her dog to do is to effectively take a giant leap of faith into the unknown each and every time he competes.
Personally, I would be very annoyed with my pets if they ever attempted such a reckless and foolhardy stunt.
Some years ago, I was walking my labrador along a jetty at the beach when a splash was heard and a small fox terrier had slipped off the jetty into the sea. Conditions were relatively calm but there was a drop of about ten feet to the water. My lab looked to me for permission, I said ok and she leapt in to "save" her friend. She couldn't of course do anything to help except lead the waterlogged foxie back to the landing.
What I admired in my dog was her seeking permission to jump in.
She knew that I would only approve if all was safe for her to do so.
In the same manner I would never leap from a diving board without ascertaining whether there was water in the pool. I would check every time for obstacles and people below and I would expect my dog to do the same. A blind jump, no matter how entertaining for the participants or the crowd is a fundamentally unsound and unsafe practice. I worry too about the potential for serious hind leg injuries and ear infections. In summary, I would describe dock diving as an entertaining but bizarre activity.

[ChocolateDawg]

Labrador Retrievers were born and bred to be companion hunting dogs. Not the independent hunters like hounds, but to work right along side their masters....to work as a team. They were bred to trust their masters when the master shoots the bird and send the dog after the bird....blindly going out into marshes, lakes, blinds, underbrush....across and through all kinds of rugged terrain. The dog is bred to run, jump, and swim wherever the hunter tells him to.

So you think hunting with your Lab is a "reckless and foolhardy stunt also?"

In dock diving, the handler and dog work as a team also. The dogs trust us explicitly. We wouldn't dare let our dogs jump into a body of water that was dangerous....and our dogs trust us to not send them on and jump that is not safe.

My lab looked to me for permission, I said ok and she leapt in to "save" her friend. She couldn't of course do anything to help except lead the waterlogged foxie back to the landing.
What I admired in my dog was her seeking permission to jump in.
She knew that I would only approve if all was safe for her to do so.

But what you did was allow your dog to jump into an "unknown" setting, not knowing what was down there.....a potentially dangerous action for the dog because the dog did not know what was down there. But YOU knew it was safe, and your dog trusted YOU.

That is *EXACTLY* what dock diving is. The dog jumps because they trust us, their handler and partner. They know we only approve jumping situations if they are safe. There is absolutely no difference in what you allowed your dog to do and what we do with our dogs. Well, I guess the only difference is that we have fun.

And just for the records.....I don't jump my dogs to entertain the crowds. I jump my dogs because they love it.

Any working dog always runs a risk of injury. That's part of a working, active lifestyle.

I appreciate your concern, but I think you're really going a bit far with it.