A boy and his dog...We have had our dog, Vegas, involved in dockdogs for over a year now. He really enjoys it, as do we. We have met a lot of really nice people who are involved in this sport who adore their dogs as much as we do. It's nice to know that there are other people out there that view their pet as more than just an animal, but as a member of the family.
We had tried other activities with our Australian Shepherd - agility (expensive and a lot lot lot of practice) and frisbee (cheap but if you have a stingy dog, well, just imagine trying to get the frisbee back...) We found dockdogs almost accidentally. We had gone to the end of the season Pool Paws for Humane Laws in Maryland Heights for a second try - the first year Vegas hated the water. Well, weren't we just tickled pink when he went bounding in the water like he hadn't a care in the world! He wasn't afraid of it at all, jumping off the side of the pool like an old pro!
So the following spring my hubby found a group in StL that gets together out in Wentzville for practice and we tried our hand at it. Vegas jumped right in for his toy the first time and couldn't wait to try it again. Mind you, he doesn't fly like the labs do (the best can easily reach over 20 feet). Our baby's best is just over 8 feet - but he's still learning. He has a problem with hesitating at the end of the dock before jumping off instead of going full force. Eventually with enough practice and when he builds up his confidence, he will figure it out and break 10 feet. And you can bet I will be standing on the sidelines crying like a fool because my puppy dog accomplished something huge!
Waiting our turn - and giving lovin' in the meantime.
Ultimate Air Dog Competition at Purina FarmsFirst jump was better, second jump we seemed to skid a bit and lose our footing. All in all it was good practice at a fantastic facility.
