Splash into Dock Diving at The Bone Adventure Swim Club

Does your dog love to splash and bounce around in the water? Or does your dog avoid the water? Our very own Lucy Dully, a 2-year-old Yellow Labrador was originally terrified of the dock, but The Bone Adventure’s Swim Club converted Lucy into one of our best Dock Divers! With summer in full swing and higher temperatures upon us, it is the perfect time to introduce your dog to Dock Diving, a canine sport to get your dog active and in the water.

Dock Diving is an interactive sport where dogs run the length of a platform and jump out as far as possible into a body of water. Lakes, rivers and pools are all great areas to take the plunge, and here at the Swim Club we have a 40-foot dock specially made for dogs of all kinds!

This popular pet-oriented sport first appeared in 1997 at the Incredible Dog Challenge, an event sponsored and produced by the pet food manufacturer, Purina. This aquatic canine activity is great for dog breeds of any shape or size as long as they love the water, know how to swim, and have a natural passion for retrieving. The Guinness World Record holding dock diver is a 4-year-old Whippet in Michigan named Slingshot who can dive 35 feet and 3 inches! At The Bone Adventure, our very own Banksy, a German Shorthaired Pointer, holds the dock diving record at the Bone at 27 feet. But don’t be fooled, this sport isn’t just for retrievers. Corgis, Jack Russell Terriers, Chihuahuas and Bulldogs (to name a few) have all made great leaps at our Swim Club.

So just how do you get a dog to jump 30 feet? Teamwork is key to dock diving with your pup. At The Bone Adventure, we offer our very own dock diving classes where our expert handlers will help your pup become a star dock diver in no time! First, the dog is placed in a stay position on the dock, then the handler walks to the end of the dock holding the toy. The handler calls the dog, throws the toy, and aims the toy just in front of the dog’s nose, so they chase it into the water to get as much air, speed, and length as possible.