Canine Cannonball (June 11th-13th, 2010)
At Dog Days (Lake of the Ozarks)
If you have a talented dog capable of incredible feats of distance jumping, then why not bring him along to the high energy Dock Dogs competition that will be taking place at the Dog Days Bar & Grill, Osage Beach, on June 11th-13th. The event looks like attracting dogs from far and wide, all competing for the honor of winning a prize ribbon.
Dock Dogs is a fun, very simple, and unique performance sport for dogs. There are different levels at which dogs of all different breeds can compete. The four main Dock Dog contests are: Big Air, Extreme Vertical, Speed Retrieve, and the new sport of Iron Dog. Big Air is the most popular of the competitions and is rather like the “long jump”.
Big Air: the dog is judged on how far it can jump from the edge of the dock into the pool. The dog is allowed up to 40’ of dock to take a run at before it jumps in. A novice dog would be expected to leap up to 9 feet 11 inches. Super elite dogs are capable of leaping more than 25 feet. So if you know your dog can easily jump above and beyond these distances, bring them along because they may well become an instant champion!
In Extreme Vertical: the dog is required to leap vertically to reach a bumper suspended in the air.
Speed Retrieve: the dog is timed and has to run from a start line, down the dock, into the pool, and then swim to retrieve a toy.
Iron Dog: the dog competes in all three of the above disciplines. The most successful dogs are good at all three sports.
From Retrievers to Weimaraners and Labradors, there are likely to be a large number of highly competitive dogs showing off their skills. Owners will be holding their breath to see if their dog has what it takes to win in the highly competitive world of Dock Dogs. Spectators can enjoy the sun and make their own bets as to who is the likely winner.
Online registration for the event closes June 8th and the event kicks off on Friday 11th with registration and a practice at 2:00 pm. Entry for the events is $20-$30 and for the rankings, fees are $30-$40. The event format will be as follows: Outdoor Big Air, Extreme Vertical & Speed Retrieve. Dogs must be at least 6 months and handlers a minimum of 7 years old.
