What do you get when you mix five Labradors, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and a 19,000 gallon pool? You get some of the best high flying canines in the country competing at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. The regional competition is being held at the Central Florida Fair this weekend.

An elite group of competitors are set to take to the dock on Saturday to determine who will advance on to the finals at Purina Farms, in St. Louis later this year. All of the dogs featured in this competition are easily jumping over 22’ feet [measured at the base of the tail] and have been the winners at previous competitions this year hosted by Ultimate Air Dogs.

This list of competitors include:

Rob Weiss & Midnight [BL]
Courtney Graham & Gauge [CL]
Joann Chronister & Rebel [YL]
Perry Ludwig & Lily [YL]
Patrick Moultrup & Duke [GSP]
Ron Parker & Dakota [CBR]
Alisa Wayland & Colby [YL]

Local dogs will also have a shot to compete in a last-chance qualifier on Friday. For a complete schedule of events click here.

Other events included in the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge are Agility, Jack Russell Hurdle Racing, 60-Weave Poll Racing, Freestyle Flying, and Disc.

Another huge step of progress in the sport dock-jumping was made on Monday with an announcement from DockDogs regarding the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. The press release below gives all of the details [as excerpted from www.dockdogs.com].

Mar 31, 2008 at 12:00 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Medina, OH March 31, 2008: J4 Promotions Inc. is pleased to announce that the DockDogs® Big Air® World Champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2008 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Championships competition this October. The invitation becomes part of the DockDogs® World Championships prize package structure for the Big Air® Competition. “We’ve been in discussions with Purina for awhile about having the DockDogs® World Champion compete at the Challenge. We now feel that the time is right to proceed with this opportunity considering the steep growth curve of the sport and the opportunity to contribute even more to its growth through exposure at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge,” said Grant Reeves, CEO for DockDogs®. “We are honored to have the opportunity to send the winning Big Air team to the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge because it is considered one of the premiere canine sporting events in the country where the ‘best of the best’ come to compete for the title of ‘Top Dog.’” Not only is the number of canines participating in the dog diving sport increasing, but the level of talent among the top diving teams in the country continues to improve. Both the Big Air competition and the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, promote the sport as a great bonding opportunity for dog owners and their dogs, as well as a perfect outlet for channeling a dog’s energy into something positive. “2008 is an extra special year of Olympic proportions for not only the human athletes, who will vie for gold medals at the Summer Games, but also for the canine athletes, who will compete in Olympic-style events at the Challenge, ranging from agility to freestyle flying disc to dog diving,” said Jim Allen, Manager Experiential Marketing, Nestle Purina PetCare. “We expect that the addition of the DockDogs World Champion to the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Finals dog diving competitor list, will take the competition to the next level, and could result in a couple world-record breaking performances”. As an added bonus to the invitation, DockDogs will contribute $500.00 toward the winning team’s travel expenses. For more information, stay tuned to www.dockdogs.com or www.purina.com.

Sweet, satisfying, and up-lifting, Tasha the DockDogs veteran will make you melt with her big, brown eyes. A bundle of energy and joy at nine-years old, you wouldn’t suspect by looking at her that she is battling cancer. In January, Jim Linde, Tasha’s owner, was told that she had bone cancer after an X-ray revealed abnormalities in her front leg.

Tasha began her dock-jumping career in 2005. She holds both Junior and Senior level national titles and has two legs towards her regional Master’s title. This beautiful chocolate lab is known throughout the sport for her accomplishments as a veteran dog. Natasha Troublesome Molly was one of ten puppies born on September 26, 1998, to Double Trouble Molly and Southgate Chase of New Canaan, Connecticut.

Although Tasha’s prognosis and jumping career are uncertain at this point, Jim continues to be a huge supporter of the sport. In March he attended a competition in Columbus, Ohio, and helped to raise money for “Chase Away K-9 Cancer,” a foundation started by fellow DockDogs member, Cera Reusser. Tasha and Harry, Jim’s other Labrador, wore a vest in which they collected donations for the foundation. To date, “Chase Away K-9 Cancer” has raised over $100,000 in partnership with the American College of Veterinary Medicine. The money raised will go toward canine cancer research.

Jim eagerly looks forward to spending quality time with both of his beautiful dogs this Spring. Harry, one of the pups from the litter between DockDogs’ Elite jumper Sir Harley and Princess Nala of Indiana Creek Labs, will make his DockDogs debut at the end of June.

Jim Linde is professional photographer who has a gift for capturing the true essence and beauty of animals. You can view his work on his website www.pet-photo.net

[Photos compliments of Jim Linde and Terri K.]

The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge[IDC], is a nationally televised competition that features the very best canine competitors across eight different sports. Dock jumping or the “Diving Dog Competition” is always one of the crowd favorites.

Ultimate Air Dogs supplies all of the qualifiers to the Purina IDC Eastern Regional Finals. The winner at each of their designated Purina qualifying events will get to go to Florida on April 25 -26, 2008 for the regional finals. The top dogs from the Western and Eastern Regional Finals are then invited to compete in the National Finals at Purina Farms. Seven, the 2007 Purina IDC Champion receives an automatic invite to the National Finals.

This year Ultimate Air Dogs has eight spots that are up for grabs. Qualifiers so far include:

1. Gauge [Courtney Graham]
3. Rebel [Joann Chronister]
4. Lily [Perry Ludwig]
5. Midnight [Rob]
6. Duke [Patrick]
7. Grand Rapids event qualifier [TBD on 3/16]
8. Chantilly event qualifier [TBD on 3/30]
9. Cincinnati event qualifier [TBD on 4/13]

With three spots left, the upcoming competitions in Grand Rapids, Chantilly, and Cincinnati will be very intense.

The devastating pet food recalls that rippled throughout the world in 2007 has claimed the life of one of dock jumping’s finest. Beautiful Abbey, loved faithfully by Dan and Linda Myers, courageously fought for her life for over a year after tainted pet food damaged her kidneys. Abbey, a gorgeous yellow Labrador with a unique copper nose and a huge heart, brought beauty, grace, and class to the ever-growing sport of dock jumping. Abbey excelled at both Big Air and Extreme Vertical. Click here to see a video of Abbey jumping.

Dan and Linda got Abbey at a discounted rate because her copper colored nose was not considered “show quality”. However that didn’t matter to the Myers’. “Abbey chose us. She was the only puppy that really cared we were there and when we picked her up she didn’t whine or struggle, she was content. I can’t imagine any dog better than Abbey and we clearly got the “pick of the litter,” Dan Myers said.

Abbey’s legacy will live on though her puppies, who are all involved in the sport. In November of 2006, Abbey gave birth to Abraham [Abe], Blue [Barley], and Piper. Abe [Team Blabador] and Barley went to loving, dock-jumping homes, and the Myers family kept Piper.

Abbey will truly be missed and nothing will ever fill the void that was created when she passed away. However we are blessed with being able to watch her pups, who are the spitting image of her, continue to fly off the dock for years to come.

Click here to see a moving tribute to Abbey’s life, created by Alisa and Scott Wayland of Team Blabador.

Extreme Vertical or Ultimate Vertical is the canine competition where dogs leap from a dock at about a 45 degree angle in an attempt to grab a bumper that is suspended from a pole at varying heights, before plunging into the pool or other body of water below. The following is a list of dogs that are a part of the exclusive “7 Foot Club” and have achieved jumps of 7′ or more.

Country 7′10“
Ares 7′6″
Jade 7′6″
Reggie 7′6″
Stryker 7′6″
Colby 7′4″
Flash 7′4″
Gauge 7′4″
Sarge 7′4″
Savanna Jane 7′4″
Kayla 7′2″
Kasey 7′2″
Lucy 7′2″
Nestle 7′2″
Pepper 7′2″
Sky 7′2″
Wylie 7′2″
Abbey Jo 7′0″
Alex 7′0″
Black Jack 7′0″
Bridger 7′0″
Doc 7′0″
Lady 7′0″
Kita 7′0″
Major 7′0″
Willow 7′0″

This season has started out with a bang for Ares, the 2 year old rookie Belgian Malinois handled by Jeff out of Ohio. Not once, but twice this year he has broken the Indoor World Record in the DockDogs Extreme Vertical competition. At the first event of this season in Chicago, Ares snatched the bumper from 7 ft., 1 in. The following weekend in Louisville, he made a 7ft. 2 inch grab with the greatest of ease.

A newcomer to this rapidly growing sport, Ares has only been jumping since last summer. He was first competing in Big Air, but Jeff knew he wasn’t jumping to the fullest of his ability. A fellow competitor took note of Ares long, lanky limbs and suggested he may be a good candidate for the Extreme Vertical competition. A homemade practicing device and a few practices jumps later, Ares was soaring after the bumper.

Ares first Extreme Vertical competition was the Outdoor Channel Last Chance Qualifier in Nelsonville, Ohio. After easily breezing through the cadet division, Ares qualified for the finals which featured some of the top jumpers in the world. Not only did Ares prove he could hold his own against the “big dogs”, he won the event with a solid 7 ft., 4 in. grab and was crowned the Outdoor Channel National Champion. Not to shabby for a dog who had only been practicing a few weeks.

After their win in Ohio, Jeff and Ares traveled to the DockDogs National Championship to once again compete against the best in the sport. After an attempt to break the DockDogs Outdoor World Record of 7 ft, 11 in. but falling short, Ares was crowned the 2007 Dock Dogs National EV Top Gun Champion.

This dog is an exciting and beautiful dog to watch on the dock and flying through the air. Look for Ares to continue his winning streak and jump over the 8ft. mark this year.

This weekend is once again packed with leaping dog action in the world of dock jumping. Two of the big organizations have events this weekend.

NMMA Louisville Boat, RV & Sport Show
Jan 28-Feb 3, 2008
Louisville, KY
Click here for show information.

Look for some great jumps from some mid-west dogs along with perhaps another Indoor Extreme Vertical World Record.

Shot Show 2008
Feb 2-5, 2008
Las Vegas, NV
Click here for show information.

Great west coast dogs will be present and look for a new Indoor World Record to be set.

Sandestin Resort Mardis Gras Celebration Jump
Feb 2-3 2008
Destin, FL
Click here for show information.

The winner of this jump will be invited to the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. Look for big jumps out of dogs from the Georgia Air Dawgs.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Diving Dog Winner, Seven, won the Ultimate Air Dogs competition this past weekend in Long Island, New York. This incredible jumping German Short-haired Pointer handled by Rob and Kim DeDora, jumped 25 feet, 3 inches. This is a huge jump for an indoor venue. Incredibly fast and unfailingly consistent, Seven is one of the top ten jumping dogs in the world right now.

In comparison, Jumpin George, a beautiful yellow Labrador handled by Dave Speed, won the Chicago DockDogs event with a jump of 22 feet, 9 inches.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the Chicago event was a new DockDogs Indoor World Record in the Extreme Vertical competition. Ares, a long legged jumping machine snatched the bumper from a height of 7 feet, 1 inch.

Out in California, Makena, a Flat-Coated Retriever handled by Stacie Enriquez jumped 22 feet, 4 inches, to win the Splash Dogs competition.

The only Big Air competition this week is being held by DockDogs at the Louisville Boat, RV, and Sportshow.

This weekend is jam packed with leaping dog action in the world of dock jumping. The big 3 organizations have their first events of 2008.

Chicagoland Outdoors Show
Jan 16-20, 2008
Rosemont, IL
Click here for show information.

International Sportsmens Expo
January 17-20, 2008
Sacramento, CA
Click here for show information.

Long Island-New York City Big Air Dogs Club
The National Sportfishing, Hunting, & Outdoor Expo
Jan 18-20, 2008
Long Island, New York
Click here for show information.