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cynthiarose User is Offline

COLORADO

MH
Posts:133

03/04/2013 7:39 AM
Well Saturday was Havoc's introduction to dock diving. We have an indoor dog pool about 10 minutes from us, they don't have an actual dock, but do have the ramp and allow the dogs to jump in from the side as well (it's about a 10 inch drop to the water). Havoc learned to use the ramp pretty quickly, and was retreiving well. We tried to toss toys in from the side a couple of times but he wasn't about to just JUMP into the water, he'd run around to the ramp each time. This was his first time at the pool (a completely different water environment than he's been in before) so we didn't do much but just let him play. Any tips for getting him to JUMP into the water? We're planning on going 2-3x a month to this pool and in May we're going to venture about 45 minutes to the actual dock diving practice facility here (they have an indoor dock). It's just mighty pricey to travel there too often ($90/hour to practice using the dock). We do travel to a few outdoor events where dock diving takes place and we'd like to enter Havoc if he'll jump at all. The first one is the first weekend of June so we'll be training for the next couple of months for it.

kpwlee

Raleigh, NC

MH
Posts:992

03/04/2013 7:54 AM
there are several very experienced dock divers on here so I am sure you'll get some excellent input. I have heard from many that jumping into the pool is VERY different and takes an adjustment. My dog does not leap into ANY water LOL - I've tried for years and only gotten him to do it a few times and they were more like falling in.

It's Bugsy's world... http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/

RyanGSP

MH
Posts:427

03/04/2013 10:15 AM
You mean like this?

cynthiarose User is Offline

COLORADO

MH
Posts:133

03/04/2013 11:13 AM
RyanGSP I'll have to check those photos out at home, my work blocks any photobucket photos. Havoc doesn't hesitate running in and out of the water and swims very well and he'll even kind of jump off mbankments at some of the ponds we've visited. He almost fell into the pool once on Saturday and then after that he was pretty much done playing.

kpwlee

Raleigh, NC

MH
Posts:992

03/04/2013 6:55 PM
Seriously the pool is the issue - Bugsy is a swimming fool but he also fell into a pool and was floundering as if he couldn't swim. I think once Havoc gets more comfortable with the pool and the fact its immediately deep water he'll be fine. I have a friend who is a professional trainer and she taught her dogs dock diving by going to a lake or pond and getting them to just dive into the shallow stuff. She used a life vest at first and just got them to the point where they never thought about the jump, just the toy. Soon after they were all leaping into water and all compete in dock diving now and do very well. Her youngest is a malinois and she was the hardest to get comfortable but once she was, she was awesome.

It's Bugsy's world... http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7834

03/04/2013 9:50 PM
I took mine to an official dock diving training facility and it is the clear water plus the dock is two feet off the water. All of mine jump into lakes and bays and even off a pier that is two feet off the water in the bay where my folks have a house. When we got to the dock diving pool All of mine would sim in the pool. My oldest girl dove right in off the dock with no hesitation. My boy who I thought would have no problems balked several times and then decided he liked easing off the dock into the water. My youngest was fine as long as I was in the pool, but otherwise she would jump over to the ext ramp and walk in. All three that I took reacted different and it was funny to watch them puzzle through the challenge. Just take your time with them and go at their pace.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

smatulewicz User is Offline

Michigan

MH
Posts:1187

03/05/2013 7:45 PM
I'm so jealous you guys have these places you can go to. We were going to take Bella to the nearest event (which was still nearly four hours away), but she hit maturation and was on house arrest. We weren't going to enter her, just wanted to watch...and maybe try the dock and clear water out if there was open dock time. There is an event that if I knew she'd jump into the clear water we considered maybe trying just for fun. The "fetch it" event where they really just jump in, swim after a buoy that was tossed in and pulled to the finish....alongside a competing dog with mesh separating them. I'm not sure it would be the right thing to do with a pool, but her first jump off a dock i could tell she wanted to, but paused briefly with hesitation (doing the weeble wobble) so I gave her a tiny little nudge to help her make her mind up (right? lol) after that she realized she could do it and it was fine. She got a HUGE praise party, my husband was in the water at the end waiting for her...so she had all positive associations. She's been in love with it since. Can you get in the water with her at this facility?

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7834

03/05/2013 9:49 PM
Yes you can and are encouraged to do so with new dogs.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

cynthiarose User is Offline

COLORADO

MH
Posts:133

03/06/2013 12:15 PM
I'll have to ask if we can get in the water... don't know why I didn't think of that. The "instructor" did just until she was sure he could swim and then she just left us to play with him. Next time we're also going to bring his new favorite toy at home and see if he'll chase that in.

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7834

03/06/2013 3:55 PM
You should be able to get in the water with him. I have found I can get mine more motivated when play with me is the reward when they are first learning something. So by all means get in with him. Also let him watch and get excited about another dog jumping. Don't talk to him allot. Let him think it through and figure it out. Each dog is different. He may get it fast or it could take several sessions.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

MOOSE1

Fruitport, MI

MH
Posts:1789

03/09/2013 7:26 AM
It really just takes lots and lots of repetition and positive repetition at that. And major toy drive helps as well. We have a toy called a "wubba" the only time we use it is at dock jumping and during dock jumping practice. So the dogs know what it is for! Our girls consistently jump 22' + . One will be 5 this year the other just turned 2. Keep at it you will get there!

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