Canine athletes from across the country to compete in world qualifying DockDogs event

Some amazing canine athletes from around the country will be competing in Goldston, N.C., this month, diving off of docks and into pools as they compete to be the fastest, highest and longest jumping dogs.

Carolina DockDogs Club, the state's chapter for DockDogs World, will be hosting the event in Goldston, which is about 50 minutes from Raleigh in Chatham County. This weekend is open practice to prepare for next weekend's three-day world qualifying event. There even will be a Guinness Book of World Records attempt, Michelle Grainger, a board member for the N.C. chapter, tells me. DockDogs competitions have aired on ESPN.

"It's exciting and it's addictive (in a good healthy way)," Grainger said in an email.

What is DockDogs?

It runs canine aquatic competitions. According to DockDogs' website, competitions are open to any breed, mix and size of dog. Dogs just must be at least six months old. Their handlers must be at least seven years to practice or compete. DockDogs features three events - Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical.

Big Air

Big Air is essentially a long jump for dogs. They run and jump into the water after a throw toy. They are judged for the distance from the end of the dock to where the tail set of the dog breaks the water's surface, DockDogs' website says. It's the original and most popular DockDog competition.

Speed Retrieve

This is a timed event and is the newest form of DockDogs competition. Here's how the website describes it: "At the far end of the pool a bumper toy is suspended two inches above the water with a starting indicator light above it. The dog is then placed at the 20-foot white starting mark on the dock. When the light turns green, the handler releases the dog. The time clock stops when the dog has pulled the toy from the Speed Retrieve bracket."

Extreme Vertical

This one is the high jump for dogs. They start on the dock and jump up to grab a toy that's extended over the water. The starting height is four feet, six inches and goes up in two-inch increments as the competition moves forward.

North Carolina DockDogs events in April

Grainger tells me competition is family friendly and free. All are welcome to come and watch this weekend or next weekend.

This weekend, there is an open practice. It's free to watch, but there is a cost to participate. For Carolina DockDogs members, it's $5 for a full day of practice where dogs can jump as many times as they'd like. For non-members, it's $15. If you haven't been to an event like this before and would like to bring your dog, check out the Carolina DockDogs' website, which lists what you'll need to bring.

Next weekend is the world qualifying event - the second annual Bark at Noah's Ark. The event also will serve as a charity fundraiser for a boy who was born premature in August 2015.

All events will take place at Indian Creek K9 Aquatics, 96 Indian Creek Est., Goldston.