# ANOTHER Dock Dog Question...



## S-Dog's Mom (Jan 9, 2009)

For you Dock Dog/Splash Dog veterans....

Registration/practice begins at 9am. Is an hour early a reasonable time to show up?

Also looking for some newbie answers
....
Things you wished you had brought your first time but didn't..
Things you wished you knew your first time but didn't...

Thanks! :wavey:


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

If "registration/practice" start at 9AM, I would not get there any earlier than 8:30. Get there just early enough to get your self set up. If you have nothing to set up, arrive at 9AM. DH and I get to events about an hour before the jump starts. That gives us time to set up our pop up, walk dogs, check in, visit with friends, get a couple practice jumps in (we don't do too many) and be ready. 

Now you want "more" practice jumps since you are a newbie, so if it were me, I would be there when check in opens, so I can be early in line and get checked in and start jumping. Jump lines start to build fast, to me it is the WORST part of dock jumping. Most seasoned participants wait for the "dry dog only" call. 

Remember to let people know you have never done this, you want instruction to assist you. It will be very beneficial to you and your dog. They may let your dog go off the ramp first to see it is water, then advise you to NOT run the full length of the dock, throw short back up a couple feet and let your dog get the toy. Then next attempt move farther back on the jump, then farther etc. It's ALL about confidence, so you need to encourage that. 

It is a fun addicting sport! You and your dog will have fun, I am sure. You will meet great people. 

READ THE RULES!!! No pinch collars on the dock, no tags on the collar, your throw toy must float, a lot of venues do not allow natural sticks. No flexi leashes. Every thing is for the safety of the dogs and handlers. I recommend taking a few throw toys. A lot of people show up with tennis balls, but dogs often lose them in pools. I like the training bumpers as they are easy for me to throw, and I need all the help I can get there  Wubbas are very popular. Don't be embarrassed if you throw out of the pool, I can NOT tell you how many times I have done that. :doh:

If this link works, it is a video of Teddi from last Nov. She did not like the noise indoors, not her best jump. You can hear me being instructed when to throw. I could not hear a word on the dock. LOL We had fun though!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfc_3Z3PVrU


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

S-Dog's Mom said:


> Things you wished you had brought your first time but didn't..


- towels (duh)
- A change of clothes for me and/or quick drying clothes (okay wasn't such a big deal the first time, but the second time I was soaked from head to toe and it was maybe 50° outside!)
- crate
- quick dry collar and leash I didn't care about (I had my leather leash the first time... ugh)
- chair -- the first time we went there were bleachers to sit in, second time, there was nothing.
- camera and/or camcorder (I remembered the first time, but not the second :doh



S-Dog's Mom said:


> Things you wished you knew your first time but didn't...


- Everyone is so friendly
- It can be chaos

Lots of people work their dogs barefoot. My water/hiking sandals worked well -- you don't want to spend they day in wet shoes.


Have fun!


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## S-Dog's Mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Barefoot? I have never thought of that! And also would never have thought about a change of clothes. Chair will be packed/ Hoping to remember the camera!

Well, as luck would have it, I have managed to find a Dock Diving club in Middleton, NY that is holding a practice tomorrow.

It's about a 3-hour drive for me, but we are going to take Simon (I laugh and tell people we're driving 3 hours one-way to throw my dog into a pool). These folks have been really great (Hudson Valley Dock Dogs--their website features a Golden on the main page!)

Soooo... we won't be SUPER_Newbies when we arrive next weekend. I'll be much more confident about what I'm doing, which will certaily help Simon, I'm sure.

The best part is that I get to meet some of my fellow GRF'ers.. I think I'm more excited about that than the actual event!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

> Well, as luck would have it, I have managed to find a Dock Diving club in Middleton, NY that is holding a practice tomorrow.
> 
> It's about a 3-hour drive for me, but we are going to take Simon (I laugh and tell people we're driving 3 hours one-way to throw my dog into a pool). These folks have been really great (Hudson Valley Dock Dogs--their website features a Golden on the main page!)
> 
> Soooo... we won't be SUPER_Newbies when we arrive next weekend. I'll be much more confident about what I'm doing, which will certaily help Simon, I'm sure.


OMG I think I might know some people who might be there. I have a friend in CT named Alisa, she has yellow labs (Colby, Pooh, and Abe) and Anna, she might be one of the club organizers. Anna jumps a Belgian Teruvian (sp?) named Pico. If you see either one of them, say "Ann from MI" says hi!!! 

I have only met Anna via email and boards, she is very nice, her dog was the number one dog in the country a couple years ago, knocking on Country's world record. Alisa I have personally met once, but she has helped me with Teddi vet advice often, she is a vet. She has 8 dogs!!! Super super nice, salt of the earth people. 

Be sure to let us know how the practice goes!

One other reason you may want to take a change of clothes, a bad step off the dock does happen. I have never taken a change of clothes, I don't know why. It could happen to anyone.


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