Dogs to make a splash at Millerton event


MILLERTON — If you and your best friend are looking for something fun to do this weekend, you won’t have to look much further than Ledgewood Kennel in Millerton, where there’s to be a dock diving event for pooches from small to large.

"The dog runs down a 40-foot dock and jumps into a 40-foot long pool and then we measure from the end of the dock to the end of his tail," explained kennel owner Kirby Barrett. "This is now a very popular sport."

Those who are new to the event are invited to attend, with their dogs, a novice’s practice day on Friday, June 22, from noon to 7 p.m. There will be free jumps for anybody who wants to try it.

"This is geared more to people who have never done it before who really just want to try it," she said. "That’s why we’re having free jumps on Friday."

On Saturday and Sunday, during the competitive events, jumps, at two per dog, are called "waves," and cost $5. Barrett said the dogs go wild for the waves.

"The dogs absolutely love the sport," she said. "My 10-year-old yellow Lab never jumped until the year before and she loves it. When I take out a certain ball that we use for the pool she goes ballistic. She starts to run for the pool. She absolutely loves it. It’s a very addictive sport for the dogs."

And if your dog is not a large, or even medium sized dog, there’s a special lap dog division for smaller animals to compete in. That competition will be held both Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise the divisions are determined by the length of jump that your dog does: novice, junior, senior and elite. Right now the current dockdiving dog champ is a greyhound mix named Country from Pennsylvania, whose record is 29 feet 10 inches.

To see if that record is going to be broken this weekend, bring a lawn chair and some sunscreen to Ledgewood Kennel, located at 639 Smithfield Road in Millerton. The Friday event is free; it runs from noon until 7 p.m. The Saturday and Sunday competitions are free to spectators and cost dog owners $5 a wave; the competitions run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you bring your dog onto the premises you must bring proof of rabies vaccination, and not just a tag. The rabies certificate may be faxed to the kennel ahead of time, to 518-789-6354. For more information call Ledgewood Kennel at 518-789-6353 or e-mail info@ledgewoodkennel.com. For more information on the sport, go to dockdogs.com.

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