# Ozzy's First Dock Diving Practice!



## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Yesterday, one of my friends who used to be on my flyball team posted something about how a training facility was going to hold a dock diving practice for $10. 

There were only 12 total spots available, so you had to call in advance to reserve. Since it was just a practice (more like a fun-day kinda thing), there wasn't going to be any instruction given and the dogs had to already know to jump off the dock. 

Ozzy jumps off the dock at the dog park no problem-o. I was so excited - I called and reserved my spot. 

I woke up this morning and had a horrifying realization. OZZY'S TERRIFIED OF SWIMMING POOLS. He loves swimming in lakes and dark water, but refused to go any closer than 4 feet to the edge of a swimming pool. He'd get to his comfort zone and lean forward as far as he could without moving his feet to look at the water, but get in it? NOPE. 
If he was examining the water and someone poked him, he'd BOLT. 

So I made an emergency run to my dad's house to try and get him used to the pool as fast as I possibly could. 

I grabbed his ball and hopped in the water and used his ball to lure him in. Took a whole 2 minutes for him to come in and get the ball from me. 

Repeated this several times, then I tried seeing if he'd jump in the pool after his ball. 
YUP. Had zero hesitation flying into the water after his ball! I'd never seen any living creature get over a fear so fast! In literally MINUTES, he had no qualms about the pool he used to refuse to come closer than 4 feet to. 

After some of that, I tried taking it to the next step - the diving board! 
I put him on the end of the board and tossed the ball in, but he cheated and got off the board and jumped in from the edge of the pool. I put his life jacket on, which seemed to help up his confidence, and he was soon launching off the diving board! 

After some of that, I tried taking his life jacket off to see if he'd jump off, and sure 'nuff - he did! 

In less than 45 minutes he went from being paralyzed with fear being at the pool's edge to leaping in the pool from the diving board. 

We went to the dock diving practice, and he wasn't rockin' it as hard as he was at Dad's pool, but hey! Gotta give the dude credit! 
He did still jump off the dock a few times and retrieve his ball. I'm still thrilled he jumped off at all, considering this was all cram-packed in a single day! 
Not to mention, he was thrown into a whole new environment, tossed onto a dock he'd never been exposed to before with dogs and people all over the place - so I think he did pretty darn good, considering a few hours prior, he was terrified of clear, blue water! 

At the dock practice, the life jacket actually seemed to hinder him. Halfway through his second try, I took it off of him, and he jumped right in.  

I think with a bit more practice, he'll be earning ribbons in no time.  
Unfortunately, I don't have pics of him at the dock diving practice, but here's a few of him at Dad's, along with some video! (Last two are videos).

Meanwhile, he is OUT LIKE A TROUT. 

Was teachin' him where the steps were. 




Whee-hee!!


Ba-ting!


Promise, I didn't throw him in any of these pics. LOL


Makin' his way to the steps. 


Takin' off!


My wittle drowned rat. x3


Trying to walk on water - doesn't work well. 


Super-hero flying over the water is a much better tactic. 


Started drying myself off with the towel. Apparently he wanted to use it, too!


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Great photos, is he going compete eventually?


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

SO ADORABLE! There aren't many small dogs jumping around here! I want my new pom to do this, but I'm sure there's no well in h e double hockey sticks that's going to happen. haha.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I definitely hope to compete with him. I don't know exactly how competitive I'll be with him in dock diving/jumping, but I know that sometimes they hold trials locally. At one flyball tournament we went to (I think it was actually his very first one), there was a dock dogs thing where anyone could pay to enter and you could win ribbons.


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

Ozzy is a cool little Pom! Nice pictures.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Shh, I don't think he knows he's a Pom. LOL


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Good for Ozzie! My labs do dock diving and really enjoy it, but a lot of dogs that are afraid of the pool never learn to do it. So Ozzie and you are really amazing! He's cute too.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

GO OZZY I want an ozzy dawg


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