On The Road To Stardom
Dog sports are new to me, but they have caught my attention. There’s agility, flyball, racing, surfing, varying dog shows, and now, dog diving. I love it all.
My first impression of dog diving is this must be like the traditional diving sport. Naturally, this piques my interest. I envision a dog on a high board, springing into the air to twist in a dance of flips. The entry has minimal splash. The scoreboards of judges flash numbers in approval.
By the way, dogs can flip too. I’ve seen it! What I picture in my mind is not the reality of what happens, but the sport doesn’t disappoint. I view the dog diving sport as something akin to a long-jump or high jump.
The sport has been around for 20 years. Diving involves dogs sprinting off a level, 40ft platform, also called a ‘dock,’ leaping into the air to retrieve an item. Dogs may dive for length or height, and the sport also includes timed retrieval swim trials. It’s exciting to watch, and my mouth is still agape in awe at the amazing feats of these canines, which brings us to this story about Spitfire.
In the exciting realm of dog sports, Spitfire is at the apex of his dog diving career. Spitfire, nicknamed ‘Spitty’ by friends and family, is a whippet of 7 years. On the surface, he looks and behaves just like any other dog. However, in the world of dog diving, many consider this humble dog a world-class diver. Across the sport, fans laud Spitfire, even comparing him to great athletes past and present like Jordan, LeBron James, or Babe Ruth.
How High
Hailing from Olympia, Washington, his 15 year-old owner and trainer, Sydney Mackey, backs him.
In 2013, Mackey got Spitfire as a puppy. She didn’t decide to pursue the sport until a friend prompted her to try it out, noting how fun it is. The rest is history. Their journey began when Sydney was 11, and Spitfire was 3, with Brown Dog University as their stomping ground.
Brown Dog University is a dive training, boarding, and general dog training facility in Gig Harbor, Washington. Since catapulting onto the scene, Spitfire has broken 21 records, flying past 30ft in his jumps. His high jump is over 8ft.
Spitfire’s regimen resembles that of an elite athlete. A strict performance diet, regular massages, and acupuncture help to keep him in top shape. When weather isn’t favorable, Spitfire walks indoors on a treadmill. The training pays off. Together, Mackey and Spitfire have won two North America Diving Dogs (NADD) national championships.
For all of the accolades, Mackey like her dog remains humble. Mackey’s mother speaks to the mutual love shared between Sydney and Spitfire. Sydney hopes that others can recognize Spitfire not just as an athlete, but also as the sweet and loving companion he is to his family.
I look at Toby Jr. and picture him dock diving. I think that really would be fun. Recently, he leaped from a top-flight of stairs and dislocated his knee. He hears the garage door opening and realizes someone is home, so he sprints to the basement door. It doesn’t take more than two steps, and he’s airborne.
He made a full recovery thankfully. I think leaping into water ought to be safer overall. I’ll have to come up with a roar to get him excited to jump. I don’t know if anyone can compete with Sydney’s high pitched battle cry.
Be sure to watch the remarkable story of their journey below.
Source; E:60 via Youtube