"Your dogs do what?"

It all began when I had my first Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Shelby. She was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia at seven months old. As the vet gave me a run down of my options which were: I could put her down, give her a couple of good years and when she could no longer walk I could put her down, or I could have surgery performed on both of her hips. The only option I truly heard and even considered was surgery. My love for this girl was already so strong and I believed in my heart of hearts that whatever it took that she deserved the chance to have a full life. Shelby underwent major surgery, called a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy, on both hips and as a result she lived an active life and blessed me with 14 years and 9 months. One of her favorite activities was swimming which is pretty much the norm if you own a Chessie. In fact, even some of the most well-trained Chessies are notorious for not coming out of the water.

Shelby at 6 months

 Shelby at 12

One day as I was snuggled up with Shelby watching tv I happened to catch The Great Outdoor Games. I was in awe of the dogs flying off of a dock into the water. I thought to myself, “Now that not only looks like a blast, but that’s impressive!” Shelby was in the winter of her life and I knew that at some point down the line I would have another Chesapeake. Little did I know I would end up with two.

The Great Outdoor Games produced legends in the sport of dock jumping. I would eventually have the honor of meeting some of those legends such as Little Morgan owned by Mike Jackson, Sparky owned by Milt Wilcox, and Nestle owned by Angie Jones. The Great Outdoor Games was the first, but not last time that I would see dogs fearlessly leaping off of a dock into the water. My next glimpse was an airing of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. I do recall uttering the words, "I'd love to try that someday." 

Someday eventually came and with her she brought gifts. Those gifts would teach me synchronicity, teamwork, patience, pride, humility, how to win and how to lose. Most importantly, I realized more than ever that the loyalty and bond between humans and their canine companions is truly one of unconditional love and explicit trust. The amazing experiences I've had, and the friendships made, far surpass any expectation that I could have ever had. I was just a girl who asked a man, "How do I know if my dog can do this?" That man was Milt Wilcox. Milt was my first teacher in the sport and after our first event we were hooked. So began our adventure......