Media

Diving dogs

by Angus M. Thuermer Jr. May 29, 2020May 28, 2020

Zooma takes off from the dock at New Fork Lake in a photograph that doesn’t quite capture the whole picture. Certainly you can do better. (Angus M. Thuermer, Jr./WyoFile)

For many dog owners, there’s nothing more satisfying than playing fetch with their companions in a body of water.

Throw the stick, release the dog, watch the splash, shout encouragement and smile. Repeat.

Summer is full of this.

Why don’t you show us? For the rest of the season, WyoFile will be accepting your best photographs of Rover, Spot, Lassie, Buck, Cujo and all the rest as they leap into the water.

Send your jpeg files to editor@wyofile.com with a note that includes your dog’s name, your name and contact information, where you shot the photograph and other information you think is interesting; What’s your dog’s breed? How old is your pet? Put “Diving dog” in the subject line.

We’ll collect them and publish a gallery at the end of the summer.

This is for fun, even though some people and dogs take diving seriously.

North American Diving Dogs publishes an 18-page rules book for its competitions. For the distance event, for example, the measure is made at “the point where the base of the dog’s tail enters the water.”

Sounders, a whippet owned by Laurel Behnke, holds the NADD world distance record at 36 feet 2 inches — about six social distances in today’s measurements.

Of course, competition is complicated. There’s a rule regarding you-know-what. Elimination could lead to elimination.

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If your competitor-companion in a NADD event expels “in such a way it must be cleaned up on any part of the dock, platform, ramp or in the pool … the dog will be asked to leave the dock immediately.”

We’re not holding Wyoming leapers to such high standards. Have fun and send us your photographs.

Angus M. Thuermer Jr.

Angus M. Thuermer Jr. is the natural resources reporter for WyoFile. He is a veteran Wyoming reporter and editor with more than 35 years experience in Wyoming. Contact him at angus@wyofile.com or (307)... More by Angus M. Thuermer Jr.

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