Two Dog Tales

Ever catch a dock dog competition on one of those cable tv channels? This weekend you can see one in person, just about an hour’s drive from DC in Bel Air, Md. From Thurs. July 29 to Sun. Aug. 1, the Harford County Farm Fair presented by Royal Canin will hold competitions at the Equestrian Center at 608 North Tollgate Rd, Bel Air, 21014.

Here’s a clip from last year’s event:

Is your dog a water-lover? You might have a hidden champion! You can enter your dog in classes like Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical. Registration fees range from $20-40 per dog per class. Rules and policies are on the website.

I found this in-depth view of the sport, including interviews with trainers, descriptions of the different types of classes, and footage from the 2007 competition in New York City:

This is your only chance to see a dock dogs competition in the local area this summer. Now if only there was a class called “drowning your sister,” Sundae would be a shoe-in for champion: