German Shorthaired Pointers Take Dock Diving to New Heights by Channeling Their Inner Swans
All dogs have their own special talents, even if they're not obvious at first. For example? My dog is talented at eating everything off my daughter's plate the second that we're not looking (not that the kid minds having an excuse not to finish her dinner and get back to playing). Other dogs tend to be more athletic — that's something we see all the time in dog shows. While there are plenty of pups out there who will happily spend their days going on relaxed walks and lounging on the couch with their humans, others thrive when given a sporty challenge.
And speaking of sporty, I definitely think the German Shorthaired Pointers in this video from Instagram definitely qualify. Not only do they look right at home in the water, but they have a pretty impressive way of getting there.
Recently, @pointerpawprints took to the social media app to share this video of their German Shorthaired Pointers, Maddi and Sophie, as they show off their very impressive diving skills.
One minute, these two are standing on a dock, and the next, they're sailing into the water, hitting some truly awe inspiring heights along the way. If there was an Olympic diving team for dogs, there's no way that Maddi and Sophie wouldn't qualify!
Whether they're jumping alone or alongside their human, the height and the precision here are truly unmatched... and they seem like pretty strong swimmers once they're in the water, too. Then again, with skills like this, I don't doubt that they have both had plenty of practice.
Commenters are just as amazed as I am, and some even pointed out that their own German Shorthaired Pointers are exceptional divers, too! One fellow dog parent wrote, "Both of our GSP boys jump in our pool like this together."
Diving Dog Competitions
While there aren't official Olympics for dogs, those who are gifted in the diving department like these two are able to show their stuff and go up against other dogs who are equally as skilled if they (and their humans) want to.
There are several different dog diving competitions out there, but one of the big ones is held by the American Kennel Club every year. It's called the AKC Diving Dogs Challenge, and pups who participate compete in the categories of Distance, Air Retrieve, and Hydro Dash.
The competition also airs on TV (if you have access to ESPN2) so if you want to see more dogs going airborne like Maddi and Sophie, you should tune in to next year's competition.
Whether they go pro or not, though, these cuties are already stars.