Sports go to the dogs
Dogs dive into training and play at All Dogs Sports Park in Lodi
Cody, a 5-year-old golden retriever, bounds down the lane encouraged by his owner Joann Jordan’s cheerful voice at the end of the course.
Then, something slows him down. His paws pause as he looks for what is cramping his style. A bright green parachute has been flowing behind him.
After a brief look at the chute, his owner’s cheers overtake his confusion, and he continues towards Jordan.
The run was the cardio portion of Fit ‘n’ Fun Agility, a fitness class offered at All Dogs Sports Park, located on the grounds of Sycamore Lane Kennels. The class is a fun mix of doggie squats and hurdle jumps, peanut rolls and speed running.
Traditional agility equipment is integrated with modern canine training equipment, and the doggie athletes can see improvement in endurance, self-confidence, muscle tone, and flexibility. They may even sharpen their canine brains and shed a few ounces.
The run with the parachute was the third run of the evening. The first one was to measure the dog’s base speed, teacher Didi explained to her class. Then she would show the canine companions how they can improve on the speed with the use of resistance training and weighted vests. The parachute provides the running dogs with resistance, much like a human athlete may use to improve their speed.
All Dogs Sports Park has something to offer every wagging tail. The park was created in the 1980s, when Sycamore Lane owners Alicia and Riney Kahler decided to expand on their existing dog-centric business, said facility director Jonnee Bardo. The Kahlers wanted to create a sports park where dogs and their owners could come out and have good time, while fostering a good relationship between the owner and their pet. They also wanted to create a safe atmosphere where dogs can compete and play.
The result is a sprawling green park, surrounded by orchards and grapevines, with a regulation size competition dock and pool, a 100-by-200 arena with artificial turf, and a matted, temperature-controlled building.
Next to a green lawn, a small waterfall cascades into a large pond. There is also Wagger’s Field, a private dog park available to rent by the hour, with colorful objects for the dog to play on while having the park to themselves.
Fit & Fun Agility is just one of many classes offered at the park. Other courses focus on games like flyball and barn hunt, along with obedience and nosework.
Dog sports are increasing in popularity, Bardo said.
“As more people know about it, people view it and say, ‘My dog can do that!’” she said.
There is minimal training to get started, she said, and once they have started, dogs can advance as far as they are capable with the appropriate training.
Most dog owners are familiar with basic obedience training, which can be an especially good class for anybody who is looking to live in a rental home. Dogs and their owners can earn the Canine Good Citizen from the American Kennel Club, which can help show landlords a dog is well-trained, Bardo said.
Canine Good Citizen is a 10-skill training program which focuses on teaching the basics of good manners and obedience, and strengthening the bond between dog and owner. It also teaches owners the values of responsible pet ownership.
Dock diving is one of the country’s fast-growing dog sports. It’s a great choice for a dog who loves his favorite toy and playing in water.
In dock diving, the owner throws their dog’s toy into a pool. The dog, who has waited on a dock about 40 feet away for their owner’s command, then runs along the dock, leaps off the end, and lands with a splash in the water, and retrieves the toy. The longest jump wins.
There are different techniques involved in dock diving. The toss-and-catch technique is what the biggest jumpers use, instructor Didi McElroy said. That technique encourages the dog to attempt to catch the toy midair. The skill of the human toy-tosser is important for timing, angle, distance and speed.
Place-and-send is where the toy is in the water already and the dog is sent down the dock to get it.
The dock diving class offered at All Dogs Sports Park helps prepare dogs and owners for the competition. It starts with getting the dog familiar with the exit ramp and swimming while someone is in the pool. Once the canine is comfortable with that, it’s on to the dock, and building confidence to jump off it. Finally, the dog/handler team works on throw and catch timing.
Every dog is different, and approaches the dock in a different way, Bardo said. While not every dog is made to jump far, their attempts can be entertaining to watch.
“(Joey) acts like she is this big bad jumper,” she said of her own dog, a 6year-old standard poodle. “She gets up there, and she acts all big and bad. Then gets all excited, runs to the end of the dock, and if the water is too cold she’s like, ‘Nah, don’t think I am going in!’”
For beginners, jumps can be as short as 2 feet, while experienced doggies can jump as far as 30 feet.
Bardo said people are clamoring to get their dogs into dock diving.
“Most dogs that come out here are die-hards. They love it and they will run and jump and they will do as often as you let them. It’s a really fun sport,” she said.
The park also offers swimming lessons for dogs. While most may think the doggie paddle is the way dogs swim, it’s not the correct technique.
“It’s a very frantic swim, which if left in the water long enough, they could actually drown,” Bardo said.
The swim class at All Dogs Sports Park teaches dogs to swim with a calm, deliberate stroke, moving forward but not splashing the water.
Bardo said that many dogs who complete the dog swimming class move on to do dock-diving because they enjoy the water so much.
The park also has rally and competition obedience and confirmation classes, all specialty classes for people looking to do serious competition, she added.
On some weekends the park fills up with one breed only — dachshunds, Australian shepherds or great Danes — during specialty breed shows. Some pets and owners travel long distances for the competitions and shows.
Pat Romeiro lives in Davis, but makes the drive down to Lodi to take classes from Didi McElroy. One of her dogs takes the beginning Fit & Fun Agility class, while her other dog is in the advanced class. Tux also competes in dock diving.
“(McElroy) is really the only one I know who is so (knowledgeable), so I come all the way from Davis to this class, with both my dogs,” Romeiro said. “Didi is such a wealth of knowledge. It amazes me how much I didn’t know about the dogs’ build and what their core really is about.”
The training Tux receives in the Fit & Fun Agility helps his dock diving, she said.
“The vest he had on is weighted for strength and endurance and jumping, so that when it comes to dock diving, he will not have a vest on, and he may be able to jump higher, to give him that propel into the water to catch the bumpers,” she said.
How does an owner know what sport is best for their dog? Much like humans, dogs can have preferences of what they like to do, and excel if they have fun doing it.
Bardo uses one of her own dogs as an example.
“I have one dog that does not care for barn hunt. I took him out to try it, and he was like, ‘I don’t think I like it.’ But he absolutely loves trailing,” she said.
Her other dog, on the other “paw,” loves barn hunt.
It’s like with kids and sports, Bardo added. You have to give them a chance to see if they like it or not. If they are willing to try it, you can work with them and move forward with it.
“You just have to look at the dog, find what it likes to do and train to that,” she said.
She likes to think of it as relationship building, and whatever you’re doing, you’re creating a good strong bond between the dog and the owner.
“It’s not always about winning, but it’s about playing and getting out and having a good time with your dog. It’s fun to win ribbons, but that’s not always the end result.”