Valley K9's make a splash at Pembark in Pembroke, Ont.
The dog days of summer have arrived in Pembroke.
PemBARK, a two-day dog dock jumping competition and festival, is being held in Riverside Park this weekend. Hosted by the city of Pembroke and Brockville-based business Canine Watersports Canada, the festival features local pet vendors and a main attraction of dogs jumping into a 45-foot long pool.
"The dogs, we take them up and try to jump them as far as we can, and it's all about fun," Canine Watersports Canada owner Mark Larocque said. "If the dog likes water and has toy drive then it's perfect for the sport."
Dogs of all breeds, sizes, and ages can compete in four categories consisting of variations and combinations of furthest jump, fastest swim, and best catch.
"If they like to play fetch and they like the water or are taught to like the water, they can play," says dog trainer Mary Spurrell.
Spurrell owns Avalon Ranch, a dog training business that specifically teaches the sport of canine dock jumping.
"It's a sport that's not too hard on their joints," says Spurrell, who collaborates with Canine Watersports Canada. "So they get to run a little bit on a flat surface, and when they jump and land it's in water."
Dogs of all experience are invited to jump from the dock into the water during the two day event.
"We've seen it all," says Larocque. "Right from Great Danes to Jack Russells. Actually we had a wiener dog jumping off here today."
Blair Holierhoek had his one-year-old yellow lab Duke take home a ribbon in the long jump category Saturday.
"He's been doing this since he was six months old, and actually six months is the youngest they can go on a dock."
This summer, Duke and his family from Lansdowne, Ont. will compete in eight competitions. It is a sport that Holierhoek says he stumbled into.
"You know, honestly jumping just my chocolate lab at the family cottage years ago," he says "And we drove by one of these festivals and we saw the pool, and that was 15 years ago."
While not every pooch can take home a ribbon, some just come out to work on their doggy paddles.
"Whether they jump two feet or 30 feet it just makes people smile," says Larocque.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.